Clearwisdom Digest (Issue 17, Aug 18, 2004)
News
and Events from Around the World Falun
Gong Practitioners' Personal Experience The
People Awaken to the Truth News and Events from Around the World Criminal Lawsuit Filed against Chinese Officials in Athens One week prior to the opening of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, three
Falun Gong practitioners, including 37 year-old Australian citizen Chris Cominos,
jointly submitted a criminal lawsuit against former Chinese communist head Jiang
Zemin, former Vice-Premier Li Lanqing, and Politburo Standing Committee member
Luo Gan for genocide and torture. On August 5th 2004, European and Greek Falun Dafa Associations in conjunction
with International Advocates for Justice (IAFJ), sponsored a press conference in
Athens to announce to filing of the suit. The lawsuit is based on Greek criminal law, and the sentence can be as high
as 20 years in prison. Once formally accepted by the Greek court, Luo Gan, Li
Lanqing and Jiang Zemin will be summoned to court upon entering Greece. After it
abolished dictatorship in 1974, Greece created tough laws to prevent the
government from committing crimes of torture. Lawsuits have been filed in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and now
Greece to bring those responsible for the atrocities to justice and to put an
end to the genocide of Falun Gong in China. Mr Cominos, who grew up in Melbourne and who has been residing in Sydney for
the last few months, is the lead plaintiff in the action and was physically
abused by Chinese Police when he visited Beijing in 2001. Ireland resident Zhao
Ming and American Frances Bakatsias, residing in Athens, are also plaintiffs. Mr Cominos was born in Greece and has practiced Falun Gong for more than five
years. He is very proud of Athens for holding the 2004 Olympics. He said:
"Like China, Greece has great ancient culture and moral heritage. I hope
that China will end the inhuman persecution of Falun Gong, uphold the spirit of
peace, justice and mutual respect, and take this spirit to the next Olympics in
Beijing." The Chinese ambassador to Greece recently addressed the media after a meeting
at Greece's foreign ministry office. He said: "The Olympic ideal is not
related to human rights..." He continued to say that it is wrong to link
the situation in the field of human rights to the Beijing Olympics games. During its bid for procuring the 2008 Olympic Games three years ago, the
Chinese Government indicated that the organization of the Games would contribute
to human rights improvements in China. The Olympic Watch Committee has already
twice condemned the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong and has called on the
Chinese Government to respect freedom of speech and religion thereby putting an
end to the genocide of Falun Gong. "Hitler used the 1936 Olympic Games to cover up his genocidal policy
against Jewish people," says Mr. Cominos. "Sadly, this seems to be the
same tactic Jiang is using to cover up his illicit bid to 'eradicate Falun Gong'
in China." Mr. Cominos added, "This lawsuit filed in Greece recalls the spirit of
the Olympics, so as not to allow history to repeat itself in China." Russia: Practitioners File Lawsuit against Bo Xilai During His Visit to
Russia Russian Falun Dafa practitioners submitted a lawsuit to Russia's
Inquisitorial Court during a visit by the current Chinese Minister of Trade Bo
Xilai, accusing him of brutally persecuting Falun Gong practitioners when he was
Mayor of Dalian and Governor of Liaoning Province. The lawsuit states that Bo
Xilai has contravened Article 357 of the Russian Criminal Law in his crimes of
genocide, torture and crimes against humanity. Bo Xilai's indictment listed detailed cases of the persecution Falun Gong
practitioners have suffered when Bo Xilai was Mayor of Dalian and Governor of
Liaoning Province. Documents from related international organizations were also
included. The lawsuit has been accepted by the Russian Inquisitorial Court and
is now being processed according to legal procedures. Bo Xilai has shown that he is willing to go to any lengths to follow Jiang
Zemin's orders to eliminate Falun Gong. Masanjia Labor Re-education Center in
Liaoning, where Bo Xilai was Governor, is notorious for the amount of Falun Gong
practitioners who died from torture and ill treatment. Before the legal action was launched against Bo Xilai in Russia, similar
lawsuits were filed in many other countries around the world. On April 22, 2004,
at Hotel Fairmont in Washington DC, Bo Xilai personally received a court
subpoena during his visit to America. When Bo Xilai followed Hu Jintao to visit
Romania, he experienced similar actions to bring him to justice yet Hu Jintao
was welcomed. Legal actions were also launched against Bo Xilai in other
European countries, including Poland and the United Kingdom.
Another Successful Overseas Rescue Following the successful rescue of Ms. Li Ying, fiancee of Australian Citizen
Li Qizhong, from a Chinese forced labor camp, another couple has been happily
reunited in Sydney. On October 2, 2002, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Xie Yan from Guangzhou City
was illegally sentenced to two years' forced labor, and was detained in the
notorious Chatou Forced Labor Camp of Guangzhou City. As she refused to renounce
her belief in Falun Dafa, her term was extended 3 months. She was not released
until January 2003. In the forced labor camp, she suffered many cruel tortures.
She was only 24 years old at the time. Unfortunately, around 10:30 p.m. on the
night of 23 February 2004, Guangzhou City Tianhe Police Department deceived her
and abducted her. Her fiance, Mr. Philip Law, an Australian citizen, tried many
ways to find her. Eventually, he found out that she was detained in the
brainwashing class in the so-called "Law School" set up by Tianhe
Police Department. Philip requested to communicate with Xie Yan but was refused.
Philip then started a rescue bid with his fellow overseas Falun Gong
practitioners. On the streets of Australia, practitioners handed out flyers about the sad
story of this couple, and appealed to the public to write to the Chinese
Embassy. At the same time, telephone calls from overseas were continually made
to the brainwashing class. The crimes of the criminals, including Zeng, the
chief of the brainwashing class, Xie, from "610 Office" of Wushanjie
Police Station, Zhang Lifang and Ren Renjie of the class, were exposed overseas.
Facing the continuous phone calls from overseas, they were very nervous. In the
end, they had to admit that they detained Xie Yan. While they tried to shirk
their responsibilities, they still did not allow Xie Yan to speak to anyone from
the outside. This didn't stop Philip's determination to rescue his fianc¨¦e. On April 8,
2004, he published an open letter to call for help to rescue his fianc¨¦e and
other Falun Gong practitioners who are suffering in China. He left Australia for
Geneva on April 9 to appeal to the 60th United Nations Human Rights Conference. The Australian government provided assistance. The NSW Liberal Party Member
for Lane Cove, Mr. Anthony Roberts, expressed that he would tell his colleagues
about Xie's situation. Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, MLA from Canberra, made an
inquiry with the Chinese Embassy regarding Xie's circumstance, and the details
of their refusal of granting Philip the visa to China. John Murphy, MP wrote to
the foreign minister, Alexander Downer, requesting the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade to raise the matter with the Chinese authorities. Mr. Downer
later replied that he has pointed out to the Chinese authorities that they have
violated the human rights convention. John Murphy, MP further contacted the
Australian Consulate in Guangzhou, asking them to help with Xie Yan's
application to Australia, and to assist her in getting to Australia as soon as
possible. The story of the couple was also reported in the local newspaper "Inner
West Weekly," which aroused many people's concern and sympathy. They were
all shocked by the fact that the persecution has extended to their fellow
Australians. At this time, the truth-clarifying phone calls were still made to the
brainwashing class. On April 23, 2004 due to international pressure, the
brainwashing class released Xie Yan. On July 31, 2004, Xie Yan safely arrived at Sydney International Airport, and
the young couple was finally reunited. They deeply appreciate the help from the
Australian people, the Australian Government and Falun Gong practitioners from
Australia, Switzerland and Thailand, and are very concerned about many
practitioners who are still illegally detained in China. They appeal to all
kind-hearted people to help stop this inhuman persecution, to stop the Jiang
regime's persecution of people who believe in
"Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and to unconditionally free all
Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Judge Gives Green Light to Criminal Trial of Chen Zhili in
Tanzania New progress has been made in the lawsuit against Chen Zhili, the former
Minister of Education and currently a Member of the Chinese State Council. The
preliminary hearing in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, on August 3 was in favor of the
Falun Gong practitioners in Ethiopia, on whose behalf attorneys brought the
case. The case was initiated as a civil action via an affidavit filed with the
Tanzanian Court on July 19. The affidavit alleges Chen Zhili is guilty of murder
and torture of Chinese teachers and students who practice Falun Gong. The
judge's decision concluded the civil action, clearing the way for a criminal
trial. According to the Falun Gong practitioners' attorney, the plaintiff's
witnesses are ready to appear in court. Chen was the Minister of Education from 1998-2003, and is currently a member
of the Chinese State Council. She had an affair with Jiang Zemin and championed
Jiang's persecution policies in the Chinese educational system, which resulted
in an extraordinarily cruel persecution in that system. According to incomplete
estimates, in 2003 alone, at least 435 Falun Gong practitioners in 210 Chinese
universities and colleges were forced into labor camps or mental hospitals. Over
the past five years, at least 61 teachers or students were killed for practicing
Falun Gong. Moreover, Chen Zhili also held numerous meetings to implement the
persecution. She published decrees in the name of the Ministry of Education, to
order teachers and students in schools to take their stand in this persecution;
she forced teachers and students to view propaganda films that defamed Falun
Gong and sign statements that renounced and slandered Falun Gong. Due to her
orders, educational content designed to defame Falun Gong and incite hatred was
incorporated into school textbooks as well as tests and exams, including those
in universities and graduate schools. State run propaganda in the form of TV
programs produced by CCTV was broadcast at teacher training institutions to
instill hatred against Falun Gong into the minds of future teachers. After visiting South Africa and the Republic of Zimbabwe, she arrived in
Tanzania on July 17, 2004 for a four-day visit. She appeared in person in court
on July 19, upon being subpoenaed in Tanzania. This was the first time that a
defendant personally appeared in an overseas court in the series of ongoing
lawsuits against Chinese officials for their crimes in the persecution of Falun
Gong. Tanzania, a democratic country, located in eastern Africa, has an independent
legal system. Before Chen was sued, at least ten Chinese government officials
who personally participated in the persecution of Falun Gong were served with
lawsuits in the U.S.A., Canada, Taiwan and European countries. The officials
include former Chinese president Jiang Zemin who single-handedly launched and
directed the persecution. Canada: MP Rob Anders Urges the Department of Foreign Affairs
to Press the South African Government to Make a Full Inquiry into the Shooting
of Falun Gong Practitioner Rob Anders Wednesday, August 4, 2004 The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew Dear Minister, I am writing to you in regards to the recent shooting incident in South
Africa involving Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. David Liang. As he and his
associates were traveling from Johannesburg to Pretoria, their vehicle was
overtaken by another car. The other vehicle pulled alongside and one of the
three occupants opened fire with an automatic assault rifle. Mr. Liang was shot
and wounded and his car disabled. Mr. Liang and his fellow Falun Gong practitioners were in South Africa to
peacefully protest a visit by Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and Commerce
Minister Bo Xilai. Previous to their trip, Mr. Liang and other Falun Gong
supporters had experienced harassment and threatening phone calls in Australia,
where they are resident. The practitioners wished to raise awareness about the
human rights situation in the People's Republic of China and the current
persecution of Falun Gong there. What was unusual about this incident was that after the shooting there was no
attempt to rob those attacked. The crime seemed to accomplish nothing other than
to send a message to the victims. As Falun Gong practitioners have also been the
victims of harassment here in Canada in recent years, I urge the Department of
Foreign Affairs to press the South African government to make a full inquiry
into the incident to determine the motivation behind the attack. Sincerely, Rob Anders, MP
Canada MP Keith Martin: I Would Hate to See the Situation in
South Africa Repeated in Canada Dr. Keith Martin, M.D., M.P. July 26, 2004 The Honorable Pierre Pettigrew Dear Minister Pettigrew, First, let me express my warmest congratulations to you on your new
appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs. My reason for this letter is to communicate to you an issue that was recently
brought to my attention by a constituent. On June 28, 2004 there was a drive-by
shooting in South Africa somewhere en-route from the Johannesburg airport to
Pretoria that allegedly targeted a Falun Gong Practitioner, David Liang. There
is concern that this was a premeditated attack by hit men hired by the Chinese
government because Liang was planning to hold a press conference exposing the
alleged crimes of two visiting Chinese government officials, Vice President Zeng
Quinghong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, implicated in persecuting
practitioners of Falun Gong in China. These government officials are facing
legal cases submitted in the United States and Poland for crimes against
humanity. What is our policy on dealing with Vice President Zeng Quinghong and
Minister Bo Xilai? Are they allowed to enter Canada to visit? I would hate to
see the situation in South Africa repeated in Canada. Could you please send your response to my constituency office? Yours sincerely, Dr. Keith Martin, M.P. Letter to the Austrian Falun Dafa Association from Slovenian
Minister of Defense Office Republic of Slovenia To the Austrian Falun Dafa Association, It is in the nature of humankind to choose its own way of living, and if
someone's beliefs and acts do not take away the freedoms of another human being,
nobody has the right to restrict him for that. Also, the rules of the
International Declaration of Human Rights explicitly forbid any access to one's
integrity and to his own belief, as that would mean the restriction of personal
freedom. In the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, we implicitly condemn
execution or support of any kind to genocide, especially such that is incited by
a government that is obliged to care for its own citizens. We principally agree
with the Concurrent Resolution 188 of the US Congress, which states that the
government of the Republic of China should stop the senseless persecution of
members of the Falun Gong movement -- a traditional practice of mind and body
improvement. Also, because that philosophy is based on truthfulness, goodness
and mutual tolerance, without a doubt it positively influences the contentment
of people, as well as the spiritual and physical health. Only contented
individuals can create a healthy, democratic society, which altogether enables
growth and development of each individual. Apart from that, we support the right of each person to decide to join the
Falun Gong movement, because belief is one of the most important elements of the
base of human dignity, and according to that it is inalienable. With pleasant greetings, Mr. Darko Lubi. Chief of the Office of the Minister
Statement by NGO Interfaith International at the 56th Session
of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights The fifty-sixth session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection
of Human Rights is taking place this year from July 26 to August 13 at the
Office of the United Nations in Geneva. The representative of the
non-governmental organization (NGO) Interfaith International made a statement on
the responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business
enterprises with regard to human rights. The complete text is below. Working Group established to examine the working methods and Responsibilities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises
with regard to human rights Mr Chairperson, We speak on behalf of Interfaith International and wish to thank you for the
work you are doing, which becomes increasingly urgent. We wish to draw your
attention to the problem of the origin of products manufactured principally in
China. In fact, there are currently more and more reports on Chinese products
which use only a borrowed name to hide economic slavery, without western
enterprises suspecting the fact. Nestle, for example, was directly implicated in 2001. Nestle had placed an
order for soft-toy rabbits at a toy factory in Beijing. These toys were in fact
made in a forced labour camp at Xinan, Beijing, where 90 per cent of the
detainees are innocent victims imprisoned because they practise the method of
qigong called Falun Gong and cultivate three universal values: Truthfulness,
Benevolence and Tolerance. The practitioners work like slaves under torture and
constant persecution. All the products made there for export are soiled with
pus, blood and tears. The number of forced labour camps transformed into factories is many. We
deplore the fact that the Special Rapporteur on torture had to cancel his visit
to the camps at the request of the Chinese Government that allegedly needs more
time to prepare. The majority of national and transnational business enterprises
are completely ignorant of the manner in which the products they sell in our
western world are manufactured and, even more so, the consumer. This system was
set up by the Chinese Government and is encouraged at all levels and supported
by corruption. Another danger for business enterprises with subsidiaries in China lies in
the fact that their directors can find themselves participating in the total
eradication campaign aimed at 70 to 100 million innocent people: Mary Kay and
Volkswagen have begun to give notice to their employees solely because they
practise this method. Purely for economic interests, enterprises of all sizes and foreign investors
who are aware of the situation prefer to close their eyes. They do not consider
the fact that they are making themselves accomplices of what well-known human
rights lawyers consider one of the most serious situations of persecution and
genocide currently existing, in terms both of its size and of the means used:
slander, incitement to hatred, incitement to denounce, privation of all social,
economic and cultural rights, torture and murder. One quarter of the financial
resources of China is being used for this repression. Thus, all contracts, all
investment and all setting up of enterprises support this persecution. The
initiator Jiang Zemin and his main collaborators are now the subjects of a
lawsuit in Chicago and complaints filed in some 15 countries for torture, crimes
against humanity and genocide. What enterprises do not know is that their financial aid is equally feeding
the extension of this persecution in our countries and the growth of the
violence. In fact, since July 1999 those who practise Falun Gong and who
denounce the persecution, whatever their nationality, are being spied upon,
followed, photographed, their telephones are tapped, computers hacked, they are
put on a blacklist, harassed and threatened. An example took place recently for
the first time outside China, at the end of June 2004 in South Africa, when
Australian practitioners were shot on sight while they were preparing to file a
lawsuit against two Chinese officials responsible for the repression. Thanks to the norms established by the Working Group we hope that not only
the victims will be defended but also the enterprises and investors protected,
so that respect for fundamental rights will take precedence over economic
interest. Thank you for your attention.
Letter from US Senator Paul Sarbanes for the Washington DC
Public Rally to End the Persecution of Falun Gong Paul S. Sarbanes United States Senate July 22, 2004 Dear Friends: I am most pleased to extend warm greetings to all gathered for today's rally
to "End the Persecution of Falun Gong." Over the years, the Congress has repeatedly expressed its concern about the
deplorable human rights conditions in China. I have joined in these efforts
during my service in the Senate to ensure that this matter receives the
appropriate attention of the international community. The government of China
has outlawed the practice of Falun Gong, imprisoned many followers, and
prosecuted group leaders. The Chinese government continues to deny
systematically to members of Falun Gong basic and international recognized
rights and freedoms. As one who is deeply concerned about this matter, I have repeatedly contacted
the Department of State to urge that our government continue to convey to
Chinese authorities the concern with which we view the worsening conditions for
practitioners of Falun Gong. You may be assured of my continued efforts in this
regard. Please accept my best wishes for a productive and successful rally. With best regards, Sincerely, Paul Sarbanes Private Prisons Set up in China to Persecute Falun Gong While former Chinese president Jiang Zemin was still in office, he abused his
power and huge proportion of China's national resources to build private prisons
to persecute Falun Gong practitioners. These prisons were usually set up
secretly. Now, almost every county and city in the nation has such prisons. The
"610 Office" is directly in charge of these prisons, whereas judicial
and legal departments often administer regular prisons. Such private prisons are
often mislabeled as "Legal System Education Classes" to deceive the
public. Many practitioners have been sent to these types of prisons to be
persecuted and they will not be released if they refuse to give up their belief
in Falun Gong. Some practitioners have even lost their lives in these prisons. The photo (http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/article_images/2004-7-29-jail.jpg)
shows the gate of a private prison located on the east side of the Veneer
Factory - Raw Wood Material Processing Plant in Yakeshi City, Inner Mongolia.
There are two boards hung on the gate (one board in Chinese characters and
another in Mongolian) reading, "The Daxinganling District Legal System
Education Base in Inner Mongolia." The Raw Wood Material Processing Plant
used to be the largest plant of its kind in Asia and has a history of several
dozen years. It went broke, however, in the 1990s and many workers were laid
off. What's surprising is that in the autumn of 2003, the "610 Office"
spent a large amount of money renovating the plant and turning it into a private
prison. A two-meter high wall was set up around the plant with a gate that was
tightly closed. One can often hear dogs barking inside. The landscaping outside
makes it hard for people to imagine it is in fact a place where innocent people
are tortured and killed.
My Firsthand Experience of the Crimes Against Humanity being
Committed at the Beijing Female Forced Labor Camp Jiang's group has hidden the brutal persecution of Falun Gong behind the
façade of such slogans as, "[This is] The best period of human rights in
history." After spending nearly two years in forced labor camps, I would
like to reveal the truth behind Jiang's claim that this is "The best period
of human rights." 1. Having a Spiritual Belief is Considered "a Crime" Under Jiang's
Rule I'm a Dafa practitioner from Beijing. Since the persecution began on July 20,
1999, I have been taken to brainwashing classes several times simply because I
practice "Truth, Compassion and Forbearance." One day in 2002, while
clarifying the facts to people about the persecution of Falun Dafa, local police
arrested me and sent me to the police station. 24 hours later, I was transferred
to the district police department where I was detained. A month later, without
any legal proceedings, I was sentenced to two years of hard labor to be served
at the Beijing Women's Forced Labor Camp. Before I was sent to the labor camp, I
was taken to the Dispatch Center first. Shortly after arriving at the camp, I
was put in a brainwashing class where I was continuously beaten, abused, and
forced to repeat slanderous language against Falun Dafa. Punishments were
escalated whenever I refused to obey. 2. Depriving People of Food and Water During my twenty-four hours' detention at the police station I was
incessantly interrogated, deprived of food and water, and forbidden from using
bathroom facilities. Practitioners there were basically deprived of water.
During lunch, two bowls of water were passed among a group of over ten people.
By the time the bowls came to us practitioners, little or no water was left.
Once, a female Dafa practitioner was so thirsty that she drank a little water
from the tap while brushing her teeth. For this she was severely reprimanded. 3. Depriving People From Using Bathroom Facilities In the labor camp there is a set time for detainees to use the bathroom and a
guard must accompany the detainee. On one occasion all the guards were busy registering newcomers into the camp,
so no one could accompany us to go to the restroom. Therefore, they simply
refused to let us use the restroom while they were busying with the
registration. For the whole afternoon, all of our requests to use the bathroom
were refused. Later that day, a practitioner could not wait any more and simply
rushed into the bathroom. For doing that she was beaten and cursed. 4. Sleep Deprivation The camp's chief weapon is sleep deprivation. The experience is nearly
unbearable. The victim is put in a room together with about 14 others, who are
supervised by some other prisoners. Boards with the camp's regulations written
on them are given to each person and they all have to keep repeating the
regulations. Anyone found not concentrating is beaten. I remember after I had been transferred to the Beijing Forced Labor Camp at
the end of 2002, the instructor of the brainwashing class did not allow us to
sleep, not even during the lunch break. Anyone found dosing off was punished. 5. Demoralization by Being Locked in a "Small Cell" Without exception, every Falun Gong practitioner who is arrested has to go
through the brainwashing class. If practitioners do not show
"improvement," they will be locked up in an isolated "small
cell" and on top of that, during the night they will have to stay awake
repeating aloud the labor camp regulations. Once, after watching a documentary
slandering Falun Dafa, a practitioner was questioned, "Is Falun Gong a [slanderous
word omitted]?" When she replied that is was not, she was then
immediately beaten by a group of prisoners who later reported her to the chief
guard. For three days afterwards, that practitioner was locked up in isolation
and interrogated. Later, the chief guard personally reprimanded her and forced her to watch
more slanderous documentaries about Falun Dafa. When they saw that she was
tired, she would be encircled by prisoners and forced to run around in circles.
Every time she bumped into someone, she would be beaten. Finally she collapsed
from exhaustion. This practitioner was then locked up in isolation again for a month, during
which time she was taken to different cells. She was taken out of her cell for
punishment only during the night, just before she was about to sleep. 6. Demoralization Through Punishment from Drug Offenders It was not uncommon for the guards to beat and use electric batons to shock
Falun Gong practitioners. The guards also often encourage prisoners to beat up
the practitioners as well. One day, four or five prisoners arrested for drug
offences, who are all in their thirties, were basically asked to be thugs. The
cruel tactics used by these prisoners were even worse than what the guards did.
They took turns beating us. But before they began, one of them by the name
Chang, stuffed her socks into the mouth of a practitioner to prevent her from
screaming. These prisoners had their terms reduced for doing this work for the
labor camp police. Every meal we had consisted of a bun made from ground corn flour mixed with
other grains. Anyone refusing to eat was beaten. One time a practitioner was
beaten so badly that her whole body, except for her face, was bruised. In order
to not to let others see what had happened to her, the guards stopped her from
taking showers for a long time. In the labor camp, the guards cut away the top buttons of practitioners'
shirts, as well as the zipper for the fly and waistbands of their pants, leaving
the practitioners with no choice but to hold up their pants at all times. The
guards often said, "See how weak you are, you're not even able to put up
with a slight beating." One young practitioner even had a couple of her
teeth knocked out from being beaten by the guards and had a hard time eating
because of it. After one university student had completed serving a year and a
half in the labor camp, her sentence was then extended for another six months.
The guards always tortured that practitioner with electric batons. 7. Strip Searched Normally, when being transferred from one place of detention to another, the
admissions officer goes through all your belongings doing a complete search.
Even a person's bedcovers are thoroughly examined. Later, they simply refused to
let the practitioners take any covers with them. On admission to the camp the
first time, a prisoner's clothes are stripped off followed by a thorough
examination. After admission, they strip you naked again for another
examination. Then every month, they conduct a regular search, to make sure
nothing is hidden.
Nineteen Persecution Deaths in China Verified in July According to reports on Clearwisdom.net in July 2004, it was confirmed that
another 19 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of torture in the year
2004, which brings the verified death case toll to 1,016. Nineteen torture deaths verified in China in July In July 2004, 19 torture deaths were confirmed through non-governmental
channels. Eleven of these practitioners died in 2004, and three died in July. The deaths took place in 11 provinces and municipalities: four cases in Jilin
Province, three in Liaoning Province, three in Shandong Province, two in
Heilongjiang Province and one case each in Hebei Province, Beijing, Sichuan
Province, Guangdong Province, Hubei Province, Hunan Province, and Chongqing
City. Among the deceased practitioners were retired workers, farmers, civil
servants, and teachers. The oldest practitioner who died as a result of torture was Zhou Dehong, 78,
from Quankou Village, Lanlong Township, Hengyang County, Hunan Province. The
youngest practitioner was Ms. Wang Xiaodong, 34, who was a teacher at the Nantou
Middle School in Shenzhen City. Eight of these practitioners were over 50 years
of age, which accounts for 42% of the 19 deaths. Twelve were female, which
accounts for 63% of the death toll. Physical and mental torture was common among the cases reported in July. Many
practitioners' homes were ransacked, and they were abducted and fined. They were
beaten, tortured and subjected to brainwashing. They were held in detention
centers, labor camps, and brainwashing classes, where local police and
persecutors from the "610
Office" tortured them to try to force them to renounce their belief in
Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Husband tortured to death and wife sent to forced labor Dafa practitioner Mr. Jiang Yong, 46, began practicing Falun Gong in 1996. He
was from Guangming Village, Xingfu Township, Changchun City, Jilin Province, and
was abducted and detained numerous times because he refused to give up his
belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. He was sent to a forced labor camp,
where he was brutally tortured. During the past five years, Jiang Yong had
persisted in practicing Falun Gong, and had to stay away from his home to avoid
being arrested there. The persecutors even sent his wife, a non-practitioner, to
a labor camp for one year. On April 13, 2004, police from the Public Security Bureau of Changchun City
abducted Mr. Jiang and several other practitioners. Mr. Jiang suffered savage
torture and was sent to the Tiebei Detention Center. His injuries from the
torture were so severe that he was sent to the Changchun City Police Hospital on
April 22, 2004, and was subsequently transferred back to the Tiebei Detention
Center on May 26 for continued imprisonment. His family's many requests to visit him were denied. During the evening of
July 4, 2004, Mr. Jiang died as a result of the torture and abuse he suffered at
the hands of police. According to those who saw his dead body, there were rope marks on his neck
and many dark bruises on his chest and upper back. His eyes were wide open, and
blood oozed out of his mouth when his body was touched. Some tissues were placed
under his rectum. Police frantically stopped people from taking photos of his
body, and even beat his family members. The officials in the Tiebei Detention Center feared their crime being
exposed. In order to avoid responsibility for his death, they tried to cover up
the truth by lying to his family members, saying that he died of a sudden
sickness. Mr. Jiang Yong was a very strong man, about 5' 10", and very muscular.
His illnesses stopped after he began practicing Falun Dafa, and those close to
him knew him as an "iron man." Yet, such a healthy man was tortured to
death in less than three months. The day after his death, his body was treated, the blood was cleaned from his
mouth and the bruises were covered. There were bottles of alcohol, cotton balls,
etc. all over the room. The persecutors apparently tried to destroy the evidence
to cover up their crime. Mr. Chen Fenglin dies as a result of the persecution Mr. Chen Fenglin, 51, was a Falun Dafa practitioner from Beiyuan Village, Laiguangying Township, in the Chaoyang District, Beijing. Since July 20,
1999, which marked the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong, he went to
Beijing many times to appeal for Falun Gong. In December 1999, he was detained
and held at the Chaoyang Detention Center for one month. He then was transferred
to the village party committee, where they persecuted him for over two weeks.
After returning home, he was placed under constant surveillance. The police
frequently climbed over the wall or onto the roof, or simply broke into his
house. This severely disrupted his daily life. He went into exile, going from
place to place for several months to avoid further persecution. In January 2001, employees of the local police station and the "610
Office" arrested Mr. Chen while he was in the Green Garden in Chaoyang
District. They sent him to a brainwashing center. During that time the cruel
persecution affected his health. It was found that his blood pressure far
exceeded normal levels, and he was taken to a hospital for emergency treatment.
He lost his freedom immediately after leaving the hospital. Even during the
Chinese New Year's Eve, while making dumplings at home, two policemen watched
him. When he went to visit his relatives or friends, policemen followed him.
Because Mr. Chen Fenglin refused to give up his belief in Falun Dafa, he was
taken to a brainwashing center on July 31, 2001 by officers from the local
police station and the "610
Office." In July 2003, when the police tried to send him to a
brainwashing center again, he steadfastly refused. The police went to his home
dozens of times to threaten him and sent people to watch him around the clock
until the end of the year. After continual imprisonment and various forms of persecution, Mr. Chen's
physical and mental health had severely deteriorated. He died in the hospital on
July 7, 2004. Three teachers die as a result of torture in July; Chen Zhili served with
lawsuit in Africa Among the 19 practitioners who were tortured to death, three are grade school
and middle school teachers. They are Li Guangzhen, Li Zhi, and Wang Xiaodong. Ms. Li Guangzhen, 52, was an outstanding teacher at the Machang Township
Center Primary School, Jianping County, Liaoning Province. Her husband, Zhou
Xirong, is an English teacher in Machang Town Middle School. Because they were
steadfast in their Falun Dafa practice, the police frequently searched their
home. They were detained and severely beaten, and the police extorted money from
them. In October 2002, the police arrested and detained them. In March of 2003,
they were each illegally sentenced to a three-year prison term. Li Guangzhen was taken to Dabei Prison in Shenyang City. She was severely
tortured and thus unable to eat, and she quickly became emaciated. In October
2003, she was bailed out for medical treatment, and died on June 18, 2004. Her
husband, Zhou Xirong, is now detained and tortured in Dongling Prison of
Shenyang. His life is in danger, as well. Ms. Li Zhi was a teacher at the Wujiashan Fourth Middle School in Dongxi Lake
District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province. In 2002 she went to Beijing to appeal for
Falun Gong and was detained. Li Zhi's husband is an official working in the
Labor Bureau. In order to keep his position, he often beat his wife. In the
summer of 2002, Li Zhi passed away in the hospital. Wang Xiaodong, 34, was a teacher at the Nantou Middle School in Shenzhen
City, Guangdong Province. She went to Beijing to appeal in 2000, and on April
29, 2000 was illegally detained in the Nanshan Detention Center in Shenzhen
City, where she was beaten and tied up. In July 2003, she died from torture
after holding a four-month hunger strike at the detention center. Her husband
Liu Xifeng, who is also a Falun Gong practitioner, has disappeared and his
current whereabouts are unknown. Their 11-year-old son Liu Xiang was sent to an
orphanage in Shenzhen.
An Account of the Brutalities at the Baoding Labor Camp:
Economic Exploitation, Hard Labor and Torture Resulting in Disability and Death The Baoding Labor Camp in Hebei Province forces detainees to perform hard
labor. For the female team, the work starts at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 2:00 a.m.
the next day. As a result of the long hours of hard labor, many practitioners'
hands have been injured to the point that they are disabled. Right now, the
labor camp forces the male team to staple together pages of books. Even those
who are sick are made to do this. They are forced to work a whole day, and they
are not allowed to take a rest at noon-time. They cannot rest until after 10:00
pm. The book currently being produced is entitled, The Very Best Three on
Their Way. All the books made at the labor camp are pirated copies. The camp
stopped this work for seven days after the CCTV broadcast the news that pirating
copies of books is very rampant in Hebei Province. They started again after the
story blew over. The labor camp makes enormous profits illegally and treats the detainees very
badly. It also exploits the prisoners in other ways as well. The meals served at
the Baoding Labor Camp get worse every day. The only food currently available
for the whole day is eggplant cooked in water. Even when family members come to
visit, they are not allowed to bring any food to their loved ones. There is a
convenience store in the labor camp where prisoners can buy food to supplement
their meals. The convenience store posts a notice saying that their prices are
the same as those of the stores outside the labor camp. Actually, the prices are
much higher than outside stores. For example, for instant noodles, regular
stores sell them for 0.6 Chinese yuan, while the store at the labor camp sells
them for one yuan. For eggs, a normal store would sell them for one yuan per jin
(450 grams), while at the labor camp they sell them for five yuan per jin. This
is nothing more than economic exploitation. A practitioner named Di Wanqing, from Li County, Hebei Province, was severely
tortured at the labor camp. The guards used all kinds of means to torture him,
including beating him with ropes, shocking him with high-voltage electric
batons, tying him to the "Death Bed">Death Bed" (1), and forcing him to stand
facing the wall with a guard standing right behind him, kicking him. He endured
this treatment non-stop for three days and nights. Another torture inflicted on
Mr. Di was a torture known as "watching TV" (being tied up and forced
to bend over a bucket of urine for several days straight). Since Di Wanqing refused to renounce Falun Dafa, a guard named Li Dayong
brought him to a room and said viciously, " I will beat you up until I
force you to give in." Following that, he beat Mr. Di until he lost
consciousness. Di Wangqing went on a hunger strike to protest the inhuman torture and
persecution at Baoding Labor Camp. He was force-fed several times. As a result
of the long-term persecution, Mr. Di was close to death, with his entire body
swollen and fluids accumulating in his stomach. The guards sent him to the
hospital where he was diagnosed with an inflammation of the lungs characterized
by difficult, painful breathing and an accumulation of fluids. The guards were
afraid to shoulder the responsibility for his death and so sent him home. He
died soon after, on May 1, 2003. A guard named Li Dayong handcuffed practitioner Tian Jianxing in a
spread-eagle position to an iron rail for seven days and nights. As a result,
Jianxing Tian's legs and feet were swollen so badly he could not put on his
shoes, and he could hardly walk by himself. A practitioner named Li Jiangguo, 56 years old, was deprived of sleep for 13
days and was tied to the "Death Bed">Death Bed" for one and a half months. A practitioner named Ma Yuling was tortured several times by the guards. Four
to five guards tied him with a rope and beat him severely. When they could not
tie the rope any tighter, they forced a beer bottle under the rope so that the
nylon rope cut deeply into Mr. Ma's flesh. For three consecutive days, they
repeatedly tied him up until he lost consciousness from the pain. The skin where
the ropes cut his flesh became necrotic in many places, and he lost the use of
his arms. For one month, Mr. Ma could not take care of himself. Even then, the
guards still used two high-voltage electric batons to torture him, burning him
severely on his neck, back, face, genitals and mouth. The guards also instigated
the criminal prisoners to beat Ma Yuling whenever they liked. Some criminal
prisoners, in order to gain favor from the guards, used all means to torture
him. Northern District Times Falun Gong Practitioner Petitions
Australian Prime Minister On August 11, 2004, The Northern District Times in Australia reported
that Chinese-Australian Falun Gong practitioner David Liang has delivered a
petition to Prime Minister John Howard. The petition, which bears the names of 1700 people, asks the Federal
Government to work with the South African authorities to investigate a recent
incident in which Mr. Liang was shot while driving a car in South Africa. It
also condemns acts of terrorism by the Chinese Government and calls on the
Federal Government to be vigilant in protecting Australians who may face
terrorist attacks for their beliefs. David Liang's feet were shattered by a gunman's bullet as he and other Falun
Gong practitioners were on the way to file a lawsuit in South Africa against two
Chinese officials for their role in persecuting Falun Gong in China. Doctors say
that his mobility will be affected for two years. The Times article states: "The lawsuit charged China's Vice
President Zeng Qinghong and Trade Minister Bo Xilai with torture, genocide and
crimes against humanity for persecuting people who practice the meditation which
teaches truth, compassion and tolerance." Mr. Liang, the father of two children, believes that he and the other
practitioners were targeted by clothing, which identified them as Falun Gong
practitioners. He said the South African authorities are investigating the
incident as an "attempted murder," and expressed his hope that the
Australian government would take action to put an end to the violence against
Falun Gong practitioners. Despite his brush with death, Mr. Liang remains firm in his beliefs and has
no intention of giving up his practice of Falun Gong. Associated Press Worldstream Reports on Falun Gong
Practitioners' March Through Central Athens to Call for Attention to the
Persecution in China On August 11, The Associated Press reported on Falun Gong practitioners'
parade through central Athens to call for attention from international society
regarding the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. One Falun Gong
practitioner pointed out that although Beijing has been approved to hold the
2008 Olympics, its current human rights situation opposes the values which the
Olympics are founded upon. The report stated that about 100 Falun Gong followers marched peacefully
Wednesday through central Athens.Many were dressed in colorful clothing and
accompanied by a bright yellow band playing traditional Chinese music.
Organizers of the march compared the upcoming 2008 Olympics in China with the
1936 Olympics in Berlin during the Nazi occupation.
El Mundo: Editorial about the Chinese Economy and Falun Gong On July 22, 2004, one of the two most important newspapers in Spain, El Mundo,
famous for its investigative reporting, published an editorial lead article
presenting the persecution against Falun Gong as the most evident example of why
China's "economic freedom" is an illusion that will clearly fail
without human rights and the rule of law. The fifth anniversary of the Chinese government's illegalization of the Falun
Gong organization recently passed; it is considered religious by some, although
it is probably more precisely defined as spiritual. It suffered a brutal
spiral of repression: the reeducation of hundreds of millions of
people--a repetition on a smaller scale of that terrible act by the regime, the
Cultural Revolution--as well as the jailing of over 6,000 members, of which an
important number, perhaps more than one thousand, have died in Chinese prisons.
Falun Gong, with the support of international human rights organizations,
affirms that many of them have suffered terrible tortures. This group preached a practice by which to improve physical and spiritual
health through qigong exercises, a form of ancient oriental gymnastics,
and incorporated elements from various religious traditions. Its elimination in
China by use of force has not prevented its spread to many other places in the
world in the last five years. Whatever one's opinion may be about this movement
and the goals of its leader, Li Hongzhi [slanderous terms of Jiang's regime
omitted], it is clear that its members have always acted in a peaceful
manner. Even angelically. But that did not prevent a brutal persecution, one
that reminds of the repression some years before of those equally peaceful
demonstrators of Tiananmen. These precedents do, in fact, make one fear the
worst for the growing movement defending the democratic rights of Hong Kong,
which has drawn huge demonstrations. The persecution of these most benign and civilized forms of dissent, brings
out the deep contradictions of Beijing's reportedly reformist regime. In the
long run, it is not possible to promote economic liberalization--with such
colorful examples as the incorporation of capitalist principles and
entrepreneurialism with those of the communist system--and, at the same time, to
mercilessly continue suppressing civil rights and freedom of expression. A
homologous capitalist system in the international community must provide legal
security for investors and consumers, and public administrations must make
decisions based on equality. A communist regime that acts arbitrarily, and often dictatorially, can't
offer the conditions--in particular, an independent legal system--necessary so
that the so-called economic liberty does not end up being synonymous with abuse
and corruption. In this way, Falun Gong's sad fate becomes a premonition of the
future failure of the Chinese political system, as schizophrenic as it is
unjust.
Boston Herald Reports on Falun Gong Practitioners Exposing the
Persecution At the end of July, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners from around the
world held anti-torture exhibitions in Boston to expose the Jiang Zemin
faction's cruel torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Reporters from the
Boston Herald witnessed and reported the shocking scenes. Boston Herald published a report by Jessica Heslam. The article stated,
"Bound to a wooden bench with his hands tied behind his back, one man was
covered in fake blood as a ''prison guard'' held a plank of wood beneath his
neck. Nearby, a woman's wrists were tied to a wooden scaffold as a guard menaced
her with a metal pipe. Another woman sat cross-legged in a tiny cage." The report continued, "The disturbing sights on Boston Common are part
of an exhibit that depicts the brutal torture methods used by China on devotees
of Falun Dafa, or Falun Gong, a meditative and exercise technique. Followers claim more than 1,000 practitioners have been killed while
thousands of others are imprisoned and being tortured. More than 3,000 devotees
from around the world have descended on the Hub this week, hoping their message
is heard by Democrats and others." The report also interviewed Mary Byrom, a Maine woman who designed the
exhibit. She said, ''They do these methods in order to stop them from
practicing,'' An American citizen is also being tortured in China. The report stated,
"Yeong-ching Foo, 31, said her fianc? Dr. Charles Lee, who used to
practice at Massachusetts General Hospital, has been imprisoned for the past 18
months. 'He went to China trying to expose the persecution of Falun Dafa. It's so
hard for me,' said Foo, who said her fianc?is being tortured." Falun Gong Practitioners' Personal Experience Patient with a Breast Tumor and Bone Cancer Obtained a New
Life after Practicing Falun Gong for Less than Three Months I am from Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. I suffered from a breast
tumor, and I underwent an operation in the year 2000 and started chemotherapy
after that. I received chemotherapy in the hospital for three years. I cannot
express with words the suffering I endured. Even though I kept taking medication
every day, in April of 2004, my tumor came back and metastasized to the bone
(bone cancer). After I went to the hospital, my doctor said it was impossible to
be completely cured. The only thing that could be done was to use chemotherapy,
which might ease my sickness and relieve the pain for the time being. The doctor
told my family members: "She will be paralyzed soon." I felt totally hopeless. It was so painful that I could not even get up from
bed. I had no appetite and even started making arrangements for my funeral. Many
of those around me thought that my time was up. However, one of my neighbors, a
Falun Gong practitioner, introduced Falun Gong to me. Perhaps I had a predestined relationship with Falun Gong, and the benevolent
Teacher gave me a chance. I was very happy to begin to study Falun Gong books.
My family members tried to stop me after they found out. They said: "The
government does not allow Falun Gong." I said: "I am just a small
potato, and I am not against my country and government. Besides, I am close to
death. Falun Gong is so precious. Why not just try?" What a miracle! I felt better and spoke louder right after beginning to
practice. At the beginning, I could only sit in meditation for a short time
while being propped up. After only one week, my condition was improved, and I
got better and stronger day-by-day. Now I can cook meals and do household chores
again. I regained weight and have a healthy complexion. Everyone says that I do
not look like a patient any more. I will make sure to be a good person and improve my character according to
Falun Gong's requirements. I will tell people the facts about Falun Gong. I want to sincerely thank Master Li and Falun Gong for giving me a new life.
My Testimony: Severe Liver Cirrhosis Disappears after
Practicing Falun Gong The following are excerpts from a diary written by a new practitioner in
Jilin Province who just started practicing Falun Gong several months ago. She
affirmed: "Every word is from the bottom of my heart, not a single sentence
is made up, and it is all true." She titled this article, "My
Testimony." On February 16, 2004, I was diagnosed with "cirrhosis of the liver with
ascites." I had already been hospitalized for over one month for it at the
end of 1998, and had spent more than 20,000 Yuan on medical expenses. So I asked
the doctor, "Is there hope for my condition?" The doctor said:
"You need to be mentally prepared. I suggest you budget 30,000 Yuan for
treatment in the hospital." I got a prescription for one month's supply of
medicine and went home. I went to my neighbor who practices Falun Gong and asked
him: "I want to practice Falun Gong. Can you please teach me?" That's
how I got started, practicing Falun Gong since March 17, 2004, while taking
medicine. I felt my health improving day by day. Each day I excreted foul things
from my bowels several times a day. After one month, I felt very well and
stopped taking medicine altogether. I persisted in doing the whole set of
exercises every day. Practicing the fifth exercise, the sitting meditation, was
very difficult. I had to clench my teeth to endure the pain. But Teacher Li said
to keep it up, "It's hard to endure, but you can endure it. It's hard to
do, but you can do it." (Zhuan Falun) So every day when I do the
sitting meditation, I think of Teacher Li's words and tough it out even though
it hurts a lot. I am determined to follow Teacher's words and the principles of
"Truth, Compassion and Tolerance," and be strict with myself. I am now
a practitioner and should no longer conduct myself like an everyday person. I
truly feel the goodness of Falun Gong. April 21, 2004 Since April 25, I started doing the sitting meditation for one hour.
Afterwards I cried so much that I could not see well. At times, I wasn't even
aware that I was crying. I cried like it was so sad, and the more I cried the
more I wanted to cry. I did not know why. My legs hurt so much during the
sitting meditation. It hurt more than childbirth. But I felt very comfortable
and relaxed afterwards. Falun Gong is truly magnificent. My chronic ailments are all gone. Before
practicing, I weighed 140 Jin (approximately 156 pounds; 1 lb. = 0.9 Jin)
because of the ascites. After practicing for only one and a half month, I lost 3
Jin. I no longer feel bloated after each meal. My bowel movement is good now.
All the accumulated fluid in my abdomen is also gone. I feel wonderful! I will
persevere in practicing even if it means more hardships. For such a good
practice, why not? I feel better day after day. My mood is uplifted from one day
to the next. Before, I had even contemplated suicide because of my unbearable
sicknesses. Apart from kidney stones, peripheral neuritis, etc., life was
miserable. If I did not have my son, I would have been gone long ago. After
learning Falun Gong, I changed my view of life. I no longer abuse others or
commit wrongdoings; instead I always consider others. Before I do anything, I
tell myself: "I am a practitioner. I cannot do anything I should not
do." Teacher Li said: "One Standard Alone Determines if Someone is
Good or Bad: Whether He is Able to be True, Good, and Endure." (Zhuan
Falun, 2003) I will follow Teacher's words and truly and steadfastly
cultivate myself. April 27, 2004 I have practiced for over one month now. It is truly "working the body
and tempering the will." My legs feel much better as the days go by. They
no longer feel numb, and I also sleep better now. I used to be afraid of
nightfall because my whole body would ache at night. My son came home on the May
1st holiday, and was stunned to see me because I had changed so much.
After learning that all my diseases have been cured, he told me: "Falun
Gong is so wonderful. I won't oppose it, and you should continue to
practice." (I had once mentioned to him over the phone about my practicing
Falun Gong. He was against it at that time.) He had always worried about my
health and called me every day to enquire about it. Now everything is fine. He
no longer needs to worry about me. My younger sister is also amazed to see the
change in me. I know that cultivation is not child's play. It is very serious.
Not everyone can do it. Without a true yearning for cultivation, one cannot
succeed. It is hard. I cried for over one and a half months, and still cry when
I do the sitting meditation. But I am healthy now, and I am happy, and all my
family is happy for me. May 8, 2004 It has been two months since I started practicing Falun Gong. I cleaned out
all the messy books [that are not in accordance with the principles of Falun
Gong] at home. I sold some of them and burned the rest. I don't know
why it felt more painful than ever today when doing the sitting meditation.
Fellow practitioners advised me to stop crying, and suggested that I look within
for the problem. I think they are right. Crying is also an attachment. Although
it is very painful, I am unable to suppress my feeling of gratitude to Teacher.
I want to say a thousand thanks, and that Teacher is the most magnificent. Falun
Gong has saved me and renewed my vitality. Before, I was very selfish. Now that
I have learned Falun Gong, I think of others first. Whatever I do, I regard
myself as a cultivator and follow the standard in word and deed. I practice and
study the book every day. I have read the book four times now and I like reading
it more and more. Before, I would have a headache whenever I picked up a book.
Now my eyes don't even hurt. I will treasure Falun Gong. May 17, 2004 I am very happy today as I lost two more Jin. Falun Gong is wonderful. People
would never know it if they do not practice it. Now I know I will do one thing:
that is to follow the principle of "Truth, Compassion and Tolerance." Practitioners are so kind. They never ask for return when they help others.
For example, the practitioner who taught me the exercises has a full time job
and is very busy. But he would come over every day after work to teach me. He
also gave me the videotapes and Falun Gong books. I wanted to invite him for
dinner to thank him. But he said: Teacher says to teach anyone who wants to
learn. There is no recompense involved. You do not need to thank me. Do what you
should, studying the Fa and practicing conscientiously is better than anything
else. We do this voluntarily and do not ask for return. My legs still hurt. To be honest, one of my legs was rather stiff and I
thought it was due to a stroke, so I went to the hospital. The doctor told me
that it was unlikely. After reading the book, I realize that it is karma being
eliminated. So I am no longer afraid and continue to practice. Several times my legs hurt so much that I could not sit for the whole hour.
After studying the books, I understand that I should bear the pain. I told
myself: pain cannot discourage me. I will persevere in practicing. The People Awaken to the Truth Participating in the Persecution Brings Retribution, While
Repenting and Practicing Falun Gong Saved My Life I am 71 years old and a resident of Dehui City, Jilin Province. When I was
village head, due to the pressure from the higher authorities, I participated
against my will to put local Falun Dafa practitioners on a
"blacklist," in order to persecute them. On March 27, 2004, I suddenly became seriously ill and fell into a coma. I
was sent to various major hospitals, but the doctors couldn't cure my illness.
My family saw that I was dying and made arrangements for my funeral. Fortunately, I obtained a copy of Zhuan Falun while lamenting over the
briefness of life. Through reading the book, I came to understand a lot about
the meaning of life. I made a thorough self-examination about my past
wrongdoing. I decided to sincerely mend my ways. Right at that moment, my body
was purified and I recovered from the verge of death. Soon, I could walk again
with the help of a cane. Now, the walking cane has been thrown away and I am walking about freely.
Master Li gave me a second life. I will surely make amends for my past mistakes
and recover the losses I caused to Falun Gong. I hope my experience can awaken more people. I honestly hope people will
realize the truth of Falun Dafa and treat Falun Gong practitioners well.
The People Learn the Truth as the Anti-Torture Exhibition
Exposes the Persecution In order to let more people know about Falun Gong and the persecution in
China, Falun Gong practitioners held a one-week anti-torture exhibition at
various locations in Washington, D.C. before July 20, 2004. During a one-week period, practitioners held anti-torture exhibitions every
day in two or three places with crowds such as the Lincoln Memorial, Lafayette
Square, the Capitol Hill Lawn, Dupont Circle, etc. The exhibited torture methods
included Driving in Bamboo Sticks, Tiger Bench, Dead Person's Bed,
forced-feeding, cuffing, caging, pressing hard, electrical shocking, burning,
hanging, dragging. These torture methods were accompanied by posters with
detailed illustrations and cases. People were shocked upon seeing the torture exhibition, and they began to
look for more information. Some were thinking of a way to end the persecution,
and some asked how to they could help. There were some who asked friends and
colleagues to come to see, and some wanted to start the practice. Aside from
learning about the brutal torture, many people started to respect Falun Gong
practitioners for their perseverance in their belief even under such extreme
situations. After being moved by the torture exhibition, a 90-year-old woman immediately
called a newspaper asking them to come to report on this. After learning that Falun Gong practitioners had been persecuted by Jiang's
regime for their belief in "Truth, Compassion and Tolerance," an
African-American woman hugged a practitioner for a long time and offered her
blessings. An American who originally came from Vietnam told the practitioners,
"You have done very well. These crimes need to be exposed so that more
people will truly know what is happening!" A delegation from Kenya was passing by, and they asked practitioners what was
going on. They were shocked by the brutality that Jiang's regime had used
against Falun Gong. One parliament member went back to get a camera to take some
pictures. A reporter from Radio Free Asia for the Tibetan Program also came to
interview us, hoping to let more Tibetan people come to know the truth about the
persecution of Falun Gong. A college student said she was very interested in Falun Gong. Although she
had not practiced yet, she wanted to help practitioners oppose the persecution.
Right after that, she went to a bookstore nearby and purchased Falun Gong books.
Diary of the cultivation experiences of a new practitioner in China
MP for Calgary West
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A5
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Room 507 Confederation Building
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Calgary West
Esquimalt -- Juan de Fuca
House of Commons
Victoria, BC
Canada
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lester B. Pearson Building, Tower A, 10th Floor
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Esquimalt -- Juan de Fuca
Ministry of Defense
Office of the Minister
9th March 2004.
activities of transnational corporations
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Maryland
Washington, D.C.
United States Senator
The report quoted a Falun Gong practitioner from Belgium, Mattias Slaats who
said, "I think China has a great history, which has the values of the
Olympic Games and the people of China deserve them. But the current human rights
situation there opposes the values of the Olympic spirit,"
According to the report, organizers of the march, which dispersed peacefully,
claimed the Chinese embassy in Athens had demanded that the peaceful protest be
banned.
Diary of the cultivation experiences of a new practitioner in China
Yearly Archive
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