Facts of the Persecution
Practitioners Stories
Practitioners Exchange Insights
Media Reports
News and Events Around the World
Good is Rewarded with Good, Evil is Met With Evil
On January 20, 2003, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong ("WOIPFG") was founded. Its mission is to "investigate the criminal conduct of all institutions, organizations, and individuals involved in the persecution of Falun Gong; to bring such investigation, no matter how long it takes, no matter how far and deep we have to search, to full closure; to exercise fundamental principles of humanity; and to restore and uphold justice in society."
We recently had an opportunity to interview WOIPFG's legal counsel, Mr. Stewart Weisman.
Reporter [R]: Mr. Weisman, could you tell our readers why you decided to join the WOIPFG?
Weisman [W]: Although I am not a practitioner of Falun Gong, as a lawyer engaged in the practice of fighting discrimination and upholding civil rights, I accepted WOIPFG's invitation to become its attorney. During my association with WOIPFG, I have met wonderful people from all races and different nationalities who embody the virtues of truthfulness in all dealings, compassion towards people, and tolerance of the viewpoints of others. These principles are certainly noble aspirations and that is why WOIPFG's mandate to protect the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners, to investigate and expose violations of those rights, and to restore and uphold justice in society is both vital and necessary.
R: What impact do you anticipate that WOIPFG will have upon China?
W: I am greatly optimistic that the efforts of WOIPFG will bear fruit in at least three important areas. First, WOIPFG will expose all of those who have participated in the criminal acts orchestrated by Jiang's regime so that a sense of justice and balance can be achieved, so that harmony can be restored. Second, the very presence of an investigatory organization may serve to reduce, and hopefully eliminate, the acts of persecution. Third, WOIPFG's efforts will help to educate the citizens of China as to the nature of the senseless brutality inflicted upon their fellow citizens just because of their beliefs. In that fashion, the attitudes of the people will undoubtedly change and hostility towards practitioners will subside.
R: Dr. Charles Li, an American citizen and a Falun Gong practitioner, was arrested and later sentenced to three years in prison by the Chinese regime. As a lawyer, what are your thoughts on this case?
W: Simply stated, I am outraged. No matter what falsehoods have been and will be offered by the government of China concerning Dr. Li, the simple fact is that he was arrested, detained, and now faces the prospect of spending the next three years in prison because of his beliefs. This type of behavior is not to be tolerated among civilized nations, especially in the Year 2003.
R: What has WOIPFG done, and what does it plan to do to seek Dr. Li's release?
W: In the initial stage, WOIPFG has communicated with important and influential government representatives, particularly in the U.S., to intercede on behalf of Dr. Li. It is heartening to see the outpouring of support.
Besides seeking support from the government, NGOs, and the society at large, WOIPFG is also conducting special investigations that are directly and indirectly related to Dr. Li's case. We are confident that our efforts will make a difference.
R: With respect to the special investigations WOIPFG is conducting you just mentioned, it has been reported that WOIPFG recently launched a special investigation into the illegal overseas assets and properties of Chinese government officials, especially those who have participated in the persecution of Falun Gong. Can you tell us more about this?
W: It is important to understand that it is an unfortunate part of life that despots such as Jiang Zemin squander the assets of their people by routing badly needed money, resources, and manpower to oppress certain segments of the population both internally and in many countries throughout the world. Such evil rulers, and really, there can be no other term to properly describe Zemin, also force the victims of the persecution to pay for their own punishments by, for example, extracting illegal fines and through forced labor. But perhaps the unkindest cut of all is the corruption of the souls of those who are brainwashed by the constant onslaught of propaganda, or, who, out of a desire to survive, must turn a blind eye or even aid in the persecution.
There are many documented cases in China in which practitioners are arrested repeatedly and their relatives are forced to hand over money in exchange for their release time after time. At the same time, many high-ranking Chinese officials have been smuggling dirty money overseas. Among them, many are followers of Jiang's policy of genocide against Falun Gong practitioners. If these officials are afraid of having their properties and assets seized, then they may exert pressure upon others to stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and to release people who have been wrongly imprisoned, such as Dr. Charles Li whom we talked about earlier.
R: How does WOIPFG intend to pursue this effort and others?
W: Generally, we want to confiscate the properties of these corrupt government officials with the liquidated value of the assets going to the victims. We will also continue to collect evidence and bring the guilty to justice. Specifically, WOIPFG is requesting that appropriate federal agencies, such as the FBI, assist our efforts to amass evidence against responsible parties, commence criminal prosecutions, seize assets under applicable federal laws, and ensure that those who are found guilty are appropriately sentenced. The recent statement made in March by Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont introducing the Anti-Atrocity Alien Deportation Act of 2003 is also very encouraging. The proposed law is intended to close loopholes in our immigration laws that have allowed war criminals and human rights abusers to enter and remain in this country.
There have also been civil actions commenced, such as one now pending in the U.S. District Court in Illinois, which name Jiang Zemin as a defendant and request large penalties be imposed for his nefarious activities. There's also an effort underway by a Swiss-based international NGO, "Track Impunity Always" ("TRIAL"), wherein a number of countries are preparing to file criminal complaints against Jiang Zemin. According to the president of TRIAL, Attorney Phil Grant, if Jiang is found guilty he might face life-imprisonment. We will also invite entities such as the World Organization Against Torture and other NGOs to join our efforts.
R: These multi-nation legal actions against Jiang Zemin remind me of the Nuremberg Tribunal and the Bosnia War Crimes Trial. Are there any similarities among these cases? What can we learn from them?
W: I don't think that it is so much a question as to what we can learn from the outcomes of these famous tribunals but what Jiang's regime has failed to learn from them; that is, all rulers, public officials, or private individuals who commit genocide and crimes against humanity have individual criminal accountability and will be prosecuted no matter how long it takes. To that end, we draw inspiration from the efforts of other private organizations dedicated to bringing violators of international law to justice, such as the Wiesenthal Center which has had tremendous experience in tracking down Nazi war criminals.
R: Mr. Weisman, thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. We wish you and your organization success in your endeavors.
W: It's my pleasure. Thank you.
(Clearwisdom.net) Dafa practitioner Yang Cheng was beaten to death in April 2001 by murderer Liang Zheng, a police officer at the Meihua Police Station in Maoming City, Guangdong Province.
Other persecution facts committed by police officials from Maoming City and other areas
The Meihua Police Station personnel summoned every Falun Gong practitioner to the police station for questioning, and forced each of them to pay 30 Yuan to the police station.
In November 2001, Wu Yehui, chief of the Zhensheng Police Station in Maoming City led a group of police to the homes of over two dozen Dafa practitioners. They searched and confiscated their property. They even stole items with a value of only five Yuan.
Guangdong Province Judicial Department sent guards from the No. 5 division of No. 3 Branch Camp from the Sanshui Labor Camp to the Masanjia Labor Camp to study its criminal methods for persecuting Dafa practitioners. After coming back from their study, they used eight to ten electric batons to shock Dafa practitioners and also instigated criminal inmates to torture Dafa practitioners.
Police from Maoming City kidnapped Dafa practitioner Li Ming on the evening of March 2nd, when he was distributing Falun Gong flyers. He was detained inside a restroom at the Maoming City Legal Education School and was beaten by a bunch of thugs instigated by the police. He was seriously injured and his fate is unknown.
Maoming City Legal Education School is very vicious. All of the money that family members sent to Dafa practitioners was confiscated. Practitioners even have no money to buy toilet paper and daily necessities.
Maoming City "610 Office" telephone: 86-668-2951539
Maoming City Meihua police substation telephone: 86 668-2760051
Maoming City Zhensheng police substation telephone: 86-668-2380323
Maoming Legal Education school telephone: 86-668-2911013
Guangdong Province Sanshui Labor Camp telephone: 86-757-7318294
(Clearwisdom.net)
Dafa practitioner Ms. Li Shumin was kidnapped and sent to the Baoqiao Labor Camp in 2001. She was detained in Team Five. In mid-January 2003, the police at the labor camp forced practitioners to work overtime. Practitioners went on a work strike to protest against the illegal persecution. The police then resorted to violence attempting to get practitioners back to work. Headed by a policeman named Kou, the police beat up and shocked every practitioner with high-voltage electric batons. Many practitioners were severely injured. Ms. Li Shumin died on the spot. In order to cover up their crimes, the police lied saying that Ms. Li died of a sudden heart disease and even hypocritically held a funeral for her. Furthermore, they did not allow her family members to examine her body.
Banqiao Labor Camp
Post code: 300270
Phone: 86-22-63251823 (reception), 86-22-63251619 (office), 86-22-63251069 (administration section)
"610 Office" in Dagang, Tianjin
Directors: Zhou Xuanping, Liu Hengqi (his cell is 86-13802043848)
Vice directors: Li Quanxin: 86-22-63390890 (office), 86-13920299105 (cell)
Police Department in Tianjin City
Phone: 86-22-23353922
Director of security section: Yao Jiawang
Vice Directors of security section: Wang Dashui
Phone of security section: 86-22-23353922 ext 21950
Dagang Police Station
Phone: 86-22-62093011
Vice Director: Fei XX
(Clearwisdom.net) I am an eleven year old student. I have excellent grades and I strive to be virtuous. On July 22, 1999, I went with my parents to Beijing to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to the government. However, we were arrested by plain-clothes policemen and taken to the liaison office in Beijing. We did not have any actual meals for two days. The adults were worse off than the children. For food, we were only given half a bun and a salted vegetable the size of a French fry. Later my parents were taken away by their work units, while I was left to go home on my own.
The persecution became more and more intense. Things I would like to say boiled up in my heart and I could not bear it; therefore I went once again with my mom in September 2000 to the Appeals Office in Beijing. The policemen who were sitting outside the Appeals Office forcefully pulled both of us into their car and sent us to the liaison office in Beijing. It was very cold that day. After my mother and I were put through a round of strict body searches, we sat on the icy cold floor. At night we also slept on "this piece of ice."
The people from mom's work unit came to take us back. On the second day, I was supposed to go to school, but they would not allow me to leave. On Monday night, with my mom once again, I spent another night on the floor that was even colder than before. Under most conditions I am able to fall asleep once I lay down, but this time I did not sleep at all during the whole night. If it were not that we cultivated Falun Gong, we would have been frozen.
On the second day, an officer from mom's work unit took us to the police station. They forbade us to talk, sit, move or look around. After about two hours I was taken away and separated from my mom. The officer sent me back to school and took me directly to the principal's office and let the principal speak to me. The teachers also came to pressure me. I was determined not to give up cultivation and they finally left dejectedly.
In July 2001, I went with a young practitioner the same age as myself (11 years old) to Tiananmen Square. We held high a banner with the words, "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" on it. We were knocked to the ground with one kick from the policemen and were dragged away by our hair.
In China, the people in power are cruel and violent, even to harmless and defenseless school children like us. It is really inhuman.
March 10, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net)
Changchun City Heizuizi Women's Labor Camp policemen use many brutal methods to force Dafa practitioners to renounce their belief. They force determined Dafa practitioners onto a torture device called the "Dead Person's Bed,"* force-feed them with a thick mixture of salt and water, and submit them to torture from batons that deliver electric shock. Oftentimes the police use sleep deprivation as a means of torture; one practitioner was subjected to sleep deprivation torture for 2 months. Beating, verbal abuse, threats and physical punishment are common place. The following are some cases of Dafa practitioners tortured in the Heizuizi Women's Labor Camp:
Zheng Chehui is a female practitioner. When she was first sent to the labor camp, she refused to write any "Guarantee Letter,"** Zheng Chehui was beaten by a group of policewomen for an entire night. Red and purple bruises could be seen everywhere on her body. Later, they force-fed her with a thick mixture of salt and water.
Yin Shuyun is a female practitioner. In 1999, she went to Beijing to rectify the Fa, and was beaten without provocation by Beijing policemen until her head and face were severely swollen. Later Yin Shuyun was transferred to the Heizuizi Labor Camp. Because she said, "Falun Dafa is good," the No. 2 Division Chief Liu Lianyin viciously beat her. Liu Lianyin used the electric baton to shock her mouth and her teeth, and she violently kicked Yin's lower abdomen. Liu Lianyin beat and shocked Yin Shuyun all over her body. Liu Lianyin even grabbed her hair and pounded her head against the wall, until her head bled profusely. Yin Shuyun's hair was pulled out in handfuls. Yin Shuyun was tortured to death.
Liu Jinhua is a female practitioner. Before the Chinese New Year, the labor camp hosted a discussion meeting attended by families of Dafa practitioners. During the meeting, they didn't allow Dafa practitioners to clarify the truth or speak on their own behalf, instead, they asked the "Collaborators"*** to say slanderous words against Dafa. Liu Jinhua stood up and said, "Falun Dafa is the Righteous Way." Later she was taken away by police. The common prisoners were told to beat her. Afterwards, her face and mouth were covered with blood. As if that were not enough, Liu Jinhua was also tied onto the "Dead Person's Bed" and force-fed several times. Such torture continued for several consecutive days.
In October 2002, there was an unknown name female practitioner in the No. 1 team of the No. 2 Division (Dafa practitioners are not allowed to say anything to each other when they meet, therefore her name remains unknown). A policewoman Wei ordered an old common prisoner, He Huanping, to drive steel needles into this practitioner's fingertips. The entire camp could hear this practitioner's screams.
As Heaven is watching above, the corrupt and inhumane deeds of the police from the Heizuizi Women's Labor Camp's will one day be made publically known and the persecutors will receive their due punishment.
* Dead Person's Bed: The four limbs of the practitioner are stretched out and tied to the four corners of an icy-cold metal bed. The practitioner cannot move at all.?Neither is he/she allowed to get up to eat, drink, or use the bathroom. This treatment would last from several hours up to more than a dozen days. This type of cruel torture causes severe damage to the practitioner both mentally and physically.
** Guarantee Letter: A statement to declare that he or she is remorseful for practicing Falun Gong and guarantees not to practice Falun Gong again, not to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Dafa practitioners.
*** Collaborators: Former Falun Gong practitioners who have gone astray due to brainwashing and torture.
2003-4-3
(Clearwisdom.net) Wang Jinfeng was a female practitioner in Sanjiawobao Village, Xiaochengzi Town, Kangping County, Shenyang, Liaoning Province. In December 1999, she went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and was illegally detained for 20 months in the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. She was released in July 2001. Although severely tortured in the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp, Wang Jinfeng always maintained a firm belief in Falun Dafa. Her behavior even impressed police.
Although Wang Jinfeng had been released from the forced labor camp, due to the control of the Kangping County "610 Office" [an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems], the local Communist Party Committee, government, and police station of Xiaochengzi Town never relented in persecuting her. Local officials often illegally harassed her normal family life. Such harassment was even intensified during their so-called "sensitive time period." On September 20, 2002, police from the county "610 Office" local police station and local Party secretary kidnapped her at home. She was forcefully abducted to a brainwashing class in Kangping County, where she endured torture and brainwashing sessions. She went on a hunger strike in protest and resisted forced feedings. She was later released.
On November 7, 2002, one day before the "16th Party Congress" was held, Wang Jinfeng was again abducted by local police, illegally detained in the local police station, and not released until late at night. She was released after being under surveillance day and night by local government appointed people. Among those involved were local Party Secretary Zhang Wenju, local public security Director Qi Yan, group leader Wang Yanping, and Guo Xiaodong. These four people stayed in Wang Jinfeng's home, drinking, smoking, and playing the game of Mah Jong for many days. Without a peaceful home and having been driven beyond her limit of forbearance, Wang Jinfeng finally drove those people away.
On February 28, 2003 at 6 o'clock in the morning, local police station Director Zhang Shaowei, police officer Hu Liangyu, officer Niu, security guard Qi Wen, Zhang Zhongming, local Communist Party Secretary Zhang Wenju, minivan owner Zou (last name), and a local police station driver intruded Wang Jinfeng's home again. They drove one police vehicle and one minivan, trying to kidnap Wang Jinfeng again. Wang Jinfeng's husband Zhang You asked them: "My wife did not violate any law, why are you going to seize her?" Police officer Hu Liangyu said Wang Jinfeng needed to attend a brainwashing class. Zhang You said, "No, my wife has been persecuted many times before, are you able to take responsibility should she die in custody?" Those evil people claimed that their supervisors forced them to make an arrest, and threatened to even seize Zhang You. Zhang You was lured by Zhang Shaowei into another room, and was not allowed to go out by Zhang Shaowei and Hu Liangyu. In the other room, four to five people forcefully picked up Wang Jinfeng and put her into the vehicle. The same day Wang Jinfeng was imprisoned and subjected to forcible brainwashing in Zhangshi Forced Labor Camp, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, and has still not been released.
Wang Jinfeng went on a hunger strike to protest being persecuted, and was force fed a thick mixture of salt and water. She is still being tortured physically and mentally, including not being allowed to sleep, being forced to squat and kneel with her legs tied up, with her arms tied behind her back, etc., in order to force her to give up her belief in Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance.
March 31, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net)
Since July 20th 1999, the Jiang regime has implemented the policy of "defaming their reputation, bankrupting them financially, destroying them physically" against Falun Gong practitioners. Instructed by orders from high-ranking authorities, the "610 Office" [an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.] and various government offices in the county and township police stations have set up brainwashing classes one by one.
Over the past three years, more than 200 instances of practitioners in Dazu County directly being persecuted by various methods have been reported. Twenty people have been sent to labor camps: Li Jian, Feng Julun, Liu Shurong, Chen Qingbing, Zheng Xuegang, Li Liangduan, Zhao Zhonglu, Yang Tianbao, Jiang Zhongliang, Yi Tingzhong, Zhou Zhongxing (female), Liu Hongju (female), Tang Jing (female), Tang Dayu (female), Li Kaixiang (female), and Yang Huanying (female). People such as Li Jian, Liu Shurong, Li Liangduan, Zhao Zhonglu, Zhou Zhongxing and Liu Hongju have been sent to the labor camp twice. Yang Tianbao, 16 years old, is a middle school student who was sent to Xishanping Labor Camp. He is the youngest one there.
People who have been held in the detention center in Dazu County include:
Zeng Xiangjin, Zheng Xuequn, Deng Shangyuan, Tang Simin, Zhang Zhishu, Hou Zaoying, Zhang Hongying and Zhao Dong.
Chen Guokang is a peasant in Mingjiang Village, Mituo Town, Dazu County. His wife, Tang Dayu, was detained in Maojiashan Women's Labor Camp for being a Falun Dafa practitioner. Chen Guokang, his daughter and 2 year old grandson were detained and sent to a brainwashing center in Dazu County for over 5 months. Deng Shangyuan, a teacher in Liuhe Elementary School in the Town of Baoxing, Dazu County was also detained in a brainwashing center with her 15 month-old baby. An elderly person over 60 years old is also being detained there. They are forced to pay 10 Yuan every day for the cost of living, which includes daily charges from the brainwashing center and a "guarantee" fee of at least several hundred to a thousand Yuan.
The officials have implemented all kinds of methods to persecute practitioners by mentally and physically torturing them as well as extorting money from them. The relatives, friends, and co-workers, including the companies where the practitioners have worked, are being implicated. Many families have been torn apart and the practitioners were forced to become destitute and homeless in order to avoid being illegally arrested.
We earnestly request the "World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong" to conduct an international investigation in Dazu County.
List of people involved in persecuting practitioners:
The ones responsible for the persecution in Dazu County "610 Office": Wang Guangqiang
(the secretary of the Political and Judiciary Committee in Dazu County), Ye Guicai
Dazu County Police, Administrative Committee: Tang Junguo
Dazu County Police, Judiciary Section: Zhou Ji
Section 1 of Dazu County Police: Zhao Caide
Police Station on Chaoyang Street in Town of Longshui: Jiang Qiyong
Beimen Police Station in Town of Longgang: Jiang Jun
(Clearwisdom.net)
Many members of the "610 Office" [an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.] are policemen and staff from the local appeals office. They stand above the law and persecute Dafa practitioners at will. The means they adopt are inexcusable. I'll summarize several of their evil strategies.
1. Spies
The "610 Office" first sends out one or two policemen, or spies from the person's work unit, to the home of Dafa practitioners to check whether the practitioner is at home or not. They falsely claim, "Do not worry. We'll just have a look and don't need anything."
2. Illegal Search of Peoples' Homes
After the spies leave, several policemen will come to the home of the practitioner to search by force. If they find any Dafa books or materials, they will immediately take the Dafa practitioner away. If they find nothing they will say, "We just came to have a look."
3. The Hypocrisy of the 610 Office
After finishing the search, the "610 Office" sends a working team to the practitioner's home and carries out a so-called "chat and help," where they falsely say that they will help look for jobs and they pretend to care about the lives of the practitioners. They say something like, "If you want to practice then stay at home to practice. Do not worry, we do not have hostility."
4. Arrests
Then they immediately come back again and say, "The leaders want to talk to you. Please come with us." We do not have malice. If the practitioners do not want to go they will be forcibly taken directly to a brainwashing session.
(Clearwisdom.net) A "solemn declaration" is a person's public statement declaring to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. Most of these statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wished to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they had signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Also, as more and more people in China learn the truth about how they have been deceived and lied to by the Jiang regime, many non-practitioners are also submitting "solemn declarations."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net) I am a Dafa practitioner who just started cultivation in August 2002. Due to consistent study of the Fa, I have felt the urgency to save sentient beings. Many people still do not know the facts of the persecution of Falun Dafa, so I felt I should go to clarify the truth so their future would be ensured.
I don't know any practitioners in my area, nor do I have ways to contact them. I know I should try my best to do what I should do. Considering all factors of every aspect regarding truth-clarification, I decided I would create VCDs that contained the facts of the persecution against Falun Dafa.
I bought many blank CDs in order burn truth-clarifying programs, as well as plastic covers, and then printed a note: "It's a gift free of charge, and you're fortunate to obtain it." Pictures and stereo audio are, with high resolution, astonishing and shocking. These were made at my own expense in order for people not to be deceived any longer. There are five programs totaling 70 minutes. Contents: 1.,2. Expose several lies; 3. International reaction; 4. Appeal of ten thousand people*; 5. Call for justice and conscience." I put one VCD and one note into each plastic cover and stuck a double-sided sticker on the front side of the cover, so that it could be easily stuck on the door or wall.
When I pass by the residential areas on my way to work, I would enter into the residential buildings to stick the VCDs on the doors. On the weekends, I would go to other places with the VCDs.
Every time when sending forth righteous thoughts, I would use righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil factors in other dimensions that interfere and block people from knowing the truth. Every time when I give out the VCDs, I send forth righteous thoughts while asking Teacher to strengthen and help those predestined people to obtain the truth. I cherish every VCD very much, not only because I used up nearly all of my income (besides basic living expenses) to buy CDs, but also because I treat each VCD as having the potential to save several sentient beings. I hope more predestined people can be saved.
Master said,
"If it's in Mainland China, it's best that you give priority to your safety and don't allow the old forces to take advantage of gaps. This isn't a matter of being afraid or not, it's about not letting the evil take advantage of gaps."
(Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference)
In order not to leave gaps for the evil, the time and place that I spread VCDs are irregular. Walking through the streets or between buildings was as natural as going back home or visiting friends. I utilize the wisdom and supernatural abilities endowed by the Fa. It is joyful and smooth along the Fa-rectification journey.
* This refers to the incident on April 25th, 1999, in which an estimated ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners went to Zhongnanhai to appeal to the government to restore their name. The appeal was peaceful and orderly, and after the appeal the Falun Gong practitioners even cleaned up the streets, picking up the cigarette butts thrown down by policemen! This was after a newspaper in Tianjin published a slanderous article about Falun Gong, and police beat and arrested practitioners who had gone to the newspaper to appeal.
(Clearwisdom.net)
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday, the day for a reunion of the entire family. However, I spent this day in a detention center. There were 16 people in my prison cell, four of them Falun Dafa practitioners. On the day of the festival, those of us confined together in the same cell voluntarily held a small literature and art celebration, each one of us making a small presentation. When it came to my turn, I sang, as loudly and clearly as I could, "Falun Dafa is good, Falun Dafa is righteous, the Buddha light illuminates everywhere!" Then, everyone in that prison cell joined together to sing with me, "Falun Dafa is good." I also sang "Deng Gui Tu" and "De Du." Another practitioner recited poems praising our great Master's suffering and hardships while offering salvation to sentient beings. The poems also expressed the hope that the prisoners would see the truth early and have an infinitely beautiful future. The practitioner who recited the poems was later illegally sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment in Dabei Prison, Shenyang City.
Dafa practitioners' clear voices were solemn and benevolent, echoing to all the corridors in the detention center and warming every heart. The prisoners broke into tears that showed their appreciation and respect for the practitioners and their yearning for Falun Dafa.
An illiterate woman from a rural area in Anhui Province learned to sing "Falun Dafa is Good," and her singing can be heard every day in the detention center. Another prisoner said, "I will practice Falun Gong once I get out, and I will help you promote Falun Dafa." One after another being was saved, because the Buddha light of the universal Dafa had already illuminated them. Even though many practitioners in China are facing inhumane torture and persecution, we do not feel we are suffering. On the contrary, we feel so happy to live during this great epoch, when we can assist Teacher during Fa-rectification and in every moment be bathed in Teacher's great benevolent care. Teacher's benevolence is vast and mighty!
The celebration ended, but the beautiful memory will forever remain in everyone's heart. With the blessings and guidance of Teacher, Falun Dafa practitioners are creating the glorious future and composing the brilliant pages for the new universe.
(The author of this article has already re-joined the mighty current of Fa-rectification.)
March 15, 2003
Shared at the 2003 European Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net) I first learned about Falun Dafa in Florida through someone in a chat room about a year ago. This person was probably a practitioner. All he said was that he does a practice that really changed his life, and he left the Falun Dafa web address. I was grateful, and I also felt it was meant to be like that. However, my notions prevented me from starting cultivation of Falun Dafa. After about half a year I returned to the website. I was in my hometown in Poland and was sitting at an Internet café about 3:00 a.m., then from "nowhere" I thought, "Hmm, what was that website called?" I opened an English search engine and typed Falun something and there it was. I quickly looked over the page and decided that I would download the book.
As I started reading the first sentences of Lunyu I was shocked. I thought, "This is impossible, this can't be right, wow, I can't believe it, this knowledge actually exists." For the next couple of days I spent hours in the Internet café, downloading Falun Dafa books, articles, audio, videos, and anything I could get my hands on.
I think I visited almost every Falun Dafa website that was in English. While downloading one lecture I listened to another, and at the same time looked for more Dafa books. I took all the materials I had gathered and burned it on a little CD that I carried with me, since I didn't have a computer. I read Zhuan Falun everywhere, in school, at my cousin's house, any place that had a computer.
At that time four years had passed since I started looking for my life path. And I had read a lot of messy things, but looking back I feel that Master was helping me not to fall down too far and teaching me things that would allow me to make faster progress once I obtained the Fa.
Even though I am a newcomer I still treat myself as a Fa-rectification period disciple. Sometimes it feels hard but I know it's just an illusion that I have to jump out of. I often feel that I don't do well enough, and that I am not worthy. At the same time I remember that I must not think like that, because it is slowing me down, and instead this should be something that motivates me. I have to keep going and always think of the ones that may still be saved. I believe that I am still here because I haven't finished my mission. This is an arrangement and I still have the opportunity to make a big difference.
Now I would like to share some of my understandings with you about truly becoming one body.
Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.": "As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts. Even though the old forces do exist, if you don't have those thoughts they can't do anything. When your righteous thoughts are strong enough the old forces can't do anything..."
The following is my personal understanding that I would like to share with everyone.
One body. What is one body? Can we become one body only by thinking about becoming one body? I think not. While reading Clearwisdom one day, while admiring the stories of fellow practitioners and the remarkable deeds of Mainland Chinese Dafa practitioners, I took a really hard look at myself. Not just at one attachment but I looked at my entirety.
This is what I saw. I saw a human who is trying to do his best for Dafa, a human who is trying to find time to read the Fa and do the exercises, a human who is trying to figure out what's the best way to inform the government and the best way to tell the people about the persecution and at the same time let them position themselves. I also saw that I have fear and that I'm often nervous and worried. And then I asked myself, why is this and should this feeling take place, is it good, or is it bad? Is this how a Great Enlightened Being should feel? Then I thought no, that's not the mind of a Great Enlightened Being, that's the mind of a human. And then I reminded myself of how sometimes, when I was really in the Fa I would not worry about anything and everything would get done almost all by itself.
My fellow practitioner gave me a nice comparison of how he feels sometimes. He said that when he feels that he is in the Fa, it's like being in a spinning ball -- he is in the very center of the ball and he actually spins slowly, though everything around him is happening really fast. Everything happens really fast, but he keeps calm and has everything under control. But then he said that when he is not within the Fa, he feels like he is close to the surface of the ball, where matter and everything is just spinning and spinning. And no matter how hard he tries to put everything in balance, he can't do it because he is fundamentally on the surface, which is everything human, and not at his center, which is actually Dafa. So it comes down to the source of one's thoughts and the way they manifest. Are they clean or are they coming out polluted by our notions? If they come from the innermost part of us, they come from the most microscopic, which is already assimilated to Dafa. If they come from the surface, no matter how hard one tries to keep Dafa and everyday life in harmony, it is apt to fall apart. And I thought of myself and that it's the same with me. My mind should be calm and I should not be moved or touched by anything.
I should not be moved by whatever evil things manifest around me. That doesn't mean I don't care about anything. I see it as being in a state of wuwei, and at the same time miraculously find myself to be more effective in what I do, and as a result do more to truly save sentient beings and to fulfill my mission. I believe that this is a part of gaining without pursuit. I think that that is the mind of a higher being - it's always calm, pure and not attached. Sentimentality is just a human emotion.
Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the Washington, DC International Fa Conference": "Get rid of any attachment you have, and don't think about anything. Just do everything a Dafa disciple should do, and everything will be covered."
I believe that "one body" will come about not because I pursue it, but instead it will come about because I will ensure that it happens in a natural way. I will stop worrying, and being scared and nervous. I have understood that if there is a problem in a group, if only one person can change, he will change his whole environment. I will change myself so that my environment changes. So what is my environment? My environment is everything that relates to me, it is everything that happens around me. My house is my environment, my city is my environment, my country, your country, and his country is my environment. China and the whole cosmos is my environment. So I will change myself so that the environment will change. Everything around me that is not within Zhen-Shan-Ren is wrong, and this must be rectified. But first I have to rectify my mind. I have to make it right.
Our thoughts and state of mind can change everything. It is not us who are physically rectifying the world and eliminating the evil, this all happens in different dimensions, all of it just manifests in this ordinary human society. Our supernormal abilities and gong does this. And our gong will have the most power only if we elevate our thoughts and understanding. If we can attain a clean and calm mind, a higher being's state of wuwei, if we can change our thoughts in the right direction, this should manifest in ordinary human society. And everything around us should change.
Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Philadelphia", "Fa-rectification disciples, the persecution has already come to this stage, and Dafa has already come to this stage in the Fa-rectification: what's there for us to still be afraid of? Haven't you already seen your future very well? So when it comes to those evil beings and their arrangements, as long as your righteous thoughts are strong enough you can reject them, repel them, and make them helpless."
Everything is reversed in human society. So in order to do more to help I have to pursue less and change my thinking. It's not how much you say but what you say. It's not how much you do but how much gets done. If I totally don't acknowledge the old forces, then it's like they cease to exist, and they would become helpless. If I calm down and think from the perspective of a God, everything will fall into place correctly. I need not be worried, scared or nervous. All good beings will be saved. I believe that if we keep up with our efforts, get rid of the attachments of pursuing and getting something done, and remember our true position, I think that good things will come and all the evil will be rectified.
We are here to save all sentient beings, by letting them have a chance to position themselves, by letting them calmly decide and making the best environment for their decision. If I keep this state of mind, not worry and not be nervous or scared, and remember Zhen-Shan-Ren, I will be in the Fa and naturally correct my environment.
I believe that we are like the thousands of thousands of energy channels that all meet at the point of the Tianmu. We are all connected but haven't yet completely reached Master's requirement of forming one body. The energy channels widen only through practice and elevating understandings. All the channels widen and thousands of thousands of energy channels become one. I think that's when the Fa will rectify the human world, when all of us Dafa practitioners become one. When we treat ourselves like true gods, then naturally we will rectify everything around us. There will be no room for evil, and there will be no room for attachments and loopholes.
The future is formed by us and depends on us. I believe that Master is waiting for us.
This is my personal understanding. Thank you everyone.
(Clearwisdom.net)
The trip to Geneva this year was the most fruitful of all my journeys overseas. Here I record some of the most memorable parts of it.
Experience of Face-to-Face Clarifying the Facts
In sharing experiences with some practitioners who clarify the truth of the persecution face-to-face, they told me that it is necessary to speak to people with the most concise language and answer their questions with appropriate materials in hand so that it will break their confusion immediately. They should prepare for their possible questions at home too. I admire them so much in my heart for spending time to stimulate people's goodness, because it is a manifestation of these practitioners' wisdom and benevolence in cultivation. Teacher told us:
"Clarifying the truth isn't a simple matter--it's not only a matter of exposing the evil. When we clarify the truth we are saving sentient beings, and at the same time it involves the matter of your own improvement and your elimination of attachments during your cultivation, and the matter of Dafa disciples being responsible to the Fa in their cultivation, as well as issues like how you fill and enrich that paradise of yours in your final Consummation." (Guiding the Voyage--Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Fa Conference)
Pay Attention to "the Image of Dafa"
An Australian practitioner talked about the "image of Dafa," touching me a great deal. She said we should be very careful about our own personal appearance when participating in Dafa activities. No matter who you are, people only know you are a Dafa practitioner. If you neglect this aspect, it will unintentionally cause damage to Dafa. We should consider everyday people's feelings and not neglect minor details, since Dafa is being spread in human society. Teacher has told us from time to time to be "full of great aspiration while minding the minor details." (Essentials for Further Advancement--"Sage"). As a matter of fact, I usually pay a lot of attention to personal appearance, but her words touched me with her righteous thought to Dafa and Teacher and the consideration for Fa-rectification and saving the people in the world with every thought and action. Her wholeheartedly righteous thoughts on the Fa did inspire me greatly.
Great Space Ahead After Giving Up Attachments
I cannot help crying whenever I read Teacher's words,
"Maybe now you've experienced how hard cultivation is. Because it's hard, your cultivation can meet with success."(Guiding the Voyage--Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. International Fa Conference)
Since I began to practice Dafa, my family members have been full of misunderstanding towards me. Because my mother and niece obtained the Fa through me, I received more censure in the family. I explained to them the best I could, but was still unable to change their minds, so I had to shoulder the tribulation myself. In addition to some negative comments on my work in Fa-rectification among the practitioners, I am pained in my heart and know I cannot get over this without genuinely upgrading my Xinxing (mind nature). I felt that I should have put down these attachments but, in fact, I have not put them down at all.
During this trip, a fellow practitioner said to me: "Why can't you cultivate happily; why must you always be unhappy? If you upgrade, these things cannot reach you anymore. Will these things still bother you after you really upgrade your cultivation level and no longer carry such a heavy burden?" Her words contain a very simple principle that I failed to enlighten to and follow in the past. Whenever a tribulation came, I looked upon everything from the basis of human thinking, and was never able to step across the barrier in the hardship. If my thoughts had been completely righteous, I would have taken all this fame, gain and affection in the world lightly. They are really negligible when I look back at them with a righteous thought. Teacher has told us the principle of choice, so why shouldn't I choose to be happy in facing everything on the road of cultivation.
"Achieving Buddha's fruit upon Consummation, Hardship suffering treated as joy." (Hongyin-- Tempering One's Mind and Heart, unofficial translation)
Dafa is meant to guide our lives and everything in cultivation.
"Following [the Fa] in everything, Compliance is cultivation."
(Hongyin-- Solid Cultivation, unofficial translation)
After I step through this gate, I suddenly feel the vast space ahead. Thank you Teacher, and thank you fellow practitioners!
March 29, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net)
During our cultivation, the interference from everyday people can be discerned relatively easily. However, interference among practitioners often cannot be easily detected. Every practitioner is at a different level and has enlightened to different principles; the evil then sometimes uses the practitioners whom you think are influential and celebrated to test you in a destructive way. Teacher had told us explicitly early on that, "If you want to be a practitioner, it all depends on cultivating your heart and on you, yourself being enlightened since there are no role models." (Zhuan Falun) Therefore practitioners cannot blindly idolize someone; we must be strict with ourselves and take the Fa as Teacher; only then can we eliminate interference and walk our paths well in Fa-rectification. Below is the story of where I stumbled on the journey of Fa-rectification. I learned my lesson, took the Fa as Teacher in the labor camp, affirmed my righteous thoughts to eliminate the interference and broke out of the evil's den.
On July 22, 1999, I went to Beijing and met up with Dafa practitioners from different areas. We were at a loss as to how to go about validating the Fa. Through continuously studying the Fa and discussions, someone proposed the idea of petitioning directly to the Office of Appeal in Beijing. I also felt that we should do that. Later, two practitioners and I set up a time to petition to the Office of Appeal the following day. Next day, another two elderly ladies also wanted to go with us. There was also another male practitioner who shared some of the principles he had enlightened to, but was against our going to appeal. The two ladies praised what he had said and wanted to hear more from him. Later, the two ladies also felt that we should not go to appeal; I was also interfered with and felt that what he said was reasonable.
Afterwards I realized that it was interference that stopped me from going to appeal. I regretted it very much. In my heart I asked Teacher to give me one more chance. A few days later I met another practitioner. He said that his brother planned to appeal and asked me to go with his brother. I was very happy. But before I left, the practitioners I met whom I knew well, all advised me not to go; I was interfered with again. Later I was arrested and put into the city's detention center. There I saw many practitioners detained because they went to appeal. I thought to myself, I had been in Beijing over a month, wasn't it my objective to say something fair for Dafa? Yet I was interfered with during the two opportunities I had; it caused me a great deal of pain. I made up my mind to study the Fa well and truly understand from the Fa how I should walk the cultivation path in Fa-rectification rather than merely following other practitioners' understandings. Every practitioner can only talk about each's understanding at his level at that moment. Every person's path is different. Therefore everyone must take the Fa as Teacher to walk their path correctly.
Later I was illegally detained at the labor camp. I faced so many people attempting to brainwash me; they talked about their understanding and the principles enlightening along the evil paths. I was no longer moved. I remembered the lessons learned from the previous two occasions. No matter what the situation, to take the Fa as Teacher and no one could "convert" me. Even though I went through all kinds of mental and physical torture during the detention, I was firm even under the most severe and destructive tests. Finally I came out of the most evil labor camp openly and with dignity.
South China Morning Post
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
Two Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners were sentenced to jail terms by a Shenzhen court last month, the Hong Kong Society for Falun Gong revealed yesterday.
Cheung Yu-chong, a 58-year-old security guard, was jailed for three years, while 46-year-old businessman Suen Chung-man was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Their sentences were delivered on March 26, 10 months after their arrests, the group said.
The spiritual movement has been outlawed on the mainland since July 1999.
Both men were arrested in May last year at the Lowu border. Cheung was arrested carrying flyers and VCDs about the Falun Gong through customs.
Suen was detained over a list of addresses which mainland authorities believed would be used for mailing Falun Gong materials, his family claimed.
"It was as if the mainland government had a blacklist of Falun Gong members," said Wong Am, Suen's wife.
On March 18 officers searched Suen's Shenzhen home and seized more than 1,400 VCDs about the Falun Gong.
The families of the two men complained that they had not received sufficient support from the Hong Kong government during the men's trial at Shenzhen Longgang District Court, and said they were angry about the sentences.
Cheung's sister Miu-ching said she had gone for help from the Immigration Department's Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit after her brother's arrest but did not receive much help.
"An officer said the Falun Gong was a sensitive issue, and told me there was probably nothing the unit could do apart from filling in the relevant paper work," she said.
"After that they rang me every now and then to check how my brother was doing in the mainland. I think they are rather like wooden puppets."
Miss Wong said she had received a similar response from officials.
"They told me we should act according to the mainland's laws and follow their procedures [Editor's note: Mainland judicial system has been manipulated by the Jiang regime to illegally persecute Falun Gong practitioners.]. It seems the special administrative region [SAR] government is not willing to stand up for its people."
[...]
Cheung has appealed against his three-year sentence. But his sister, who is also a Falun Gong member, said she had not met her brother since his arrest because her requests to meet him were all turned down. She was also worried about her brother's health, after being told Cheung had lost a lot of weight during detention.
Ms Wong said she was "shocked and angered" by the four-year jail term her husband had received but she would not appeal because she had lost all her confidence in the mainland's judicial system. "They just do their sentencing according to instructions from the top."
The two men are not the first Hong Kong Falun Gong members jailed in the mainland. Chu O-ming, 45, was jailed in Tianjin after being arrested in 2000.
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/Weekly2003/04.08.2003/HongKong8.htm
April 6, 2003
A CHINESE student is appealing for help from the government to persuade authorities in his homeland to free his imprisoned fiancee. Wei Guo, a student at UMIST, fears he will never see girlfriend Yong Gie again after she was arrested in Beijing as part of a crackdown on the banned spiritual movement Falun Gong.
The couple were hoping to marry in the UK as Wei Guo cannot return home because he too is a [practitioner]. Yong Gie, 29, is being detained somewhere in China but her family has had no contact since her arrest in November. The Chinese government banned Falun Gong in 1999[...]. The movement combines gentle exercise, meditation and teachings [of Mr. Li Hongzhi]. If convicted of promoting Falun Gong, Yong Gie faces 10-years in jail. Wei Guo, 30, says he was arrested twice because of his involvement with Falun Gong before coming to study in Manchester in 1999 [...]
He said: "My fiancee was arrested in Beijing on the 4 November and now I do not know where she is. Chinese security services went to see her parents, but would not say where she is. "My dream is that she can come to the UK and we can marry, but that is a long way away. I am hoping that the British government will put pressure on the Chinese government to free her."
Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003
The war in Iraq dominates the news media in such a way that it is less clear just what is taking place than it would be with less reporting. Television news spends about 95 percent of its time on the war. The larger newspapers expand their coverage in a special separate section in addition to the front page news. All other news has to struggle to be seen. But in the back pages, the number two international news story is a tie between North Korea and the SARS epidemic. China doesn't do well in either of these two, at least in the American press.
These last few months, China's image has changed considerably. [...]
Similarly, some five months ago, it could not publicly reveal that it knew nothing about the virus and that the problem was therefore beyond its control. The result has been a disaster. Not only have a growing number of people died from the virus, the damage to Hong Kong's economy is still growing and will take a long time to recover. The contagion has spread to other countries and since there is no certainty about how the virus is transmitted, there is uncertainty about how to cope with it.
Taiwan has every right to publicly criticize Beijing for endangering the lives of Taiwan's citizens through blatant mismanagement. It is equally right to criticize the World Health Organization (WHO) for putting politics above its reason for existing. With the possible exception of China, what member country would criticize the WHO for dealing directly with Taiwan at a time of crisis? If there is any bright side to this issue, or to the changing perception of China, it is that after many years of publicly pleading for participation in the WHO, Taiwan might now receive a warmer reception.
There is a broader message as well, however. For people everywhere, and particularly in Taiwan and among the young, there is a lesson about the priorities of differing systems of government when they deal with life-threatening crises such as the SARS outbreak. The authoritarian system found in China puts stability and the leadership's survival as the first priority. A democratic government, such as Taiwan's, puts its people first. Compare the response to the earthquake that hit Taiwan a few years ago. Emergency groups from all over the world were welcomed in to help aid the victims. In China, a contagious and lethal virus was discovered, yet it was hidden from the people and the groups in the wider world that could help. Which government would you rather live under? If China wants to become a prominent player in the world community, it ought to start acting like one.
Nat Bellocchi is the former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan and is now a special adviser to the Liberty Times Group.The views expressed in this article are his own.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2003/04/09/201418
(Clearwisdom.net)
The Falun Dafa Association of Mid-USA Congratulates the Establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece
Respectful Falun Dafa Association of Greece:
We are delighted to hear that the Falun Dafa Association of Greece has been established. The Falun Dafa Association of Mid-USA and fellow practitioners feel very glad and encouraged. We would like to congratulate you on the establishment. We are confident that the Falun Dafa Association of Greece and practitioners [in Greece] will be able to walk the same path that all the Falun Dafa Associations and practitioners around world walk, fulfill the glorious responsibilities that the Teacher and history have given us, study the Fa well, clarify the truth well, send forth righteous thoughts, walk the path of aiding Teacher's Fa-rectification well, and wait for the coming of the Fa-rectification of the human world.
Again we congratulate the establishment of the Dafa Association of Greece!
Dafa Association of Mid-USA
March 29, 2003
Falun Dafa Association of Singapore Warmly Congratulates the Establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece
To the Falun Dafa Association of Greece:
The process of applying, registering and being granted to the Falun Dafa Association of Greece is a process of clarifying the truth and revealing lies in itself! We firmly believe that the establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece will bring a bright future to the people in Greece and become a strong force in promoting Dafa in Europe.
Falun Dafa Association of Singapore
March 30, 2003
The Falun Dafa Association of Australia Warmly Congratulates the Establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece
In this process of the history of Fa-rectification, we are delighted to learn of the establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece. This demonstrates Dafa and Dafa practitioners' refusal of the old force's arrangements, and is the solemn manifestation of Dafa in the human world. Australia's whole-body of practitioners wishes the best to practitioners in Greece. We hope that Dafa will grant people in Greece and Europe a great future.
Australia's One-body of Practitioners
Canton Practitioners Warmly Congratulate the Establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Greece!
March 29, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net)
In order to eliminate various interference from evil factors against Dafa in other dimensions, especially to cooperate with the smooth progress of the lawsuit against Jiang, nationwide Dafa disciples in Canada decided to send forth righteous thoughts in a group in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (1:00 -- 5:00 p.m. West Coast Time) last Saturday and Sunday.
The legal case to sue Jiang is what the evil is most afraid of. This incident has a very important role in Fa-rectification, and we cannot ignore the relentless interference of evil forces in this case. If all Dafa disciples become one body and send forth strong righteous thoughts, it will completely break through the interference of evil demons and rotten ghouls. Through group study and discussion, practitioners realized that this is an important joint-responsibility of all Dafa disciples worldwide, and we should attach full importance to this legal case amongst the many Fa-rectification tasks that we participate in, study the Fa well and have a correct understanding of the Fa. At the same time, sending forth righteous thoughts in a group near the Chinese Embassies Consulates and eliminating the evil factors in other dimensions at the places where the evil flourishes is also an effective way for us to support this important procedure of Fa-rectification.
When we decided to send forth righteous thoughts nationwide last weekend, the weather in eastern Canada suddenly changed: Toronto had ice, rain and snow storm and the weather was also bad in Ottawa and Montreal; however, this could not shake Dafa disciples' determination and original plan.
(Clearwisdom.net)
At noon on April 7, 2003, American citizen Charles Li's fiancée, Ms. Yeong-ching Foo and Falun Dafa practitioners in the San Francisco Bay Area held a 24-hour appeal in front of the Chinese Consulate and a press conference condemning the Chinese regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Charles Li.
At the press conference, Ms. Yeong-ching Foo pointed out that the sit-in appeal is to raise awareness of the American public to the illegal detention and three-year sentence imposed upon Charles Li, to call on more kind-hearted people to take action to condemn the Chinese regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and to help gain the release of Charles Li and bring him back to America as soon as possible.
Since the Jiang regime began suppressing Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, they have never followed the law while persecuting Falun Gong practitioners.
The regime has utilized TV, newspaper and radio to fabricate lies to slander Falun Gong. The Chinese people have no way to learn the truth about Falun Gong so they have been deceived by the lies. Over the past three plus years, in the face of the brutal persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have been following the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and with their wisdom and courage, they have used various peaceful means to clarify the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong to the Chinese people and people of the world.
In the following few days, Falun Gong practitioners will continue their sit-in appeal in front of the Chinese Consulate, protesting the Chinese regime's illegal detention of Charles Li.
(Clearwisdom.net)
9 April, 2003
Dear Public Minister:
I am writing to you to bring you up to date on the current situation of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and to ask for your support to rescue two Dun Laoighaire students who are now detained in China for their belief in Falun Dafa.
Recent news from inside China is alarming. On the 11th of March, the Associated Press reported: 'China's top law enforcement officials promised redoubled efforts yesterday to crush [...] Falun Gong activists and others who they said threaten national security.' After this "promise" of redoubled efforts we have documented the highest number of confirmed death cases in a three-week period since the persecution began in July 1999. In three weeks we have heard of over 30 people tortured to death, bringing the confirmed total to 648.
On the 31st of March, the U.S. issued its annual human rights report. The report's section on China mentioned the persecution of Falun Dafa 80 times across nearly all the sections, including "arbitrary" and "unlawful" killings, arrest and detention, as well as denial of freedom of belief, speech, assembly and association. The report also cited the regime's continuing use of state-run media and the police in "an intense propaganda and police campaign against the Falun Gong."
[...] Can you support our efforts to rescue these two students (details attached) by writing to the Chinese Embassy in Ireland and urging their release, and also urging the Irish Embassy in China to let authorities there know the Irish people want them released? They have committed no crime and Liu Feng, especially, is in a life-threatening situation. With the support of the Irish government these two young students can be back in Ireland very soon.
Thank you for your continued support to date - we really appreciate your efforts.
Sincerely,
Director of Irish Falun Dafa Association
Article from: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200304/11578.html
(Clearwisdom.net)
Italian Dafa practitioners recently visited a school in Venice to introduce Falun Dafa to the pupils and staff. One practitioner painted the Chinese characters "Zhen -- Shan -- Ren" (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance) for the schoolchildren. Practitioners told the staff members of the school about the persecution of Falun Dafa that is occurring in China today, and how the Jiang regime has used wicked and illegal means to suppress practitioners.
The Italian practitioners were asked to help three young children who had just arrived from China and got the opportunity to tell the real story about Falun Dafa to the children's parents. In China, the nation's media is controlled by the Jiang regime and is used as a tool to slander Falun Dafa and cover the persecutory actions of Jiang and his cronies. This was a precious opportunity for these Chinese children and their parents to learn the truth.
Article from: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200304/11580.html
(Clearwisdom.net) At a special seminar entitled "Various Aspects of Fate" that was held at the Taiwan School of Law Enforcement on March 27, the guest speaker talked about some concepts of cultivation. For example, some of the things discussed were how the human's primordial spirit does not become extinct, how karma and De are produced and the relationship between the two, the differences between a cultivator and the average person in life and in personal values, reincarnation and returning to the true self.
This seminar was another important activity to spread Dafa in law enforcement, much like last year's continuing education for the schoolteachers offered by Falun Gong clubs. Judging from the questions raised after the speech, as well as attendants' active acquiring of Falun Gong information, the seminar was very successful. Deep in their hearts people are all yearning for the true meaning of life.
On 3/14/03 Lars Grahn, Chairman of the Freedom to Publish Committee of The International Publishers Association (IPA) sent a letter to a Hong Kong legislator indicating that the IPA "is deeply concerned" about the Article 23 draft bill which "would affect the entire book trade." The letter was also copied to the Head of the Hong Kong government as well as a range of Hong Kong and international bodies.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
International Publishers Association
3, Avenue De Miremonth
CH-1206 Geneva
TEL: 41 22 346 30 18
FAX: 41 22 347 57 17
E-mail: Secretariat@IPA-UlE.ORG
Website: www.ipa-uie.org/
Hon Mrs Rita FAN HSU lai-tai
Room 523G, West Wing
Central Government Offices
Hong Kong
14 March 2003
Re: Provisions pertaining to "seditious publications" in the National Security Bill
Dear Mrs. Fan Hsu Lai-tai,
The International Publishers' Association (IPA) is deeply concerned about a number of provisions of the National Security Bill amending the Crimes Ordinance, the Official Secrets Ordinance and the Societies Ordinance pursuant to the obligation imposed by Article 23 of the Basic Law [of] the Hong Kong SAR of the People's Republic of China and to provide for related, incidental and consequential amendments.
IPA, established in Paris in 1896, represents the publishing industry world-wide through 78 national, regional and specialised publishers associations in 66 countries. IPA is an accredited Non-Governmental Organisation enjoying a consultative status to the United Nations. The Office of the Secretariat is in Geneva, Switzerland.
One of IPA's primary missions is to safeguard the fundamental freedoms to publish and to read. It defends the rights of authors and publishers to create and distribute the works of the mind in complete freedom.
The National Security Bill introduced by the Administration into the Legislative Council on 26 February 2003 contains a number of issues of concern to our constituency.
Although Article 23 of the Basic Law will be implemented through the use of existing legislation as far as possible, and the SAR Government will need to meet fully the requirements of the Basic Law, including Articles 27 and 39 of the Basic Law, we are particularly concerned about a number of provisions pertaining to sedition.
The definition of a seditious publication (9C.1) is as follows: "A seditious publication is a publication that is likely to cause the commission of an offence under section 2(treason), 2A(subversion) or 2B(secession).
In terms of Article 9C, it would be an offence to:
"with intent to incite others, by means of the publication, to commit an offence under section 2(treason), 2A(subversion) or 2B(secession)". A violation of Article 9C would constitute "an offence" and would be "liable on conviction on indictment to a fine of $500,000 and to imprisonment for 7 years".
Article 9C must be read with Article 9D of the Bill. Article 9D preserves limited opportunity to comment on political and public life in Hong Kong and China.
The IPA is deeply concerned about the definition of a "seditious publication" spelled out in the proposed National Security Bill. As it is too vague, it could lead to some unexpected interpretations. Actually, the very concept of "seditious publication" is a clear threat to the fundamental freedoms to publish and to read.
Article 9C would affect the entire book trade. If article 9C came into force, authors, publishers, booksellers and librarians would face permanent uncertainty as to which publication would or not qualify as "seditious". Moreover, the provision targeting the imports and exports of any seditious publication is against the spirit of the 1950 Florence Agreement of which Hong Kong, China, is a party.
Furthermore, should the term "publication" include electronic communication and publications, the Bill would threaten not only print publications in Hong Kong, but potentially also any electronic publication and website accessible from Hong Kong, thus raising serious concerns about the extra-territorial impact of the Bill.
The very fact that it was necessary to insert Article 9D, limiting the scope of Article 9C and expressly permitting certain forms of free expression, shows the vagueness and over-broad scope of the provision.
We share the view of a very high number of media organisations, Journalist's Associations, freedom of expression organisations and advocates, that implementation of Article 23 is unnecessary, considering that Hong Kong current legislative body is already able to assure the protection of national security. In particular, the IPA feels compelled to call upon the Hong Kong authorities not to enact the concept of "seditious publication".
In conclusion, IPA joins the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) by respectfully calling upon the Hong Kong SAR Government to ensure that authors and publishers can continue to create and distribute the works of the mind in complete freedom. We sincerely hope that you will resolve to uphold the principles enshrined in Article 19 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers".
Yours sincerely,
Lars Grahn
Chairman of IPA's Freedom to Publish Committee
cc. Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Chief Executive, Hong Kong SAR People's Republic of China|
IP Kwok-him, Chairman, National Security Bill Commission
H.E. Mr. Sha Zukand, Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the People's
Republic of China to the UN Office at Geneva and other International organisations in Switzerland
H.E. Mr. Wu Chuanfu, Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland
Mr. Christopher Patten, Commissioner, European Commission External Relations DG
Mr. Colin L Powell, US Secretary of State
Mr. Gil-Robles, Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights
Sergio Vieira de Mello, High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations
Mrs Milagros del Corral, Deputy Assistant Director General, Culture Sector, UNESCO
Mr. Ross Shimmon, Secretary Genera1, International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions (IFLA)
Mr. Alex Byrne, Chair, IFLA Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Committee
Mr. Eugene Schoulgin, Chairman, International P.E.N, writers in Prison Committee
Mr. Timothy Balding, Executive Director, World Association of Newspapers
Mr. Kjell Olaf Jensen, Chairman, Norwegian PEN Centre
Mr. Yu Youxian, Chairman, Publishers Association of China
Mrs Mechthild von Alemann, Director, Federation of European Publishers
Mrs Patricia Schroeder, President and CEO, Association of American Publishers
Mrs Nan Graham, Chair, International Freedom to Publish Committee, Association of American
Publishers
Mr. Charles Clark, Secretary, Freedom to Publish Committee, UK Publishers Association
(Clearwisdom.net)
Facts of the Persecution
The Jiangan District "610 office" [an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems] in Wuhan City, Hubei Province together with some evil police arrested many Falun Dafa practitioners and brought them to Jiangan District brainwashing class, where they brutally tortured practitioners with sleep deprivation, forcing practitioners to stand inside a circle drawn on the floor for long periods of time, and other such torture methods. Falun Dafa practitioners Liu Yunchao, Zhang Ke, Wang Xingxian, Shen Jinyu are being held in this brainwashing class.
Falun Dafa practitioner Xing Jiaqiu in Zhang Jiagou Village, Gangtun Town, Lienshan District, Huludao City, Liaoning Province has been repeatedly and unjustly detained, and sent to brainwashing classes for forced brainwashing. He has been brutally beaten, left exposed under the baking sun, punished physically, forced to do heavy labor, and inhumanly tortured. He had to become destitute and homeless in order to avoid being falsely arrested at home. On May 28, 2002, he was arrested by police from the Gangtun Town Police Station. He was repeatedly given brutal beatings, and was then jailed in the Huludao City Detention Center. Later, he was sentenced to six years in prison without due process. He is now being illegally detained in Dabei Prison in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province.
The Pi County Brainwashing class in Sichuan Province is unjustly detaining Falun Dafa practitioners for long terms. Each Falun Dafa practitioner has to pay 350 Yuan [Average monthly salary of an urban worker is 500 Yuan] in living cost every month. If any Falun Dafa practitioner's residential registration is in another region, they have to pay an extra 500 Yuan for administrative costs. Some Falun Dafa practitioners are very weak from the long term persecution. Last week, Falun Dafa practitioner Chen Anjun was sent to the hospital because her life was in danger after a long period of hunger strike. Her family members requested her release, but their request was refused without a reason.
Police in the Taiyu Women's Labor Camp in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province encourage prisoners to beat and curse Falun Dafa practitioners, and sent firm Dafa disciples to a "Strict Controlling Team" for cruel torture. Recently, there was a female college student who was tortured by being forced to stand for two months, and one farmer was tortured with forced standing for more than four months.
The Truth and People's Hearts
The following is an excerpt from the article "Six Months after Learning Dafa, the Sicknesses All over My Body Have Been Cured."
I used to have health problems all over my body, such as rheumatism, which made my hands too numb to work. I could not eat anything cold and I could not see anything. I had to keep my eyes almost always closed for over 21 years. Six months after learning Dafa, the sicknesses all over my body were gone! I can read, I do not need to wear glasses, and I have not taken a single pill of medicine in the seven years since I obtained the Fa.
The following is an excerpt from the article "Obtaining the Fa and Feeling So Happy That My Body Has Been Cleaned."
Before I obtained the Fa, I had many illnesses, such as kidney disease, pleurisy, and osteoporosis in my neck, chest, and lower back. I could not even have a single day of peace and rest. After obtaining the Fa in 1996, I read Zhuan Falun calmly, and learned that I needed to be a good person, and an even better person. My body started getting better day by day through reading the Fa and practicing the exercises. I don't feel tired no matter how far I walk, and I can run up stairs to the sixth floor without rest. These changes have all been given to me by Falun Dafa.
The following is an excerpt from "Letter to Officials in Each Level of the Chinese Government."
We sincerely hope that those who are involved with the planning and implementation of this persecution will stop their evil deeds, repent for all that they have done, and act accordingly. Then you will still have hope in the future. Those bystanders should distinguish good from evil, stand on the side of the righteous, and oppose this persecution, so that you will have a wonderful future. Those who firmly support Falun Dafa practitioners, support "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance," your future will absolutely be bright!
(Clearwisdom.net)
A Narrow Escape
In Hubei Province, there is an elderly female practitioner named Zhang. Her son-in-law (a non-practitioner) likes to hear Dafa truth stories and read Dafa truth materials. He also helped to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to other people. One day, when he went out with his four friends, they had a car accident. Three of his friends died on the spot and the forth one died on the way to the hospital. However, he only lost consciousness briefly and had no physical injuries. His skin was not even scratched. He knows that Dafa saved his life.
My Hairdresser Clarified Dafa Truth to Me
One day, I went to have my hair done. While I was at the hairdresser, many people came into the store, too. After I paid the bill, I found out that the lady who was the boss accidentally gave me 50 Yuan extra change. When I returned the money to her, she was very grateful and said, "You are a good person!" I replied loudly, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner and I can not take others' money."
Upon hearing what I said, the whole room quieted down. One of the hairdressers asked me cautiously, "Are you still practicing?" "Yes, I am." One of the girls also asked me hesitantly, "What was going on with that 'Self-immolation' show on the TV?" "Please, don't believe what's on the TV; the 'Self-immolation' was a fake story." I replied. The boss joined the conversation and said loudly, "Yes, everyone said so!"
Then I continued to clarify the truth, and the lady who was the boss also helped me to clarify the truth to everyone in the room. (She had learned some of the facts of the persecution previously.) Then I realized why all of a sudden so many people happened to come into store while I was there: they came to obtain the truth about Dafa.
(Clearwisdom.Net)
Editors' Note: In both Western and Chinese culture, the principle of karmic retribution, that is, being held ultimately accountable for one's own actions, is widely accepted. The fundamental teaching of Falun Gong is the characteristic of the universe, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." The universe will reward actions that are in harmony with this principle, while actions such as beating, torturing and murdering people will incur karmic retribution. Stated another way, good deeds will be rewarded with good, while evildoings will meet due karmic retribution. Articles such as this one are meant as a compassionateáreminder of this principle to those who would commit wrongdoing. While many of those who persecute Falun Gong are merely "following orders," the universal law requires that they, too, be held responsible for their actions, and that only by reversing their course of wrongdoing may they escape karmic retribution.
Liu Qinghua, the Deputy Chief Officer of Qianjin Township, Jiaohe City, Jilin Province, played a major role in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. On October 18, 2002, he died when his motorcycle collided with a car.
Xu Guobing, a resident of Dongshen Township, Kangpin County, Liaoning Province, asked the village committee for an assignment to stake out practitioners and eavesdrop on their conversations. Although he was repeatedly advised by his family members and friends not to do so, he refused to mend his ways. Recently, he angrily left his home after a quarrel with his wife. He was later found in the hills by a shepherd and sent to a hospital. Both of his legs and one of his fingers have been amputated.
March 30, 2003