(Clearwisdom.net)

Both the Chinese Constitution and international conventions all stipulate that people have freedom of belief and freedom of speech, but the Jiang regime has totally deprived Falun Dafa practitioners of these rights in the past three years. If practitioners maintain their faith in Falun Gong or legally appeal to the authorities for their grievances, they are abducted to labor camps or brainwashing centers and tortured mentally and physically. To date, at least 852 innocent Falun Dafa practitioners have died because of the persecution. Many of these people died from cruel torture. According to inside sources in the Chinese government, the actual number of deaths far exceeds 852.

In the meantime, as the Jiang regime brutally tortures Falun Dafa practitioners, it criticizes Falun Dafa in the government controlled media, such as TV, Radio, Newspapers, etc., in the same violent style as was used during the Great Cultural Revolution. Any appeal actions for Falun Dafa, including handing out a few flyers, have resulted in arrests, interrogation under torture, and even murder. Jiang and his regime have consistently violated the Chinese Constitution and international conventions, and trampled on people's freedom of belief and freedom of speech. It is laughable and shameless that they now talk about the "Constitution" and "international convention." Please allow me to use an example here to illustrate my point: A villain locks all the doors of a house and then sets the house on fire. When the owner has no other choice and is forced to climb out of a window to escape, the villain says to the neighbors who are watching, "Look how savage and barbaric this person is! He climbs out the window!" It is true that people normally do not climb out windows, but how can you blame them for doing so when all the doors are locked? Obviously we should not!

Governments in democratic societies do not have their own media. On the contrary; the media scrutinize the government. In Mainland China, all media are under the complete control of the dictator. A decrepit and ruthless dictator can use all media to criticize a peaceful, spiritual group and at the same time advocate for the "Three Represents," which actually sanctions corrupt officials, brutal officials and filthy deeds.

In a civilized society, the media are responsible for monitoring government's actions. The independence of the media and the rights of citizens to information are the most important interest of the people. In China, TV programs are supposed to make known people's sufferings and reflect people's opinions and/or grievances. Nevertheless, they have been used as a mouthpiece of the dictator, a means to shamelessly promote him, and a tool to slander innocent people viciously. Under such circumstances, whoever interposes Falun Dafa truth-clarifying materials into cable TV or satellite TV programs actually returns the right to information back to the people. Such an action safeguards not only Falun Dafa practitioners' freedom of belief and freedom of speech, but also all Chinese people's freedom of belief and freedom of speech, and at the same time, it safeguards the Chinese Constitution and International Conventions that acknowledge these rights.

In the past four years, Falun Dafa practitioners have never behaved violently under this brutal persecution carried out by the dictator with the help of all the state machinery and propaganda. Their inner peace and civilized behavior have been seen by the whole world. While maintaining their own firm beliefs and defending justice in the human world, they have practiced Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. In the near future, when the Chinese people can all exercise the freedoms of speech and belief in a true, compassionate, tolerant environment, they will remember the huge, selfless sacrifices that Falun Dafa practitioners are making today.

At least 800 innocent Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death. All channels through which Falun Gong practitioners would normally speak are blocked. As their basic human rights are trampled, any of their peaceful actions to uphold human rights should be considered legal. Moreover, the tapping did not damage those facilities; the Falun Gong practitioners merely aired their messages and expressed their appeals.

Jiang Zemin has never followed any law in dealing with Falun Gong. All of his actions in the persecution were illegal. The Chinese legal system is not at all unbiased, and the so-called law is only the dictator's butcher knife. If tapping into a TV system is illegal in China, it's the same as saying the dictator is allowed to kill, but the people are not allowed to cry their voice.

Falun Gong practitioners would be arrested and beaten whenever they had gone to the Appeals Office in Beijing. They would be given heavy prison terms if they distribute Dafa truth clarification flyers to the public. Several students from Qinghua University were sentenced up to ten years in prison because they passed out such flyers. If they persist in their belief, it's possible for them to be tortured to death. When citizens are completely deprived of their freedom of speech, any means of spreading the truth through peaceful means is legal and rational.

On the contrary, those in Jiang's group interfered with related overseas broadcasts, including broadcast programs by Falun Gong practitioners. He and his lackeys also blocked many websites on the Internet, all of which are a violation of the constitution of China and of international agreements.

Jiang monopolizes the media, the righteous owner of whom is the people; he advocates the "Three Represents" during peak viewing times and attacks Falun Gong in an earth-blanketing style, a style that reminds people of the Cultural Revolution while he tries his best to cover up crimes committed by corrupt government officials. These acts are truly an encroachment upon the public interest.

Jiang doesn't allow people to speak the truth. He persecutes Falun Gong out of personal envy and resentment. He defames Falun Gong, using all TV channels, radio stations, and newspapers in China to force everyone including children, to view and hear lies filled with hatred and violence. This is truly hurting the people. If he didn't do this, there would be no need for Falun Gong practitioners to risk their lives to reveal the truth by tapping into the TV system.

The public media are funded by taxpayers' money. Dictator Jiang monopolizes the media and makes them his mouthpiece, boasting himself, slandering the others, and deceiving the public. Tapping into TV system to tell the truth is returning a public tool to the people.

The media's most important responsibility is to supervise the government. The audience's greatest interest lies in being able to know illegitimate behavior of government officials. Tapping into the TV system to clarify the truth is upholding the people's right to know, so it's upholding the people's interest.

In a civilized society, the government is not allowed to have its own media; furthermore, the government is under watch by the media. In Mainland China, dictator Jiang monopolizes the media and makes them his mouthpiece. This is desecrating the free spirit of the media and trampling of human civilization.

Since July 1999, CCTV has taken a leading role with its vast propaganda experience gained during the past several decades in interviewing, editing and compiling video images, and repeatedly broadcast on a massive scale a series of emotionally charged, broadcasts with purportedly indisputable "evidence" that defamed Falun Gong. Using fabricated details the broadcasts were perceived by the public to be highly credible and authoritative which accomplished CCTV's mission as the mouth of the Jiang Regime. The massive coverage was designed to give Falun Gong a death knell. It takes just a few days time to completely engulf hundreds of millions of viewers with a deceptive assault initiated by Jiang Zemin.

If people still had any skepticism left in them after the decades of political movements, then the fabricated "Tiananmen Self Immolation" incident broadcast by CCTV's "Focus Interview" targeted them to completely demolish their remaining skepticism.

There was a scene from this program showing an electrical appliance department in a large super market where several dozen TV's were neatly stacked in the bright and spacious demo hallway. All the TV screens were simultaneously showing the "Tiananmen Self Immolation" on the "Focus Interview" program. The intense and emotionally charged voice of denunciation by the program commentator echoed in the quiet hallway, and people all stopped in front of the TV to take a closer look.

In that instant, the facial expressions of people were filled with shock, anger and hatred towards Falun Gong.

Whenever I saw or even thought about that scene, I could feel an incredible sense of hopelessness and helplessness for Falun Gong. I felt that the air froze and time stopped at that instant. Both stirred the feeling in me that Falun Gong would never be vindicated again under this immense, yet invisible pressure.

During past political persecutions the media's tools only consisted of the newspaper and bullhorns. They were no match for today's TV's propaganda. People have always believed what they can "see with their own eyes." Yet TV can bring to you activities that were taking places thousands of miles away, just like if you were there in person. It has completely broken down the time and space barrier. Now TV technology has become even more refined and the results are even more dazzling. Coupled with the government, TV's intrinsic authority, TV provides a complete "in front of your eyes" experience to the viewers.

Just think about it, when someone who was personally involved talks about it on TV, how could it not be true? When our neighbors speak out how could it not be true? The TV picture looks so real, how could it not be true?

Ordinary viewers have little idea of the recent developments in digital multimedia technology. They know even less about the technology available to alter the picture and to construct a falsified video image. Yet it was precisely such altering techniques that are exploited to the limit to disgrace and discredit Falun Gong during the propaganda blitzkriegs instigated by Jiang Zemin.

Today, TV has become an inseparable part of people's lives. Even if you do not intentionally watch anti-Falun Gong programs, so long as these programs are shown on TV, audiences will have seen them, heard about them, and more importantly, believed in them. There are people who are critical about Falun Gong even though they have never come in contact with Falun Gong practitioners. When asked why they hold such grudges against Falun Gong, they often reply, "That was what we saw on TV."

A friend of mine, who worked at an insurance company in Chongqing city, claimed that he did not believe either side of the Falun Gong issues. But what was really surprising was that this friend was very familiar with just about every Falun Gong slandering report aired by CCTV, from so-called suicides to self-immolation, from murder to poisoning. He had good recollections and believed them, even though he thought he was immune from the influence of propaganda.

This is the power of TV! While it can bring a variety of entertainment to people, it also allows dictators to more tightly control people's thoughts. It has even become a murder weapon.

This is the wickedness of Jiang Zemin. Who ever possessed such powerful propaganda machines in history? Who ever exploited such superiority to attack a weak civilian population? Only Jiang Zemin! Jiang Zemin has taken full advantage of the popularity of TV coverage in China to distribute unprecedented hatred towards Falun Gong practitioners. He has indeed committed the worst atrocity in history.

To some people, those Falun Gong slandering video images incited by CCTV have created deep impressions on their sensory perceptions. Using your own mouth, a printed pamphlet, or a piece of email to clarify the truth, how much will people believe you? After our understanding of the role played by the television in the persecution of Falun Gong, it became apparent that the most direct and effective way to unmask the lies is television.

In an environment where all TV media were being controlled by Jiang Zemin, it became inevitable and expected to implement "TV Interception."

There were no psychological burden on the viewer during TV interception and no extra effort was needed. Just like when viewers were unconsciously deceived by the "Focus Interview" program on CCTV, the viewers would naturally and unpretentiously learn the truth by watching factual and truthful TV programs.

In the past four years, Jiang has cruelly persecuted Dafa and Dafa practitioners out of envy, resentment and grudges. He is so malicious that he tried to annihilate Falun Gong. Using the total public propaganda machinery in the nation including TV stations, he turned white into black, twisted the truth, framed Dafa practitioners and deceived the Chinese and the world's people. He trampled the law and the most basic civil standards of public communication.

In order to help more people learn the truth, Falun Gong practitioners enabled large areas of people to learn the facts about Falun Dafa by tapping into the TV system. It's a display of Dafa practitioners' magnificent Buddha nature. Just think: no one gave them money or any promise; they did it only because they knew Falun Dafa is good, they knew the risk confronting the people who are deceived by lies. They cast aside concerns for their own safety and gave the local people a chance to learn the truth. Only great practitioners of Falun Dafa can do this.

Just think: Jiang daily used his power to broadcast TV programs and publish news articles that are pure lies defaming and attacking Falun Dafa. Many people in China watched these programs and thought they were true. Jiang's group even staged the "Tiananmen Self-immolation" incident to frame Falun Gong, people who watch TV everyday saw them all and hear them all. Jiang's purpose is to let people muddle-headedly take the evil's side and to hate Dafa and the kind Dafa practitioners.

Tapping into Chinese TV network to Broadcast Truth-Clarification Videos is an Act of Immense Wisdom and Bravery

It has been over a year and a half, since Mr. Liu Chengjun and many other Falun Gong practitioners in China broadcast TV programs on March 5, 2002 that clarified the truth about Falun Gong over the Changchun Cable TV network. On October 29, 2003, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong announced in its investigative report that Mr. Liu Chengjun is now at death's door due to the atrocious torture he suffered in Jilin City Prison. Falun Gong practitioners and supporters in Europe, Asia, North America, Australia and many other countries promptly held press conferences or appealed in front of Chinese embassies and consulates, demanding the immediate release of Mr. Liu Chengjun. Soon after, in Nahe City, Heilongjiang Province, Dafa practitioners successfully aired truth clarification videos through the local cable TV system for over 20 minutes. That Falun Gong practitioners in China repeatedly risk their lives broadcasting Falun Gong truth-clarification TV programs on Chinese TV networks has caused widespread concern in overseas Chinese communities.

Ms. Wang from China is a department manager at a high-tech company in Silicon Valley, California, U.S.A. Ms. Wang felt that broadcasting truth-clarifying TV programs over TV cable networks in China was an act of immense wisdom and bravery. She said, "Overseas Chinese are able to obtain some facts about the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China. It is very cruel because the Chinese Communist government controls all media in China. I had no negative views on the government's unreasonable blocking of information until I moved overseas and had a chance to experience the difference. Falun Gong practitioners must have overcome tremendous difficulties to broadcast Falun Gong truth-clarification videos over the Chinese TV network. I think they are immensely brave and intelligent to be able to break through the dictator's barriers and give the general public an opportunity to watch truth-clarifying programs at home."

Mr. Zou is a biological researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. He said, "In the last century, countless people have tried to speak the truth in China and have suffered many types of persecution for their efforts. There have been countless prisoners of conscience in China as a result. However, few people in China are able to spread the truth successfully and persistently. Few people in China are willing to risk their lives to spread the truth to the general public. Falun Gong practitioners' spirits have given hope to those wanting to speak the truth in China. Some people in China might not like what Falun Gong practitioners have accomplished. Perhaps it is because the Falun Gong truth-clarification TV programs have hit their Achilles' heel, or perhaps they are used to vigilantly worrying about what they might lose [if the truth comes out.]"

--Comments from Overseas Chinese about Falun Gong Practitioners Tapping into Chinese TV

Before the Chinese government started to persecute Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, there were 70 to 100 million Falun Gong practitioners in China according to the Chinese government's statistics. Their friends, families, colleagues, and classmates have also been directly or indirectly persecuted, adding an additional several hundred million as victims of the persecution against Falun Gong. During the persecution, Jiang Zemin and the "610 Office" coerced all levels of government organizations, business corporations, and cultural institutions to participate in the unjust treatment against Falun Gong practitioners, some of which includes firing Falun Gong practitioners from their jobs. They also assisted in abducting Falun Gong practitioners [into forced brainwashing centers] and assisted in pressuring Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their belief in Falun Gong, and the list goes on. [Note: Due to the pressure from the international community, the Chinese Communist government has renamed "610 Office" as "Purge the Evil Cult Office", and lied to the world, stating that the "610 Office" has been "disbanded."] With ignorance of the truth and pressure from the government, many may have unwittingly done something they will regret later, such as acting as persecutors of Falun Gong practitioners. These people are also victims of the persecution. Since the persecution against Falun Gong involves so many people in China, the Chinese people have the right to know the truth. Those who know the truth also have a responsibility to reveal this truth to others.

Chinese TV Networks are a propaganda tool; they are not free and public media. If the Chinese TV networks are the public's media, they should protect their audience's right to know the truth. However, whether willingly or not, they have twisted the facts about Falun Gong and broadcast fraudulent lies. In any country with the slightest respect for the law, an overseas TV network would have been sued and brought to justice.

One of the responsibilities of western media is to supervise their government. By contrast, radio stations, TV networks, and newspapers in China spread propaganda for the Chinese Communist government. Since the Chinese Communist government controls the media in China, they have actually violated the public's freedom of speech and their right to know the truth. A politically controlled TV network is different by function from that of a society with freedom of speech and the press. There is no need to tap into TV to broadcast the truth in a society with freedom of speech, because there are normal, regular channels for people to express different opinions. In a society without freedom of the press or speech, to protect the public's right to know the truth is to offend the country's dictator. In doing so, the media will disrupt its function to broadcast the dictator's propaganda, which ensures the dictator's political power. It is not the fault of Falun Gong practitioners that they had to tap into TV network to broadcast the truth.

--Comments from Overseas Chinese about Falun Gong Practitioners Tapping into Chinese TV

Ms. Xi is from China. She said, "The Chinese people are very annoyed with reruns of negative propaganda about Falun Gong on TV. If they start to think about it they will realize something is very wrong with the propaganda. They simply have not seen any positive news about Falun Gong that confirms their suspicions. It was only when I left China that I realized how absurd the Chinese Communist government's propaganda about Falun Gong was." She said, "Given the choice between the government propaganda TV programs and Falun Gong truth-clarification TV programs, I would choose Falun Gong's truth-clarification programs." Ms. Xi added, "Actually many people aren't aware of the level of the atrocities in persecuting Falun Gong, or the level of fraud in the propaganda about Falun Gong on Chinese TV. Otherwise a lot more people than Falun Gong practitioners would be demanding Falun Gong truth-clarification TV programs on TV."

Ms. Xi said, "Media belongs to the people. Corrupted government officials control the media and use it to ensure their dictatorship. Of course people want to take the media back."

Ms. Dai said, "I felt from my personal experiences that the Chinese people were hungry for the truth about Falun Gong. I heard about Falun Gong truth-clarification programs being broadcast on TV networks in northeastern China from Chinese people that I clarified the truth to over the telephone. A friend of mine has also called a Chinese policeman at home who has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners before. His family was very eager to know the truth about Falun Gong."

Without the Evil Persecution, There Would Not Be Any Need to Tap Into Television Network in China

The Jiang regime's irrational persecution is the fundamental reason for Falun Gong practitioners around the world stepping forward to clarify the truth, including through tapping into TV broadcasts in China.

After Falun Gong's public introduction in 1992, the number of practitioners increased dramatically because of Falun Gong's tremendous appeal in improving one's mental, spiritual and physical well-being. Although Falun Gong has no political agenda whatsoever, in July 1999 Jiang started a persecution against a hundred million Falun Gong practitioners. His actions were in clear violation of the Chinese Constitution, depriving citizens of their right to appeal, their freedom of belief, and other basic rights. Jiang mobilized tremendous national resources to sustain the persecution, and his policy for the persecution is "ruin their reputations, bankrupt them financially, and destroy them physically."

Falun Gong practitioners are law-abiding members of society. We come from all walks of life, and are loving and responsible members of our families. We are not interested in getting involved in politics, but we are suffering brutal political persecution. We were a natural component of the Chinese society, but Jiang saw us as his enemy and did everything to slander, demonize and persecute us. He also deprived us of our basic, unalienable human rights and freedom. This is hard to understand for Chinese people, who have suffered through numerous political movements in the past but do not realize the extent and brutality of this persecution. It may be even harder for Westerners to imagine the suffocating brutality of this persecution, because they grew up in a democratic and free society.

Posting date: 1/6/2004
Original article date: 1/5/2004
Category: Open Forum
Translated on 1/4/2004
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/1/1/63774.html

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