Observations in Beijing during the CNPC and the CPPCC

(Clearwisdom.net) After learning that the CNPC (Conference of National People's Congress) and the CPPCC (Conference of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) would be held in Beijing from March 5 to March 15, and that many government leaders would gather in Beijing, we shared our understandings on the evening of March 4 and decided to go to Beijing to send forth righteous thoughts there.

On March 5, on the train to Beijing we saw the railway police officers carrying notebook computers and going through the train's cars one by one, asking the passengers to provide their National Identification Cards, and inputting the card numbers into the computer. About one-sixth of the passengers were inspected like this, and some even had their bags searched. Many people were forced to pay fines of 10, 20, or 100 yuan for expired ID cards. Those who did not provide a valid ID card or pay the fine were forced to leave the train and were unable to go to Beijing.

We arrived at Beijing in the morning. When looking for a hotel, the hotels required registering everyone's ID card, saying it was according to an order from "above" on that day.

We arrived at Tiananmen Square at noon, and saw many policemen and spies there. At all the entrances and exits of Tiananmen Square, there were fully armed policemen with walkie-talkies. For tourists they considered suspicious, they would stop them at once to search their body and bags. There were more than 20 police vans in that area. There was also a giant vehicle which was extended in length and had dark windows, like a bulletproof one used by the armed police. On the top, it had satellite receivers, probing apparatus, antenna etc. It was parked by the Monument, across the Great Hall of the People. Soon, we heard some noise from inside the vehicle, which seemed like orders given out by walkie-talkie. Then a police van immediately approached a tourist. As instructed via walkie-talkie, policemen and spies immediately encircled the tourist and started to search his bag. Within half an hour, several men and women tourists were taken to the police van. It was said that they were targeting citizens who went there to appeal. Anyone who was confirmed as someone who was going to appeal would be arrested and transferred to their city's local liaison office in Beijing.

Starting from 8 p.m. on March 5, Tiananmen Square and the area surrounding the Great Hall of the People were placed under martial law. On March 6, the entire city of Beijing was besieged in fog, with crows howling around the Great Hall of the People. By then, the inspection for those who entered Tiananmen Square was even tighter. People were not allowed within 20 meters of the fences across the road of the Great Hall of the People. Policemen were on guard to encircle tourists. (It was not like that the day before, when people were just not allowed to be close to the fence.) A lady from Northeast China was talking with a foreign tourist about the human rights violation she experienced. Spies noticed this, took her away and wrote down her ID number. The spies did not release her until she struggled forcefully and called out loudly.

There was a woman who was keeping order. While pointing to the policemen she said to us, "You are not allowed to look to the direction of the Great Hall of the People." Those who went to visit Tiananmen Tower were not allowed to take bags. They had to go through a special entrance with inspection instruments, as well as being searched by police one by one (men were searched by policemen, and women were searched by policewomen, with more than 10 people watching by the side.) On the tower, plainclothes police were on guard 5 steps apart. They keep a close eye on every tourist. More plainclothes policemen walked with the tourists. As two tourists were whispered something, several people around immediately approached them, searched them once again and questioned them. The tourists were disgusted by such despicable deeds.

Above are just some scenes we observed. Numerous signs have revealed the terror and struggle of the evil Communist specter as its final day approaches.

March 11, 2005

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/3/13/97210.html

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