(Clearwisdom.net) In order to expose the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China by Jiang and his followers and to support the lawsuit against Jiang in a US Federal Court, more than one thousand Falun Dafa practitioners gathered in Chicago to hold peaceful appeals in Chinatown and in the center of the city.
On May 25 and 26, Falun Dafa practitioners held torture exhibits depicting the persecution of belief at Thompson Center Square and at the Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago. The exhibit used real people, props, models, and pictures to portray some of the torture tactics Jiang and his followers have used to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners.
The tragic scenes caused many tears. Viewers condemned the persecution and agreed that such an exhibit was helpful in revealing the truth and stopping the persecution.
The Real Tortures Are Much Worse
Many who passed by were shocked. One man shook his head, "This is too cruel. How can they treat practitioners like this?" Many shed tears.
The exhibits showed only the tip of the iceberg. The methods of torture used by Jiang and his followers to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners were much more brutal than the ones shown.
Ms. Shi, who demonstrated the "Hanging" torture for several hours in Thompson Square on May 25 said, "This is shocking to people, but compared with what truly happens in China, this is almost nothing." Ms. Shi came from Changchun City in Jilin Province. She was detained five times in China for practicing Falun Dafa.
Ms. Shi said, "Many of the fellow practitioners with whom I used to do the exercises were arrested. Among them, Mr. Bai Xiaojun and Ms. Yin Shuyun were both tortured to death. Mr. Bai died in Chaoyanggou Labor Camp in 2003, while Ms. Yin died in Heizuizi Labor Camp in 2000."
Mr. Bai Xiaojun was 35 years old, a teacher at Northeast Normal College. In July 2000, he was sentenced to one year in a labor camp for going to Beijing to appeal for Falun Dafa. In Weizigou Labor Camp in Changchun City he was tortured. After serving his sentence, which was extended by seven months, he was sent to the Xinglongshan Brainwashing Center in Changchun City in January 2001 for refusing to give up his faith. He was then detained in Chaoyanggou Labor Camp in Changchun City. When he died on July 18, 2003, his body was skin and bones. Mr. Bai Xiaojun was the tenth Falun Dafa practitioner tortured to death in the
Chaoyanggou Labor Camp (See http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2003/8/4/38823.html).
Ms. Yin Shuyun, 46, was arrested after unfurling a Falun Dafa banner while the 2000 Party Congress was in session. She died at the end of May 2000 in Heizuizi Labor Camp. Police said that half of her face was purple and black from a beating by the Beijing police. The Second Ward Leader Liu Lianying (female) beat her up, shocked her with an electric baton, and kicked her. In the middle of the violent beating, Liu asked her, "Will you still practice?" Ms. Yin remained committed to her cultivation, so Liu grabbed her hair and smashed her head into the wall. Ms. Yin's hair came out in handfuls, and her scalp was bleeding. When she died, the police said that the cause of her death was a stroke. (See http://clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2000/6/5/8810.html)
Ms. Shi also exposed how she saw a beautiful young practitioner severely shocked with an electric baton: "The police openly admitted that they intended to ruin her face. First they shocked her around her eyes, then they shocked her mouth, then her whole face."
Ms. Shi said, "Another practitioner was a graduate of Nankai University. The police forced him to kneel on the cement floor with two sticks placed on his calves and two sticks placed on his ankles. Then four policemen pressed down on the sticks. That practitioner passed out from the pain. Police poured cold water on him to revive him, then pressed on the sticks again. By the next morning, both of his legs had turned black. The police even said, 'If his legs are not disabled, it will still be at least a year until he can walk again.'"
Ms. Shi could not hold back her tears while telling these sad stories. She hoped that this demonstration and exhibit would let more people know about these cruel tortures that Chinese practitioners are enduring and would help stop this persecution that has lasted almost five years.
Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Chen from Taiwan was demonstrating torture techniques at Federal Square on May 26. She said that even though it was just a demonstration, it was very painful. What Chinese practitioners actually experience is much more brutal. "We are doing this in broad daylight, and the people passing by all support us. Imagine those individuals in China who have to endure tortures inside the dark labor camps, facing vicious police officers and unthinkable mental and physical abuse!" She expressed her wish to send the primary perpetrator, Jiang Zemin, to a court of law and end this national disaster as soon as possible.
The Exhibit Moves People's Hearts
Auntie Huang from Taiwan is 75 years old and the oldest Falun Dafa practitioner who demonstrated the tortures. She has cultivated Falun Dafa for five years. She told how, before cultivating Falun Dafa, she had heart disease, her back ached, and she had other health problems. Her doctor recommended Falun Dafa to her. Her health improved day by day. About the persecution she said, "This is truly inhuman." Although the demonstration was very tiring, she volunteered herself. She hopes more people will know the truth and help to stop the persecution.
Ms. Li, 58, is also from Taiwan. She is an early childhood education teacher. She joined the exhibition saying, "I have read many reports on the Clearwisdom website about how Chinese practitioners are being tortured but had no personal experience. Now I know the feeling, and it is just too painful. I wanted to get out of that metal cage after being inside for only two minutes. This persecution is too cruel, too inhumane, and we must stop it soon. I hope we can appeal to people's kindness, so that they will join us in bringing Jiang to justice."
Mr. Li and Mr. Xu played the parts of police officers for the exhibit. They felt blood on their hands even though it was only a demonstration. "How could those policemen do such cruel things?" said Mr. Li. Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Shen who acted as a policeman said, "I was deeply moved today by acting as a police officer. They are also human, but what made them so inhumane? Jiang used his power to control the State propaganda and forced these police officers to join the persecution. In this process, they have fallen, they have lost their souls, they have become tools of the persecution. These police are also victims, but they are unaware of it. It is very sad."
Ms. Marianna is a Polish-American. She cried so hard at the exhibit, hardly able to believe that such cruel things happen in the world today. With tears in her eyes she told practitioners, "I have the right to stand up and call for a stop to this persecution."
A Western visitor said, "I have heard about this persecution, but today I saw the actual methods demonstrated, and it has helped me to obtain a true awareness. This inhuman persecution should be stopped."
Send the Persons Responsible to Court to Stop the Persecution
Many people expressed support for this lawsuit in advance of the court debate in the 7th Circuit Federal Court on May 27.
Mr. Huang, who works in the federal government, is in his 50's. He said, "The exhibit is very good. Whether Jiang is successfully brought to justice or not, you have already spoken out about the persecution, which is half the battle."
There are many government and lawyers' office buildings around Federal Square, where the Illinois State and US Federal Court Houses are located. A lawyer who works in the area said, "I saw your exhibit on Monday and told my colleagues in the building where I work. They all came today. The US Department of Justice should stand up to help stop this persecution through the lawsuit. It will benefit the world. We are facing dictators, and we cannot let the worst dictator do whatever he likes."
A middle-aged viewer was reluctant to leave. He said to the Falun Dafa practitioners, "What you have done is very good, not only for yourselves, but also so that American society is alert to avoiding similar persecutions from occurring here."
One young lady was carefully studied the exhibit. After listening to an introduction, she held a practitioner's hand and said solemnly, "Please remember that my husband (who was also viewing the exhibit) and I both support you."
Remember the Lessons of History
One Western lady listened to how Jiang initiated this persecution, to the cruel torture cases and the effects of brainwashing during the persecution, to the vast numbers of people involved, and to the lawsuit against Jiang by Falun Dafa practitioners. When she heard that the Federal Court in Illinois ruled that Jiang should enjoy immunity, she pointed out seriously, "Can what Hitler did to the Jews in World War II be excused? This (decision) was wrong."
Falun Dafa practitioner Maria said, "My mother was in a concentration camp when she was only three years old during World War II. At that time no one believed what was happening in Germany, just like people find it hard to believe what is happening in China today. Before the war ended, Hitler deceived the world, convincing people that he was doing good. Germany was even selected to host the Olympic Games while he was massacring the Jews. People did not stand up to him because in their own minds they could not believe that such things could happen. When the truth came out and everything ended, people swore not to let such a tragedy happen ever again."
Maria said, "But now the dictator in the most populated country in the world is trying to destroy 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance' -- such common, recognized, and wonderful principles. Over the past five years he has led a campaign of genocide against those people who believe in 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance'. The world is watching, but many choose not to believe. We have enough evidence to prove these things are happening. We have witnessed the courage of those people who practice 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance'. I hope that the US--such a great country--can tell the whole world that we will embrace these wonderful principles and then have the courage to bring those responsible for the persecution to justice!"
