Open Forum

Latest Confirmed Deaths Due to Persecution

Practitioners Exchange Experiences and Insights

Facts of the Persecution

News from China

(Clearwisdom.net) During the 61th Session of United Nations Human Rights Commission, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights announced last year's many human rights reports and human rights dialogues between the Commission and China, including reports on the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The excerpts from the seven Special Rapporteurs' reports regarding the People's Republic of China are as follows:

[Excerpts]

On 14 June 2004, the Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance sent a communication to the Government of China in connection with information received according to which, since 20 July 1999, when the Chinese Government banned Falun Gong, over 1,600 practitioners of Falun Gong had been tortured or beaten, several hundred had been given prison sentences of over 20 years, others had been interned in mental hospitals and a high number of practitioners had been sent to labor camps without trial. An unspecified number of practitioners were allegedly being held without trial. It was also reported that at least 907 practitioners had died while in detention. (1)

Reports indicated that the campaign against the Falun Gong continued unabated across China. According to information received, practitioners of Falun Gong continued to be subject to ill-treatment and torture by State officials in their attempts to force the practitioners to renounce their belief in Falun Gong. It was also reported that individual practitioners who had been subjected to torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment whilst detained had not been provided appropriate and effective remedies. In particular, the system of administrative detention, reeducation through labor (RTL), reportedly continued to be imposed on Falun Gong practitioners. It was reported that RTL involves detention without charge or trial, and without judicial review, for between one and three years ¡V which can be further extended by one year. People receiving terms of RTL allegedly have no right of access to a lawyer and there is no hearing for them to defend themselves.

On 15 October 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, wrote a letter to the Chinese Government in which they expressed their concern. Over the past five years, hundreds of cases of alleged violations of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners have been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteurs. Many of these allegations have been reported back to the Chinese authorities and were reflected in reports of the Special Rapporteurs to the Commission on Human Rights.

The Special Rapporteurs were concerned that reports of arrest, detention, ill treatment, torture, denial of adequate medical treatment, sexual violence, deaths, and unfair trial of members of so-called "heretical organizations," in particular Falun Gong practitioners, are increasing. They were concerned that these allegations may reflect a deliberate and institutionalized policy of the authorities to target specific groups such as the Falun Gong.

According to information received, on 10 June 1999, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party established an office for dealing with the Falun Gong, commonly referred to as the 610 Office (for the date of its establishment), and officially later as the State Council Office for the Prevention and Handling of Cults. This institution reportedly was given a mandate to repress Falun Gong and other "heretical organizations", and is operating outside of the rule of law. Reports indicate that the Falun Gong was officially banned on 22 July 1999 through a decision of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and since then several decisions, notices, regulations and other judicial interpretations have been issued by the Government and judicial authorities to legitimize the official repression against "heretical organizations", including the Falun Gong.

In addition, according to reports, a media campaign was launched against the Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners in June 1999. It is believed that this campaign followed a protest gathering in Beijing on 25 April 1999, involving more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners.

Further reports indicate that in February 2001, the Central Committee of the Communist Party called for a Central Work Conference of high-level party officials. The purpose of this meeting was reportedly to adopt a plan calling for the formation of local "anti-cult task forces" in all universities, State enterprises and social organizations, to reinforce the "610 Office" and strengthen local control over the Falun Gong.

An analysis of reports received by the Special Rapporteurs indicates that the alleged human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners, including systematic arrest and detention, are part of a pattern of repression against members of this group. Most of those arrested are reportedly heavily fined and released, but many are detained and ill-treated in order to force them to formally renounce Falun Gong. Those who refuse are sent to re-education through labor camps, where reportedly torture is used routinely, resulting in many deaths.

The Special Rapporteurs were further concerned at reports that few Falun Gong practitioners are prosecuted. When charges are laid they reportedly include allegations such as "disturbing social order", "assembling to disrupt public order", "stealing or leaking State secrets" or "using a heretical organization to undermine the implementation of the law". According to the information received, those prosecuted have been unfairly tried and many have received lengthy prison sentences. In this respect it is reported that on 5 November 1999, a Notice issued by the Supreme People's Court instructed all local courts to do their "political duty" in bringing to trial and punishing "severely" those charged with "crimes of heretical organizations", "particularly Falun Gong", and to handle these cases "under the leadership of the Party committees".

(1) To date 2164 Falun Gong practitioners are verified to have died as a result of persecution.

Attachment: The original report (PDF zip file, 145KB).

(Clearwisdom.net) On April 27, 2005, a Singapore court rendered an unjust verdict against two Falun Gong practitioners who reside in Singapore. Ms. Ng Chye Huay and Ms. Chen Lu Jin were wrongfully accused and found guilty for "assembly without a permit" and "possession and distribution of VCD's without an MDA certificate." The only issues for which they could be held accountable were raising people's awareness of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong and showing the peacefulness of Falun Gong. They had simply practiced Falun Gong's exercises at Singapore's Esplanade Park. The judge imposed a penalty on both practitioners in the form of a large fine that was not proportionate to the so-called crime. The defendants pleaded not guilty, as the verdict was unjust, and they filed an appeal. The judge set aside due process and sentenced them to serve at Changi Women's Prison, with the sentence starting at once, as the women refused to pay the fines. They each face a 24-week prison term.

Since the Minghui website began reporting on the Merlion Statue incident in Esplanade Park, Falun Gong practitioners worldwide have publicly expressed their deep concerns. People of morality and justice worldwide have urged the Singapore government to stop acting as an accomplice of the CCP in its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and to acquit and release Ms. Ng and Ms. Chen immediately. An increasing number of appeals in the rescue of these two ladies have been taking place worldwide.

To serve the public's interest, and to determine Singapore's attitude towards Falun Gong from the inception of the persecution, I interviewed three overseas Chinese who previously resided in Singapore, Mr. Dong, Mr. Jiang and Ms. Li. During the interview, these three former residents of Singapore shared their personal experiences and knowledge of the Singapore government's discrimination, illegal restriction, and persecutory policies against Falun Gong practitioners. These actions violate Singapore's Constitution and international human rights regulations. Moreover, the way that the Singapore government staged the MacRitchie Reservoir incident and the Merlion Statue incident to justify its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners mirrors the persecution in China. Below is a synopsis of the interviews.

Mr. Dong recalled, "On March 30, 2001, four years before the miscarriage of justice in the Merlion Statue incident, a Singapore court rendered an unjust verdict concerning the MacRitchie Reservoir incident. I was one of the participants in the incident."

"At the end of 2000, 107 Falun Gong practitioners were known to have died as result of the CCP's persecution. During the evening of December 31, 2000, a group of Singapore's Falun Gong practitioners organized a candlelight vigil at the MacRitchie Reservoir, as a memorial service for those 107 Falun Gong practitioners who had died in China. MacRitchie Reservoir is one of the major sightseeing points of Singapore. For the past several years, prior to the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, groups of Singapore Falun Gong practitioners have on a number of occasions demonstrated Falun Gong's peaceful exercises during weekends or holidays in this park. The police had not even once asked us for a permit. We were free to do the exercises. Our activities were never called 'illegal assemblies.'"

"At around 6:00 p.m., about 60 Falun Gong practitioners with their children and babies arrived at MacRitchie Reservoir. They had come to attend this activity, as they had during the past few years. We arranged them to sit in small circles of ten people during the candlelight vigil memorial service in the sitting meditation position. Several practitioners at the memorial service had families or relatives illegally imprisoned in one of China's prisons, because of their belief in Falun Gong. For the memorial service, we had made two posters on a foam board, listing the names and photographs of the 107 deceased Falun Gong practitioners. The Chinese titles of the two posters were 'Candlelight Vigil' and 'Mourn the Fellow Practitioners.'"

The candlelight vigil at MacRitchie Reservoir on December 31, 2000

The moment the memorial service began, a group of police vehicles arrived. They ordered us to stop the activity and leave immediately. They also tried to confiscate the two large posters on foam boards. We refused to give them the boards. We began to explain to the police that the posters contained merely the names and the photographs of the deceased Falun Gong practitioners and that this candlelight vigil was to mourn them. We chose this location because it is far from any residential area. Because the activity started at 6:00 p.m., when it was already dark, we would not disturb any tourists, as they had already left. Hence, having a candlelight vigil here did not inconvenience anyone.

The police would not listen to reason. They called for backup and a SWAT team. Three large police vans and many police sedans hurried to the location. We felt saddened and betrayed by the police department's belligerent response. We continued to explain our cause rationally to the police, and pleaded with them to reconsider. After about three hours of communication with the police, they still had not changed their mind. They confiscated the posters and arrested 15 Falun Gong practitioners. The 15 Falun Gong practitioners were charged in court by the police. Seven of them were sentenced with imprisonment for a month, and eight were each fined 1,000 Singapore Dollars (SGD). This was the first time that the Singapore government persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, echoing the CCP's persecution, after the CCP began openly persecuting Falun Gong on July 20, 1999.

The arrest of Falun Gong practitioners attending the candlelight vigil at the MacRitchie Reservoir. The photo on the right was published in a local newspaper.

The CCP media, including Xinhua News and CCTV, immediately had a field day with the wrongful arrests at the MacRitchie Reservoir and the court's subsequent ruling. China's media used it as 'evidence' that the entire world banned Falun Gong. China's forced labor camps and prisons had their wardens read the news and promote the news among the incarcerated Falun Gong practitioners. They intended to give the Falun Gong practitioners a false impression that countries worldwide were banning Falun Gong. To this day you can still find the Xinhua News report of the MacRitchie Reservoir incident at China's Embassy in Singapore. Obviously, Singapore's government supplied a powerful weapon to the CCP's arsenal of lies and deceit to justify its persecution of Falun Gong.

Four years after the unjust accusations of the MacRitchie Reservoir incident, the Singapore government launched another attack on Falun Gong practitioners who were clarifying the truth about Falun Gong at Esplanade Park. It is a repetition of the injustice inflicted upon the Falun Gong practitioners involved in the MacRitchie Reservoir incident. Apparently the Singapore government had no second thoughts in becoming an accomplice to the CCP in its persecution of Falun Gong. It is willing to forego its reputation in order to bow to the Chinese Communist regime, a regime that has been condemned globally for its persecution of Falun Gong.

According to Mr. Jiang, the unjust rulings of the MacRitchie Reservoir incident in March 2001 and the Merlion Statue incident in Esplanade Park in April 2005 were made to kowtow to the CCP, after the CCP began to openly persecute Falun Gong in 1999.

The MacRitchie Reservoir is a popular location for activities by Singapore's local organizations. Hundreds of people often assemble at the MacRitchie Reservoir for various types of public activities. Also, many qigong organizations in Singapore also hold activities at MacRitchie Reservoir. Prior to 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore often practiced Falun Gong's exercises as a group during weekends and holidays in this location. We never had to apply for a permit, and the police had not asked us for any permit.

We have been practicing the Falun Gong exercises and clarifying the truth about Falun Gong at Esplanade Park every day for the past five years. We have braved all types of weather, and have never stopped our cause for a day. Ms. Ng Chye Huay and Ms. Chen Lujin, the wrongfully accused Falun Gong practitioners, are both housewives. They often take their children with them to Esplanade Park to practice the Falun Gong exercises. They have never been asked for a permit until February 23, 2003, when the police ran them off the premises, confiscated their truth-clarifying materials, and recorded their ID card numbers. The police gave five Falun Gong practitioners harsh warnings, and accused Ms. Ng and Ms. Chen of "assembly without a permit" and "possession and distribution of VCD's without an MDA certificate."

The Falun Dafa Association in Singapore has been registered with the Singapore government as a legal organization since as early as 1996. Prior to July 1999, we were not required to apply for a permit for any public activities. Falun Gong practitioners had the freedom to practice and promote Falun Gong to the public. We were free to hang banners in public with such messages as "Learn Falun Gong for Free" or to distribute free leaflets promoting Falun Gong. Several hundred Falun Gong practitioners had repeatedly practiced Falun Gong exercises publicly in Singapore in the past without needing a permit. We enjoyed such freedom until July 1999.

The environment in Singapore took an abrupt downturn after July 20, 1999. The Singapore government started to restrict Falun Gong practitioners' freedoms, discriminate against Falun Gong practitioners, and interfere or even ban our activities. The Singapore authorities arbitrarily searched practitioners, denied our permit applications for public activities, rejected and/or delayed practitioners' applications for permanent residency or citizenship, terminated practitioners' use of public facilities, unlawfully investigated practitioners, handed down unjust rulings, and began to hold a completely biased view of Falun Gong.

According to Ms. Li, one of the fifteen defendants in the MacRitchie Reservoir incident, the CCP sent its people to attend the court proceedings. She said, "The court wrongfully accused and imprisoned me for a month. Following the trial, the Singapore Immigration terminated my permanent residency. Moreover, the local Chinese media, which is controlled by the CCP, distorted the facts in their reports and smeared the good reputation of Falun Gong practitioners. They had a field day with the court's unjust ruling and negatively influenced the local Singapore residents' view of Falun Gong. The CCP's media in China published these malicious reports and used them to deceive the people in China. China's regime used these incidents to justify their persecution against Falun Gong and to intensify the pressure on Falun Gong practitioners in China's prisons."

Singapore Falun Gong practitioners have unwaveringly lived by Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. They could not have been responsible for the Singapore's government change of attitude towards Falun Gong. The root cause is the CCP's belligerent attitude towards Falun Gong. China's Embassy in Singapore also holds great responsibility in the persecution against the Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore. They have launched hate propaganda against Falun Gong, manipulated the local media into starting a smear campaign, put political pressure on the Singapore government through diplomatic means, rejected Chinese Falun Gong practitioners' passport renewal applications, spied on the practitioners in Singapore, interfered with the practitioners' local activities, harassed the practitioners' personal businesses, and illegally collected the practitioners' personal information to compile a list of Falun Gong practitioners.

When discussing the Singapore court verdict of innocent Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Dong and Mr. Jiang gave their opinions saying, "The Singapore court is above the law, and uses and abuses power above the law to the degrade the sanctity of law."

Mr. Dong said, "People know that the laws in Singapore are strict and thorough, and the government uses the law to regulate and control people's behavior." Many expatriates working and studying in Singapore agree. On the other hand, the Singapore judicial system grants the police system absolute power. The police have great freedom imposing their will in cases involving issues that concern the so-called social stability. For example, they can grant or refuse a permit at will for an activity without explanation.

Falun Gong practitioners clarify the truth all over the world, and people know that practitioners follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Their truth clarification activities are peaceful and rational, and they don't pose any threat to the safety of the general public.

Mr. Jiang said, "Although there are numerous laws in Singapore, there is a unique phenomenon, which is that law administrators have great freedom in interpreting the laws. The law administrators use the law as a gun, and they decide whether to pull the trigger depending on the circumstance and the people they deal with. After the CCP started persecuting Falun Gong, the Singaporean government tightened its policy regarding Falun Gong and even did things to appease the CCP. The gun was pointed at innocent Falun Gong practitioners."

Distribution of Falun Gong truth clarifying materials has always been legal, but the police recently charged the practitioners with "assembly without permit." The court decided it is illegal for the practitioners to mail VCD's entitled "Facts About the Tiananmen Self-immolation," which are not for commercial interest, and are not harmful or violent. The content of the VCD's can be downloaded freely online, so copyright issues are not involved. Yet the Singapore government decided it was illegal for Falun Gong practitioners to clarify the truth and expose the persecution. Other than the CCP in China, what other country in the world would convict the practitioners for speaking the truth and opposing the persecution?

Mr. Dong quoted an article entitled "Regarding the Participation in the Persecution of Falun Gong by the Singaporean Government" publicized by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong. This article explains that the Singapore police allow the local media to publish articles attacking Falun Gong, and permit the Chinese government officials to distribute Falun Gong-slandering materials and VCDs to members of the Singapore Parliament and to NGOs without any permit and without any legal consequences to the senders. The Singapore police issued a permit for an exhibit held by the Chinese consulate that contains fabrications that viciously slander Falun Gong. Falun Gong is a registered group and peaceful spiritual movement, yet the victims are not allowed to speak the truth and defend their reputation, lest they face charges and even sentencing. Is this fair? What or whom is the Singaporean law protecting?

Mr. Jiang said, "No matter for what reason the Singapore government decided to follow the CCP in persecuting Falun Gong, it is a wrong decision. Heaven will not tolerate persecution of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and such persecution is likewise not condoned according to principles of justice on earth. The CCP is now facing its end because it persecuted Falun Gong. Isn't it unwise for the Singapore government to hitch its wagon to the sinking CCP?"

Mr. Dong said, "During the past several years, the Singapore government has tightened its control over Falun Gong while maintaining a façade of normalcy on the surface. In the early stages of the persecution, the Chinese media in Singapore printed many slanderous articles from Mainland China that poisoned the minds of the Singapore people, many of whom did not know about Falun Gong at the time. As a result, they believed these lies and still don't realize that the Singapore government is persecuting Falun Gong practitioners to please the CCP. However, Singapore belongs to the people and not the people in power. The people of Singapore should decide the future of Singapore. We should make these facts about this wrongful verdict and incarceration known to the people of Singapore through voices around the world, and at the same time urge the Singapore government to overturn the verdict, restore the practitioners' human rights, and respect their noble belief."

In the end, Ms. Li said, "In 2001, I was falsely charged and thrown into a Singapore prison for one month. I asked to be allowed to bring a copy of Zhuan Falun into the prison, but my request was denied. They withheld the book my husband brought me and never gave it to me. They treat Falun Gong practitioners like the heavily sentenced criminals. They gave me a very dilapidated sleeping mat, and they gave me some leftover toothpaste. No one talked to me except when someone brought me food. I held a hunger strike for more than 20 days to resist the persecution, but during this period no one said a word, and no one asked me whether I was okay. Ms. Ng Chye Huay and Ms. Chen Lu Jin were also illegally incarcerated. However, they don't deserve these punishments because it's not wrong to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to people, and it's not wrong to expose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP. But it is a true crime to lock up the innocent. If the Singapore people knew about all these violations of law by their government, they would never allow it to take place. The heavenly principle 'good will be rewarded and evil reaps its own evil applies to individuals, groups, and countries."

(Clearwisdom.net)

On April 27, 2005, the Subordinate Court in Singapore convicted two Falun Gong practitioners because they handed out flyers and VCD's exposing the persecution of Falun Gong at Esplanade Park in May 2004. They were ordered to pay fines of S$20,000 (US $12,216) and S$24,000 (US $14,660). Declaring their innocence, the practitioners refused to pay and asked to appeal. They were imprisoned that day without bail.

In 1996, practitioners registered Falun Gong as a legal social group in Singapore. From that time until the persecution began in China in 1999, practitioners held more than ten sessions to teach the practice, free of charge for various groups and community organizations. Each session attracted as many as one hundred or more people, who wanted to learn the practice.

In 1998, the Southeast Asia Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference was held. More than 2,000 practitioners from around the world attended the conference. The founder of Falun Dafa, Mr. Li Hongzhi, came in person to the conference and talked to practitioners, answering their questions during the talk.

Before the persecution began in July 1999, there were many Falun Gong practice sites in Singapore. The police never monitored or investigated these outdoor practice sites. Practitioners didn't have to apply for permission for any of the activities mentioned previously or group practice involving hundreds of practitioners. Back then, the development and spreading of Falun Gong in Singapore never encountered difficulties from the Singapore government.

When Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, the Singapore government also drastically changed their attitude towards the practice. The police prohibited practitioners from doing the exercises outdoors in public. When practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy in Singapore to appeal, the police gave them severe warnings. Although the Singapore Constitution claims that citizens have the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of belief, the Singapore government have played a disgraceful role in the persecution of Falun Gong.

When faced with the cruel persecution in China, practitioners only clarified the truth about the practice and the persecution, practiced the exercises, and appealed to the Chinese government to stop the persecution. Everything they have been doing is legal and their purpose is to safeguard their rights. The Singapore government ignored the law, overlooked the suffering of millions of innocent Chinese people, and even added fuel to the fire.

In February of 2003, when eight Falun Gong practitioners were doing the Falun Gong exercises and distributing VCDs about the persecution in China in a park, the police rudely interrupted them. One policeman told the practitioners, "I will charge you all so you have to appear in court!" In May 2004, two of the practitioners received a complaint from the court that claimed they held a group meeting without permission and distributed VCD's that had not been approved. Their defense lawyer, however, refuted the charges with sound and rational arguments. The practitioners did not hold a meeting as claimed by the court, but a group practice. This is protected by the Singapore law, which states its citizens have the right of free beliefs and free distribution of their beliefs. All the materials the practitioners distributed are free to download in Singapore. If the materials were questionable, they would have been filtered out by the authorities. Currently in Singapore, there are many uncensored VCDs circulating in the country that the authorities are aware of, yet do nothing about . The practitioners are innocent and their behavior was not a disturbance as claimed by the authorities. The reason the police and the court charged the two practitioners was because the Singapore government is kowtowing to pressure from the CCP and sacrificing its own legal principles.

More puzzling is that other Falun Gong practitioners who were distributing truth-clarification materials that same day did not get charged. Why was it that only the two women practitioners received a complaint from the court? According to a reliable source, the authorities tried to suppress Falun Gong with this case and force practitioners to disappear from the public because the police have been greatly pressured by the Chinese government. They decided to choose the "weakest" from the involved practitioners to carry out their plot. The two practitioners they chose are from poorer families, have young children, are housewives, and cannot speak English. The authorities believed they would be successful in charging them. If they admit to the charges, then the authorities would have an excuse to ban all Falun Gong activities.

It's appalling and disreputable how the Singapore authorities treat the supposedly "weak" citizens. Ms. Ng Chye Huay, one of the defendants, told the media, "What we did was legal and proper, as it was based on our belief. Otherwise, we would not do so. If we bow to the pressure and admit to the charges, we will be forever regretful. We would be sorry to ourselves, the people of Singapore, and even the people who accused us. Only through persisting in our legal rights and appealing our case will we be able to have them contemplate their wrongdoings and correct their mistakes. The sole reason we are doing this is for others, not for ourselves."

Defense Counsel Mr. Dodwell said, "My two clients look small and weak in stature, but they are great women. You can't imagine their strength, confidence, and courage they gained from their faith in Falun Gong. You can't imagine their compassion and tolerance of others. After I have been in contact with other Falun Gong practitioners, I believe there is no other group in the world that is more dedicated, peaceful, rational, and tolerant to others than Falun Gong practitioners."

What Ms. Huay and Mr. Dodwell said should leave the Singapore government feeling ashamed. For politicians, nothing is more foolish and lamentable than to actively involve themselves in persecuting kind and innocent people. Choosing between good and evil, the Singapore authorities selected the latter. This is a crime, a crime to all the Singaporean people. This is a dangerous step toward the wrong direction for the country and its people. Falun Gong has withstood the most brutal persecution for the past six years, and it has not only survived but gotten stronger. In the current course of history when the persecution of Falun Gong is bound to fail, the Singapore authorities chose to cater to the CCP. This action made Singapore the only country other than China to imprison Falun Gong practitioners.

For the future of Singapore, I appeal to the Singapore government to correct the unfair judgment. Otherwise, when the day the truth is revealed to all, the Singapore government will be forever shamed. The crime of persecuting "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" will not be forgiven by Heaven or history.

(Clearwisdom.net)

Part 1: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2005/5/2/60268.html

Part 2: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2005/5/6/60396.html

Since July 1999, when the Jiang regime began persecuting Falun Gong, and especially since 2000, many Chinese Falun Gong practitioners living in Singapore have met with great difficulties in renewing their various passes, applying for permanent residency status, and Singapore citizenship. During interviews for these applications, questions asked by officers in the Immigration Bureau all had something to do with Falun Gong. According to these applicants, the officers wanted to collect as much information as possible about Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore and their activities through the interviews.

Singapore police have met with Falun Gong practitioners on many occasions, and they often took down details of practitioners' personal lives. Local practitioners even suspected that the police officers contacted or joined in practitioners' groups pretending to learn Falun Gong to secretly inspect and collect practitioners' information, so as to form a list of Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore to be monitored, and set up a complicated procedure so as to create great difficulty for the practitioners to apply for passes, permanent residency status and citizenship status, and many applicants were rejected several times.

Singapore's specific and unpublicized policies targeting Falun Gong practitioners indicate that it does not welcome Falun Gong practitioners living in Singapore. In the face of these difficulties, many Chinese Falun Gong practitioners had to choose to leave Singapore for other countries.

Deferral of Student Pass Renewals

Ms. Zhen, a Ph.D student at the National University of Singapore, applied to renew her student pass in May 2002 when her first three-year student pass expired. Her application was then processed for about three months. During that period, she was given social visit passes three times instead. Not until her supervisor wrote an appeal letter to the SIR to complete her Ph.D study, was her visa renewed in August 2002.

Under normal circumstances, the SIR renews a student pass in about 3 working days.

Ms. Zheng, a Ph.D student at the Nanyang Technological University since December 1998, applied to renew her student pass in November 2000 with a supporting letter from NTU. At the counter she submitted the application, and the officer told her to pick up the pass in three days.

Three days later, she went to SIR to get her renewed student pass but was informed that her application was still being processed. Instead, she was given a one-month temporary social visit pass. She was given no reason for the delay. One month later, she was given a one-month social visit pass again. In total, she was given 5 social visit passes extending to February 2001. Her student pass was then approved and renewed.

Refusal of Employment Pass Application

Ms. Du, an MBA student at National University of Singapore, got a job in her department at NUS after her graduation, but her employment pass application was rejected without reason. Her information had been recorded once before an exhibition on November 10, 2001, held by the Chinese Embassy to defame Falun Gong. She may have been listed among Falun Gong practitioners monitored by the immigration bureau.

Ms. Wo, an MBA student at National University of Singapore, got a job in Singapore after her graduation in 2002. However, at first her application for an employment pass was rejected without reason. She also had her personal information recorded by the police when she practiced the exercises on the campus of National University.

On October 23 2000, 13 Falun Gong practitioners applied to the Tangling Police Division to do the Falun Gong exercises in front of the Chinese Embassy to express their concern over the severe persecution in China.

In a letter dated November 6, 2000 the Tangling Police rejected their application. A copy of that letter follows.

Singapore Falun Gong practitioners tried to apply for other public events and permits such as to attend Chinese Book Exhibitions and to distribute VCDs containing the truth about Falun Gong. (These can be freely downloaded from Internet, so there are no copyright issues.) But these applications were rejected either by the organizer or the police.

Tangling Police rejected the application in its reply without giving any reason

Before July 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore were allowed and welcomed at many community centers (CC) and residential centers (RC) in Clementi, Bukit Batak, Yishun, Tampines and others, to hold free 9-day classes to teach the Falun Gong exercises to the public. However, these activities were immediately terminated without reason after July 1999 and have not been allowed to resume despite numerous attempts. Currently, many other qigong and exercise groups continue using CC and RC facilities to teach the public.

Free nine-day seminar at West Coast Resident Center before July 1999

Free nine-day seminar at Clementi Resident Center before July 1999

Ms. Chen, a permanent resident of Singapore, worked as an account assistant at Hawaii Furniture Ltd from April to June 2000. She worked hard and performed well in her work. At the end of the three-month probation, a human resources rep named Daisy called Ms. Chen to her office. Their conversation focused on Falun Gong. Daisy told her that if she didn't talk about Falun Gong in the company, they would promote her to the position of regular employee. Next day, the head of the company called Ms. Chen to her office and asked Ms. Chen to understand the company's situation. She said that in Singapore, it appears quiet on the surface, but if anyone in the company practiced Falun Gong or was involved in some "sensitive" activities, the Singapore government would come to investigate. It would directly affect the prospects and benefits of the company. The boss told Ms. Chen that she didn't do anything illegal, but Singapore is a small country and cannot stand up to China. Once Ms. Chen understood the company's position, she quit immediately.

Source: http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/en/index2.php?option=content&task=view&id=137&pop=1&page=0

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zhu Xianghe was 64 years old and lived in Shuguang Village, Guanshan Township, Suining County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Around April 14, 2005, he was abducted and sent to the Sutang Brainwashing Class located in Suining County, because he refused to give up his belief in Falun Dafa. He was beaten to death only five days later on April 19, 2005. Witnesses who saw his body said his fingers and toes had turned black, his eyeballs and his internal organs had been removed, a truly horrific sight. His son, placed under great pressure by local officials, said his father's body had only lost some internal organs and that the eyes were not removed. Police said he died from natural causes, but it is clear that they are trying to cover up the truth. Details are under investigation.

There were more than ten Falun Dafa practitioners locked in the Sutang Brainwashing Class, including Mr. Shao Kaidao, Mr. Zhang Jinxin, Ms. Wang Chunlan, Ms. Zheng Yuling, and others. In order to force them to accept the brainwashing, the police used wooden sticks to beat their fingers, toes, feet, and lower abdomen. Then they used electric batons to shock them. They have moved these Falun Dafa practitioners to other locations after Mr. Zhu Xianghe was beaten to death, fearing that the truth would get out.

The names of the perpetrators of this crime include Suining County 610 Office head Zhang Shujun (male), Yang Shuguang (male), and Hu Shouren (male). They spread lies, saying that Mr. Zhu had committed suicide after they beat him to death.

Relevant phone numbers:

Zhang Shujun, 86-516-8323943
Yang Shuguang, 86-516-8381755 or 86-516-8382317 (Cell)

(Clearwisdom.net) On April 8, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Li Baojie from Panjin City, Liaoning Province was persecuted to death by authorities at the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. After her death, the perpetrators forced Ms. Li Baojie's family to quickly cremate her body in order to try to avoid responsibility. Due to an enormous amount of pressure, her family gave in and cremated her body on April 15, 2005.

It was reported that Ms. Li Baojie was sent to the Emergency Room of Shenyang Hospital on April 7, 2005. The doctor diagnosed her with a lung infection as well as respiratory acidosis and she was having difficulty breathing. As a result, she had difficulty in speaking clearly but she still continued to clarify the truth to the doctors and nurses she met. During this period of time, there were also three collaborators who tried to "reform" her by verbally abusing and slandering her repeatedly.

Masanjia Forced Labor Camp said that Ms. Li Baojie started a hunger strike on April 3. They sent her to Shenyang Hospital on April 7 due to her critical physical condition. It was puzzling and unbelievable that Ms. Li Baojie would suffer those symptoms from hunger.

The doctors at the Shenyang Hospital requested to perform an emergency surgery and give her artificial ventilation, but this requires the signatures of both parties. Masanjia Forced Labor Camp refused to be held responsible and shifted all the blame on her family. Such an irresponsible act caused Ms. Li Baojie to lose her only chance of survival because immediate medical treatment was not given. As a result, she left this world on April 8, 2005.

Masanjia Forced Labor Camp First Brigade Chief, Yang: 86-24-89210074-381

One of the persons in charge on April 7, Xie: 86-13940195580 (Cell)

A female police officer, Zhang Lei: 86-24-89212252 (She refused to allow Ms. Li Baojie's family to visit. She also knows the details regarding Ms. Li Baojie's hunger strike).

(Clearwisdom.net) Master arranged for each practitioner to follow a different path, and to use different means of clarifying the truth to people. However, each practitioner's fundamental purpose is the same, to put down an ordinary person's attachments and to save the world's people.

Looking back on my eight years of cultivation, I feel sad that I was not diligent in the past, and that I did not always take the Fa as my teacher. I felt I had not met Teacher's requirements and had let him down. I also felt that I let fellow practitioners down, especially those practitioners who suffered from persecution; it was also related to my lack of diligence, because we are one body. Teacher's new articles "My Version of a 'Stick Wake-up'", and "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People" woke me up, and my heart for clarifying the truth to people became more determined.

My child and I became homeless because my marriage status changed due to the persecution. After I discussed my situation with some practitioners, I built a simple three-room barn in my own vegetable field, which was right next to the city market. I planned to open a tiny cafe which could help pay for my living expenses and simultaneously give me a good environment to clarify the truth to people, so that more people would be saved.

As long as my thoughts were upright and I always judged things using the standards of the Fa, Master would arrange everything, and everything would go smoothly. After my little cafe opened, a lot of practitioners came, many of which I knew already and many that I had never met before. A lot of non-practitioners came also, which allowed many people who had predestined relationships to understand and support Dafa. Let me give you an example. Hopefully it will help practitioners who have fear in their hearts and have not yet stepped forward to clarify the truth.

A fellow practitioner told me a true story: Three days after he had clarified the truth to workers at a construction site, that night there was a tower with a wrecker in operation. All of a sudden, the cable that suspended all the concrete snapped. Underneath the tower, there were many people working. Directly under the tower there was a worker who was mixing the concrete, and he had no idea what was about to happen. At that moment, the supervisor was watching the whole thing. He was very scared and did not know what to do. In desperation, the supervisor suddenly remembered a story in a truth-clarifying booklet that said there was an old man who went to the bank to withdraw some money, but a thief tried to rob him. Just because he yelled "Falun Dafa Hao" (Falun Dafa is good), two policemen heard and came rushing in. So the supervisor started to yell, "Falun Dafa Hao! Falun Dafa Hao!" At the same time, the broken cable and the big container that held the concrete dropped safely to the ground. It was a miracle that the worker who was mixing the concrete was unharmed. Everyone at the construction site witnessed the magnificence of Falun Dafa. After the incident the supervisor told the fellow practitioner: "We all deeply admire Dafa." Since then, whenever they saw Falun Gong truth-clarification booklets, they would hurry to get them.

In my little cafe, my truth clarification efforts met with very good results. Ten or so people have understood the facts about Dafa so far. They earnestly looked at the true story of Falun Dafa, and they even asked for items bearing the image of Falun Dafa. I try not to pass by any chance to clarify the truth, telling others how wonderful Dafa is and how it has brought people great happiness. I also tell them about the disaster that Jiang's regime has brought to people and the nation since Dafa was banned. One day a man at the cafe had a bad toothache, so I told him about Falun Dafa and advised him to recite, "Falun Dafa is good." Later on he came back to me and said his pain had eased a lot. Four other people with him asked me to teach them the Falun Gong exercises.

Again and again, I successfully clarified the truth to people. From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for Master's immense compassion. Once again, I hope that fellow practitioners who are not diligent, like I had been in the past, please remember that personal cultivation is not the main purpose. As long as under any circumstances, we take the Fa as teacher, all of the difficulties we face will be solved smoothly. Let us all "progress together with diligence" ("To the Second Dafa Conference in Russia" Essentials for Further Advancement II), and rise up together.

April 27, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioners' public appeals for justice for Falun Dafa on Tiananmen Square gained momentum after the National Day holiday (October 1) in 2001. Those appealing were beaten and arrested without abandon. Hearing this, I quickly set off on a long journey to Beijing.

On the morning of October 5, I saw many police cars on the streets of Qianmen. At the crossings and on the sidewalks, policemen patrolled the streets in groups of two, interrogating foreigners and people with bags. They asked people whether they practiced Falun Gong. If the answer was yes, or if the individual refused to answer and Falun Gong materials were found in their bags, they would be taken away by the police and the materials would be confiscated.

There were 50 large buses in front of the History Museum. On the east and west sides of the Square, there were two lines of policemen, with 50 policemen in each line. At the center of the Square, policemen marched in teams of two. There were a dozen teams in total, and they kept walking up to tourists. The very first question they asked them was, "Do you know about Falun Gong?" followed by "Do you practice Falun Gong?" The people who answered "yes" would be carried or dragged away against their will.

At 10 a.m., many people appeared at the corners of the Square. They either sat peacefully with their legs crossed, stood in the standing wheel stance, or held banners reading, "Falun Dafa is good". Tourists were drawn to them immediately, and some cried out, "Look, Falun Gong!" Policemen ran around wildly, pushing their way through the masses. They beat the practitioners. They punched and kicked them, pulled their hair and twisted their arms. They slapped them on the face for calling out words in favor of Falun Gong. The practitioners' faces were bloodied and bruised. The police grabbed the practitioners' children and shook them violently. Facing the violence, the practitioners did not fight back . They were forced into police cars and the loaded vehicles drove away. Empty police cars were brought in to replace them.

I saw a group of seven people, four young men and three young ladies, one of whom was holding the hand of a 12-year old girl wearing a red ski jumper. They walked to the southwest corner of the square and sat down in a cross-legged position. They looked peaceful and dignified, and people surrounded them. Some took out their cameras, ready to take photos, while some said in low voices, "Falun Gong is great." Policemen rushed in, punching and kicking. The practitioners were beaten to the ground and could not stand up. Policemen twisted their arms and pushed them into police cars. The little girl was grabbed by the policeman, violently shaken and pushed into the car. The police car then sped away. From the car, cries of "Falun Dafa is good" could be heard.

One afternoon, there were many tourists and dozens of police in front of the gates of Tiananmen Square. Suddenly the cry of "Falun Dafa is good" resounded like spring thunder. An old lady carrying a satchel over her left shoulder held up a banner reading "Falun Dafa is good." Wearing cloth shoes, she walked from Jinshuiqiao Bridge to the gates of Tiananmen Square, continuously shouting out, "Falun Dafa is good! Falun Dafa is the righteous Way!" It was not until several minutes had passed, that the police reacted. Several of them pounced on her, grabbing her hair and twisting her arms. They pushed her into the car, and the car sped away with her inside. However, the image of her courageous act was indelibly imprinted on the minds of those who witnessed the event.

These are scenes that I witnessed of Falun Dafa practitioners validating their belief amidst the harsh environment. They will never fade from my memory.

(Clearwisdom.net) I come from the southern region of China. I recently went to Shandong Province to do some business. Somehow, I lost all my money (around 100,000 yuan) in the business venture, and my business partner also left without letting me know where he had gone. As a result, our family got into serious financial problems, and we had difficulty just getting enough food to eat. The impact on me was so severe that I started to fight with my husband almost everyday, and my physical health also began to deteriorate. I even thought of committing suicide.

At that critical moment, I ran into two kind-hearted ladies, who talked to me and persuaded me not to blame myself too much. They also told me that they were Falun Dafa practitioners. When I first heard them talk about Falun Gong, I was a little bit afraid because I didn't know the truth yet, and I was afraid that people would identify me as a practitioner, so I didn't dare listen to the ladies. They noticed my concern and said to me, "Falun Dafa practitioners follow the principles of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance' to become better citizens. Those TV programs about Falun Gong are all fake. Don't be fooled by them. You lost your money because someone cheated you. Practitioners could never do that to someone."

The ladies then gave me a set of truth clarification materials, and I took them home and started to read them over carefully. The more I read, the more convincing the information seemed to be. I went back to the two ladies, and they told me more heart-moving stories about Falun Dafa being spread all over the world. At that moment, my heart was touched and I decided that I'd like to read the Falun Dafa books. I borrowed a copy of Zhuan Falun from them and began to read it as soon as I got home. After I finished reading the book from cover to cover, I realized how wonderful Falun Dafa is. It was completely different from those lies presented on the TV shows. No wonder so many people still kept practicing Falun Dafa even though the situation was so terrible. I felt lucky that I had come across those two kind-hearted ladies that showed me the truth about Falun Dafa. My trip to Shandong Province to do my business was worthwhile after all, even though I had lost a huge sum of money. I had learned about the most precious treasure--Falun Dafa. I felt like I was the luckiest person in the world.

After I started to practice Falun Dafa, my family began to show significant changes. The family became more agreeable, and everyone felt more relaxed. My attachments to my business losses diminished, and my husband developed a new business. My physical health also improved, and both my son and I got a job. I also had fewer worries about my daughter's studies at her school.

From the depths of my heart, I want to express my gratitude to Teacher and to Falun Dafa. It was Teacher and Falun Dafa that saved our whole family. Here I would also like to urge those who are still not clear about Falun Dafa to come learn the truth as soon as possible and to not be fooled by the lies and propaganda any more. Only after we understand the truth will we be able to have a new and bright future.

(Clearwisdom.net) On April 27, 2005 the Singapore court found two women Falun Gong practitioners, Ng Chye Huay and Cheng Lujin, guilty and levied heavy fines against them. At the first hearing, the judge arbitrarily rejected the lawyer's defence. He tried to defend their rights according to Singapore's Constitution and according to generally accepted human rights. The judge also dismissed the fact that the prosecutor was unable to produce evidence for a number of the government's accusations, and insisted on the heavy fines. In essence, the unfair verdict constitutes participation in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. As Dafa disciples, we know that nothing is accidental. Since this incident occurred in Singapore, I feel that we Singapore practitioners should think deeply about it. Here I would like to share some of my personal views.

Soon after July 20, 1999 when the Chinese Communist government started to openly persecute Falun Gong, the Singapore government also started to restrict Falun Gong practitioners' activities in Singapore. For the past few years, the Singapore government has all along taken a negative attitude towards Falun Gong and has chosen to act as an accomplice to the Chinese Communist regime in the persecution of Falun Gong. The following are some of the things they have done in this respect:

• Both the Singapore government and the media know about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and they both know that Falun Gong is well received in the international community. They also know that Falun Gong practitioners are good people who conduct themselves according to the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." The authorities in Singapore, however, still chose to take an opposite stand and to restrict Falun Gong activities. The media also actively and constantly reprint slanderous articles from the Chinese Communist media, to poison the minds of the people in Singapore by feeding them negative and false images of Falun Gong.

• In the Merlion Park Incident, the authorities in Singapore stirred up the case against Falun Gong. At the first hearing, the judge refused to allow the defence lawyer to defend his clients according Singapore's Constitution and human rights. When the prosecutor failed to provide effective evidence for a number of the accusations, the judge still insisted on passing a very unfair verdict against the two Falun Gong practitioners. This is already an act of pandering to the persecution policy of the Chinese Communist regime and an act of cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party in its suppression of Falun Gong in the international community.

• They ignored the repeated appeals from one of the practitioners--that she has a nursing baby--and unreasonably refused their right to post bail. They then forcibly sent the practitioners to jail, thus turning the court into a tool for the authorities to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.

• The MacRitchie Incident and the Merlion Park Incident are only the cases of persecution of Falun Gong practitioners at the hands of the Singapore government that have become known to the public. In fact, ever since the Chinese Communist regime started to persecute Falun Gong, the authorities in Singapore have actively pandered to the Chinese Communist regime and have carried out various forms of persecution against Singapore Falun Gong practitioners, such as canceling permits for Falun Gong practice sites at community clubs and other locations, refusing Falun Gong practitioners' application for residency status; the police openly using intimidation tactics against Falun Gong practitioners who practiced the exercises outdoors; officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs forcing employers to cancel Falun Gong practitioners' employment; deporting Falun Gong practitioners with limited visas, without any consideration of the dangers they would face back in China, and other such incidents.

On the one hand, they instigate the Singapore media to constantly reprint slanderous propaganda against Falun Gong concocted by the Chinese Communist regime to poison the minds of the Singapore people; on the other hand, they hinder and restrict Falun Gong practitioners' truth-clarifying activities, reject Falun Gong practitioners' application for appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy without any valid reason, and refuse to publish any articles by Falun Gong practitioners to expose the facts of the persecution in China, so as to further deceive the people in Singapore.

The authorities in Singapore have gone further and further in their opposition to Dafa, to the point of passing this unjustifiable verdict and sentencing the practitioners to detention. Under such circumstances, we should see through the nature of this incident, firmly step out to clarify the truth and expose the persecution.

At the same time, we should realize that under such autocratic rule, the people in Singapore tend to listen and believe what the government says. The media is the main source of information for the people in Singapore. Due to the lies and slanderous propaganda from the media over the past few years, the people in Singapore have developed a rather strong feeling of prejudice against Falun Gong, and they have been led to a very dangerous situation. Our clarifying the truth and exposing the persecution is truly offering sentient beings salvation. Once the people get to know the wrongdoings committed by the Singapore government, the unfair verdict passed by the judge, the unreasonableness of the police and the profound compassion and forbearance demonstrated by Falun Gong practitioners, they will make the correct choice and be saved from harm.

In fact, in this case, the true victims that are harmed are the misled people in Singapore. Everything we do is for saving sentient beings and is truly responsible to the people in Singapore. We must accept this responsibility and fulfill our duty. I remember that Ng Chye Huay said to me not long ago when I met her in the USA, "I really wanted to come here before I came. Now that I have come I feel like going back sooner, because I just cannot keep those several million people in Singapore off my mind." I was really touched by her strong sense of responsibility.

2. Grasp the opportunity to cultivate; look inward and find the gap

From the perspective of cultivation, the current event is closely related to our cultivation state. Looking at this acute situation, Singapore practitioners' cultivation state as a whole reveals some problems. Some aspects really manifest in these issues.

• The number of island-wide outdoor exercise groups has been decreasing. Some claimed that nobody was watching our group exercises; that the effect from the group exercises was not significant, and therefore it was meaningless to have group exercises. So, we didn't persist in it anymore. In fact, during the island-wide group exercises, many practitioners practiced together and formed a strong field. The sharing before and after the exercises helped the practitioners to understand each other's cultivation state. We were able to find our shortcomings through communicating with fellow practitioners, which was beneficial to our striving forward together in cultivation. When we send forth righteous thoughts together, the power is very strong, and it can effectively eliminate the evil in the other dimensions.

• Singapore practitioners have not had large group Fa study for a long time. The group Fa study used to encourage many practitioners on their cultivation paths. We should not be stopped by the surface manifestations such as the facility's lease term has expired, yet we have not found a new location. We should make the right circumstances happen and actively organize group study and sharing. The strong and righteous field can bond people, increase righteous thoughts and remove worries.

• After the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party was published, they have been taken seriously in many countries. Conferences on the Nine Commentaries have been held in many countries. Large numbers of articles have been distributed and these have helped many people to see clearly the nature of the evil Communist spirit. Yet activities like these have not been paid attention to in Singapore. The Nine Commentaries plays a great role in eliminating the evil Communist spirit and the Communist Party's evil elements in the other dimensions. The commentaries help people see clearly the evil nature of the Communist spirit, cleanse the poisonous information from their minds, and serve the purpose of saving people.

• Before and after the unfair court judgment in the subordinate court, we did not organize additional practitioners for group sharing to help us correctly understand the nature of this incident on the basis of the Fa. Some practitioners repeatedly complained to others and concealed their fears.

Such a state of mind has provided the evil with excuses to persecute and take advantage of Dafa practitioners. We should face our problems, dig out our attachments, take the incident as a cultivation opportunity, improve our Fa study and sharing, help the practitioners to upgrade everyone's understanding as a whole based on the Fa, and strive forward in cultivation.

The Singapore government has ruled the country via dictatorship over the past dozen years. It uses harsh law clauses, police and secret agents to create a strict rule and terrifying atmosphere. Having lived in this environment for a long time, people are used to the thinking pattern of unquestionably obeying the government and have developed a profound fear. They believe that they have to listen to the government, and there is no way to resist. Otherwise, they would be severely punished. Such fear is obvious among the local practitioners, too. Some have not been able to get rid of it for a long time. Such fear has hindered the righteous thoughts of the practitioners and stopped many practitioners from stepping forward to clarify the truth. Consumed with such fear, some even are afraid of others stepping forward to clarify the truth and believe it will irritate the government and damage Singapore's cultivation environment.

With such fear, some practitioners are not able to look properly at the tribulation. Some often cover up their decision of not daring to step forward to validate Dafa by criticizing other practitioners as conducting themselves wrongly or behaving in an extreme way. Such a phenomenon is rather apparent. Some practitioners have been holding onto such notions and don't want to let go of them.

The Merlion Park incident has provided us with a great opportunity to cultivate and upgrade ourselves. It exposed our deeply hidden fears and clearly revealed them to us, so that we can recognize them, toss them out of our mind, and get rid of them through cultivation. In fact, fear can only play its role when one doesn't know the truth, and it becomes intensified in an unknown, terrifying atmosphere. What Singapore's evil wants to maintain is this terrifying atmosphere. Once practitioners have recognized it, faced it properly and distanced themselves from the fear, there is nothing to be afraid of. It is like a person walking by a river. At first he worries that his shoes will get wet, but once one of his feet gets wet, he will just walk in the water and have no more fear.

As Fa rectification is progressing today, the evil is no longer strong. We have never feared the CCP's complete collection of evil, at all times and in all countries. Why should we fear that tiny bit of evil in Singapore? I recollect the time we started to send forth righteous thoughts. One day we as a group sent forth righteous thoughts in Pasir Ris Park. The dark clouds came with strong gusts and rain poured down on us. We were not perturbed by it and persisted in sending forth righteous thoughts. Haven't we overcome it? Afterwards we all felt good that we were not scared by the evil and did not withdraw. As a matter of fact, we had eliminated a lot of evil.

One's will is critical! The will of someone who persists in the truth is strong. Dafa disciples' firm righteous thoughts in Dafa make all evil tremble with fright. When we take the step to validate Dafa, we will experience the power of the righteous thoughts from Dafa and will discover the evil's impotence and weakness. The evil is nothing before the Dafa disciples' righteous thoughts. Having survived interference for so many years, all the Singapore practitioners want is to genuinely cultivate. We will pass this test and pass it well.

The above is my personal understanding. Please correct me if there is anything incorrect.

May 2, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net)

A few days ago, I asked a practitioner to bring some truth-clarification materials for me. I got to our meeting place late, and she had already left with the materials. It turns out she needed to take care of her child and the cooking, so she had no choice but to take all the materials back home since I did not show up on time. She sternly criticized me on my tardiness. After I calmed down, I recognized that this problem of mine was far more serious than I had thought.

I examined myself, and was shocked to find that I had broken my promises time after time. Worse yet, I did not even feel culpable and apologetic afterwards. For example, I once promised to deliver something to another practitioner, and asked her to wait for me on her way to work. Instead, I had a meeting with another practitioner and never showed up. I let her down. I once made an appointment to meet with a practitioner, and that practitioner promised me our meeting would take place, "rain or shine." Again, I did not make it to the meeting--not because it rained, but simply because I had guests at home. I once told a store clerk that I would be back the next day to buy a down jacket, yet the next day on my way there I saw and bought a different jacket from another store. When I visited my mom I obligingly promised her that I would buy medicine for her, yet I forgot about it completely. During the trip back home I clarified the truth to my sister-in-law, and I promised her that I would bring her a Dafa book the next time I visited her. Although I went back twice since, I never took her the book.

How could I go back on my promise? I always thought that I was a very trustworthy and dependable person. Once my colleague told me not to mention to anyone that he was trying to pass an examination to get a research position, and I kept the secret until it was no longer a secret. I went to appeal for Falun Gong in Beijing and was interrogated as to who told me to go there. I never uttered a word, even after another practitioner admitted that she was the one who asked me to go. How could I be so untrustworthy?

I finally realized that I had been steadfast, but I was not always that trustworthy. Put another way, there was degenerated "undependable" matter in me. For a long time I was unable to see my undependable side and bad acts because they were masked behind the righteous things that I did. I became sloppy and careless while still feeling good about myself.

I judged myself with Dafa: If I did not deliver on my promise, then I was not "Truthful." It would be the same as deceiving people, let alone being compassionate. Tracking it down to its root cause, it was selfishness. I was being considerate to myself, and inconsiderate to others, giving priority to myself. I definitely did not consider and care for others. If only I could have felt the anxiety of the practitioner who waited an hour for me at the appointed place, if only I could have felt my mother's worry about her medicine, if only I could have felt the trouble that my fellow practitioner must have endured to carry both her child and the truth clarifying materials back home--I would never have done what I did if I could have felt all that. Teacher told us earnestly to think of others in everything that we did, but did I pay serious attention to others at all?

I had a dream the other night. I was carefully washing a pile of soybeans mixed with some dark and sticky broth. I rinsed them with clean water. A small pile of soybeans had been cleaned, but there were still a lot more remaining to be rinsed. I looked at myself again, and found that even though I appear to be humble, my attachment of showing off pops up from time to time. Even though I consider myself an easy going person, I have scolded my child with very harsh words. I could give away my portion of our home to my sister-in-law, yet I could not let go of even one dime of change from a street merchant. In that situation, I was unable to fully utilize the time to clarify the truth to the merchant. One day, my child complained that I had been away from home for a very long time. I asked my child if he missed me, and he replied no, which made me really agitated.

After I identified these shortcomings, I had a clear and complete picture of myself. I calmly told myself, "Correct yourself and follow the righteous path. To start with, you will arrive on time to your appointments."

These are just my own cultivation experiences that I would like to share with the whole group.

April 26 2005

(Clearwisdom.net)

In "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference" Master said,

"Having said that, another thing occurred to me, and that is, you shouldn't look at things in absolute terms. And that's especially true when it comes to those crooked principles that the evil in China propagates. For example, they spread, "if you want others to do well, you have to do well yourself first." Think about it everybody, is that saying right? Many people hold on to that saying and use it to hide their own mistakes that they don't want to correct. And that's especially so for those who have problems--they take it as the truth and won't let go. I can tell you, though, that this is absolutely wrong."

Whenever I read that, I had the feeling that I might not have behaved correctly in some manner. Whenever I saw other people's attachments, I didn't dare to bring them up for fear that I myself was not behaving perfectly in that area. I did not think more deeply about this. Every time Master tried to enlighten me, I pushed it away.

Recently, Master said clearly in "Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference,"

"The evil ringleader and the CCP made up lies and told our students how their teacher was so rich, how he had such-and-such luxury apartments in Beijing and Changchun, and how he led such an extravagant lifestyle. When I taught the Fa in China my lifestyle was in fact quite basic. Well, a student in Mainland China said, "Our Master is the best and he wouldn't be like that. If our Master were that way I wouldn't follow Him." I was saddened by that, and more than ever I understood the hardship and pains felt by the previous divine beings who had descended to the world to save people."

I suddenly realized that I had long had trouble with this problem, which was also my biggest problem in truth clarification. In the end, my human notions affected my belief in Master. At the same time, it also showed that I had not laid down a solid foundation in Fa study and cultivation. I was able to superficially clarify the truth to others, but my xinxing was not elevated.

I began cultivation at the end of 1998. When I first read Zhuan Falun, I was deeply touched by the Fa that Master imparted. I clearly realized that this was the law I had been seeking my entire life, and right away I started to practice. Because I studied the "Fa" in a superficial way and was not diligent, however, I did not clearly understand the standard set for practitioners in the Fa-rectification period, even though I had done some truth clarification and had never given up Fa study or belief in Master after the persecution began. I had hidden negative thoughts when clarifying the truth to non-practitioners and my family. When I was explaining the slander imposed upon Master by the Chinese Communist Party, unconsciously I was trapped in the theory and logic I was educated with by the Communist Party's culture. People would tell me, "You should rationally and clearly think about the problem. Do not believe everything you were told" and "There are a lot of things you have not understood. Do not be so naive." I would reply to them, "I am very rational and clear. I have been thinking it over and practicing it myself. Master has told us be a good person, to be a better person. Nothing is as bad as you have imagined, not to mention those slanders made by the evil CCP. If one day Master asks us not to be good, I will not be steadfast as of that day." In other words, I would no longer believe in Master. Every time I said this, I felt something wrong within myself. Zhuan Falun is the law imparted by Master; every sentence in the book was spoken by Master; how could I talk about giving up cultivation? We cannot separate belief in Master from belief in the Law. Master has taught us the law, and I know I myself came for this law.

Even though it has been one year since this happened, I still make this solemn declaration for those irrational words I said. I will purify myself and elevate myself through continuously studying the Fa, cultivating myself, clarifying the truth, and sending forth righteous thoughts. I will treasure this rare chance I have been awaiting since the ancient times.

April 25, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Song Jinlai is a Falun Dafa practitioner living at Donglu Village in Tianheng Town, Jimo of Qingdao City, Shandong Province. She had many illnesses during her high school years. As a result, she had to stop attending school several times. In 1999, after she started practicing Falun Gong, all of her illnesses disappeared, and she became healthy. She experienced the wonder of Falun Gong. After July 20, 1999, in order to expose the lies fabricated by Jiang's regime and save sentient beings, she distributed truth-clarifying materials in Jimo. This led to her arrest by people from the 610 Office, and she was sent to the Dashan Detention Center in Qingdao City.

She went on hunger strike to protest the illegal persecution, and she suffered much inhumane torture during the period of her hunger strike. When she was sent home, she was near death and was only skin and bones. Her parents, in their 80s, were heartbroken after seeing her terrible condition. Her father was stunned and almost fainted on the spot.

Not long after that, even though Song Jinlai's health had not totally recovered, the police came to her residence and tricked her into coming out. Then they arrested her and sent her to the Jinan City Brainwashing Class. At this point, her parents were still kept in the dark. In this evil brainwashing class, the physically and mentally exhausted Song Jinlai once again experienced cruel torture. The persecution made her feel as if she would be better off dead than alive. On top of this, all around her people attacked her mind with lies and threats, and tempted and lured her. In this confused state of mind, she compromised her belief with her persecutors.

After going home, a few days had not passed before the village Party Secretary led detention center personnel to her residence to harass her. Thereafter, this turned into continuous harassment.

Song Jinlai went to Jimo City to work. The lawless personnel also went to her work place to harass her. Her boss was very upset by their behavior. In order not to implicate her company, she had no choice but to resign from her job. Thereafter she went from place to place to avoid the persecution. When sensitive dates came around, in order to arrest her, the 610 Office persecutors tricked her father into going to the village office to be interrogated. They tried to force the two elderly parents to hand over their daughter. For three years, these lawless people never gave the elderly couple any breathing room. They went in and out of their residence at will.

Later, in November 2004, when Song Jinlai was clarifying the truth about Falun Gong, she was arrested by people from the Jimo 610 Office and sent to the Qingdao City Brainwashing Class to be persecuted. She has not yet been released.

At that time, her parents not only had to bear the pain of being separated from their daughter, they also had to tolerate harassment and threats from the local authorities. Her father, who had lived in fear and anxiety, fell ill. He finally passed away in grief and despair, leaving his wife and daughter behind.

May 1, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) The following information concerns two Falun Dafa practitioners from Hunan Province who have been missing for over four years.

Ms. Li Xiaoying, a farmer, has been missing since January 2001. She was 43 years old at the time and lived at Shangjie Team, Xinping Village, Chengping Town, Anren County, Chenzhou District, Hunan Province, Zip Code 423600.

Ms. Li Xiaoying went to Beijing with fellow practitioners Li Yunhua, Li Sanfa, Wang Yeqing and others to appeal for justice for Falun Gong in January 2001. Beijing police officers arrested them. The Anren County 610 Office and the Chengping Town administration dispatched officers to Beijing to collect Ms. Li Xiaoying and the others to take them back. On the way back to Chengping, the practitioners were handcuffed together in pairs against the train benches. Ms. Li Xiaoying and Ms. Li Yunhua were handcuffed together. Ms. Li Yunhua recalled, "We were both sleeping at the time. When I woke up, the other part of the handcuff was empty, and Ms. Li Xiaoying was gone. I don't know what happened. Those in the same train didn't say anything about the disappearance of Ms. Li. I have not seen Li Xiaoying since then." (Li Sanfa and Wang Yeqing were later detained in the Changsha City Xinkaipu Forced Labor Camp for further persecution.)

Practitioner Ms. Guo Hongying from the Yongzhou District of Hunan Province related the following experience from her detention in prison: "In the middle of the night, Beijing police officers in trucks would take those practitioners who had gone to appeal to a remote mountain region. Some of the practitioners were bleeding all over as a result of beatings; some of them were almost dead. The police officers would then dig a hole in the ground. They would then make the practitioners climb into the hole and proceed to try and extract information from them. The mental suffering of these practitioners, both old and young, must have been severe. If the practitioners still refused to say anything, they would be left in the hole, and dirt would be piled up to their necks. Many practitioners were left alone in the mountains this way."

Related telephone numbers:

Deng Guantan, Director of Anren County Public Security Department: 86-13975754126(Cell).

Chen Yunqing, Director of Anren County Public Security Department, Law and Order Office: 86-13017357356(Cell).

Chen Bilan, Secretary of Anren County Politics and Judiciary Committee: 86-13973545818(Cell).

Chen Hehuan, Secretary of Anren County Politics and Judiciary Committee: 86-13973503758(Cell).

Duan Banshe, Director of Anren County 610 Office.

Mr. Liu was about 35 years old when he disappeared sometime during the latter half of 1999.

Mr. Liu used to work as a driver for the Dongyandu 710 Factory in the Hengyang District of Hunan Province. Sometime towards the end of 1999, Mr. Liu went to Changsha City, Hunan Province, to appeal for Falun Gong and was illegally detained in a Changsha City jail. When Mr. Liu's wife went to visit him in jail, the jail officers told her that Mr. Liu had escaped and they weren't sure of his whereabouts. In past cases the police have lied to cover up their bad deeds, so it is possible that Mr. Liu was persecuted to death in jail. There is no further information about Mr. Liu's current status. When he was arrested, Mr. Liu had a six-year-old boy at home, who was left without Mr. Liu's care.

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Rongxian from Huadian City, Jilin Province fell victim to the persecution and died at the Jiutai City Yinmahe Forced Labor Camp on May 26, 2003. Here we will provide information about Li Rongxian's daughter, Li Naichao.

Name: Li Naichao
Birth date: February 20, 1992
She currently lives on Qixin Street in Huadian City, and was a first year student at a middle school.

(Editor's note: In order to avoid disrupting the child's life, her current contact information and information about the foster family has been archived and will not be made public.)

Li Naichao's grandmother is 83 years old. Her mother, Ms. Tian Shuzhen, is 35 years old. The family runs a small grocery store to scrape out a meager living.

Before Li Rongxian became a Falun Gong practitioner, he suffered from many diseases, but regained his health after he started practicing. In October 2000, Li Rongxian went to Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong and was illegally imprisoned for one year. In July 2002, after he was arrested for distributing Falun Gong materials, police officers at the Qixin Police Substation in Huadian City used torture to extort a so-called confession from him. This included forcing him to sit on the tiger bench for 24 hours. In addition, the police officers extorted 2000 yuan from his family members before releasing him. Within less than one month, he was arrested again at his home and was sent directly to Jiutai City Yinmahe Forced Labor Camp, where he was tortured to the brink of death. On May 26, 2003 he died as a result of the persecution. He was only 44 years old.

For additional facts about Mr. Li Rongxian's ordeal, please refer to:

Witness Reveals Mr. Li Rongxian's Death Resulting from Abuse in the Jiutai Forced Labor Camp
http://search.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/11/12/60463.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2003/11/22/42483.html

Dafa Practitioner Mr. Li Xianrong Tortured to Death in Yinmahe Labor Camp, Jilin Province
http://search.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/6/10/51992.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2003/6/14/36924.html

April 5, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Li Guilian is a Falun Gong practitioner from Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province. She started practicing Falun Dafa in 1996. After she began practicing, the diseases that troubled her for many years disappeared and she enjoyed good health. Her daughter also practiced Falun Gong. After the persecution began in 1999, the police fined her for being a Falun Gong practitioner, she had money extorted from her, and she was threatened. This caused her huge mental and physical harm. She passed away on September 18, 2000.

Ms. Zhang Guizhen, 72, was from Shaheliang of Liaoning Province. Before she began Falun Dafa practice in 1996, she suffered from diabetes and heart disease, and had been hospitalized many times. She was the first from her local area to learn Falun Dafa. Though she had received very little education, she was able to read the book "Zhuan Falun," and was very determined in her cultivation. Her health recovered. In 1999, because she introduced Falun Gong to other people, approximately eight policemen broke into her home and confiscated her Falun Gong books. Later, when she went to visit her relatives, two perpetrators followed her to her relative's home, and tried to force her to write a guarantee statement. She firmly refused. Prolonged persecution brought her great harm. Her diabetes came back and her eyesight began to fail. But the difficulties did not keep her from clarifying the truth. She still went outside to post flyers clarifying the truth of Falun Gong. Right before she passed away on September 5, 2004, she felt sorrow for not being able to do more for Falun Dafa.

Ms. Sun Aihua, 47, lived at No. 19 Mingchun Alley, Zhifu District, Yantan City, Shandong Province. She was the warehouse keeper at the Beilaixiang Food Factory. Before she practiced Falun Gong, she had breast cancer and lived in pain for many years. She began Falun Dafa practice in 1997, and has since benefited both mentally and physically. In early 2000, she went to Beijing to validate the Fa. For this she was detained in the Yantan City Detention Center for fifteen days. In the same year, while she was posting flyers of the truth of Falun Gong, officers from the Xinfu Police Station arrested her. After she held a hunger strike for four days, the police released her. Later, a person who was a former practitioner, but went astray due to brainwashing and torture, gave her information to the persecutors. Staff members from the 610 Office continually looked for her. Ms. Sun Aihua lived under threats and tension for a long time, which caused her a great deal of suffering, both mentally and physically. Her disease came back, and she passed away in December 2002.

April 4, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Wang Shaodong, 25 years old, was from Huolongdian Village, Changzhuang Town, Yanshan County, Cangzhou City in Hebei Province. He first learned Falun Gong in 1996 and had very good health thereafter. In December 1999, he went to appeal in Beijing and was arrested. He suffered from beatings, torture and mental abuse. The torture caused him to have a mental breakdown. After he was released, he studied the Fa and did the exercises again and basically recovered. In 2001, he took a train to find a job in another place. On the train, the police searched him against his will. They found his copy of Zhuan Falun and detained and tortured him again. His just-recovered mental status could not bear another round of abuse and he again suffered a breakdown. Additionally, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. In November 2003, Mr. Wang Shaodong passed away.

Mr. Wang Shaodong's grandmother was 84 years old. She had a stroke. After practicing Falun Gong, she recovered. Since Mr. Wang's whole family practiced Falun Gong, the local police station often dispatched police to his home to harass them. The grandmother was under constant threat and harassment. The loss of her grandson Wang Shaodong caused her deep sorrow, and she passed away in August 2004.

Ms. Li Wenjun, 55 years old, was from Zhouqingzhuang Village, Lvqiao Town, Huanghua City of Hebei Province. She went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong and was arrested. She was detained at Cangzhou Second Detention Center. Later on, she was sentenced to forced labor, but the labor camp refused to accept her because her blood pressure was too high. The police from Huanghua City Public Security Bureau took her back to Huanghua City Detention Center and continued the persecution. Ms. Li went on a hunger strike to protest the maltreatment. She suffered from brutal force-feeding and beatings. Her health was devastated. She was released after being extorted out of 5,000 yuan. The local 610 Office, police and government officials never stopped harassing and threatening her. It caused a lot of mental pressure on her and Ms. Li passed away in February 2004.

Ms. Liu Yuxia, 53 years old, lived at East #75 Dajing of Dongluo Town, Shanhaiguan District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. She began practicing Falun Dafa in October 1995. She became very healthy, as all of her diseases disappeared. In July 1999, Jiang and his followers started the persecution of Falun Gong. On December 26, 1999, Ms. Liu went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. On the way, the police arrested her and detained her in Qinghuangdao City First Detention Center for half a month. She was severely tortured and had difficulty relieving herself, and her body was swollen. After she was released and went back home, the police never stopped harassing her. She passed away at the end of September 2001.

Ms. Ding Shuyi, 60 years old, is from Xuzhuang Village, Donggang Town, Haigang District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. Before she practiced Falun Gong, she had several kinds of rheumatism and her body felt so painful that she was unable to take care herself. After she started practicing Falun Dafa in 1997, her diseases were gone. After the persecution of Falun Gong started, she went to Beijing to appeal in December 1999. She was arrested and detained at Tutaizi Detention Center in Haigang District for one month. Afterward, she was repeatedly picked up by the police and sent to brainwashing centers, where she was subjected to persecution. The authorities often went to her home to harass her. It caused extreme mental pressure and later she was diagnosed with liver cancer. She passed away on June 14, 2003.

Mr. Yang Shangyun, 59 years old, lived at Building 15 of Gongren New Village, Shanhaiguan District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. In July 1999, Jiang and his followers started the persecution of Falun Gong and Mr. Yang's cultivation environment was severely affected. The police went to his home many times to harass him and his family. His son and daughter in law were detained for practicing Falun Gong. Under the tremendous pressure, Mr. Yang had a heart attack and never fully recovered. He passed away on October 2, 1999.

Ms. Shen Zhihua, 64 years old, lived at #3 Xisantiao, Shanhaiguan District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. After practicing Falun Gong, her diseases were gone and she became healthy. In July 2000, she was detained for ten days for practicing Falun Gong. In December 2000, her husband was detained and extorted out of 1,000 yuan. She was under constant harassment and became ill. She passed away on April 5, 2002.

Ms. Gao Shuxiang, 81 years old, was a practitioner from Caiyuan village, Bazhou City in Hebei Province. She started to practice Falun Gong in 1996 and became very healthy. When the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999, her daughter was sentenced to a forced labor camp and her son was detained in a detention center. Both children were persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. The perpetrators went to her home very often to harass and threaten her. She passed away on October 4, 2003 due to the trauma.

Ms. Xu Fenglan, 80 years old, was a practitioner from Chicheng County, Zhangjiakou City of Hebei Province. Since the persecution of Falun Gong started in July 1999, her family members who are Falun Gong practitioners were detained and sent to brainwashing centers or forced labor camps. Ms. Xu lived under prolonged and huge difficulty. She passed away on March 27, 2003.

Ms. Hou Suxia, 50 years old, lived at Dongertiao of Shanhaiguan District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. Before she practiced Falun Gong, she was diagnosed with late stage liver cirrhosis ascites. Her family was preparing for the worst upon seeing that she was on the verge of dying. Her sister came from Changchun to visit her and introduce Falun Gong to her. Ms. Hou obtained Falun Dafa and started to practice. Several days after she returned home, she became healthy. Due to the persecution, Ms. Hou's cultivation environment was seriously affected and she passed away on January 13, 2002.

Ms. He Shufen, 67 years old, lived at No. 15612 Tiexin Street, Shanhaiguan District, Qinghuangdao City in Hebei Province. She had heart disease and was often hospitalized. After practicing Falun Gong, her health improved. In July 1999, the persecution of Falun Gong started and her cultivation environment was affected. She passed away in 2002.

April 18, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zeng Zhaokuan was 62 years old and lived in Wenzhong Town, Songshan District, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. His home was frequently ransacked because he practiced Falun Dafa. Police constantly came to his door to threaten him, and injured him severely. He was sentenced to one year of forced labor in 2002, which caused him to experience high blood pressure. He gave up his practice of Falun Dafa under the extreme pressure, and died on December 20, 2004, from a stroke.

Ms. Zan Shuqin was 64 years old and lived in Jixing Township, Boli County, Heilongjiang Province. She began practicing Falun Dafa in 1997. The symptoms of her diabetes soon disappeared. After the persecution started in July 1999, she stopped cultivating because of the severe pressure. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001, and died on February 15, 2005.

Ms. Wen Yueqiu was 58 years old, and lived in Woken Town, Boli County, Heilongjiang Province. She had nine diseases before she began to practice Falun Dafa in the spring of 1998. After only a few months, all her conditions disappeared. In March 2003, while being held in the local police station, police forced her to renounce her practice. Her diabetes recurred, and she died on March 8, 2004.

The following practitioners also died after having lost their cultivation environment because of the persecution:

Mr. Dong Dianyi, 77 years old, lived in Yao'eryingzi Village, Chaoyang County, Liaoning Province. He died on April 26, 2004.

Ms. Li Qingyun, 70 years old, lived in Yaoeryingzi Village, Chaoyang County, Liaoning Province. She died on April 13, 2004.

Ms. Qu Lushi, 93 years old, lived in Dongsanjiazi Village, Yangshu Town, Dehui City, Jilin Province. She died on December 26, 2002.

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Liu Weihei, 62 and retired, was from the Changyi Flour Factory in Weifang City, Shandong Province. The fact that his son-in-law was sent to forced labor placed him under great pressure. He passed away in early 2003.

Ms. Yu Guizhen, 66, was from Changyi Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. She started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998 and soon became physically and mentally healthy. However, after the persecution of Falun Dafa started, she was often harassed, which placed her under great distress. She passed away on December 24, 2003.

Mr. Zhang Baiyong, 42, was working at a clothing factory in Changyi Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. In October 1999, the police arrested him for going to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa, and he was brought back to the Dongyuan Police Station in Changyi Town. In the police station, he was brutally beaten. The police extorted thousands of yuan from him. In July 2000, Mr. Zhang went to Beijing to appeal again but the police again arrested him. He was then brought back to the Dongyuan Police Station and handcuffed to a tree. He was persecuted this way under the hot sun in over 100 degree heat for seven to eight hours. Soon, he was compelled to lead a wandering and homeless life in order to avoid being recaptured and further persecuted. He died on March 17, 2005.

Mr. Song Bingren, 69, lived in Dongnan village, Changle Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. He started practicing Falun Gong in April 1998 and was soon cured of his past illnesses. After July 20, 1999, the local authorities constantly harassed and threatened him. This caused him to have severe mental stress and fear constantly. Soon, he became ill and his old diseases returned. Even the hospital could not do anything to save him. He left this world in 1999.

Mr. Yang Quanming was a 67-year-old retired cadre from the Bureau of Livestock Agriculture in Changyi Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. After cultivating Falun Dafa, he became healthy and full of energy. However, since the start of the persecution, he constantly received many threats from his workplace and the police. As a result of the persecution, he passed away in 2002.

Ms. Yu Zhihua was a 67-year-old retired cadre from the Bureau of Livestock and Agriculture in Changyi Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. She is the wife of Mr. Yang Quanming. After practicing Falun Dafa, her will was strong and she steadfastly practiced Falun Dafa until the end. After the start of the persecution of Falun Dafa, she was physically and mentally devastated. She passed away in the spring of 2000.

Ms. Liu Jianmin was around 60 years old. She lived in a family of retired army officers in Changyi Town, Weifang City, Shandong Province. After practicing Falun Dafa, all her past illnesses were gone. However, after the start of the persecution, she was repeatedly harassed and threatened. She died in 2001.

(Clearwidom.net)

When he was in critical condition, Mr. Zhao Yubao finally came to understand the truth. He said, "If I could have continued practicing Falun Gong, I wouldn't have been like this. Jiang took my life away."

Mr. Zhao Yubao, 42 years old, was a resident of Shangyi Village in Weijin Town, Liaoyuan City, Jilin Province. Before he started practicing Falun Dafa, he had a serious health condition and was always in great pain. He felt that he would rather die than live. In May 1998, he started to practice Falun Dafa. His pain disappeared completely, and he continued doing the exercises for the next five months. One day, he lost his Falun badge and feared that the Teacher might not take care of him anymore. Therefore, he stopped doing the exercises and studying the Fa. About four months later, his pain returned. The doctor said that he had stomach cancer and performed surgery. After the surgery, eighty percent of Mr. Zhao's stomach was gone, and he was not supposed to eat much. Contrary to the doctor's advice, however, Mr. Zhao ate a lot. Other people's wounds itched when they started to heal three days after surgery, but he didn't feel anything from right after the time he was discharged from the hospital.

After he came home, Mr. Zhao watched videotapes of a Falun Gong practitioners' experience sharing conference at his sister's home, and he understood that his pain had returned because he hadn't been doing the exercises. After his realization, he started doing the exercises again. The doctor told him he needed to go through chemotherapy, but he refused. Still, he recovered very well.

On July 20, 1999, Jiang started the persecution of Falun Gong, and Mr. Zhao dared not to practice any more. At that time, Zhao didn't know he had cancer. In 2004, six years after the first operation, he had a second occurrence. After his abdomen was opened up, the doctor discovered that it was full of tumors and that surgery couldn't help. The doctor said it was rare to see such a case and told his family members that most patients in his state could only live for less than five years. The doctor also said he might live for another three months at the most.

After he returned home, his situation became worse day by day. When he was dying, he finally came to understand the truth. He said, "If I had continued doing the exercises, I wouldn't have to be like this. Jiang took my life away." Five months after getting out of the hospital, on December 26, 2004, Mr. Zhao died.

(Clearwisdom.net)

Mr. Zhai Shanyong was hospitalized after being tortured by labor camp guards at the Wangcun Forced Labor Camp in Shandong Province. On January 30, 2005, the guards called her family to accompany her at the hospital.

On the afternoon of January 21, 2005, approximately eight officers broke into practitioner Ms. Qu's home near the Heating and Electric Factory in the Dongli District of Harbin City. Ms. Qu, who is in her 50s, was taken into custody.

On January 25, 2005, Ms. Xu Chunhua, from the Xiangfang District of Harbin City, was body-searched without cause by officers from the district's Liushun Street Police Station, and officials from the local Neighborhood Administration Office. The officers arrested her afterwards. Ms. Xu is being held at the Harbin City Police Department. The police refused to grant permission for her family to visit her. No further information is available.

At 1:00 p.m. on January 19, 2005, Ms. Zhang Wenxin left home to go to Dr. Wang's home on foot. Dr. Wang is a retired physician from the provincial hospital. Dr. Wang's husband reported Ms. Zhang to the police. At 11:00 p.m. the same night, officers arrested Ms. Wang and sent her to the Yaziquan Detention Center, where she was tortured. Police officers from the Nangang District Police Department ransacked Ms. Zhang's home. They confiscated Falun Dafa books, portraits of Teacher, cassette tapes and other items. Ms. Zhang's family has been denied visitation.

Relevant Telephone Number:
Yin Songyang, person in charge of Ms. Zhang Wenxin's case: 86-13845080551 (cellular)

Ms. Yang Fang, who worked away from her hometown in Yunnan Province, returned home to spend the Spring Festival on February 9, 2005. She was arrested on February 11, 2005, and immediately transferred to Shanghai, where she was interrogated and tortured the following day.

Ms. Mai Weilian, from Dianbai County, Guangdong Province, was arrested by police in March 2003 for her steadfast belief in Falun Dafa. At the time of her unlawful arrest, her husband was working on odd jobs in another county, and her eldest daughter in elementary school was sick. She was forcibly taken away from her home and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison. Her four young children, father and father-in-law, both in their eighties, have been left unattended at home.

It has been verified that Ms. Chen Changlan and Ms. Ren Xiaoling from the Jiangbei District in Chongqing were arrested by the Jiangjin City State Security Police while they clarified the truth in Jiangjin City. They each have been sentenced to one year of forced labor and sent to the Maojiashan Women's Forced Labor Camp, where they are abused and tortured.

In early December 2004, Ms. Liu Xinyu was arrested by police officers from the state security branch unit of the Fuling Police Department because they clarified the truth to people in the Fuling area in Chongqing. The police have since injected Ms. Liu with large amounts of drugs, which damaged her central neural system and caused her to lose consciousness. On January 20, 2005, the Fuling Procuratorate authorized the arrest of Ms. Liu. They are preparing to file trumped up charges against Ms. Liu in the Fuling area court.

It has been reported that Ms. Liu's daughter, who is just over 1-year-old, is being taken care of by her 82-year-old mother-in-law. Ms. Liu's husband, Mr. Han Yiming, is a teacher at the Southwestern Normal University. He has been persecuted for his steadfast belief in Falun Dafa, and has been suspended from his job. His salary has also been suspended. He is actively involved in the rescue of his wife.

Mr. Xie Hanzhu and five other Falun Dafa practitioners from Meizhou City, Guangdong Province were arrested on February 3, 2005. It has been reported that nine police officers, including officers from the Jiangnan Police Station and the Meijiang District Police Department, broke into the homes of Ms. Zhong Suyun and Mr. Zhong Hanxiang. Xue Qingwen, Huang Ruizhang and Liu Zhengdao of the state security group of the district police department led the police to ransack the homes of the two practitioners and arrested them without presenting any legal documents.

February 16, 2005

(Clearwisdom.net) A "solemn declaration" is a person's public statement declaring to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. Most of these statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wished to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they had signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Also, as more and more people in China learn the truth about how they have been deceived and lied to by the Jiang regime, many non-practitioners are also submitting "solemn declarations."

Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:

• Dafa Practitioners' Solemn Statements [2/17/2005]
• Solemn Declarations By People Who Have Awakened to the Truth about Falun Gong [2/16/2005]
• Solemn Declarations by Young Dafa Practitioners [2/18/2005]

Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.