(Clearwisdom.net)

(Note: Reference materials reprinted by this website are written by persons who do not practice Falun Gong and their opinions may not be the same as those of Falun Gong practitioners)

Mental illnesses afflict people with various mental disorders, the causes of which are complex. Most nations of the world, however, have laws that explicitly protect the rights of people who have been diagnosed with mental disorders. These people are not held responsible for their actions while under the influence of their mental illness.

The most common mental disorder is schizophrenia. Because the abnormal actions of schizophrenia patients are conducted unconsciously, persons who suffer from schizophrenia are protected by law for humanitarian reasons. Instances of so-called madmen escaping punishment for killing a person can be found throughout history and across nations. In societies ruled by dictatorships, people abuse this law by pretending to be insane to avoid political persecution or to protect those who are subjected to persecution. In these societies, pretending to be insane has also become a way for the ruling class to protect its interests. For example, if their children violate the law and are criticized by the media, legal or medical experts or institutions are bribed to certify that the offenders were insane. This tactic would allow their children to avoid the legal punishment. This absurd drama is still performed in China today.

A patient with schizophrenia can be easily influenced and controlled. In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has taken advantage of people who have committed homicides when not in their right minds in their persecution of Falun Gong. These people were encouraged to declare themselves "Falun Gong practitioners." Frequent reports from the Chinese official media such as the tragedy of Fu Yibin's "confession," which was filled with contradictory statements, are examples of this pathetic strategy. All the tragic killings of parents, wives, and children have been attributed to Falun Gong. Moreover, even violent crimes against the social order committed by the insane or those with marginal intelligence are being blamed on Falun Gong. Exploiting people with mental disorders has become a means of obscuring the conflicts among social classes within China.

Using crimes committed by patients with mental disorders to frame innocent people is a serious tactic perpetrated by the ruling Party. Now the Party has not only completely embraced this tactic, but even furthered its malicious development of it:

1. In the persecution of Falun Gong, the Party first sends practitioners to labor camps for forced brainwashing. Those who remain determined after "re-education" are labeled as mentally disturbed and sent to psychiatric centers for "medical treatment." This kind of treatment is designed to render all staunch practitioners ineffectual.
2. The Party attributes all crimes committed by the mentally ill to Falun Gong, thereby creating the impression that practicing Falun Gong can make people go insane and thus strengthening their argument that Falun Gong is a cult.
3. When they succeed in "transforming" people and making them "confess" with drugs, they have additional reasons and legal bases for further persecution of Falun Gong.

Suicides or homicides committed by the mentally ill are like car accidents, in that there is a statistical probability for these occurrences in any society. So how could modern-day China, with more than 1 billion people and an increasing rate of mental illness, be an exception? Exploiting mentally disordered patients to play politics is extremely immoral. Because these unfortunate individuals are unable to think clearly or judge right from wrong, they can be easily influenced. Psychiatrists often take advantage of this behavior to treat a patient. Based on the Chinese ruling Party's history as political rogues, it cannot be ruled out that they have been responsible for inciting mentally ill patients to kill people and to set fires, then framing their political opponents for these crimes. Threatening and intimidating the mentally ill to get confessions to be used for propaganda purposes is quite consistent with the traditional principles of the Party in the media war.

In a recent report about a group of beggars poisoned to death in Zhejiang Province, the Party propaganda machine once again played its traditional tricks. They linked the mentally disturbed Chen Yaofu with Falun Gong and launched a massive effort to defame Falun Gong. Just like the absurdity of the Tiananmen self-immolation, this political persecution was filled with contradictory statements due to the lack of preparation and prior collaboration between government and the media. The same case was reported in two different ways and even his personal description differed. In one report, he was referred to as a Falun Gong (practitioner) and in another report he was designated as a mental patient! What was he really? In light of news media ethics, this is not serious. From a legal perspective, this is ridiculous. Apparently, this is just another political fabrication to tarnish the image of Falun Gong overseas. Doesn't the Chinese Communist Party feel embarrassed about repeatedly fabricating such ridiculous dramas?

Inducing the mentally ill to commit crimes and make false confessions that implicate the innocent are the despicable acts of political degenerates. Using mentally ill people as political tools is a shameless act of the Party.

2003-7-7

(This article was reprinted with some editorial changes.)