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News and Events Around the World
Facts of the Persecution
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
Traditional Art and Culture
(Clearwisdom.net) The recents incidents taking place in Flushing, New York of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hiring thugs to incite hatred and attack Falun Gong practitioners caught the attention of United States congressmen and senators. On the afternoon of June 4, 2008, Falun Gong practitioner Charles Li handed over detailed information about the incident to Speaker of the House Ms. Nancy Pelosi, including a voice recording of Chinese Consul Peng Keyu admitting that the consulate masterminded the Flushing attacks. Congressmen contacted the FBI about this issue and asked the FBI to provide protection to Falun Gong practitioners.
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On June 4, several congressmen and senators attending the June 4 commemoration activity on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C., expressed their concerns about the Flushing incident when interviewed.
Republican Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey said that the FBI was asked to prevent the Communist regime's attack on Falun Gong practitioners in the US and provide protection for the practitioners.
Mr. Smith said that some Chinese students and other people came to know that the CCP authoritarian regime had extended its influence to the US, Europe and other places when they arrived in the US. This demonstrates the nature of suppression of the CCP regime. In fact, CCP officials felt that they could conduct any event at will in China, as well as in foreign countries.
Mr. Smith said that it is unfortunate that the CCP regime regards Falun Gong as its enemy. The group of Falun Gong practitioners is non-violent and peaceful. He said we need to protect those Falun Gong practitioners.
Republican congresswoman Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida, the Ranking Member on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, expressed her view on this issue too. She said that the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong is sad. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has been taking actions to protect Falun Gong practitioners and arousing attention from the international community.
She continued to say that such continuous persecution demonstrates that the CCP regime is so worrisome, in that it suppresses peaceful Falun Gong practitioners.
Senator Sam Brownback from Kansas said he read some relevant reports and saw some photos about the incident.
Practitioner Charles Li handed over detailed information about the incident to Speaker of the House Ms. Nancy Pelosi and wished her to continue paying attention to the ongoing instigation of hatred and attacks of Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, New York.
(Clearwisdom.net) The Service Center for Quitting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) in Flushing, New York has resumed operation in front of the Public Library this week and four more centers have been added. The CCP's attempt to drive the center out of Flushing by instigating mob attacks has failed. Volunteers at the Service Center for Quitting the CCP and Falun Gong practitioners actively clarifying the truth in Flushing have reported that the situation is improving. More and more people have stepped forward to support Falun Gong and condemn the mobs. Those who verbally attacked Falun Gong have had to restrain themselves.
Ms. Mao, a volunteer at the Service Center, said that fewer people have attacked Falun Gong and more and more are accepting the Epoch Times newspapers these days. Some had already gotten the paper from somewhere else, and only took the materials they hadn't yet read. Some people took the initiative to read the Epoch Times from newspaper stands. People continued to come to the center to announce their quitting of the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Xu has been participating in the truth-clarification activities in Flushing, and experienced the change in the last few days. There used to be incidents of mobs attacking Falun Gong practitioners near Gold City Supermarket. A new Service Center for Quitting the CCP was established there on June 4, and things have changed quickly. No attacks have occurred since then. Mr. Xu overheard vendors chatting, "How do you quit the CCP? What paperwork does it take?" On his way from the Post Office to the Public Library, Mr. Xu heard two men talking about quitting the CCP. One said, "It said that 37 million people quit the CCP. Is it true?" The other one said, "It looks like it is so."
Besides Falun Gong practitioners and the volunteers, the policemen on duty to protect Falun Gong practitioners have felt the change too. On June 3, a policeman commented to practitioners that it was a nice day. People smiled. Everything seemed to be normal again. The policeman on duty the next day said the same thing.
Mr. Xu said that the most remarkable change is that more and more people have stepped forward to support Falun Gong.
Recently, when a deceived Chinese person cursed Falun Gong loudly while passing the Service Center in front of the Post Office, another passerby, with a Taiwanese accent, sternly stopped him. He said, "Has Falun Gong offended you? The CCP has lied to you for so long. How come you still believe it?" The person who had cursed left, dejected.
A similar exchange took place in front of the Public Library. When a woman hysterically insulted a Service Center volunteer, another woman who happened to pass by immediately rebuked her and showed support for Falun Gong.
Ms. Mao witnessed several incidents of people supporting Falun Gong and condemning the mobs. Two CCP agents cursed Falun Gong at a service center on Monday. Another man argued with the men and said that Falun Gong was great. He said, "Though I don't practice Falun Gong, I understand it..." Two more people joined him and denounced the agents. They said, "If you think the CCP is so good, why don't you go back to China? Why do you stay in the U.S.?" They drove the agents away.
Those who have been attacking Falun Gong no longer sound as arrogant as before. On June 3, the Epoch Times published pictures of the attackers and announced plans to bring the case to the American government and FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). The CCP agents were greatly deterred. When Ms. Mao was distributing the paper at a subway station on June 4, she saw a woman looking for the June 3rd edition anxiously. Ms. Mao noticed later that the woman was one of the attackers whose picture had been published. It appeared that the woman was afraid after finding out she was exposed.
Mr. Wang Zhiyuan from the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) said, "A man came to the Service Center on the morning of June 4. He said he had been deceived. He actually wasn't opposed to Falun Gong, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, or quitting the CCP. He had been deceived by the CCP and influenced by others and thus participated in the attack on Falun Gong practitioners. Now he realized he was wrong. He hoped he would be forgiven and his picture would be taken out of the Epoch Times."
(Clearwisdom.net) The annual Philippine Independence Day Parade was held on the afternoon of June 1, 2008, along Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. Over a hundred parade entries from the Filipino community and other communities participated. Falun Dafa's Divine Land Marching Band stood out among all the entries as the only Chinese group in the parade, and was very well received by the parade spectators.
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Spectators witness the grace of the Divine Land Marching Band
The annual parade in celebration of Philippine Independence Day is usually held around June 12th each year. Parade entries this year featured different groups from the Filipino community, artists, church groups and business groups. Over a hundred groups participated. Philippine dance performances and rare traditional music performances were also seen. Visitors from different parts of the Philippines dressed in their local costumes, and danced and sang to celebrate their independence day.
The Divine Land Marching Band, composed of Falun Dafa practitioners, made its appearance in the parade. The band members dressed in the costumes of Tang Dynasty musicians. They performed music including, "Falun Dafa Is Good," "America the Beautiful," and other songs. The spectators warmly applauded for their wonderful performance. Some Filipinos especially came forward and had their photos taken with the Divine Land Marching Band.
Filipino spectator Hemi said he thought that the Divine Land Marching Band was the most spectacular band in the parade and that Filipinos in New York should be proud of this special and unique band.
After the parade, the parade organizer invited the Divine Land Marching Band to take part in another large parade to be held in New Jersey at the end of June.
(Clearwisdom.net) The "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" Art Exhibition, which has been held in 40 countries, came to Taichung, Taiwan on June 1. The art exhibition will be held at the Nanyang Activity Center for 21 days. At the opening ceremony, some local VIPs gave speeches and praised the Falun Gong practitioners' spirit.
Local legislative members Kao Keetsan and Hsie Wenchung at the opening ceremony
"I almost could not stop my tears," said Legislative member Kao Keetsan
Legislative member Yan Chichung said that he met a Falun Gong practitioner seven year ago and was deeply touched. Since then, he has tried to attend as many Falun Gong events as he could to show his support.
Mr. Yan said that the artworks at the exhibition demonstrate the artists' spirit and their pursuit of truth and human rights. He encouraged the practitioners to keep going.
Mr. Kao Keetsan said, "I almost could not stop my tears after viewing these artworks, especially the one about organ harvesting." "We Taiwanese cannot imagine it," he said, "The art exhibition is even more powerful than photos. It is really good."
Mr. Kao said that everybody should condemn the nine-year long persecution. "Keeping silent about the persecution is wrong," he said. He hoped that more people would come to the exhibition and learn the facts.
Ms. Kao Yihsiu, a high school teacher, said that by following the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," one can create really great artworks. She said, "A lot of modern artists don't understand it, but Falun Gong artists reach this level. They obey the principles and their artworks are full of brightness and purity."
The artworks have the goals of illustrating the beauty of Falun Dafa, clarifying the truth, exposing the evil persecution and displaying the practitioners' spirit. Several pieces depict how practitioners clarify the truth in Manhattan and expose the organ harvesting.
Oil Painting "Mother and Son"
Ms. Kao said that the artworks were very touching, and that it was apparent the artists improve their character through cultivation, which translates into improvement in their artistic skills. Taking Dong Xiqiang's work, Mother and Son, as an example, Ms. Kao said that this painting describes a mother holding her son, who was tortured in prison and was released just before he died. In the painting, the mother is sad but still steadfast in her belief.
After the opening ceremony, practitioners and the Divine Land Marching Band held a parade and passed on information about the exhibition to people.
(Clearwisdom.net) On a sunny Saturday, May 31, 2008, Dutch Falun Gong practitioners held an event protesting the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The demonstration was held in the city of Groningen, which is the capital of Holland's northeastern province, also named Groningen. Bordering the province to the east is Germany, to the south the province of Drenthe, to the west with the province of Friesland and to the North, the Wadden Sea.
Groningen is a city that is visited by many tourists, especially from Germany. The demonstration opposing the persecution of Falun Gong in China was warmly welcomed by the people of Groningen, as well by the tourists visiting the city. Flyers and newspapers with information about Falun Gong and the nine year-long persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China were passed out to passersby. Some Chinese people living in Groningen withdrew their membership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations after learning the facts of the persecution.
Many people signed the "Million Signatures" petition, a campaign initiated by the CIPFG (Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong) aimed at demanding the CCP to stop its persecution of Falun Gong.
At one point a young boy passed by the demonstration site on a bicycle. After he saw a banner depicting Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China, he went to take a closer look. A young girl around the same age as him came to explain what was depicted in the posters to him. With the words, "I'm going to put my bike away, I'll be right back," he stowed his bike so that he could take a closer look at the banner. He asked questions that you would not expect from a young boy. His comments were sharp, intelligent, and well thought out. He then went to sign the petition. His father found him standing in front of the banner. Upon hearing the comment that his son was very mature, he said that he heard this from many people. The father himself was a professor in the Greek language, so he could read the Greek
flyer about Falun Gong on the table.
(Clearwisdom.net) The Dominican Falun Dafa Association participated in the 11th International Book Expo in Santo Domingo. They introduced Falun Dafa to visitors, exposed the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong, and launched a "2008 Million Signature Drive" event to demand that the CCP stop the persecution of Falun Gong before the Beijing Olympics. Many people expressed their support.
The 2008 International Book Expo was organized by the Dominican Ministry of Culture and Book Expo Administration. It focused on countries of the Caribbean and honored Emilio Rodriguez Demorizi, a famous Dominican historian, writer, and lawyer.
The Dominican Falun Dafa Association has participated in the Book Expo every year to promote Falun Dafa and expose the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. This year, the "2008 Million Signature Drive" was initiated by the Global Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG). Its purpose is to end the persecution of Falun Gong before the Beijing Olympics.
In the 21 days of the expo, 4,500 signatures were collected, mostly from students. After we exposed the crimes committed by the CCP, many visitors expressed their support.
In our booth, we also displayed the Epoch Times newspaper, Dominican edition, and people loved it.
Some visitors from other Caribbean countries said they had heard of Falun Gong and knew about the persecution and the "2008 Million Signatures Drive". Some of them even already knew of the Epoch Times. But there is still much work to be done to explain to them all these things. The Book Expo is one of our major events. We use the opportunity to clarify the truth and promote Dafa to people from all over the country.
Every year, we have encountered and overcome many difficulties, attachments and other issues. These help us to practice cultivation and progress. Facing so many people with different notions, it is a big responsibility and mission to help them know the truth. We always try to handle it with wisdom and righteous thoughts.
(Clearwisdom.net) The 25th annual Malacca Dragon Boat Championship was held in the Malacca River on June 1, 2008. Local Falun Gong practitioners entered women's and men's teams to participate in this traditional cultural event. Both the Singapore and the Malaysia divisions of the Divine Land Marching Band came together to perform. To add to the festival atmosphere of the race, practitioners from Singapore also brought a waist drum group to entertain the crowds.
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Chief Minister of Malacca Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam hosted the opening ceremony at 9:00 a.m.. The organizing committee invited the waist drum group to perform on the main stage. The chief minister then threw zongzi, a popular food, into the river as part of the traditional ritual to open the dragon boat race. The chief minister, accompanied by President Huang Shudang and other guests, themselves then rowed a dragon boat.
During the dragon boat race, practitioners held up banners, displayed photo boards and gave out materials to provide the local people with an opportunity to learn about Falun Gong and the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Many people learned about the facts and signed the "Million Signatures Campaign" to call for an immediate end to the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong.
The Chief Minister of Malacca also came to learn about Falun Gong. He took informational material about Falun Gong before leaving.
Seventeen teams from Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca took part in the Malacca Dragon Boat Championship this year. The only Women's Team was the Kuala Lumpur Falun Dafa Dragon Boat Team. The organizing committee asked the women's team to row before the other teams raced. Sixteen teams competed in total. Four teams from Penang entered the final race and won the first four awards. Penang Today Walking Club Dragon Boat Team won the Championship in this year's race.
At the award ceremony, the organizing committee issued a Spirit Award to the Kuala Lumpur Falun Dafa Dragon Boat Team (Women's Team) to express appreciation for the team's continuous participation and support for the dragon boat races since 2002. Many people shouted together "Falun Dafa Is Good" when the practitioners accepted the awards. President of the organizing committee Huang Shudang said in an interview, "I'm grateful to Falun Dafa for sending a women's team to participate in the race every year."
(Clearwisdom.net) The Human Rights Torch Relay (HRTR), initiated by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), arrived in Taiwan on June 1, 2008. At 4 p.m., Huang Xiaomin, silver medal winner of the women's 200m breast stroke in the 1988 Olympics, held the Torch and started the relay from the Presidential Palace in Taipei. Ms. Huang and many other runners passed through the busiest areas in town and finished the relay in front of the Taipei City Hall.
The welcoming ceremony for the Torch first observed a moment of silence for the victims of the recent Sichuan earthquake and for those who have died under the Chinese Communist Party's campaigns of persecution.
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Lai Ching-Te, President of CIPFG Asia and currently a legislator, spoke at the ceremony to welcome the arrival of the Torch, which has been to 34 countries and over 100 cities, and thanked all the relay participants.
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Lai told the reporter that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had the worst human rights record in the world, but the world overlooks that fact because of China's economic potential. The CCP persecutes Falun Gong and profits from illegal sales of practitioners' organs. The CCP refused to let the CIPFG to enter China to investigate the persecution of Falun Gong and refused to improve its human rights record. Lai opposed the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing and hoped that the international community will pay attention to China's human rights situation through such an activity.
Lai also mentioned the CCP's recent attack on Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, NY, which was an attempt to frame and slander Falun Gong to distract the international community's focus on its human rights atrocities.
Legislator Tu Shing-Che, a member of CIPFG, used to be a medical doctor and Chief of the Health Department at the Executive Yuan. Tu said it was unacceptable to transplant or sell organs from unwilling donors. Tu stressed that it was inhumane and definitely not an acceptable medical practice.
Tu said, "It is ridiculous that the persecution [of Falun Gong] will be happening at the same time and in the same place with the Olympic Games. After the earthquake in Sichuan, while the world is helping to relieve the disaster, the CCP is using the catastrophe to instigate hatred to persecute dissidents." Through the activity of HRTR, Tu wants to tell the world that "human rights is a universal value that should be promoted by the Olympics."
Chang Ching-Hsi, President of the Falun Dafa Association in Taiwan, said that he was saddened that the CCP used the Olympics as an excuse to rationalize the suppression of human rights.
William Kao, organizer of the Victims of Investment in China Association; Khedroob Thondup, Member of Parliament of Central Tibetan Administration; and Sun Yo-Lien, spokesperson of Taiwan Free Burma Network gave speeches at the torch hand-over ceremony.
Tsai ran in the torch relay. Before that, he said that the CCP trampled upon human rights by suppressing Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetans. He believed it was meaningful for an activity such as the torch relay to support human rights in China.
Chen, who also ran with the torch, said that he decided to join the activity the minute he learned that the Torch was coming to Taiwan. He wanted to do something for an activity that safeguarded human rights. He wished that more people could participate and learn about the CCP's persecution of kind people.
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Chiang Chuan-Chi, a non-practitioner, has been teaching orchestral music for over 20 years. He was in charge of teaching members of the Divine Land Marching Band about musical performance. "When I learned that the torch was coming to Taiwan, I decided to come. Human rights is a universal value. Everyone deserves to have basic rights, democracy, freedom and peace. There shouldn't be any persecution," said Chiang.
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Ms. Chan is a Ph.D. student. "I came here with a friend to join the parade and support the arrival of the human rights torch. Through many people's support, I hope the world's people can understand how the CCP persecutes human rights and rethink whether the Chinese regime is qualified to hold the Olympics, which symbolize peace," said Chan.
Chang is a student from National Taiwan University of Art. He said, "I subscribe to The Epoch Times. I learned about the activity from the newspaper's website and invited my girlfriend to come." "I don't feel tired from all the walking; it's so meaningful. I saw that many people from Taiwan joined this parade, and I learned how the CCP suppressed human rights before the Olympics. People from many other countries supported the torch relay as well and worked together to protest the CCP's persecution of human rights."
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The torch arrived at the Taipei City Hall at five o'clock. Huang handed the Torch to Peng Wei-Yau, former national champion bodybuilder, and Chiu Shiao-Jun, former national martial arts champion, in a simple ceremony. The Divine Land Marching Band then led the participants in marching around City Hall.
The torch's next stop will be Kee-lung City. It will go around Taiwan clockwise and visit 23 cities and counties. The torch's last stop in Taiwan is Taipei County and after that it will be delivered to Japan.
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Xu Jiarong, 61, was a Falun Dafa practitioner in Anshun City, Guizhou Province. She was previously a book-keeper employed by the Anshun City Herb Company and lived in family housing at the Southwest Prefecture in the Anshun Liaison Transportation Station.
On October 26, 2000, police arrested and detained her until the end of 2000 in the Second Detention Center. The Chinese Communist Party officials extorted 2,000 yuan from her and forced her to attend many brainwashing sessions.
In July 2001, officers from the Xixiu District Police Department suddenly ransacked her home, arrested and detained her in the Heishitou Detention Center for more than two years. Then they sentenced her to seven years in prison. She was tortured in the Yang'ai Prison until she could not take care of herself. Her family requested her release many times, and she was finally released at the end of April 2008. She died shortly after that on May 13, 2008.
(Clearwisdom.net) In the evening of May 18, 2008, a group of police officers from the National Security Team in Huaiyang County, Henan Province and Doumen Township Police Station climbed over a wall and broke into the home of Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Yu Xinheng, who is over 60 years old and blind. One of the police officers was named Xiao Zhen. They didn't showed any warrants and ransacked Mr. Yu's home. They stole three MP3 players, one tape recorder, two cell phones and some other items that are worth over 500 yuan. They also brutally beat Mr. Yu's wife, Ms. Chen Banglian.
Mr. Yu and his wife were taken to the county police department, where police officers physically abused and interrogated them. Mr. Yu refused to say anything. A young police officer said, "This guy does not obey us and refuses to cooperate with us. Watch how I slap him in the face." Mr. Yu said to him, "I am 63 years old and blind. You also have parents. How would you feel if somebody hits your father even though he breaks no laws and just wants to be a kind person?"
The police officer became quiet. Another person grabbed Mr. Yu's feet and stabbed them with a needle. Then a police officer kicked him more than ten times. Afterwards, this police officer stomped hard on Mr. Yu's feet.
At approximately 8 a.m. on May 20, Mr. Yu was sent back to the detention center. Due to his blindness, the detention center refused to admit him. The police officers reported this to Zheng Xianfang, Head of the County 610 Office who is deputy chief of the county police department in charge of persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners. Zheng called Police Chief Duan to pressure the detention center to admit Mr. Yu, but the detention center still refused.
Then the police officers extorted 1,000 yuan from Mr. Yu before they released him in the evening. Mr. Yu's wife, Ms. Chen Banglian, was sent to the detention center. The guards forbade her family from visiting her.
From April 28 to May 5, 2008, the police illegally arrested Mr. Guo Hui and seven other Falun Dafa practitioners. Between May 14 and 18, the police arrested Mr. Yu Xinheng and eleven other practitioners. The arrest was planned by the Huaiyang County Communist Party Secretary Jia Shujun, with orders from the Political and Judiciary Committee Secretary Yang Yunhe and Head of the 610 Office Zheng Xianfang.
At around midnight on May 14, 2008, Mr. Wang Shutian and his wife Ms. Yang Guimei from Xingzheng Village, Wanzhuang, Doumen Township were taken to the detention center. The police officers extorted 1,000 yuan from Mr. Wang and released him on May 18. Mr. Wang's wife, Ms. Yang Guimei, is still illegally detained.
On the same night, Mr. Qin Shurong from Gaozhuang Village, Wuwan, Doumen Township was arrested. He is being held in the Huaiyang County Detention Center.
On May 16, a group of police officers broke into 61-year-old practitioner Mr. Shi Hongxing's home in Shilou Village, Doumen Township, Huaiyang County. They ransacked his home and stole Falun Dafa books, a MP3 player, a cell phone and 200 yuan. They illegally took Mr. Shi Hongxing to the detention center.
During the same night, Mr. Duan Yanping (over 50 years old) in Geying Village, Liuzhai, Doumen Township was arrested by police officers who broke into his home. He was sent to the detention center.
On the night of May 18, police officers from the County National Security Team and Zhuji Police Station broke into Mr. Zhu Peiyong's home located in Xingzheng Village, Zhangzhuang, Zhuji. They sent Mr. Zhu Peiyong and his wife Ms. Cui Aimei to Huaiyang County Detention Center.
The same group of police officers went to Mr. Zhu Dehong's home in Xingzheng Village, Zhuji, and attempted to arrest Mr. Zhu Dehong. They failed to do so. Then they broke into Mr. Zhu's daughter-in-law's home and ransacked it. They took Mr. Zhu's daughter-in-law to the Huaiyang County Police Department.
At approximately 10 p.m. on May 18, five police officers including Dai Zhengyun from Lutai Township Police Station, Huaiyang County, Police Officer Chen Shanwei and the police officers from the County National Security Team broke into Mr. Lu Hongjun's home in Luji Village, Doumen Township. They stole a MP3 player from Mr. Lu's pocket and at least five sets of satellite dishes. They took Mr. Lu Hongjun and practitioner Ms. Zhu Zhenying to the Huaiyang Police Department by force. Mr. Lu Hongjun was sent to the detention center. Ms. Zhu Zhenying was released after she was extorted out of 1,000 yuan.
610 Office:
Zheng Xianfang, Director of 610 Office: 86-13839463086 (Cell)
Police Department:
Duan Yelin, Chief of Police Department: 86-13803941088 (Cell)
Luo Hailong, Political Commissioner: 86-13507683102 (Cell)
(Clearwisdom.net) Below is information that we have collected about the illegal arrests of more than 20 Falun Gong practitioners by police officers in Zhucheng City, Weifang Area in April and May 2008. The information is incomplete, and in reality, many more practitioners were harassed. It has been reported that Zhang Xingye (male), director of the Zhucheng City Police Department, went to the Weifang Area for a meeting before this recent round of persecution started. He was warned because he had arrested fewer Falun Gong practitioners than the police in Shouguang City and other cities. After Zhang returned, he ordered all police stations under his command to escalate the persecution.
On the night of April 16, 2008, police officers from the Zhucheng City Police Department illegally arrested practitioners Mr. Wang Pingsheng, Mr. Liu Peihong from Xinhua Village, Ms. Yu Ruiyan, Ms. Liu Tingzhuo, and Ms. Li Fengying, and detained them in the Zhucheng City Detention Center. On April 21, 2008, they were sentenced to one year in a forced labor camp.
After 10:00 a.m. on April 17, 2008, when Ms. Wang Shuhua, 54, from Xiangjiagou Village, Huanghua Town, Zhucheng City, was clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa in Huanghua Town, she was illegally arrested. On May 16, 2008, Ms. Wang was sentenced to one year in the Wangcun Women's Forced Labor Camp.
On April 19, 2008, Ms. Qu Fengmei, a 32-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Guanzhuang Village, Wanjia Township, was illegally arrested by police officers from the Criminal Police Team while at work at the International Trade Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant. At present, she is detained in the Zhucheng City Detention Center.
At about 6:00 p.m. on April 25, 2008, Mr. Wang Honglaing, from South Zhujie Village, Mizhou Street, Zhucheng City, was illegally arrested by police officers and detained in the Zhucheng City Detention Center.
At about 9:00 a.m. on April 26, 2008, Ms. Zhang Shumei, 50, from Beiguan Community, Zhucheng City, was illegally arrested in her grocery store by a group of police officers who stormed in all of a sudden. Her store was searched and she was taken to the Zhucheng Detention Center, where she was handcuffed and body-searched upon arriving. Her shoes and belt were confiscated and burned. During her ten days of detention, Ms. Zhang was interrogated twice. Each time, she was handcuffed to a metal chair.
On April 28, 2008, police officers from the Shiqiaozi Police Station broke into the home of Mr. Zhang Jixiang in Tianjiayuewang Village. They searched his home and illegally arrested 60-year-old Mr. Zhang. He has been detained in the Zhucheng Detention Center.
On the morning of May 10, 2008, police officers at the former Haoge Township Police Station broke into Ms. Chen Xiuling's home and searched it. Later, she was illegally arrested and taken to the Political Security Division of the Zhucheng Police Department.
On the morning of May 11, 2008, police officers from the Shuwang Street Police Station broke into Ms. Wang Chengxiang's home in Hujialou Village. They illegally arrested her and searched her home. She has been detained in the Zhucheng City Detention Center.
On May 12, 2008, police officers from the Shuwang Street Police Station illegally arrested 60-year-old Mr. Wang Jinzhi and searched his home. He has been detained in the Zhucheng City Detention Center.
On the afternoon of May 12, 2008, a police officer from the Jiayue Town Police Station, together with Feng Jinliang (male), the Chinese Communist Party secretary of Wangjiazhuang Village, Jiayue Town, broke into Ms. Zhang Xiuyun's home. Without showing any ID, they illegally arrested Ms. Zhang, searched her home, and seized a TV set and a VCD player. Meanwhile, practitioner Ms. Guo Xihui of the same village was also arrested. On the afternoon of May 14, 2008, a police officer from the Jiayue Town Police Station hurried to Xianjia Village in Jiayue Town, illegally arrested Ms. Meng Qinglan, and searched her home. All three practitioners are being detained in the Zhucheng Detention Center.
On the morning of May 13, 2008, Mr. Li Chenjing and Mr. Cao Haibo, Falun Gong practitioners from Ludui Village, Shuwang Street, were illegally arrested by Yang Yong (male), Xu Shunqing (male) and Wang Shoujun (male), police officers from the Development Zone.
On May 13, 2008, Mr. Liu Bingjun and his wife Ms. Dong Yujuan, Falun Gong practitioners from Guanzhuang Village, were illegally arrested by police officers from the Development Zone when they were doing business in Longcheng Market.
On May 13, 2008, after harassing Falun Gong practitioners in Lanjia Village, police officers from the Renmin Road Police Station went to Ms. Zou Ximei's home in No. 3 Village, Kongge Township, searched her home and illegally arrested her. She was taken to the Zhucheng Detention Center.
On May 19, 2008, police officers from the Jiayue Town Police Station broke into Ms. Wang Jingxiang's home in Wangjiazhuang Village, Jiayue Town, searched her home and illegally arrested the 60-year-old woman.
On the afternoon of May 20, 2008, Fan Weigang (male), a police officer from the former Haoge Township Police Station, went to Shangzhuang Village, Huanghua Town (formerly Haoge Town) and called several practitioners' homes to harass them. After being ignored, he went to Ms. Wang Jinghua's home, illegally arrested her and searched her home.
Under the excuse of the upcoming Olympic Games, the Zhucheng City police have created an atmosphere of terror, harassing and terrorizing innocent people.
(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Yang Xiyao, 68, resides in Yanshan County, Hebei Province. Before he practiced Falun Gong, he suffered from pleurisy, pulmonary emphysema and stomach ulcers. After he started practicing Falun Gong in 1995, he soon began to regain his health.
In 2000, Mr. Yang was arrested while he was validating Dafa. He was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment in Baoding Prison, Hebei Province. Mr. Yang was tortured so severely by the National Security Team at the Yanshan County Police Department and at Baoding Prison that he began to experience heart palpitations and vomit blood and he developed high blood pressure. Only when he was close to death in January 2006 was he released on bail for medical treatment.
After Mr. Yang returned home, he again began to practice Falun Gong and study the book, Zhuan Falun. As a result, he became healthy again very quickly. However, police officers from the National Security Department at the Yanshan County Police Station constantly harassed and threatened him. Baoding Prison also sent agents to monitor Mr. Yang or mailed him questionnaires as a means to control him. The prison officials threatened that if he didn't give up practicing Falun Gong, they would arrest him again.
On April 21, 2008, Zhang Xinping from the National Security Department at the Yanshan County Police Station, and Zhao Guolin from the Wangshu Township Police Substation broke into Mr. Yang's house and after searching through all his belongings, took away his copy of the book Zhuan Falun. On May 20, the same two men, together with Liu Zhenming, arrested Mr. Yang and sent him back to Baoding Prison.
(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:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations
(Clearwisdom.net) More and more people in China are awakening to the truth and realizing that they were deceived by Jiang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) into participating in the persecution of Falun Gong, either directly as government officials, police, labor camp guards, etc., or indirectly as practitioners' family members, who in many cases may have cursed Dafa, burned Dafa books, or interfered in various other ways to prevent practitioners from following their beliefs. As a result of this awakening, the Minghui/ Clearwisdom website is receiving increasing numbers of heartfelt messages from non-practitioners who wish to publicly express remorse for their wrongdoing and announce their intention to rectify their words and deeds in the future. The editors will periodically choose representative messages of this type and publish them as articles entitled, "Solemn Statements from Non-Practitioners."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net) It has already been ten days since the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan Province occurred. I think that this alarming disaster has shocked every Falun Dafa practitioner. Over these days, I have been thinking about one issue: After this disaster occurred, the Chinese Communist Party missed the precious opportunity to rescue people because of its own selfish agenda, which has been really disappointing to everyone of conscience. When reexamining ourselves, from the perspective of cultivating and saving people, we have shouldered the mission of saving the sentient beings. Master told us about the urgency of saving people, how to save people, and so on. Have we believed in Master's words? How much have we believed and to what degree? How much have we done? Have we tried our best?
At such a perilous moment, all we can do is become more and more diligent and seize any chance to clarify the facts and save more sentient beings. Only in this way can we live up to the title of "Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples." Only in this way can we live up to all that Master has given us. I hope that during the limited time left, we can be more rational and clearheaded in saving more sentient beings!
(Clearwisdom.net) With the pretext of helping Master rectify the Fa, the old forces initiated criminal activities and a persecution that are unprecedented throughout history. Master negates the old forces' arrangements. Dafa practitioners should follow Master's requirements and completely negate the old forces' arrangements, carrying out the responsibility of offering sentient beings salvation.
The old forces arranged the positioning of the CCP evildoers who persecute Dafa. Some of these criminals are Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Zhou Yongkang and Liu Jing. They keep lying and creating trouble. They slander and defame Dafa practitioners and poison people's minds, causing the destruction of numerous sentient beings, using for example, the "April 25" incident in 1999 and the staged self-immolation incident in 2001. Now, in order to divert people's anger they have created the Flushing incident in New York, attempting to stir up hatred against Falun Gong and to direct attention away from the CCP's administrative crisis.
The old forces continue to use the pretext of testing Dafa practitioners to keep these evil heads from being eliminated. They are trying to keep them until the end. We should absolutely not accept the old forces' arrangements. We must eliminate the evil forces of these heads immediately if we want to have success saving people. This is a critical step. Dafa practitioners should rise to higher levels based on the Fa principles. We are the kings of the future. The Three Realms were created for Dafa to save sentient beings. It is a place for Dafa practitioners to save people and is absolutely not for the evil to incite violence.
I suggest that Dafa practitioners from China immediately send powerful righteous thoughts: Eliminate the evil forces who persecute Dafa practitioners. Our righteous thoughts need to be steady, determined and complete. We must do this to save sentient beings from the old forces. This is also the greatest compassion for sentient beings. Dafa practitioners have this power. Let us send powerful righteous thoughts to save as many people as possible!
(Clearwisdom.net) I have been lost in the big dye vat of human society and have developed human notions and thinking. This is because of long-term poisoning by the evil culture of the Chinese Communist Party, resulting in strong attachments of fame, personal interest, and sentimentality. Suffering in that hellish state, I fell into despair. Fortunately, benevolent Master pulled me out of hell and washed me clean, enabling me to become a Fa-Rectification period Dafa disciple. I and grateful to Falun Dafa and the principles of the universe, hidden from mankind for an eternity until now.
For a long time, the thought karma associated with the idea that "Falun Gong seeks political power," arranged by the old cosmic forces, has hindered me from clarifying the facts--telling people the truth about Falun Gong and the persecution it faces in China.
Through spending a lot of time studying the Fa, sending righteous thoughts, and reading fellow practitioners' articles on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website, I have finally made some breakthrough in my thinking, especially today, after reading Master's article titled "Cultivation Practice is Not Political" in Essentials for Further Advancement. The realizations I've had are quite profound.
Last evening, I read a practitioner's experience sharing article titled "The Calling from the Innermost Heart - Saving People." After this, the last knot in my mind came undone. Indeed, "saving people," what a sacred and glorious responsibility it is. Dafa practitioners will achieve the fruit status of Buddhas, who are full of wisdom and compassion. So how could Dafa practitioners be involved in the dirty politics of ordinary society? At that moment, I felt both ashamed and incomparably happy. I felt ashamed because of my poor enlightenment quality and because I have been stuck on this issue for such a long time. I felt happy because Master has not given up on me, and He has always guided me and forgiven my repetitive failures. Master has used his boundless forgiveness and compassion to guide me toward divinity.
The Fa-rectification has reached the end of the final stage. Let me cite (below) a section of Master's Fa to encourage myself and fellow practitioners. Dafa disciples will use their purest and most compassionate hearts to do well the three things and return with Master through consummation.
"Whether you're a student in Mainland China or outside the Mainland, I hope that all of you seize the final moments to do well and do even better. Especially those of you who haven't done well, you should seize the day and do well. Don't let the opportunity slip by. Once the persecution ends and once the strength of the evil is no longer sufficient, this thing will be over, and at that time it'll really be too late for regrets."
"I hope that every Dafa disciple won't overemphasize the form of things. Your own cultivation, your own improvement, your validating the Fa amidst the evil, saving sentient beings, and steadfastly doing well going down the path that you should take are what's most important. (Applause)" ("Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference")
(Clearwisdom.net) Following the Sichuan earthquake, many practitioners have maintained a rational mindset and are able to understand this from the Fa's perspective. On the one hand, practitioners conform to the ways of everyday people by making donations. On the other hand, practitioners are more diligent in clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings.
However, a few practitioners' thoughts have fluttered, and some human notions have resurfaced. For example, some practitioners were emotionally affected by the aftermath of the earthquake and were crying while watching the sad scenes on television. Some practitioners were actively involved in donation activities. When they met acquaintances they immediately asked, "Have you donated? How much have you donated?" They forgot their responsibility of saving people. Some practitioners hold a hidden excitement within, guessing that the end of Fa-rectification may be coming soon. A few practitioners spend more time watching TV to follow the news, and others speak of things at too high a level when clarifying the truth.
Although we have gone through a lot in the past years and should have sufficiently matured facing these things, when things happen, sometimes our human notions still surface. Emotions in the human realm still affect us. The key here is our basis for looking at these things. We must not forget that we are Dafa practitioners walking on a divine path and can never be swayed from our task of assisting Master in saving sentient beings.
The old forces have arranged many things, such as the Sichuan earthquake, wars in the Middle East, "9/11" and the tsunami. Although the old forces' highest-level beings have been eliminated, before the Fa completely rectifies the human world, the old forces' mechanisms are still operating. Dafa practitioners should be clear on this.
The hot topics regarding the earthquake in China made me aware of everyday people's zeal for donations, as well of the CCP's propaganda and further incitement that made people fearful and helpless. Human beings are so fragile. I realized that saving sentient beings is now even more urgent. We should increase truth-clarifying efforts in the process, while cultivating ourselves well.
Based on the many disasters in recent years, we have realized that the purpose of the old forces' arrangements was to eliminate many human beings and areas with heavy karma. But most importantly, it was to test how many human notions practitioners still have, and whether or not this disturbs practitioners, and if they are up to the "standard." As long as we study the Fa more, Dafa can help us solve the puzzles. We will then understand everything and be able to catch up with the advancement of Fa-rectification.
(Clearwisdom.net) Confucius, also called Qiu, was born in the kingdom of Lu (now Qufu City) during the period of Chunqiu. He was a great educator, statesman, and philosopher. He advocated the Ru School of philosophy for saving the people and governing the country, and he dedicated his whole life to promoting moral standards and urging kings to govern their countries with kindness. He never wavered in his determination, in spite of all of the difficulties that he faced. He pursued the truth, ideals, and flawless moral character. He was righteous, kind, modest, and polite. He was loyal to the country and cared about the people. He greatly influenced his students and people of later generations. The following illustrates how Confucius guided his students to be true gentlemen.
Does a gentleman use a sword for self-defense?
When Zilu began following Confucius to study, Zilu was dressed in a fully-armed uniform to greet him. Upon meeting Confucius, Zilu pulled out his sword and exercised in front of him. Zilu asked, "Teacher, didn't ancient gentlemen use swords for self-defense, too?"
Confucius said, "Ancient gentlemen pursued loyalty and righteousness as their goal in life and used kindness for self-defense. They did not need to step out of their rooms to know about major affairs occurring a thousand miles away. They used loyalty and trust to inspire bad men and used righteousness and kindness to calm evildoers. What did they need to use a sword for?"
Zilu liked what he heard very much and sighed, "Alas, this is the first time I have heard this. I want to be a humble student of yours from now on."
Confucius planted the seeds of kindness in Zilu right at the outset of his studies. He was careful to ensure a good start. Zilu followed Confucius all the way until the end, and his mental level kept improving all the while.
