Ms. Xiaomei Jia,
wife of Pittsburgh, PA resident, Cailu Xu, was recently
released from a Chinese forced labor camp due to
pressure from U.S. |
|
|
PHILADELPHIA
(FDI) - Cailu Xu and his wife, Xiaomei Jia once had a peaceful life. During
their spare time they would exercise and meditate together outside their
apartment complex.
Then
one day they were torn apart.
Mr.
Xu, an associate professor who worked at China's prestigious Tsinghua University
(commonly referred to as "China's MIT"), was practicing his meditation
exercise when police arrested him and detained him in June, 2000, but was
released after 30 hours. His wife, however, was not so lucky.
In
October 2001, she was forced to leave home to avoid being taken away for
practicing Falun Gong.
One
month later, she was detained by Chinese police for handing out flyers exposing
the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
Mr.
Xu's wife of 14 years was then sent to the notorious Beijing Female Labor Camp,
where Falun Gong practitioners are regularly deprived of food and sleep, made to
do hard labor and electrocuted with electric batons.
Husband
Seeks Help in the U.S.
After
living in fear since his wife's arrest, Mr. Xu left China in July to attend an
academic conference in Boston and never went back. "In China, I can do
nothing," he says.
Since
arriving in the U.S. Mr. Xu, who now lives in Pittsburgh, has been working
tirelessly to rescue his wife from torture and abuse. His local community has
also joined the efforts.
|
The
local community in Pittsburgh collects signatures for
Ms. Xiaomei Jia's release.
|
|
|
The
University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University's Amnesty International
chapters wrote letters to the Chinese Embassy. University of Pittsburgh's
Chinese American Student Association helped collect signatures. Pittsburgh City
Councilman William Peduto and the local media also tried to help get the word
out.
"I
have made a great deal of effort to rescue my wife," Mr. Xu says, "and
I have got so much help from you."
On
May 3, 2003 Xiaomei Jia was released from imprisonment.
Mr.
Xu credits U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Swissvale, for gaining her release. The
Congressman's office says they consider the case of the wife jailed in China to
be part of the casework that they are responsible for. Congressman Doyle's
office forwarded Mr. Xu's letters to his wife. The Congressman also wrote his
own letters to U.S. and Chinese officials, including the U.S. Ambassador to
Beijing, urging her release.
The
rescue effort for Xiaomei Jia, however, is not over.
Mr.
Xu says his wife is under tight surveillance and restrictions back home, while
their 13 year-old son lives with his aunt in Beijing. He now hopes U.S.
officials can help bring her safely to the United States.
"We're
still trying to getting her out of the country," said a staff member in
Congressman Doyle's office.
"I
would to take this opportunity to appeal to all the kind hearted Pittsburgh
people to help me further, to get her here to reunite us," says Mr. Xu.
"It is powerful if everyone speaks up for justice."
Xiaomei
Jia is one of at least thirty nine persecuted Falun Gong practitioners with family
residing in the U.S.
###
NEWS
- May 24, 2003
Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net
Background
Falun
Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about),
is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal
principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice
that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in
1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but
it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of
Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word
of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50
countries.
With
government estimates of as many as 100
million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the
peaceful practice in July 1999 (report),
fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the
Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced
improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has
intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice
while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The
Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 705 deaths (reports
/ sources)
since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials
inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600,
while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds
of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000
being sentenced to forced labor camps, typically without trial.
?
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA
INFORMATION CENTER
Contacts: Gail Rachlin (+1 917-501-4441), Levi Browde (+1 914-720-0963), Erping
Zhang (+1 646-533-6147), or Feng Yuan (+1 917-941-1097).
Fax: 646-792-3916 Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com,
Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
Mailbox of FalunInfo editor@faluninfo.net
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