(Clearwisdom.net) The Beijing Olympic Torch Relay set off in Fujian Province on May 11, 2008. Prior to this date, in order to ensure a "smooth relay of the torch," the local government had used various excuses to escalate the persecution against Falun Dafa practitioners. Practitioners were followed or monitored 24 hours a day. Even the peripheral areas that were not part of the torch route were monitored.
On May 11, 2008, officers from the 610 Office of Changting County in Longyan Prefecture made an all-out effort to search and ransack the home of every Falun Dafa practitioner. Practitioners were arrested if Falun Dafa books or truth-clarification materials were found in the home. The following practitioners were arrested: Mr. Xiao Qixiu, Ms. Cai Wenying, Mr. Li Dahe, Ms. Xiu Lianxiu, and others. Many practitioners whose names were not identified were also arrested. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) personnel arrested people without showing legal documentation. Some family members asked, "You are arresting people at will without any legal documentation?" They replied, "We can write up a document immediately."
On May 12, 2008, the torch was carried through Quanzhou City. According to a local practitioner, a few days before the torch arrived, practitioners were monitored by phone and every practitioner was watched by a designated person who would even follow the person when they went to the market to do some shopping. Two days before the torch set off, the Domestic Security Division of Quanzhou City Police Department used this as an excuse to arrest Falun Dafa practitioners Mr. Huang Yongbin and his brother Huang Xiaobin, who live in Qianhuang Village of Qianhuang Town, Quan'gang District.
Mr. Zhu Ruirong, who lives in Donghai Town, Putian City, was also recently arrested by CCP personnel. Since 1999, Mr. Zhu has been repeatedly persecuted by the CCP, which resulted in a large debt for his family. Mr. Zhu is the main financial support for his family and he is responsible for several young children. This round of persecution by the CCP has caused a great amount of harm to his family.
According to sources, the CCP also monitored and followed dissidents 24 hours a day, and they were also persecuted.
The Olympic Torch Relay symbolizes peace, friendship, unity, and progress. Yet, in the hands of the CCP, it has become a tool to persecute its own people. During this time when the CCP is afraid of people organizing group appeals because of the Olympic Games, family members, excluding practitioners, of those who have been persecuted should be encouraged to organize relatives and friends into groups and go directly to the local government to request the release of those who are being detained.
