Voices of Justice

Protesting the Persecution and Killing

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Experiences in Fa-Rectification

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(Clearwisdom.net)

March 14, 2002 (News from Hong Kong) - To protest the Jiang regime's "Shoot to Kill" and "Killing without Pardon" orders, 4 Swiss Falun Gong practitioners started a 3-day hunger strike on the morning of March 14 in front of the Chinese Liaison Office. Twelve local Hong Kong practitioners joined the peaceful petition. At 1 p.m., Hong Kong police forcefully removed and detained all 16 practitioners. At present, the 4 Swiss practitioners have been released on bail, but the 12 Hong Kong practitioners are still in detention.

The following is a press statement issued by Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners on the incident:

March 14, 2002

To All Media,

On the Hong Kong police's forcible removal and detention of 4 Swiss Falun Gong practitioners and 12 local Falun Gong practitioners who were conducting a peaceful petition outside the Chinese Liaison Office today, Hong Kong Falun Gong spokesperson states:

Because the Mainland authorities recently issued an order of "killing without pardon" which was targeted at Falun Gong practitioners, four Swiss Falun Gong practitioners came to Hong Kong spontaneously to conduct a three-day hunger strike petition outside the Chinese Liaison Office. Their intention was to urgently appeal to conscionable governments, organizations and all kind-hearted people around the world for their immediate help to stop the Jiang Zemin regime's persecution against Falun Gong. They hoped to rescue the practitioners in Mainland who are facing grave danger. These practitioners conducted themselves in a peaceful manner and acted in accordance with the law. Their actions did not cause disturbance to the public. However, under the pressure coming from high above, after only four hours of the peaceful sit-in, the Hong Kong Police Department deployed dozens of police officers and used force to remove these peaceful practitioners. They also used force to remove local practitioners who were present and who questioned the legality of the police's action. Several practitioners were injured in the process. Regrettably, the actions taken by the Hong Kong police were entirely unnecessary, and were in fact crude and unreasonable.

Hong Kong has been a society where human rights are valued. People enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom of assembly as well as basic rights such as the right to petition peacefully. Falun Gong practitioners note that the Hong Kong Government and its various departments have accommodated petition activities that involved far more people and lasted much longer. However, when several Falun Gong practitioners were conducting a three-day peaceful hunger strike sit-in in an open, public area, they were subjected to such crude treatment. It is reasonable to believe that the Hong Kong Government has received pressure from the higher authorities in Mainland. It also makes one wonder whether the SAR Government is willing and capable of defending the rule of law in Hong Kong, safeguarding the traditional image of Hong Kong being a free, open society where human rights are respected.

We hope that the Hong Kong police can handle this incident fairly, and act in the spirit of the rule of law. We hope that the Hong Kong police will release all illegally detained practitioners, let them continue with their peaceful petition and exercise their legal rights.

(Clearwisdom.net)

News from Ireland March 13^th--After two years of illegal imprisonment in Beijing, Falun Gong practitioner Zhao Ming of Ireland was released on March 12^th, 2002, as a result of the many calls and great pressure from the international community.

Having endured two years of torture, Zhao Ming's body has been severely damaged, and he remains very weak. It has been confirmed that he was subjected to near constant beatings, electric baton shocks, forced heavy labor, and coercive brainwashing. He was under great pressure at all times to give up his faith, but he withstood these tests with his righteous beliefs solidly intact.

Zhao Ming's release is the result of numerous calls and overwhelming support from the international community. The Falun Dafa in Ireland Association would like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who unselfishly helped to bring about Zhao Ming's freedom.

We thank Trinity College Provost Professor John Hegarty and many other teachers, the Students' Union, the Graduate Students' Union (including the directors of these two unions, Jim Dowling, Elizabeth Drew, and Brown MacSharry). We thank the "Friends of Zhao Ming." We thank the government of Ireland, including the President Mary McAleese, the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Brian Cowen, the National Parliament (Oireachtas) and their members, each major Union, the Dublin City government, each County government and their members of Parliaments.

We thank the Government of the United Kingdom, the Parliament, and Lord Moyne. We thank the headquarters of Amnesty International in London along with its Irish Branch, the Dublin Central Group (Terry Butler and others), and other AI Branches. We thank the "Frontline" Human Rights Organization and its chair Madam Mary Lawlor. We thank the United Nations High Commissioner Mrs. Mary Robinson. We thank the European Commission and its members. We thank each European country's government. We thank the countless kindhearted individuals, known and unknown, who rose to the challenge!

The international community will continue to be concerned about Zhao Ming and help him safely return to Ireland to finish his studies. The overseas friends of Zhao Ming are also anticipating his return.

Zhao Ming entered the Department of Computer Science at Trinity College in Ireland as a graduate student in March 1999. He went back to China during Christmas of 1999 to appeal, hoping that the Chinese government would investigate the truth of Falun Gong and stop the ridiculous persecution. But he was illegally arrested, detained, and since May of 2000, he had been imprisoned in the Tuanhe Labor Camp in Daxing County, Beijing, until he was released yesterday.

Kindhearted people of the world are glad to hear that Zhao Ming is free. But we will continue to focus upon the Chinese government, demanding that it make the right choices in the future, that it stop its cruel persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China, and that it release all detained Falun Gong practitioners.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3/14/2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

Reports from China indicate that, although Ming has been released and is now being cared for by his family, he is very frail after the abuse he has suffered in the labour camp.

After contacting the Irish Foreign Affairs Office, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Dai Dongxue commented, "the Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Zhao Ming has been released". Later, Ms. Dai added, "I called the Chinese Embassy in Dublin, they also confirmed that he has been released. But we haven't been able to talk to his family yet, so we can't say he is really safe yet."

It has also been revealed that during the last few weeks of detainment, Ming's oppressors intensified the physical and mental torture against him. In relation to this, spokesperson for the European Falun Gong Information Centre, Mr. Brian Trought, commented that: "The news received about Ming's situation in TuanHe was horrific. We had previously heard that he had been deprived of sleep, endured beatings and electric shocks and other forms of torture. If it wasn't for the support from the Irish government and kind-hearted people, Ming might still be detained."

When questioned about the release, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing confirmed to The Irish Times that Zhao's "treatment" was complete and he had finished his "re-education."

Mr Trought also commented, "Ming's release is a clear indication that, under pressure, the Chinese government will release those who have been unjustly detained. It's time the international community spoke out and asked for the release of all Falun Gong practitioners and to stop the current shoot to kill policy being implemented by Jiang Zemin."

The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of over 375 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.

OTTAWA FILE IA02-30042

March 13, 2002

Honourable Bill Graham, PC, MP
Minister of Foreign Affairs
418-N Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6

Dear Bill,

I am writing to you to express my profound concern regarding human rights violations in China, specifically, the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. As I write this, a group of courageous Canadian Falun Gong practitioners is conducting a hunger strike on Parliament Hill to draw attention to the on-going persecution of the Falun Gong by Chinese authorities. According to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and many Canadian Falun Gong practitioners who have traveled to China, the Chinese government has been sponsoring a campaign against Falun Gong practitioners for the past two and a half years. The human rights violations appear in many forms: arbitrary arrests and confinements, torture, unlawful process, long term confinements without conviction or hearing, administrative penalties without a process of law, and frequently applied death penalty.

The situation in China has recently become even more critical as President Jiang Zamin is reported to have ordered a "Kill Without Mercy" policy against Falun Gong practitioners. Canada must not silently allow the Chinese government to perpetrate such crimes against its own citizens. I therefore urge you to protest these human rights abuses against Falun Gong practitioners to the Chinese authorities, and inform them of the concern that Canadians have for their repressive policies.

Furthermore, I would urge you to voice Canada's concerns with China's appalling human rights record at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights meeting in Geneva later this month. In the absence this year of an American resolution censuring China for its human rights violations, Canada has a moral obligation to initiate its own resolution to this effect. To do otherwise would risk Canada's international reputation as a champion of human rights and international law.

I look forward to your earliest reply to this important issue.

Sincerely yours,   Svend J Robinson, MP Burnaby-Douglas

SJR/ia

OTTAWA

March 12, 2002

The Honourable Bill Graham
Minister of foreign affairs
Lester B.Pearson Building, A-10
125 Sussex Drive

Ottawa ON K1A 0G2

Dear Minister:

For many years, China Government has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners. More over, Canadian Falun Gong practitioner went to China to denounce the attitude of this Government. At their arrival, they have been victims of violent actions and moreover, they suffered unacceptable human rights violations.

These practitioners have been practicing in Canada for years and they never harmed our Government. Why they could be a menace for China Government?

I call on your Government to condemn China's abuse of Canadian citizens and I request Canada to initiate a censure condemning China on its human rights record at the U.N. convention in Geneva this month.

There is no reason for such violations and deaths. These actions are not acceptable.

Sincerely,

Yvon Godin, MP

Acadie-Bathurst

/cc

Canadian Falun Dafa practitioners began gathering Wednesday morning on Parliament Hill (the federal government buildings of Canada) to begin a two-day fast in order to awaken people to the urgent situation in mainland China in which Jiang has ordered "Kill Them [Falun Gong practitioners] Without Mercy!" and "Shoot on Sight!" By Thursday morning, more than 100 Falun Dafa practitioners had joined the fast.

Throughout the persecution of Dafa, practitioners have always used the most peaceful and rational means to appeal, keeping in mind the best interest of society, other Dafa disciples, Dafa and themselves. The unprecedented benevolence and persistently peaceful approach even amidst horrendous evil persecution has moved the hearts of people around the world and has won awards, praise and enormous respect.

After the courageous TV broadcast in Changchun City of news positive about Dafa and the subsequent orders by the enraged Jiang to "Kill Without Mercy!" and "Shoot on Sight!" Dafa practitioners, Canadian practitioners discussed whether the usual means such as press conferences properly conveyed the seriousness of the situation in China. The practitioners decided to gather in Ottawa to make an urgent appeal. That such a peaceful, rational group of people began a fast at the steps of their government does not mean that they have changed their benevolent approach, it shows that the current evil persecution has reached a frighteningly critical state. The practitioners carried out the fast righteously and benevolently. Practitioners made their own sacrifices in order to awaken all beings to the urgency and the evil of the current persecution of Falun Dafa in China.

Dafa disciples prepared flyers, postcard petitions, signs and banners exposing Jiang's latest orders of "Kill Without Mercy!" and "Shoot on Sight!" They also held a press conference on Parliament Hill. Although Parliament Hill was covered with a layer of snow and ice, many practitioners stayed over night in the frigid Ottawa weather. Moved by the actions of Dafa disciples, this appeal gained much response from the Canadian government, media and public.

The press conference on Parliament Hill was attended by many media including Canadian Press, Ottawa's largest newspapers the Ottawa Citizen and the Ottawa Sun, Ottawa television stations CJOH, and the New RO as well as a Canadian nation-wide TV station, CTV, Chinese media CNA (Central News Agency) and Ming Bao. Several reporters stayed for over an hour to meet with practitioners. Even local media in Toronto, Victoria and Edmonton aired the story of the practitioners' hunger strike in Ottawa. On the second day, Chinese television station CFMT came and interviewed a practitioner.

Canadian Secretary of State for Asia, the Honourable David Kilgour, MP, was very moved by the practitioners' appeal and came out to personally meet the practitioners on the morning of the first day. He told them, "Do you know how impressive you are?" He shared with the practitioners that he knew a lot about Falun Gong and that the practitioners' actions were really amazing. He shook hands with practitioners, gave them his business card and invited practitioners to come meet with him. The next morning, he spent about 20 minutes meeting with practitioners. He said their action was very effective and that many people in the Foreign Affairs Department had been talking about it. His assistant also met with the practitioners for roughly an hour.

Member of Parliament and Foreign Affairs Critic, Mr. Svend Robinson was out of the country when practitioners began their fast on Parliament Hill. However, when he read the statement by Dafa practitioners about their fast, he took the time to write a full-page letter to the Prime Minister about it the very same day. He wrote about the seriousness of the persecution of Falun Gong, the urgency of the new order from President Jiang and the "group of courageous Canadian Falun Gong practitioners" holding a hunger strike on Parliament Hill. His letter concluded, "Canada has a moral obligation to initiate its own resolution to this effect [ a UN resolution condemning China for its human rights abuses such as those against Falun Gong]. To do otherwise would risk Canada's international reputation as a champion of human rights and international law." His assistant came out to personally deliver the letter to practitioners on Parliament Hill and he expressed solidarity with them. The assistant informed the practitioners that Mr. Robinson would travel to the upcoming UN Human Rights meeting in Geneva and personally lobby the Canadian government to condemn China's persecution of Falun Gong.

Member of Parliament Yvon Gordin sent a letter to practitioners on the first day of the fast as well, calling on the Foreign Affairs Minister to condemn the persecution of Falun Gong. He wrote, "I call on your Government to condemn China's abuse of Canadian citizens and I request Canada to initiate a censure condemning China on its human rights record at the U.N. convention in Geneva this month. There is no reason for such violations and deaths. These actions are not acceptable."

The practitioners visited the office of the Prime Minister Jean Chretien on the first day to deliver a letter. One staff member from the Prime Minister's office came out to meet the practitioners. He shook hands with the practitioners who explained the purpose of their appeal and the urgent situation in China. He accepted the practitioners' letter to the Prime Minister.

Member of Parliament Scott Reid, along with his assistant, took time out of their busy schedule to come out and meet the practitioners and express support. He spoke with the practitioners and encouraged their efforts. He made the time to meet the practitioners with the intention of joining their press conference.

Member of Parliament Rob Anders came in the afternoon of the first day to meet the practitioners and offer his support. He made a short speech in support of the practitioners' actions. He even returned after-hours with a friend and introduced his friend to the practitioners fasting on Parliament Hill.

One organization came and told the practitioners that they would like to post information about the practitioners' appeal on their web site which reaches over 1700 academics in Canada who are concerned with human rights. A lady from Amnesty International also came in the evening and stayed with the practitioners for about an hour and talked with them and showed support.

A professor who heard about the practitioners' fast offered to help make a web site specifically for this urgent appeal campaign and share it with universities across the country.

On the evening of the first day, the practitioners held a candle vigil on Parliament Hill. It was covered by the local TV station.

On the second day, the practitioners continued with their fast on Parliament Hill. In the afternoon, roughly 100 practitioners marched from Parliament Hill to the Foreign Affairs office. They were met by two people from the Foreign Affairs Department who accepted a letter on behalf of the practitioners.

The practitioners continued their march to the Chinese Embassy.

At around 7:00pm they returned to Parliament Hill to conclude the 36-hour fast.

The old forces arranged modern society such that people have the notion, "There is so much injustice in the world and there is nothing we can do about it." People consider inaction acceptable and inevitable. It has also been arranged that speaking out against human rights abuses is seen as a political issue. However, because of these notions some everyday people have treated the persecution of Falun Dafa in this way and these notions have restrained beings from creating a more wonderful future for themselves by supporting Dafa. The purpose of the event was not to pressure the Canadian government. Dafa disciples used their own sacrifices to awaken peoples' hearts to what is right. We also let the Chinese government know and the whole world know that Falun Gong is an issue for every nation, it is not only a Chinese issue.

Ottawa, Canada

March 13, 2002

Today, we have gathered at Ottawa's Parliament Hill in a symbolic fast without food for 36 hours. We are calling the immediate attention of our government, kind-hearted people, NGOs and the international community toward what is now a state of critical emergency and urgent crisis in the most severe escalation of violence thus far in the two years and eight months of brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China. Voices from Canada are urgently needed.

Following a surprise March 5 evening television broadcast of programs supportive of Falun Gong in northeastern China, a furious president Jiang Zemin ordered a series of executions targeting all persons involved as well as numerous other practitioners of Falun Gong throughout China. Jiang is said to have ordered, "Kill them without mercy," immediately following the event. Other cities and provinces across China have now reportedly compiled, following the president's command, lists of specific Falun Gong practitioners to execute. Over 100 Falun Gong practitioners in Changchun City have already been kidnapped and their whereabouts are now unknown.

Further evidence of the sharp escalation of persecution is indicated by a separate order handed down by top level Chinese officials shortly before the television broadcast, instructing police to openly shoot Falun Gong practitioners in the streets who are seen putting up banners or handing out flyers. This order is unprecedented even for a regime that shows absolutely no regard for human rights. The order was handed down without any adherence to legislative process. This amoral action demonstrates clearly and unequivocally the campaign of State Terrorism being conducted by the Jiang Zemin regime against innocent practitioners of Falun Gong.

At least three shooting cases have already been reported. On February 12, the first day of the Chinese New Year, Mishan City policeman Du Yongshan discovered Falun Gong practitioner Jiang Honglu posting Falun Gong literature at around 2 a.m. The policeman reportedly opened fire, and Jiang's leg was broken in the incident. On February 16, in Anshan City, police opened fire on three Falun Gong practitioners. One of the men was struck twice, the first bullet traveling straight through his upper thigh, the other grazing his face. Photographs of one shooting victim have been posted on www.faluninfo.net.

It has been two years and eight months since the persecution of Falun Gong started in China. When the persecution of Falun Gong began, practitioners initially adopted the standard means outlined in the Chinese Constitution of visiting Appeals Offices to present their case, petitioning the government to stop persecuting innocent people. Practitioners clarified to the Chinese government Falun Gong's truly peaceful, beneficial and apolitical nature. When Falun Gong practitioners were denied this right to appeal and when Appeals Offices became gates to labour camps (Amnesty International reported Appeals Offices even taking down their signs), Falun Gong practitioners then appealed peacefully for international support to resolve the situation. As the persecution in China escalated and harsh violence and torture was officially sanctioned and became prevalent, Falun Gong practitioners approached NGO's, human rights groups and the public for support. Through every step and every escalation of violence, Falun Dafa practitioners have used peaceful and rational means to appeal for an end to the persecution, keeping in mind the interest of society, the government and their own safety.

The peacefulness and determination of Falun Dafa practitioners has been acknowledged with successive Nobel Peace Prize nominations the past two years, awards from the United States' oldest human rights organization, Freedom House, the praise of law enforcement and governments around the world, hundreds of proclamations from Mayors and other government officials and the support of millions of people throughout society. Falun Dafa practitioners have achieved this because their pursuit is not for political power or self-interest but rather to espouse and protect the very values that Falun Dafa has brought to us--namely the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Falun Dafa practitioners in China and around the world strive to uphold and protect these principles, dedicating their lives so that future generations may also benefit from the virtuous teachings of Falun Dafa.

Falun Dafa practitioners in China are now being shot in the streets and summary executions have been ordered. What appropriate avenue of appeal remains? This is why a peaceful, patient and rational group of people is now fasting at the steps of our capital: to demonstrate the urgency and the severity of the most severe escalation of violence against Falun Gong practitioners since the persecution began.

On March 18^th the UN Summit on Human Rights in Geneva will convene. If this inhuman persecution of Falun Gong, which has now reached unconscionable levels of ruthlessness and barbarity, is allowed to escape official condemnation, it will be an eternal stain on our world's history and a perpetual and deep shame to all UN member countries. Tabling a motion to censure China for these atrocities is not an option or a matter of choice; it is an absolute responsibility of the entire international community. It is also fundamental for Canada's future perception as a nation that upholds basic human rights and cherishes the basic values of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, which are espoused by Falun Dafa.

We call on our Canadian government to initiate a resolution that condemns and censures China for its persecution of Falun Gong at the UN meeting beginning in Geneva next week. We appeal to all people to help stop president Jiang Zemin's "Shoot on Sight" and "Kill Without Mercy" orders and to rescue Falun Gong practitioners who are suffering persecution in China.

We participate in this 36 hour symbolic fast in the hopes that it may awaken your hearts and inspire you to do what is right.

We, the over 100 Canadian Falun Gong practitioners currently on hunger strike on Parliament Hill, urgently appeal to our Government with all our heart and body:

1. Issue an official and public statement or resolution to express the Canadian government¡¯s strong condemnation against the recent ¡^oShoot on sight¡± and ¡^oKill without Mercy¡± orders towards Falun Gong practitioners issued by the Chinese President.

2. Initiate a resolution that strongly and specifically condemns the persecution of Falun Dafa in China at the annual meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, starting on March 18, 2002 in Geneva.

Please note a general human rights resolution will not protect Falun Dafa practitioners in China. The Chinese president has groundlessly stated that ¡^oeliminating¡± Falun Gong is improving China¡¯s human rights.

3. Stop China¡¯s misuse of their diplomatic immunity to incite hatred against Falun Gong amongst our fellow Canadians, via holding hate exhibitions and circulating hate literature to various levels of our Canadian society, etc. Directly communicate that such conduct violates our Canadian Constitution, regardless if it takes place inside or outside the Chinese Embassy or Consulates in Canada.

The above will serve to benefit all Canadian and Chinese people, and leave a dignified example for future generation. We trust our government will have the insight and courage to do what is right.

We are eagerly looking forward to seeing the results of these noble actions.

Sincerely,

All Falun Dafa practitioners on hunger strike on Parliament Hill.

CC: All MPs and Senators, NGOs, the media

Thursday, March 14, 2002

Huaixin Pan participates in yesterday's Falun Gong demonstration on Parliament Hill. At least 80 individuals meditated as they began a 36-hour hunger strike.

Spread across the grounds of Parliament Hill, at least 80 Falun Gong practitioners meditated together yesterday as they began a 36-hour hunger strike in an attempt to obtain Canada's help in stopping what the protesters say is a plan by China's president to kill more innocent people.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a peaceful self-improvement practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. It's an ancient art, but it wasn't introduced to the Chinese public until 1992. At least 70 million people practised Falun Gong in China until the government began persecuting its practitioners in 1999, said Zenon Dolnyckyj, who initiated the hunger strike in Ottawa.

Protesters alleged that the Chinese government had imprisoned and killed promoters of Falun Gong over the years, but said the situation has worsened badly in the past two weeks, claiming President Jiang Zemin had instituted a "kill them without mercy" policy to police who find anyone practising Falun Gong.

Mr. Dolnyckyj, a Toronto resident, said sources in China risked their lives to send information to Falun Gong supporters in Canada, and photographs of injured people lined the walkway to Parliament Hill yesterday.

"Canada can do something about this," Mr. Dolnyckyj said. "It's our duty as a country that respects human rights."

He said the Canadian government should demand a stop to the persecution in China when the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights starts in Geneva on Monday.

A news conference was held yesterday afternoon during the strike, after which several Falun Gong supporters delivered a letter to the office of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Canadian Alliance MP Scott Reid also made an appearance during the news conference.

A candlelight vigil was held last night in front of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.

© Copyright 2002 The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=5898B2B2-956D-428B-A878-1AEE2 B529E4A

(Clearwisdom.net) On March 10, 2002, more than 50 Falun Gong practitioners in Japan gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy and appealed to Jiang's regime to immediately revoke the "Shoot-to-Kill" order against Falun Gong practitioners. Dafa practitioners sent forth their righteous thoughts to eradicate evil and defeat the Jiang regime's plots. In the meantime, we call for all governments around the world, the international human rights organizations, the media and all kind-hearted people to take immediate action to stop the Jiang regime's atrocities.

Simone Schlegel (C), a Falun Gong practitioner from Switzerland, meditates while a local practitioner (L) is taken away by the police during a hunger strike outside a Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong, March 14, 2002. A group of Swiss Falun Gong protested with local followers on Thursday, urging an end to Chinese suppression of the banned spiritual movement. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020314/170/19673.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020314/170/1967l.html

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020314/168/195qt.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/020314/168/195qy.html

Thursday March 14, 5:35 PM

Hong Kong police detain Swiss Falun Gong members - Swiss Falun Gong practitioners meditate outside a Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong on March 14. Police detained 16 Falun Gong followers, including four from Switzerland. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police on Thursday detained 16 [practitioners of] Falun Gong spiritual movement, including four from Switzerland, after they staged a protest against Beijing's [persecution] on the group.

Police dragged the protesters kicking and screaming into waiting vans after they ignored warnings to move their protest away from the front of Beijing's representative office in the territory.

"They were detained for causing obstruction in a public place," a police spokeswoman said. No charges have been laid.

The protest is the first in months in Hong Kong by Western members of the group, though there have been a string of such demonstrations in Beijing, where people have been detained and then promptly expelled after a night in custody.

Dressed in the movement's trademark yellow t-shirts, the four Swiss members said earlier that Beijing appeared to have stepped up its [persecution] on the group after some members [used] state television in the Chinese city of Changchun last week to show a protest film.

"Over 100 practitioners in Changchun have been arrested since March 5, facing grave danger," said Eric Bachmann, who was later taken away by police.

Falun Gong members in New York issued a statement last week saying that Chinese President Jiang Zemin had ordered authorities to execute those responsible for the Changchun incident and other prominent Falun Gong members following the TV protest.

China banned the Falun Gong in 1999 after thousands of followers shocked leaders with a protest at their Beijing leadership compound to demand official recognition of their faith.

[...]

It is still legal in Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in mid-1997 but retained a high degree of autonomy.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/reuters/asia-94858.html

March 13, 2002

OTTAWA (CP) -- A small group of Falun Gong members began a 36-hour fast on Parliament Hill on Wednesday to protest repression of their [group] in China.  Protest organizers claim Chinese police have been given orders to shoot anyone handing out or posting Falun Gong flyers, and that four devotees have already been shot.

[...]  Protest organizer Jillian Ye called on Canadians to speak out for freedom of religion, as about three dozen supporters meditated and performed relaxation exercises on the lawn of Parliament.

 "The Communist regime is an atheist regime and they fear any type of thinking that is different than theirs," Ye said. "But there's no reason for this persecution."

 Ye said the [Jiang's regime] feels threatened by Falun Gong because it has become immensely popular.

 She added that Chinese government may be seeking to distract public attention from social problems such as corruption and unemployment by demonizing the Falun Gong.

[...]

http://www.canoe.ca/NationalTicker/CANOE-wire.Falun-Gong.html

Monday, March 11, 2002

A few days ago Chinese authorities turned the power of the state against a small home for the aged in a suburb of Beijing. This nursing home, this threat to order and stability in the People's Republic of China, provided shelter to nine men and women in their eighties and nineties, a blind man and a disabled man.

The leader of the home, himself a septuagenarian, had officiated at a small Christian service under a tent outside the house. And so police cut off the electricity, levied a large fine and threatened to cut off the water too unless the house evicted its residents and shut down.

You read such stories -- this one was reported in the New York Times -- and it's not so much the arbitrariness and petty cruelty that get your attention. Far greater numbers have suffered far more harshly at the hands of China's Communists.

What takes your breath away instead is the sheer insecurity of China's rulers. They bully a bunch of helpless old invalids, and you think: Why are they so afraid?

This is, after all, the world's most populous country, one of its oldest and greatest civilizations, by universal acclamation a rising power, with an economy that grows by an officially reported 7 percent or 8 percent every year. Yet its leaders seem spooked by shadows. The State Department's annual report on human rights in China, released last week, is dispassionate in its language, but from its dry recitations of detentions, tortures, exiles and house arrests a list of enemies of the state emerges that is breathtaking in its scope and in their mildness: Tibetan musicologists, elderly Catholic bishops, peacefully protesting relatives of Tiananmen massacre victims, American academics, muckraking journalists, Falun Gong [practitioners] who only want to practice their spiritual breathing exercises.

Of the three most monstrous totalitarian experiments of the 20th century, only one survived into the 21st without a change of ruling party. The Nazis were defeated from outside, the Soviet Union by internal rebellion. The Communists of China meanwhile held onto power by abandoning their ideology, permitting more personal freedom and ruthlessly suppressing any challenge, real or imagined, to their political control.

In some ways their efforts have succeeded. Recovering from the lunatic years of forced collectivization and Cultural Revolution, China has regained a large measure of normality. Freer to choose their spouses, their professions and their places of residence, millions of Chinese have responded by creating new wealth and finding areas of personal fulfillment where the state no longer interferes.

But in embracing greed as a motivating force without accepting an impartial rule of law as a moderating influence, China has opened itself to a danger that its leaders may not be able to control: corruption, described in a recent Post report from the northeast city of Shenyang as "the rot that has infected the Chinese state."

No political system is immune to graft, theft and influence-peddling; stories from democratic datelines such as Rome, Tokyo or Annapolis tell you that from time to time elected officials can compete with all but the most brazen authoritarian ones in ripping off the public. But those stories also tell you that, over time, the mechanisms of democracy -- elections, checks and balances, a free press -- tend to make the system self-correcting.

The same isn't clearly so in China. Post correspondent John Pomfret's report from Shenyang portrays Communist Party officials looting the public treasury without fear. A deputy mayor gambled away $4 million in public funds in Macao and Las Vegas. "Corruption in Shenyang involved almost every government department and ran the gamut from smuggling, to buying and selling official positions, to stealing farmland for big development projects, to rigging construction contracts, to basic theft from government coffers," Pomfret found.

But even when the crime became so uncontrolled that authorities in Beijing had to act, there was no clean sweep. Though some officials were fired, most of the party apparatus in Shenyang was untouched, while whistleblowers went to jail: a journalist, sentenced to nine years; a 71-year-old retired official, sent to a labor camp for two. In the end, there's no way to combine real accountability with one-party rule.

Which brings you back to the fear at the top. As China's leaders wrestle with corruption and other problems of development, such as unemployment, rising expectations, fraying social safety nets and rural poverty, they will continually struggle to justify rule by a Communist Party that no longer believes in communism.

One possible outcome is that they will lose control, and China will fracture in some way or become increasingly lawless; anyone even sketchily familiar with Chinese history can only shudder at that prospect. A second possibility is the development of something like national socialism, in which the party maintains its control by manipulating hyper-nationalism and foreign expansion: Shudder again.

If a third, more welcome option of political liberalization is ever to become imaginable, it will depend on a thickening of civic society -- on precisely the kinds of people that the party is continually silencing, and the kinds of organizations that it will not tolerate. Those who speak out on behalf of such victims are routinely vilified by China's government as unpatriotic and "anti-Chinese." But they are the true patriots, for they understand that China's hope rests in Christian preachers, environmental activists, union organizers and everyone else unafraid of bullies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5779-2002Mar10.html

From The Far Eastern Economic Review

Intelligence

Discomfort Inn for Falun Gong

Security sweeps in Beijing's high-end international hotels are thought to be a thing of the past. But worries over the banned spiritual group,Falun Gong, weighed so heavily during the annual meeting of the National People's Congress that security officials searched and nearly emptied a new Canadian-invested four-star hotel. On March 8, a few hours after Australian Falun Gong members were deported for trying to unfurl a banner, Public Security and State Security officers searched guest rooms at the Comfort Inn and Suites in the diplomatic Sanlitun district. Most guests at the brand new facility were asked to move to a neighbouring hotel. Staffers told guests the hotel was singled out because American members of Falun Gong had stayed there in February and protested in Tiananmen Square. In a letter, the hotel later apologized.

Whose Rights?

China may escape censorship of its human-rights record when the United Nations Commission on Human Rights meets in Geneva from March 18-April 25, according to diplomats and human-rights activists. The United States, which has sponsored resolutions condemning China on human rights, lost its seat on the commission last year and must find a new sponsor of a resolution. On March 12, 18 senators and representatives urged President George W. Bush to approve a U.S. drive for a resolution on human rights in China. Last year, China used a "no action" procedural motion to prevent the U.S. resolution from coming to a vote.

----

FALUN GONG

The banned Falun Gong spiritual group [used] a state cable-television network in a northeastern city to show a 45-minute film protesting against a government [persecution] on its followers. State television broadcasts in Changchun were interrupted on March 5 by a tape showing the Falun Gong's U.S.-based leader, Li Hongzhi, and a documentary-style film accusing the government of staging the self-immolation of alleged adherents in Tiananmen Square last year. It was one of the most daring protests staged by the Falun Gong.

(Clearwisdom.net) A few days ago, I read a report on Clearwisdom.net about the evil police shooting Dafa practitioners. I noticed a detail: when the police shot at a Dafa practitioner, a bullet hit him in the nose but miraculously bounced off. An everyday person can never understand such a thing. However, from the report, the practitioner maintained strong righteous thoughts even though his leg had already been wounded by a previous gunshot, and he raised his hand to send forth righteous thoughts towards the evil policeman. Therefore, it is not unbelievable that such a miracle could happen, because Master said, "However strong the righteous thoughts are, that's how great the power is." (Also in a Few Words)

In fact, similar miracles have happened repeatedly recently, especially after Master imparted to us the Fa rectification verses. In many cases, handcuffs cannot restrain genuine Dafa practitioners, and practitioners can scale walls no matter how high they are. However, on the other hand, every day numerous persecution cases are reported on the Internet in which many practitioners were severely beaten and injured. Some practitioners obeyed orders from the police when being detained and abused. Some could not endure the brutal persecution and wrote "guarantee letters" under high pressure. All these occurrences are thought provoking. Here, I'd like to share a little bit of my own understanding from the perspective of righteous thoughts, leaving other factors aside.

I have heard and seen how some practitioners passively endured the torture when they were brutally beaten. Some clenched their teeth and bore it in a human manner. Some even cried and shouted when they could not bear the pain. Actually, they forgot that they are Dafa practitioners, and that the gong they cultivate and their bodies in other dimensions are indestructible and can restrain all evil. They should not and could not be tortured to such a severe degree by a handful of minor ghosts. Teacher does not acknowledge any of the arrangements made by the old forces, or the persecution of practitioners in the name of "testing Dafa disciples." I came to understand that this was to tell us how we should behave as Dafa practitioners, and that we should not passively endure. This is "something beyond everyday people, there must be a higher principle and standard for practitioners" (Zhuan Falun). When facing the evil's persecution, if we treat it totally with an everyday person's method and mindset, how can miracles happen?

What is really manipulating the evil people to beat and persecute Dafa disciples are those evil old forces who follow the deviated principles. Their pretext is that our practitioners "are still not up to standard," therefore the persecution needs to be stepped up. If the practitioners continue to endure in the everyday people's way and cannot treat themselves as cultivators, isn't this as good as providing the evils with an excuse to escalate the persecution? "Everything that the evil has done has actually targeted the attachments and fears that you have not let go of" ("Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s)"). In fact, the evil can see our attachments and fears clearly from other dimensions. We should, on one hand, send forth righteous thoughts to resist all of their arrangements, so even if we have attachments, the evil is not allowed to use them to persecute us. On the other hand, we should always remember that we are noble Dafa disciples and our conduct must be upright under any circumstance, especially under persecution. In this way, our divine side will be in action. Even when the evil people come close to us, they dare not do bad things, and they may even be unable to move because the evil elements that manipulate them will either be scared away or be dissolved by our field of righteous thoughts.

Another issue is, when we are crying and shouting in pain, why do we forget to call for help from Master? In whatever painful trial we are enduring, Dafa disciples should at least remember that they are Master's disciples and should remember to ask Him for help. No opportunity should be given to the old evil forces to say, "Look, are they acting like Dafa disciples? They are not even remembering their own Master." Of course, this is a different issue from the attachment of calling on Master whenever one encounters a problem, major or minor.

When it comes down to it, it is just like Master said, "As a Dafa disciple, why fear the evil ones when enduring persecution? The crux of the matter is that you have attachments. If not, do not endure passively, and face the evil people with righteous thoughts at all times" ("Dafa Disciples' Righteous Thoughts are Powerful").

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

March 11^th 2002

(Clearwisdom.net) In the afternoon of March 2^nd during the Indonesian Falun Dafa conference, a spy, sent by the Chinese embassy, came to the parade site with a camcorder in his hand and started filming the parade team.

At that moment, someone suggested that we film his act of spying. Three practitioners went over and focused their camcorders on him. He immediately turned his back to the practitioners but at the same time also put down his camcorder. And when some practitioners tried to go closer, he turned back and forth trying to avoid being filmed. Upon hearing that the Chinese embassy had sent a spy here, the local media all went to focus on him. He became ashamed and later left.

Those who persecute Dafa are afraid of being exposed. When all kinds of long and short lenses focus on them, they worry that their faces might appear in the media or even on a list of criminals. Our camera lenses, in this way, can promote Dafa. They can also suppress anyone who approaches us with evil intentions. Overseas, quite a few spies secretly film us at our practice sites or when we spread Dafa. It's also wise for us to suppress evil-doers using our camcorders and other equipment.

(Clearwisdom.net)

In order to clarify the truth to the people in China, I telephoned some police departments, media, and government departments in Mainland China to clarify the truth. Because the parties I call sometimes think it is a recorded message, they usually share what is said on the telephone call with their co-workers in the same office while they are listening. When I say one sentence, the other party repeats it. Sometimes they express their amazement with such comments as: "Falun Gong is so powerful. They called here!" "How do they know our number?" "Listen to what they said! The heavenly principles do not allow the persecution of Falun Gong." "We have not persecuted Falun Gong."

One day, I called the TV news center of a certain province. The first time I dialed and got through, the other party hung up the phone out of fear when they heard it was Falun Gong. I started sending forth righteous thoughts and continued to dial. The second time the call went through, the other party picked up the phone and listened silently. They said at last, "I understand." Just at the moment when I hung up the phone, I heard another person picking it up at the other end, but I could not stop in time. In order to be responsible to every single life, I dialed the number a third time. It was indeed another person as expected. I patiently clarified the truth repeatedly until the other party hung up.

(Clearwisdom.net)

• [Beijing] Call for Release of Dafa Practitioners on a Hunger Strike for 33 Days in Beijing's Congwen District Detention Center
• [Nanpi City, Hebei Province] Illegal Sentencing of Dafa Practitioners
• [Anhui Province] Officials Convene a Meeting to Plot Another Round of Persecution of Falun Gong
• [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] Please Pay Attention to the Situation of Dafa Practitioner Duan Xiaodong from the Development District
• [China] Greetings to Those Fellow Practitioners Who Use Television to Let People Know the Truth
• [Shanxi Province] Practitioners from a Certain City widely Distribute Truth-Clarifying Discs, Terrifying the Evil Forces
• [Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province] We Hope the International Community Helps Investigate the Case of Dafa Practitioner Zhang Tao's Disappearance
• [Yingcheng City, Hubei Province] Kidnapping of Dafa Practitioner Yan Sanming
• [Dingxing County, Hebei Province] Criminal Facts of the Brainwashing Class
• [Qianjiang City, Hubei Province] Vicious Thugs Who Kidnap Dafa Practitioners Receive Retribution on the Spot
• [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Falun Dafa Practitioners Illegally Detained in Wangjia Hospital have been on a Hunger Strike for More Than 110 Days
• [Jixi City, Helongjiang Province] Lawless Officials Extort Money from Practitioners
• [Tieling City, Liaoning Province] Another Persecution Case Against Dafa Practitioners in the Qinghe District
• [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Exposing Longshan Female Forced Labor Camp's Maltreatment of Dafa Practitioners
• [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Seven Dafa Practitioners are in Critical Condition Due to the Persecution suffered in the Changlinzi Forced Labor Camp
• [Wudalianchi City, Heilongjiang Province] Partial Details about Persons from the "610 Office" who are Extorting Huge Sums of Money

?/P>

[Beijing] Call for Release of Dafa Practitioners on a Hunger Strike for 33 Days in Beijing's Congwen District Detention Center

My wife and I both are Dafa practitioners. On February 4, 2002, when my wife passed by Tiananmen Square, she was interrogated and forcibly taken away in police vehicle. After I looked for her for a long time, I eventually found out that my wife was detained in the Congwen District's Detention Center and that she was identified by the number T235. She has not eaten or drunk for 33 days and her life is in extreme danger. I talked with Zhang Hongwei, the director of the detention center, several times, but he has refused to release her. I hope people from all walks of life and human rights organizations are able to provide help.

Telephone Number of Congwen District's Police Department: 011-86-10-67563334

Telephone Number of the Duty Office of Congwen District's Police Department: 011-86-67563334 ext. 3219

Director of Congwen District' Detention Center: Zhang Hongwei

On November 23, 2001, Dafa practitioners Liu Peisheng, Chang Shouxuan, Liu Zhonghua, and Li Yanzhong were illegally sentenced to imprisonment on May 22 and August 7, 2001, respectively, after two "public trials," which actually no one attended. Liu Peisheng and Chang Shouxuan were sentenced to five years and three years imprisonment, respectively. Liu Zhonghua and Li Yanzhong were sentenced to two years.

According to reliable sources, the Anhui Provincial Committee is about to convene a meeting with all responsible personnel in every city and district to discuss further persecution of Falun Gong. One important focus of the meeting is to brainwash those practitioners forced to attend this class with the videos, pictures, and booklets that frame and slander Falun Gong, and plot a new scheme to persecute Falun Gong.

Address of Anhui Province People's Government: 221 Changjiang Street, Hefei City

Telephone Number: 011-86-551-2601113, 011-86-551-2601114

Governor; Xu Zhonglin

Director of Provincial Party Committee: Wang Taihua

In September 2001, Mr. Duan Xiaodong, a Dafa practitioner from Dalian City's Exploitation District, was illegally detained in this District's Detention Center because of posting Dafa truth-clarifying materials. In order to protest the illegal detention and persecution, Mr. Duan has already been on a hunger strike for 37 days. Only when his life was in extreme danger did officials in the detention center allow his family to take him home for treatment because they didn't want to take any responsibility if anything happened to him.

On November 28, 2001, policemen from the Harbin Street Police Precinct in the Development District broke into Mr. Duan Xiaodong's home and illegally detained him again for further persecution. Now three months have passed. Mr. Duan's situation is still unknown. The suffering and hardship brought about by such atrocities is unimaginable for everyday persons. We sincerely hope international human rights organizations and kind-hearted people will pay attention to this issue and work together to stop the ruling Chinese dictator's terrorism.

We would like to express our respect to those fellow practitioners, especially the practitioners from Changchun City, who use television to let people know the truth and expose the evil. Your faith in Dafa, your righteous thoughts and all the righteous behavior you cultivated from Dafa have turned you into guardian gods. With your mercy and wisdom, you break the evil's darkness and let the saintly and great Buddha light illuminate everything.

All of us practitioners are proud of your great deeds! Let's send forth righteous thoughts together to eliminate all the evils. Greetings to you again!

Practitioners from China

In recent Fa-rectification activities, practitioners from a city in Shanxi Province saved people from lies by widely distributing truth-clarifying CDs. Just around the Spring Festival they distributed tens of thousand truth-clarifying discs in one district, which effectively cleared away the lies with which the evil indoctrinates innocent people and frightened the vicious forces. Recently, the vicious forces have intensified the persecution and some truth-clarifying material centers were destroyed. Many practitioners who had access to the Internet were arrested. The vicious forces were attempting to find out the source of these discs. We hope all the practitioners send forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evils.

Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhang Tao, 53 years old, used to be an employee of Shuangcheng City's Cement Factory. Since October 2001 when he went to Harbin City, there has been no information about him. Later it was found that policemen from Harbin City's Station arrested him. After Mr. Zhang Tao was illegally arrested, no one informed his family, and nobody knows his whereabouts or whether or not he is alive.

In early June 2001, Mr. Yan Sanming, a Dafa practitioner from Yingcheng City, Hubei Province, was illegally detained by policemen at the First Detention Center because he distributed truth-clarifying material. Before the Spring Festival of 2002, Mr. Yan Sanming went on a hunger strike to protest the illegal, long-term detention. On January 27 he was released because his life was in danger. On March 1, when Mr. Yan Sanming was sleeping at home, policemen from the Yingcheng Police Department together with the guards from the security section of Hubei Province's No. 728 Salt Factory broke into his room and gagged him with gauze. Then several policemen kidnapped him and forcibly carried him into a car. Now his whereabouts are unknown. The kidnapper provided no warrants for Mr. Yan Sanming home invasion or subsequent abduction.

Names and numbers of some persons related to these injustices:

Wu Yifa, director of the Hubei Province's 728 Salt Factory

Zhu Anming, leader of the security section

Telephone exchange: 86-712-3511151£¬86-712-3511152

The "Education and Transformation Class" in Dingxing County, Hebei Province, founded last year, was actually a brainwashing class especially for persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Most of the people there were forcibly detained.

Falun Gong practitioners detained there were usually forced to write the "four statements" which must be checked by personnel from the "610 Office. " The county government authorities or the "divisions" practitioners belonged to had to bail them out. Each practitioner had to pay 2,000 Yuan [500 Yuan is the average monthly income in rural areas of China] in "tuition fees and cost of living" every month and had to take part in the overtime army training every day. The guards, daily, carried electric batons or hard rubber batons. They brutally beat or punished those who did not completely obey them. The first "test" for all new detainees was a beating with rubber batons and electric batons. Director Li Ping even said that it was just a way to "settle" the practitioners in, in case they didn't obey them. Anyone didn't follow their instructions would be hung up in the "self-reflection room." He even threatened that anyone who disclosed that practitioners were beaten in the brainwashing class would be continually tortured. His superior even rewarded his criminal behavior because he brutally tortured practitioners. Those who refused to give up the practice of Falun Dafa would be further tortured and sent to a forced labor camp.

Several days before December 26, 2001 of the Chinese lunar calendar, banners reading, "Falun Dafa is good" were all over some streets in Haokou Town, Qianjiang City, which effectively suppressed the local evil. On December 26, Li Junhua, director of the local security committee, along with a person named Dong, deputy director of Haokou Police Department and three roughnecks went to practitioner Mr. Chen Biliang's home and attempted to forcibly take him away.

Mr. Chen Biliang didn't cooperate with the illegal arrest, so the thugs beat him. Li Junhua, director of the local security committee, violently threw Mr. Chen's mother to the ground. Mr. Chen's mother immediately sat in the lotus position and sent forth righteous thoughts. At the same time, Mr. Chen, his father and brother, who are all Dafa practitioners, sent forth righteous thoughts together to eliminate all evil that interferes with the Fa. Li Junhua got retribution on the spot. He squatted on the ground in pain and spit white foam from his mouth. The other four roughnecks were stunned and quietly stood there.

However, these thugs didn't understand the lesson. They called Qianjiang City's Police Department and asked for five more policemen to help. A total of ten policemen took Dafa practitioner Mr. Chen Biliang away. Mr. Chen has been illegally detained until now. At present, about a dozen practitioners, including Liu Ping, are still being illegally detained.

I have been detained in the Wanjia Forced Labor Camp Hospital for more than three months, and the persecutions against Dafa practitioners have never ceased here. Recently, another scandal was heard from Wanjia Forced Labor Camp that five Dafa practitioners were driven to the brink of hanging themselves. Fortunately, no one died. This incident completely exposed the truth of the brutal persecution of Dafa practitioners in this camp. Officials in the labor camp and in the provincial police bureau were in a panic. They came to interview and videotape us many times. We kept our righteous thoughts and did what we should do. They were especially afraid of the news spreading and they interrogated our families many times about the letters written before we tried to hang ourselves. They also detained us in solitary confinement and watched us closely. Director Shi Yingbai often said to us, "You guys made the Wanjia Hospital infamous again."

When practitioners Zhao Xiru, He Miao and others were interrogated, they validated Dafa with determination. Though the situation is very tough, we do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts. Although Teacher's articles were confiscated and we were isolated from the outside, we are Dafa particles and resolutely refused to compromise with the evil.

The situation of practitioners' protest of the persecution at Wanjia Hospital: Three or four practitioners have always been on a hunger strike to request unconditional release. At the same time, we didn't cooperate with injections and resisted the persecution. Whenever the persecution intensified, we collectively staged a hunger strike. Up to now, there are still five practitioners on the hunger strike. Among them, He Miao (from Bayan County) and Ding Yanhong (from Mulan County) have been on hunger strike for more than 110 days. In addition, practitioners Wang Yuzhi, Wang Liyan, and Liu Limei began to launch a hunger strike during the Spring Festival. At present, there are nine Dafa practitioners in the hospital.

At around 10 p.m. on September 2, 2001, policemen from Jidong County's Hada Police Department arrested practitioner Mr. Sun Guihua again, because they learned that he had written the banners spreading Dafa that were posted by other practitioners. Lawless policeman Sun Nan led Liu Haijun, a village official, and two others broke into Mr. Sun Guihua's home and took away Dafa books. They destroyed Mr. Sun's small shop and took him to the police department. They asked Mr. Sun to reveal the names of other practitioners, but Mr. Sun refused. A vicious police officer named Qiu threw him to the ground, slammed an iron chair on his legs, and beat his feet with a heavy plastic tube. After Qiu had beaten Mr. Sun for a while, he still could not get what he wanted from Mr. Sun. Mr. Sun's feet turned black and blue from the beating and were severely swollen. He was detained for two days and was extorted of 5,000 Yuan before he was released.

At around 8 p.m. on September 2, 2001, practitioner Ms. Zhang Yaqin went out with another fellow practitioner to post Dafa truth-clarifying flyers and policemen from Hada Police Department arrested her. The police asked her who the other practitioner was, and Ms. Zhang said she didn't know, so vicious police officer Wang Lei slapped Ms. Zhang's face with a towel and with his hand. He forced Ms. Zhang to sit on the floor and put an iron chair on her feet. Two vicious policemen pushed down on Ms. Zhang's feet on both sides, and another two police officers beat her with plastic tubes. Ms. Zhang sent forth righteous thoughts, and the two policemen got a sudden stomach ache. Then another two policemen came up and beat her. One ended up saying his stomach was hurting and the other said his back ached. So yet another groups of policemen took turns beating her. They beat Ms. Zhang for four rounds. These vicious police thugs included Wang Lei, Sun Nan, Zhang Biao and Qiu, and others. Ms. Zhang's feet and legs were beaten to the point of being black and blue and the bones and flesh on her feet separated. Her feet were covered with blood blisters. Ms. Zhang was detained for two days. After she was released to go home, she couldn't get off the bed for more than two months and she spent more than 1,000 Yuan on medical treatments. Ms. Zhang's husband went to the police department to reason with those thugs and the vicious policemen were scared, so they returned the 5,000 Yuan they had extorted from Ms. Zhang.

March 5, 2002

Responsible persons: Director of the Hada Police Department: Wang Huabo;

Deputy director: Gai Guocai

On February 27, 2002, Dafa practitioners Mr. Liu Qingyu and Wang Junmin who obtained the Fa just a few days ago were arrested just outside the doors of their homes without due cause. They were put into the Qinghe District's Detention Center afterwards. Liu Qingyu staged a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Personnel from the police department coerced the family members of Mr. Liu Qingyu to hand in money, claiming they needed it to "send Liu to the hospital for surgery." Mr. Liu's family members resolutely refused them. Later on, Mr. Liu was sent to the Prisoners' Hospital in Tieling City for observation. His current situation is unknown.

At the Longshan Female Labor Camp, a group of policemen, headed by officer in charge Li Fengshi, forcibly brainwashed the Falun Gong practitioners. They've used all kinds of vicious means. Tang, leader of No.2 Division is a very brutal man. He would even swear at his colleagues, let alone Dafa practitioners. In No.2 Division one can always hear the cries for help during nighttime, followed by the sound of cursing, and everybody knows that it was Dafa practitioners who were being inhumanly tortured.

Dafa practitioner Miss Sun Fengxin was punished to squat down, knocked against the wall and deprived of sleep for a long time, as she did not compromise with the vicious forces. Later on, she was beaten and pinched, even while being tied to the bed. As a result, she is now unable to walk and can only crawl. Even under these circumstances the guards still didn't leave her alone and kept torturing her. Every single Dafa practitioner who refused to give up cultivation is made to suffer the persecution for an infinite period of time.

The vicious policemen at the same labor camp tortured Dafa practitioner Ms. Wang Hong to death and they warned Ms. Wang's family members not to speak out about it.

Li Jifeng, an abusive policeman from the No.1 Division mistreated Dafa practitioners who refused to abandon "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" by not allowing them to sleep, forcing them to sit on a narrow stool, forcing them to squat down for a long time, beating and even pounding them on the heads. As practitioner Dong refused to give in, two vicious policemen each took hold of one of this practitioner's arms and twisted them to the back. They clamped down on the practitioner's throat, pressed back her head, covered the head with a quilt and forcefully knocked the practitioner's head against the ground until the practitioner was forced to accept their brainwashing.

Lawless policeman Li Fengyuan hit practitioners with Dafa books until he himself was tired.

The collaborators who had enlightened along the evil path told those practitioners who felt regretful after being forced to compromise, "I don't believe I can't fix you." He Jinfeng and Chen Min who enlightened along the evil path are more brutal than the policemen. Their hands are covered with Dafa practitioners' blood. They are still committing crimes in the Xinchengzi area.

Some Dafa practitioners being held at the Changlinzi Forced Labor Camp have been staging a hunger strike to protest the illegal sentence and persecution. At present, seven practitioners' lives are in danger. They were sent to Harbin City's No.2 Hospital for emergency treatment. The seven practitioners are: Chang Hong, Zhang Yisheng, Wang Fengnan, Yu Naiping, Li Xin and two other practitioners whose names are unknown. Among them, Wang Fengnan has been on hunger strike for over 50 days. They have all manifested the symptoms of heart failure, liver, stomach, lung, and kidney ailments and damage to some other organs to various extents. Besides, these practitioners all have suffered from scabies for several months and their bodies are covered with sores all over.

When the family members of these practitioners were informed to go to the hospital, they saw that the practitioners had bloody faces. An inquiry revealed the cause to be being brutally force-fed at the hands of guards. When the family members asked the labor camp team leader for an answer, the team leader said, "It would be counted as suicide if they die of the hunger strike. They would die in vain. There is an order from above, so we will not be responsible for this."

The practitioners held at Changlinzi Labor Camp are all determined in their belief to Dafa. They are being persecuted only because they refused to give up their belief in "Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance." During the illegal detention period, most of the practitioners suffered from scabies. The scabies on some practitioners were so serious that these areas became putrefied. It was very painful for them to sit up or lie down. They can't fall asleep for the whole night. Some of them couldn't even take care of themselves and had to rely on others to dress them and feed them. Even though, the guards in the labor camp still insisted on detaining them. They attempted to destroy the practitioners' wills and forced practitioners to give up cultivation. They even prohibited family members to visit the practitioners. Dafa practitioners have suffered tortures, both physically and mentally. It was under this severe situation that Dafa practitioners protested with the cost of their lives against the illegal detention and persecution and strived for the freedom of belief and life, of which they had been unlawfully deprived.

Telephone number of Harbin City's Judicatory Bureau:

Office: 011- 86-451-4649115;

Administrative section of forced labor camp: 011- 86-451-4617019.

Names of Practitioners and the amount of money the "610 Office" criminals are extorting:

Kong Lingbin: 8,000 Yuan (together with one year forced labor camp);

Wang Zheming: 5,000 Yuan;

Fan Hongbo: 3,000 Yuan;

Li Shuling: 3,000 Yuan (together with one year forced labor camp);

Leng Rixing: 8,000 Yuan;

Chen Jing: 5,000 Yuan;

Jiang Jinbao: 5,000 Yuan;

Fu Junying: 5,000 Yuan;

Wang Xinghua: 5,000 Yuan;

Zhang Chunfa: 5,000 Yuan;

Li Yanmin: 5,000 Yuan (together with two years forced labor camp);

Wu Lihong: 5,000 Yuan (In addition, the local "610 Office" went to her work unit twice and withdraw 9,000 Yuan and 3,000 Yuan, respectively from her salary, which was 17,000 Yuan in total)

Li Yinghua: 5,000 Yuan (In addition, people from the local "610 Office" went to her work unit and withdraw 6,000 Yuan from her salary, which was 11,000 Yuan in total. She was additionally sentenced to three years of forced labor)

Qu Lianying: 5,000 Yuan (together with one year forced labor camp);

Cheng Jin: 1,000 Yuan (together with one year forced labor camp);

Gao Baoshan: 3,000 Yuan;

Li Guiyun: 5,000 Yuan;

Zhang Li: 5,000 Yuan;

Guo Xiuyun: 5,000 Yuan;

Zhao Hongjun: 5,000 Yuan (The ruffian policemen from local "610 Office" forcibly confiscated a passbook that contains 30,000 Yuan, which Mr. Zhao stored at his classmate home. The loss is 35,000 Yuan in total)

Dafa practitioners suffer persecution economically, mentally and physically. With the excuse of "bail money" or so-called "fines," the evil forces headed by people from the "610 Office" in Wudalianchi City alone extorted over 150,000 Yuan from over 20 Dafa practitioners.

As practitioners in China face tremendous pressure to give up their beliefs under the Chinese regime's brutal persecution, there are those who have given in and signed documents renouncing Falun Dafa. However, many of these people deeply regret doing so after they are released from detention and labor camps. "Solemn declarations" are the public statements made by such practitioners, often at great risk to their personal safety, to declare to the world that the documents they signed under duress are null and void and that they will continue to practice Falun Dafa.

Here are some of the Solemn Declarations from the practitioners:

• Solemn Declarations from Everyday People [03/06/2002]
• Solemn Declarations from Schoolchildren [03/11/2002]

Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3/14/2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

Yue Kai Dies After More Than Two Years of Persecution

Mr. Yue Kai, 29, a former employee of Yushu Transformation Company, Jilin Province, had repeatedly been the target of arrest and torture since Jiang Zemin illegally banned Falun Gong. In July 1999, both he and his wife, Li Shuying, were arrested because of their beliefs and detained for two months They were arrested again February 10, 2000 on Tiananmen Square, receiving sentences of a year of forced labor for their peaceful appeal. Yue Kai was sent to Weizigou Forced Labor Camp. He and other practitioners there with him were forced to dig up and haul away the silt that had collected in a bathing area in Kalun Lake, Changchun City. They toiled each day from 5 in the morning to 7 at night. They were not allowed breaks, even when seriously hurt in on-the-job accidents. Beatings were given to those the guards felt weren't working quickly enough.

After a couple of weeks, Yue Kai's arms, legs and hands were covered with festering sores, while other areas of his body were infected with scabies from the unclean living conditions. Still, his workload was not reduced. After his work in the lake was finished, he was required to haul concrete floor slabs. His work days began as early as 3 a.m. and finished as late as 9 p.m.

In July 2000, Yue Kai and others who had resisted all efforts to coerce them to renounce their practice of Falun Gong were taken to Fengjin Forced Labor Camp for a brainwashing class. Unable to shake Yue Kai's determination, he was later transferred to Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp where he was brutally tortured to the brink of death, and then hastily sent to a police hospital. Reduced to skin and bone, camp officials ordered Yue's relatives to take him home, trying to shirk responsibility for his death, which came shortly thereafter on February 28, 2002.

As Bush Lectures in China About Human Rights, Practitioner is Tortured to Death

On Feb. 22, 2002, at 9 p.m., shortly after US President George Bush delivered his speech to Tsinghua University students pointing to the need for improvements in China's respect of human rights and the right to freely choose one's belief, Liu Qiusheng died from the torture he received because of his beliefs.

After numerous peaceful appeals in Beijing, Liu Qiusheng had returned home to be with his family. On Feb. 2, 2002, Fucheng County policemen barged into Liu's home. They dragged him out to the yard and beat him violently, tearing out hair and leaving him covered with dirt. As his 65-year old mother tried to stop them, the police beat her to the ground. Both Liu and his mother were taken to the police station, where Liu was bound to a chair and beaten for approximately two hours until he lost consciousness. His face was left deformed, his ears black and blue.

On February 23rd, 2002, Liu's son, Liu Dong, was informed that his father had died the night before and the son was brought to the hospital to identify Liu's body. His son observed that Liu's chest was black and blue with bruises, and his back was full of clogged blood spots. Liu's wife observed his right ear, the right side of his face, and his entire chest were all black and purple.

Despite protest from his wife and son, Liu's body was removed by police and cremated on February 25th.

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices in China, such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.

With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.

The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of over 375 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.

(Clearwisdom.net)

The Qiqihaer City Northern Siyou chemical plant, a private-owned enterprise, is situated a few kilometers away from the Shuanghe labor camp. Since November 1999 till now, many practitioners from Qiqihaer City were illegally detained at the Shuanghe labor camp. The agricultural chemical plant has become a den for persecuting Dafa practitioners. At the same time, the Shuanghe Labor Camp took advantage of this opportunity to severely persecute Dafa practitioners. Practitioners were forced to walk all the way there through bare fields and over dikes and dams. During the summer, whenever it rained, they had to jog in the mud, and were subjected to the constant harassment from policemen and criminals. In the freezing winter, they had to make their way through of knee-deep snow.

The polluted air in this chemical plant is so bad, that even from a distance, you could smell a strong rancid odor. Manufacturing work itself is dirty, painful and tiring, and toxic. In production, heavy smoke full of chemical dust floated around the entire production unit, and settled all over a person's clothes, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Even wearing a few protective masks, practitioners were choked from the chemical exposure with nasal passages and eyes becoming swollen. In addition, the Agricultural chemical plant is very toxic to people's health. Some practitioners incurred red eyes and face, chapped hands, as well as major skin irritations all over their bodies. Some of the female practitioners stopped menstruating for a few months or even the entire year. There are no hazardous material suits provided and masks are only assigned to practitioners once. Gloves have never been assigned. It is clearly stipulated that all who handle or are in proximity to toxic substances, must take showers at the end of every day. However, practitioners were not permitted to take showers! Even though it was requested many times, nothing has been resolved. Practitioners were forced to work over the normal hours every day with no breaks permitted.

Every time, when peak season came, the Agricultural chemical plant and the Shuanghe Labor Camp conducted a so-called "doing overtime spurt" in order to make sudden huge profits. All of this of course was at the expense of practitioners' lives and safety. The truth is, this "overtime" is nothing more than forced slave labor using practitioners. The practitioners were overloaded with work day and night, made to wake up at four o'clock in the morning, and were also denied time to wash their faces or brush their teeth after eating a morning meal (consisting of spare vegetable soup and some buns). After this morning routine, they were ordered to the Agricultural chemical plant. During lunch, they only had a half an hour to eat and use the lavatory. After this, they were sent back to work immediately. At 11 p.m. they finished work and then had dinner. Upon returning to the dormitory, they were dirty, exhausted and hungry. Yet, the cruel policemen on duty often wouldn't let them wash up, so they had to go to sleep with chemical dust all over their bodies and faces. With the combined heat, over exhaustion and sweat (combined with chemical dust), practitioners' skin became very itchy and painful. When the sweat evaporated from their skin, a "ringworm" shaped rash appeared.

During the peak season for agricultural chemicals, the Agricultural chemical plant repackages poor-quality agricultural chemicals in an effort to create inventory in the plant. They also change the expiration dates and sell them again on the market, cheating whoever buys them. Some chemical products were in such bad condition, they started to grow mold, yet they were pressed into carton boxes and sold. Truckloads of expired agriculture chemicals were shipped to this plant from its subsidiaries. Dafa practitioners had taken up this issue with four directors in the Shuanghe Labor Camp and the Agricultural Chemical plant head, in a solemn manner that they shouldn't cheat and harm farmers by practicing fraud. However, the Shuanghe Labor Camp and Siyou Agricultural chemical plant didn't listen at all, they asked people in charge of teams (Zhang zhijie, Guo li, Liu Shurong, Wang Mei) to curse at and force Dafa practitioners to continue packaging these products. Even until now, the Shuanghe Labor Camp and Siyou Agricultural chemical plant are still doing these kinds of unethical things.

The Shuanghe Labor Camp made sudden windfall profits by taking advantage of Dafa practitioners' and using them for their own greedy gain. Everyone in the labor camp was given thousands of Yuan [Chinese dollar, the average monthly income of urban area is about 500 Yuan] as bonuses. With the money, the authorities bought new cars and received better benefits. However, what they have gained are immoral assets by selling out their ethics.

Changchun Practitioners: Please Be Alert!

According to inside sources, after Changchun City's cable network aired the Falun Gong truth clarification program, policemen are searching for practitioners everywhere.

In an effort to make people think they are powerful, the police have spread rumors that the practitioners involved were arrested. Police authorities have transferred police forces from other cities to Changchun City to track and monitor practitioners. A batch of policemen have begun to "work" special detail from 12 a.m. midnight. They are supposed to be on rotating duty. Every evening, employees in Changchun City's Cable Network Station and personnel from the judicatory system are ordered to watch every cable line transmission box. Dafa practitioners please, be alert!

According to inside sources in the public security system, on March 10 police held another meeting regarding the incident of the cable network airing the Falun Gong truth clarification program. All policemen were ordered to start another round of interrogation of Dafa practitioners.

In addition, when officials in Nanguan District Court unlawfully sentenced Dafa practitioners, about 1,000 plainclothes policemen were patrolling around the court. Several practitioners were arrested on the spot, which caused some damage to Dafa work. We suggest if practitioners are faced with this kind of situation, please be clear-minded so as to judge the issue with more pure hearts, validate Dafa and eliminate the evil with wisdom.

According to reliable sources, Changchun City's police authority has issued an order to search every practitioner's home. As long as some materials related to Dafa, such as books, CDs, or truth-clarifying material, are found, the practitioner will be detained.

We hope that every practitioner will send forth righteous thoughts. Nowadays, the evil is attempting to destroy our collective truth-clarifying work. Therefore, we should gather our collective efforts to eliminate it. Let us intensify our righteous thoughts and work together to eliminate this vicious persecution.

(Clearwisdom.net)

- During lunchtime, some college students started a conversation: "Did you see that TV program? The Party's dirty tricks are so nasty that they're truly unprecedented." "Yes, I did. A policeman was dangling a blanket and waiting to cover the burning Wang Jindong. What a joke!" "It's been reported by overseas media; that's major exposure [of the lies]!" "Fire cannot be covered by paper"[means that the truth will be revealed]. "The (anti-Falun Gong) campaign has no future, the government has let us down." "Excessive oppression is bound to cause a great rebellion."

- After a neighbor, 70-year-old Ms. Lu watched the TV show, she said, "What Falun Gong said makes sense. All the practitioners I know are good people. People can tell who's good and who's bad. Why do they [the government] push people to persecute Falun Gong?"

- The Party secretary of a college told his students, "Did you hear about the TV show? The senior government leaders are nervous. They said that Dafa practitioners will gather again. It seems to be another lie. Falun Gong has no organization; it's only a cultivation method. But now the top leaders fabricate lies and it is my job is to spread them [the lies]. I hate doing this. Who wouldn't?"

- A police friend called, "Did you hear about the TV show? The Ministry of Public Security has sent people here to investigate. We're exhausted. We have to work overtime everyday, patrolling the streets day and night. Every single power line pole has someone watching it. We spend all our energy persecuting Falun Gong while ignoring robberies, burglaries and prostitution. No one cares about the law and human rights. Police will arrest Falun Gong practitioners as soon as they see them, and sentence them immediately after the arrest. There is even an order to shoot [practitioners]. You have to be very careful! We can't even go home at night. Everyone is upset. What's going on here?"

(Clearwisdom.net)

(Clearwisdom.net) When I first began work at a new company, a colleague came over to tell me about all her grievances. She did that almost every day. First I felt it was a bit annoying, but I thought that since I was cultivating Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance, I should show my compassion. Therefore I always listened patiently to her complaints, and after she was finished talking, I would find the principles in the Fa applicable to her case and ask her to read a paragraph of Master Li Hongzhi's teaching of Falun Dafa. After that she said Falun Gong truly made sense, that it resolved the puzzling questions in her mind and enabled her to see things more clearly. I encouraged her to begin practicing, but she always used busyness as an excuse.

Once she was careless in her speech and offended a colleague. This colleague reported this problem to the company manager and the whole thing became more serious. I turned to Chapter IV in Zhuan Falun and used the teachings to guide her. That night, she received a call from the offended colleague, who screamed at her over the phone. At once she recalled Dafa's principles about "gain and loss" and "the transformation of karma," and she treated herself as a practitioner and apologized to that colleague. The caller's attitude changed immediately, admitting that she herself was also at fault. The next day she told me the story, and said that she wanted to practice Dafa with me.

I had not expected that after knowing me for just a few months, she would be influenced by Dafa and elevate her spirit. She became much more relaxed and open-minded. Other colleagues also noticed the changes in her and told me about it, saying that Falun Dafa was truly wonderful. They said it was indeed a good cultivation practice, benefiting people in both the body and soul. I knew that this was all the power of Dafa; that it could transform people's hearts so rapidly.

(Clearwisdom.net)

One of my relatives from the countryside is a County people's representative. During the Chinese New Year, he watched the Truth Clarifying VCD and read the Clearwisdom information we gave him. After that, he said it was as if he had awakened from a dream: "I only know that Falun Dafa is good after watching the VCD, everyone who practices Falun Dafa is a good person, and it is Jiang Zemin who is an utter liar!"

The name and contact details of a labour camp director in North-Eastern China have been exposed on the Clearwisdom Net. As a result, many practitioners telephoned him to clarify the truth. This caused him to slowly awaken to the truth. His actions became more benevolent and restrained.

Sometime after this, an elderly practitioner who was once jailed in this labour camp visited again to clarify the truth. The labour camp director respectfully listened to her. Then surprisingly, the labour camp director asked the practitioner: "Is there anything I can do for you?" She replied, "not at this moment," and left the labour camp. Soon after, the practitioner realized that she should clarify the truth to a team leader in the labour camp, so she came back. However, the guard disallowed her from entering, so she requested to see the labour camp director. He immediately went to see her and invited her into the labour camp, then he called the team leader to come and listen to the practitioner clarifying the truth.

In October 2001, a professional driver (who is not a practitioner but knows that Falun Dafa is good because of the practitioners around him) was outside the gate of a police station when two people requested a lift. He drove them to where they wanted to go and they got out of the car. However they left behind a leather bag on the back seat. So the driver called out to the people and asked if it was their bag. They collected it and thanked the driver. Upon being thanked, the driver said: "You are welcome, because I practice Falun Gong." The driver was surprised to find out the two people were plain-clothes police officers, and they took him to the police station.

In the police station, the driver asked: "Why do you arrest me? Have I not returned your leather bag!? Unless you think returning you the bag is doing a bad deed?" After being detained for 30 minutes, the driver thought to himself, I should not wait till they let me go, I should just leave. So the driver left. On his way out, he said: "Next time I pick up something, I will not return it anymore!"

Under the control of Jiang and Luo, it is very hard for a person to retain the right thoughts. We hope this story can raise kind-hearted people's attention to think seriously on a question, "Where does Jiang want to direct the Chinese nation?"

6^th March 2002

(Clearwisdom.net)

• An evil policeman Song Qiju of Shifou Police Station in Tianshui Region often brutally beat and extorted money from practitioners. Many practitioners were forced to borrow money just to get by. However not long ago, Song Qiju died unexpectedly showing the symptoms of end-stage leukemia.

• A practitioner often clarified the truth to his relatives. One day the relative said, "Ever since our last conversation, the strange disease that has plagued me for decades suddenly improved. Dafa is too magnificent! After Dafa's reputation is restored I will also practice it."

• Dong XX of the Jilin Province financial bureau frequently harassed Dafa practitioners. In November 2001 he shattered his arm in a motorcycle accident, and has been unemployed since.

• A crooked official aimed to terminate a practitioner's membership to the Party, and wanted to report him to higher authority. But when he was opening a door, the glass panel fell out, shattered and hit his hand. His hand was severely and deeply lacerated by the broken glass. It required two operations costing more than 20,000 Yuan RMB, yet his hand was still disabled. In another incident, a community official tore up Dafa flyers everywhere he went, and then he suffered a severe lower arm fracture.

• A female inmate arrested for murder at Fuyu County Detention Center often slandered Dafa and practitioners. One day practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts to let her "receive due retribution in this lifetime," she immediately went into shock. A female supervisor Mou Hongli viciously tortured practitioners, and in early January she had a car accident. Presently she is still in the hospital suffering from memory loss.

• Li Deqing from Gaofeng Village, Fuli Town near Jixian County, Shuangyashan City often insulted Dafa and Master, and was killed in a car accident in November 2001. His wife suffered a stroke, and her entire body was paralyzed. Their 17 year old son had to quit school in order to care for the mother.

• Party Secretary Wu Zhiguang from Jincheng Village, Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province, burned many Dafa books, illegally sent practitioners to forced labor camps and extorted money and valuables from practitioners. Afterwards, he suffered from a stroke and died.

Tuesday, March 12, 2002

The historic English city of Cambridge, renowned for academic excellence, hosted the First World Congress of Future Science and Culture at the Guildhall on Saturday 9/03/02. The conference was well attended by an international audience, all of whom had eagerly anticipated the speeches from renowned specialists and professors from many different parts of the globe.

The theme of the meeting was the new paradigm created from the study of Falun Dafa, a cultivation path towards spiritual enlightenment, enabling science and culture to be viewed in a comprehensive, multi-dimensional way. The speakers used the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance to develop their talks which covered Biology and Medicine, New Concepts in Science, Social and Environmental Science, Business, Arts and Culture.

The conference was concluded with a debut performance given by the Clear Light Performing Arts Group, a non-profit making organisation, newly established for sharing the spiritual light of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance through artistic avenues. The dedication was to world peace: it being a universal prayer that the brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China will soon come to an end.

(From http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/3537.html)

(Clearwisdom.net) In the evening of March 9, 2002, artists from the United States, Germany, France and Taiwan together performed a wonderful and unique "The New Chinese Concert" in the concert hall of Cambridge City Hall. What made it unique was that all the artists were Dafa practitioners except for a pianist who is a friend of Falun Gong.

The concert had a very high artistic level. The performances were varied, including a piano solo, an elegant opera episode, performances on a xiao (a vertical bamboo flute), erhu (a two-stringed bowed Chinese instrument), and guzheng (a 21- or 25- stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither), dances, and soprano and alto singers.

Most of the music, songs and dances were produced and performed by practitioners. Some of these performances paid tribute to the greatness of the spreading of Dafa, providing salvation in the world; some told of Dafa practitioners' great contributions to truth-clarification, despite the evil persecution; some described practitioners' experiences of cultivation in Dafa. The whole atmosphere was very serene but lively. The Dafa artists' great performances won a lot of warm applause.

At the end, all the artists performed the chorus of "Falun Dafa is good" and pushed the concert to the climax.

The students who had made a special trip to attend the concert from a university in London thus gained a positive understanding of Dafa. After the concert, they told Dafa practitioners, "We understand Falun Dafa now." Many audiences highly praised the concert and expressed hope that they would have a chance to enjoy this kind of concert again.

(Clearwisdom.net) This year, the spring in Toronto seems to have come very early. It is only March. Even though the snow has not fully melted, people have felt the coming of the spring.

Every large Falun Dafa picture posted on the buses come-and-go through the busy streets, silently telling people the truth: Falun Dafa is good!

The No. 68 Bus driving in Warden Street goes through Northern Toronto, south- north of Suburb Scarborough and middle-south Markham. Many Chinese reside in these areas. The No. 39 Bus driving in Finch Street, crosses the east area of North York and east-west Scarborough. Many Chinese, especially overseas Chinese students heavily rely on this traffic line. The No. 510 Streetcar driving in Chinatown, Downtown Toronto Spadina Street. This district is known as "Little Hong Kong." The No. 510 Streetcar drives through the Toronto TV Tower. The No. 68 Bus drives in Toronto City and Scarborough from Markham. The No. 39 Bus welcomes students in the College District after classes are over.

(Clearwisdom.net) While the First World Future Science and Culture Convention was being convened in Cambridge in the UK, Zhang Cuiying's Painting Exhibition was also being held in Corpus Christi College of the University of Cambridge. The theme of this convention was: the "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" of Falun Dafa is the basic point of the development of the future sciences and cultures. Thus, as a Dafa practitioner, Zhang Cuiying used her paintings to express her opinion of the future cultures also, matching well the theme of the Convention.

Zhang Cuiying's Painting Exhibition included different subjects, including paintings of people and landscape paintings. The three figures of the enlightened beings from the Falun Paradise were very eye-catching. The huge Falun rotates; enlightened beings hold hand gestures, sitting or standing on the lotus flower platforms, very benevolent and very dignified; a group of heavenly girls flying, with baskets of flowers in hand. The wonders of the heavenly world are so enchanting.

Zhang Cuiying's paintings combine the traditional Chinese arts and the wisdom and purity of a Dafa practitioner. Enjoying her paintings, one not only gains artistic edification but one's soul is also purified. Her paintings provide a reference for the model of the future culture's development, which is the emphasis on the distillation of one's spirit and the assimilation to the universal characteristics -- "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." The future culture must emphasize the raising of morality; the future artists must be those with high morality.

(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, through the News Bureau's arrangement, Ms. Lori Harla, an experienced reporter from the Israeli MASA ACHER Magazine, came to Taiwan's Rongxing Garden practice site to interview Falun Gong practitioners.

Ms. Harla felt that the Falun Gong exercise movements were very elegant and beautiful. The first time she saw Falun Gong practitioners was in front of the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. She emphasized that she had been observing Falun Gong practitioners for a while.

"Everyday, there are some Falun Gong practitioners practicing in front of the Chinese Embassy. They are very peaceful and very impressive." She asked practitioner Zhu Wanqi the meaning of the five sets exercises and the development of Falun Gong in Taiwan. Zhu Wanqi smiled and thanked her for coming from so far away to learn Falun Gong. She also told Ms. Lori Harla that in the free and democratic society in Taiwan, Falun Gong practitioners can freely practice and study Fa. The president of Taiwan and many officials can all rationally learn that Falun Gong benefits people from mind and body; it is totally different from Jiang's regime in China, which illegally and brutally persecutes Falun Gong. While Ms. Lori Harla was attentively watching practitioners practicing in Rongxing Garden, she could not help but praise the practitioners' solemnity and serenity. Zhu Wanqi then asked whether she would be interested in learning the exercises right on the spot and experienced the greatness of Dafa by herself. Ms. Lori Harla was very interested and wanted to try. Veteran practitioner Mr. Hong Jihong then taught her the first and second sets of exercises. Within ten minutes, after Ms. Lori Harla put her arms down, she happily told Zhu Wanqi that she did feel the energy circulating in her body and it felt very good. She said she would finish reading Zhuan Falun and the other materials we had given her after she went back Tel Aviv.

During the weekend of March 9-10, workshops were held to introduce Falun Dafa to the people of North Dakota and the northwestern part of Minnesota. The city of Fargo was the site for what is believed to be the first Dafa workshop in the history of the state of North Dakota on Saturday. Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota, and it is the largest metropolitan area in a large expanse of the northern U.S. states.

12 practitioners from Minnesota and South Dakota drove through bitter cold, high winds, and drifting snow for several hours to reach Fargo. They maintained their righteous minds throughout the hazardous driving conditions, knowing how important the day was for the people of North Dakota. They witnessed several cars that lost control and slid off the freeway, but no practitioners had any accidents. They arrived in time to eat lunch together at a local Fargo Chinese restaurant. There they had an opportunity to clarify the truth to restaurant staff and give them Chinese-language materials.

During the afternoon workshop, new students watched a short video on the pr