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Falun Gong Practitioners File Defamation Lawsuit Against Chinese Newspapers in New York City

(5/23/2002 13:37)
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Attorney Sheldon Leffler discusses the details of the defamation case filed against two New York City Chinese newspapers for libel against Falun Gong practitioners.

NEW YORK, May 23, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) - Residents of New York City, together with the non-profit organization Friends of Falun Gong, have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and slander put forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.

Several of the plaintiffs, numbering 72 in all, held a press conference outside the China Press offices in midtown Manhattan, today (see statement below). Former city councilman Sheldon Leffler, attorney for the case, was present to provide details about the suit. Also present were representatives of Friends of Falun Gong, a non-profit organization and plaintiff in the case.

"Over the past year, a string of defamatory articles published by these newspapers have taken lies, defamatory statements and slanderous labels, and weaved them into articles that incite hatred and distrust for practitioners of Falun Gong among the people of New York City," said Queens resident Janet Xiong, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "The harm that results from these articles is real, and the damage they have caused has touched numerous facets of our lives."

Earlier this year a similar case was filed in Montreal against Les Presses Chinoises newspaper, bringing charges of libel, slander, negligence and incitement of hatred. Quebec Superior Court handed down an injunction against Les Presses Chinoises for the publication of defamatory articles and later served the newspaper with contempt of court charges after it failed to comply with the court order.

In New York, the State Supreme Court issued an "order to show cause," giving the China Press and Sing Tao Daily a court date of June 6th. Failing that, an injunction order will be issued.

This lawsuit comes on the heels of a class-action suit served in Honolulu last week against one of Beijing's top Politiburo members, Ding Guangen, for his role in the human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Press Statement from Plaintiffs in Defamation Lawsuit Against Chinese Press

NEW YORK, May 22, 2002 - Residents of New York City, together with the non-profit organization Friends of Falun Gong, have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and slander put forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.

Plaintiffs, who held banners citing successful lawsuits on behalf of Falun Gong in other parts of the world, include residents of Saipan, Hong Kong, New Jersey, and New York.

The lawsuit is based on seven articles published by the China Press between July 19, 2001 and December 22, 2001, and two articles published in Sing Tao Daily during the same time period.

In this lawsuit, we, the residents of New York City who practice Falun Gong are suing for defamation, seeking $50 million in actual damages from China Press, $50 million in punitive damages from China Press, $1 million in damages from Sing Tao Daily and, most important of all, an injunction against the publication of similar defamatory articles published in the future.

Over the past year, we have seen a string of defamatory articles published by these newspapers that take lies, defamatory statements and slanderous labels, and weave them into articles that incite hatred and distrust for practitioners of Falun Gong among the people of New York City. The harm that results from these articles is real, and the damage they have caused has touched numerous facets of our lives, including our workplaces, our communities, our circle of friends, and even our families.

Local television station interviews a New York resident at the press conference in front of the China Press offices today.

Just last week, over 200 people celebrated the ten-year anniversary of Falun Gong with a colorful parade through lower Manhattan - complete with balloons, traditional Chinese dance and music. However, as the parade made its way through Chinatown, we were confronted by an angry mob that shouted defamatory slogans that drew directly from the content of the articles published by China Press and Sing Tao Daily. The mob's shouts and gestures were hostile enough to alarm the police squad that was escorting the parade, and we were diverted from our planned route. Still, the mob pursued us for several blocks and continued to yell and curse at us as we quietly practiced our exercises and meditation in the nearby park, protected by a wall of police officers.

We, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit, come from all walks of life. We are medical researchers, doctors, business owners, housewives, fashion designers, librarians, college professors, information technology professionals, etc. We stand here today to say that with this lawsuit we seek to stop this spread of hate against Falun Gong in New York City. It has no place in our city. It has no place in our communities. It has no place in our lives.

Falun Gong has brought peace and health to literally tens of millions around the world, and is welcomed in over 50 countries. New York, being a city of diversity, tolerance, and deep spirituality, has also welcomed Falun Gong just as Falun Gong has enriched the lives of New Yorkers.

We will not stand for hatred spread through any channels. Thank you. (5/23/2002 13:37)


FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER Contacts: Gail Rachlin 212-706-7026, Adam Montanaro 917-405-4507, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 646-523-5676. Fax: 646-792-3916 Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/ Mailbox of FalunInfo editor@faluninfo.net


Press Conference about the Defamation Lawsuit at State Supreme Court in New York (Photos)

NEW YORK, May 23, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center) - Residents of New York City, together with the non-profit organization Friends of Falun Gong, have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and slander put forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.

Practitioners display posters at the press conferenceáin front of the China Press office in Midtown Manhattan.Attorney Sheldon Leffler speaks about the lawsuit he filedá in theáNew York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and defamation against Falun Gongáput forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.

Several of the plaintiffs, numbering 72 in all, held a press conference outside the China Press offices in midtown Manhattan, today (see statement below). Former city councilman Sheldon Leffler, attorney for the case, was present to provide details about the suit. Also present were representatives of Friends of Falun Gong, a non-profit organization and plaintiff in the case.

"Over the past year, a string of defamatory articles published by these newspapers have taken lies, defamatory statements and slanderous labels, and weaved them into articles that incite hatred and distrust for practitioners of Falun Gong among the people of New York City," said Queens resident Janet Xiong, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "The harm that results from these articles is real, and the damage they have caused has touched numerous facets of our lives."

Earlier this year a similar case was filed in Montreal against Les Presses Chinoises newspaper, bringing charges of libel, slander, negligence and incitement of hatred. Quebec Superior Court handed down an injunction against Les Presses Chinoises for the publication of defamatory articles and later served the newspaper with contempt of court charges after it failed to comply with the court order. For detailed background information, please visit www.faluninfo.net.

In New York, the State Supreme Court issued an "order to show cause," giving the China Press and Sing Tao Daily a court date of June 6th. Failing that, an injunction order will be issued.

Sheldon Leffler speaking at the press conferenceA practitioner from Brooklyn, who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit,áexplains how she was verbally attacked many times by Chinese people who had been misled by articles from the China Press.Both Chinese and western media listen to the statements.
A representative from Friends of Falun Gong USA presented a statement. Friends of Falun Gong USA is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit.A practitioner from Brooklyn, who is also a plaintiff in the case, explains why we all need to help stop the distribution of the Chinese government's libelous propaganda.Many passers-by were shocked to hear that the China Press has been publishing fabricated stories about Falun Gong.
A practitioner from Chinatown explains how the China Press fabricated an article about practitioners back in December.Reading English Translation of practitioner's speechPractitioners display posters during the press conference
Falun Dafa Information Center spokesperson explained that the Chinese Government's libelous propaganda has been spreading all over the world, but in Montreal a court order forced a Chinese newspaper to stop.Friends of Falun Gong representative, Susan Prager and Attorney Sheldon LefflerAttorney Sheldon Leffler is interviewed by a Chinese TV station.

Press Statement from Plaintiffs in Defamation Lawsuit Against Chinese Press in New York (Photos)

Residents of New York City, together with the non-profit organization Friends of Falun Gong, have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and slander put forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.


Several of the plaintiffs, numbering 72 in all, held a press conference outside the China Press offices in midtown Manhattan, (see statement below).

Press Statement from Plaintiffs in Defamation Lawsuit Against Chinese Press

NEW YORK, May 22, 2002 - Residents of New York City, together with the non-profit organization Friends of Falun Gong, have filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court seeking an end to the hate and slander put forth by the New York-area Chinese language newspapers, China Press and Sing Tao Daily.

The lawsuit is based on seven articles published by the China Press between July 19, 2001 and December 22, 2001, and two articles published in Sing Tao Daily during the same time period.

In this lawsuit, we, the residents of New York City who practice Falun Gong are suing for defamation, seeking $50 million in actual damages from China Press, $50 million in punitive damages from China Press, $1 million in damages from Sing Tao Daily and, most important of all, an injunction against the publication of similar defamatory articles published in the future.

Over the past year, we have seen a string of defamatory articles published by these newspapers that take lies, defamatory statements and slanderous labels, and weave them into articles that incite hatred and distrust for practitioners of Falun Gong among the people of New York City. The harm that results from these articles is real, and the damage they have caused has touched numerous facets of our lives, including our workplaces, our communities, our circle of friends, and even our families.

Just last week, over 200 people celebrated the ten-year anniversary of Falun Gong with a colorful parade through lower Manhattan - complete with balloons, traditional Chinese dance and music. However, as the parade made its way through Chinatown, we were confronted by an angry mob that shouted defamatory slogans that drew directly from the content of the articles published by China Press and Sing Tao Daily. The mob's shouts and gestures were hostile enough to alarm the police squad that was escorting the parade, and we were diverted from our planned route. Still, the mob pursued us for several blocks and continued to yell and curse at us as we quietly practiced our exercises and meditation in the nearby park, protected by a wall of police officers.

We, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit, come from all walks of life. We are medical researchers, doctors, business owners, housewives, fashion designers, librarians, college professors, information technology professionals, etc. We stand here today to say that with this lawsuit we seek to stop this spread of hate against Falun Gong in New York City. It has no place in our city. It has no place in our communities. It has no place in our lives.

Falun Gong has brought peace and health to literally tens of millions around the world, and is welcomed in over 50 countries. New York, being a city of diversity, tolerance, and deep spirituality, has also welcomed Falun Gong just as Falun Gong has enriched the lives of New Yorkers.

We will not stand for hatred spread through any channels. Thank you.


Chicago Sun Times: Chinese here say passports denied over Falun Gong

May 23, 2002

Chinese nationals clashed with consulate officials here Wednesday, accusing them of refusing to renew certain passports as part of an international crackdown against [practitioners] of Falun Gong, a practice promoting spiritual discipline through exercise. Zhiwei "Tommy" Xu, a research scientist for Motorola, stood in the lobby of the consulate office at 100 W. Erie with his wife and 5-month-old son for more than an hour before he agreed to leave. Xu, who said his mother has been tortured for practicing Falun Gong in China, does not want to return home, where he fears jail and torture.

Xu and another national who practices Falun Gong, Jiang Zhu from St. Louis, demanded to know why their passports were not being renewed. Consulate officials offered no explanation and told them to leave because they did not have appointments. When Xu and Zhu asked to be given a specific time when they could return, the consulate's press secretary, Jin Zhijian, and other officials offered no answers. Zhijian did not return telephone calls later Wednesday.

In one exchange, when the Chinese pair asked Zhijian why their passports were not being renewed, he called attention to the Falun Gong logos on their jackets and on buttons they were wearing.

"If we go back to China, they will be totally free to persecute us," said Xu, with his wife, Jing, and their son, Henry, by his side.

"They may put me in jail," said Xu, who has a doctorate in physics. "They already have my name on a blacklist."

Xu said the passport problem is part of a Chinese crackdown on Falun Gong, a practice that promotes inner calm and spiritual discipline through exercise.

More than 250 Falun Gong [practitioners] have died in custody in China since the crackdown began in July 1999, an Amnesty International report said. Thousands more have been detained in "study classes," detention centers and labor camps, the report charged.

Four Chinese nationals living in the Chicago area have joined a national class-action lawsuit charging the Chinese government with carrying out "a criminal campaign of violent repression and intimidation against Falun Gong [practitioners].''

Xu and other Falun Gong [practitioners] say consulates nationwide are refusing to renew passports to try to force nationals to return to China, where they will face prosecution. "My case is not the only one," said Xu, who said that other Falun Gong [practitioners] in the United States and other countries also face harassment and problems getting passports renewed.

Zhu and her husband left St. Louis at 3 a.m. Wednesday to investigate the status of her passport, which expired April 24. She came to the consulate office because her passport renewal application had been returned three times without explanation after she tried to process it by mail.

Zhu, who came to the United States in 1997, said she is in no rush to return to China. On her last trip home to visit her sister, authorities interrogated her and tried to get her to sign a statement defaming Falun Gong, she said.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-gong23.html


News from China


Dafa Practitioner Ms. Du Baolan Beaten to Death by Lawless Officials of Linghe District Police Department, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province

(Clearwisdom.net) The lawless police at Linghe District Police Department in Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province beat Dafa practitioner Ms. Du Baolan to death.

Du Baolan, female, ethnicity: Han, 47 years old

Address: Majia Village Residential Building in Yingpan Township, Linghe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province

Home phone number: 0416-4146243

Around 7 p.m. on May 7, 2002, Ms. Du went to the home of a fellow practitioner, Duan Jun. Unexpectedly, Duan Jun's husband sided with the evil. He called "110" [emergency number in China] and reported to the police, who arrived and arrested Ms. Du and Ms. Duan. Ms. Du was tortured to death that same night. On the next day, the police notified Ms. Du's family, claiming that she jumped from a building and killed herself. The police also made three unreasonable demands: 1. Don't spread the news; 2. Don't hold a funeral; 3. Cremate the body after three days.

According to people who were present, Ms. Du was carried into a police car on the night of her arrest. Screams were heard from inside the police car. According to insiders who saw Ms. Du's body, all four limbs were fractured and there was a hole in her forehead. However, there was nothing hard enough at the death site that could possibly cause these injuries. Because the cause of death is still unclear, the police are now severely blocking the news. Many plainclothes police are surrounding Ms. Du's residential building. The details await further investigation.

The police do not allow Ms. Du's family to see her body. Many police are guarding the morgue and they won't allow anyone to see her body. What are the police afraid of? They are afraid of people seeing the evidence of brutal beating on her body.

Ms. Du's home is in Majia Village Residential Building. Her neighbors all praise her and call her a good person. After she was murdered, the police did not allow the people to set up a funeral shed. The people reacted strongly but plainclothes police surrounded all of her family. The police threatened the family that if they go to appeal to the high level authorities or spread the news, the police will immediately find reporters to make up fake news that claims Ms. Du "jumped from a building and killed herself." What does this imply?

Starting from early 2001, dictator Jiang told his roughnecks that they can beat Falun Gong practitioners to death and it shall be counted as suicide. In March 2002, Jiang sent his roughnecks to Changchun City and told Changchun City police, "You can shoot to death Falun Gong practitioners who distribute materials." The dictator is not restricted by the law, and this has resulted in the police, judicial and legal systems not daring to accept cases of practitioners tortured to death. The families of the murdered practitioners have nowhere to appeal and protest.

The officials of Linghe District Police Department murder the innocent. They will surely receive severe punishment from the law and heavenly principles!


Female Falun Dafa Practitioner Guo Ping Tortured to Death by Police in Kuiwen District, Weifang City, Shandong Province

(Clearwisdom.net) It has been confirmed that the name of the Dafa practitioner who was tortured to death on May 17th, 2002 is Guo Ping, 27 years old. She was from Huangjiazhuang Village, Weizhou Road, Kuiwen District, Weifang City, Shandong Province.

On December 29, 2001, Guo Ping and her husband, Liu Peidong, were at home when several policemen from the Ershilipu Police Station of Kuiwen District broke into their house and kidnapped them. The couple was held in the Detention Center of Kuiwen District. The court opened a trial once and was going to sentence them. The detention center police escorted Liu Peidong, who is from Weifang Gaomi City, to the hospital where Guo Ping had been taken. There, he witnessed his wife's swollen hands and feet that were a result of the torture. After he returned to the detention center, he started a hunger strike, protesting the police's inhuman, brutal torture.

Please refer to http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/5/22/22310.html for the previous report about Guo Ping.


Photo Report: Falun Gong Practitioners from Hebei Province, China Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day

(Clearwisdom.net) To celebrate the World Falun Dafa Day, which is also the 10th anniversary of our great honorable Teacher spreading the Fa, practitioners from Hebei Province fully utilized their various abilities and skills to greet this special day. In just one night, Dafa banners and posters as well as introductory and truth-clarification materials could be found everywhere in Hebei Province, which effectively overwhelmed the evil.


Banners on the north part of 107 National Highway


Banners on iron towers


Posters on electric poles


Posters at busy intersections


Banners hanging from residence buildings


Latest News from China - 05/20/2002

(Clearwisdom.net)

  1. [Northeast China] Dafa Practitioners Send off Huge Banners Hung on Balloons at the Large Square in Front of the City Government Building
  2. [China] Vile Persons Who Persecute Dafa Practitioners Take Flight and Leave with Haste after All People Condemn Them
  3. [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] List of Names of Recently Kidnapped Dafa Practitioners
  4. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] The Third Term of a Brainwashing Class Utilizes Collaborators to Intensify the Persecution
  5. [Songyuan City, Jilin Province] A Dafa-Producing Materials Center Destroyed, One Practitioner Arrested and Another Practitioner Injured
  6. [Linyi City, Shandong Province and Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Telephone Numbers of Vile Persons:

[Northeast China] Dafa Practitioners Send off Huge Banners Hung on Balloons at the Large Square in Front of the City Government Building

At 8:00 a.m. on May 19, 2002 (it was April 8 according to the Chinese lunar calendar), Dafa practitioners in a city of Northeastern China went to the large square in front of the City government building. They sent forth righteous thoughts and sent off balloons with Dafa streamers attached to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the public by the great and compassionate Master. At 8:20 a.m., two colorful balloons, two meters in diameter, were sent into the air with huge yellow silk banners attached, which were 1.5 meters wide and 13 meters long. The red characters in the Li-style on the yellow background read, "Teacher! We Practitioners Send Our Regards to You," "Celebrating May 13 World Falun Dafa Day," respectively. The balloons ascended in the breeze and the streamers were unfurled. More and more people gathered around and they all knew that May 13 is World Falun Dafa Day. Even the policemen who came there after hearing the news acknowledged this with understanding smiles. Dafa practitioners were full of joy of benefiting from "the vastness of the Buddha graciousness."

At about 2:00 p.m. on the same day, Dafa practitioners also placed a loudspeaker on the floor just beneath the "610 Office" [An agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems] to broadcast the truth of Falun Gong. The truth-clarifying broadcast lasted for over 20 minutes, which effectively shocked and frightened the evil.

[China] Vile Persons Who Persecute Dafa Practitioners Take Flight and Leave with Haste after All People Condemn Them

On the night of February 5, 2002, many vile persons rushed into my home and tried to forcibly take my wife to the "610 Office" for interrogation because she made Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials. My wife was firm in resisting the unreasonable requirement from the vile persons. They asked us to lower our voices to avoid alerting the neighbors, which showed that after Dafa practitioners keep on clarifying the truth, the evil dares not tyrannize us at will in broad daylight.

We kept on clarifying the truth to them loudly. One policeman attempted to put handcuffs on my wife. She protested such illegal arrest by hitting the wall. She passed out. Neighbors came and together accused these thugs. My mother came here also and angrily criticized these thugs who were speechless and had to hastily flee the scene.

Later, we studied the Fa together and talked with each other. Then my wife discovered the reason why she was persecuted was that she seldom sent forth righteous thoughts. From now on, we will spend more time studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts to thoroughly eliminate the evils that persecute Dafa and Dafa practitioners.

[Dalian City, Liaoning Province] List of Names of Recently Kidnapped Dafa Practitioners

From around 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on April 10, some policemen, including Zhang from the Taoyuan Police Precinct, broke into practitioner couple Mr. Wang Zhongxue and Ms. Zhu Jianghua's home through the window, forcibly took the couple away and ransacked their home. At present, the couple is being held at the Yaojia Detention Center and will be detained for 15 days.

Dafa practitioner Jiang Peiyuan, a 67-year-old, was arrested by persons from the Laohutan Police Precinct and was detained for 15 days.

Officers from the Huabei Road Police Precinct forcibly put 84-year-old Dafa practitioner Mr. Fu Xilin into the Yaojia Detention Center. Being afraid that Mr. Fu might be endangered there due to his old age, a policeman who still has a little conscience sent Mr. Fu back home.

Liu Jin is a 15-year-old practitioner and a grade 3 student from a junior-middle school. Vicious policemen from the Houjiagou Police Precinct waited outside his door. When he opened the door to go to school, they arrested him and sent him to a detention center. They don't even spare a school student.

Practitioner couple Mr. Yu Yonghou and Ms. Wu Hong was duped into going to the Zhuanshan Police Station. They were afterwards sent to a detention center and later on transferred to the Yaojia Detention Center.

Mr. Yin Changgeng is over 50 years old. When police from the Zhongshan Police Station of the Kuiying Police Precinct failed to arrest his wife at their home, they then kidnapped Mr. Yin to the Yaojia Detention Center.

[Wuhan City, Hubei Province] The Third Term of a Brainwashing Class Utilizes Collaborators to Intensify the Persecution

It's said that from May 22, Dafa practitioners in colleges and universities would be arrested to attend the third term of the Miaoshan District's brainwashing class. The detailed methods are as follows: the police will utilize collaborators [former Falun Gong practitioners who have gone astray due to brainwashing and torture] to do the brainwashing work. These collaborators disguised their hypocritical demeanor; they use both soft and tough means trying to lead practitioners to enlighten along an evil path. Enforcers assign eight people -- three policemen, two accompanying persons from a practitioner's work unit and three collaborators - to each and every practitioner in order to force practitioners to write the so-called "Rupture Statement." (This statement declares that practitioners will break from practicing Falun Gong that they will never again associate with other practitioners and will never go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and are sorry to have practiced Falun Gong in the first place). They will also adopt other means, such as depriving practitioners of sleep for a long time. They will continuously brainwash practitioners from 8:00 a.m. to midnight or even to 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. the next morning.

[Songyuan City, Jilin Province] A Dafa-Producing Materials Center Destroyed, One Practitioner Arrested and Another Practitioner Injured

Around March 18, a materials center in Songyuan City was destroyed, a fellow practitioner was arrested and another fellow practitioner, Pan Zhaowen, once again injured his right leg after jumping off the 2nd floor with a laptop in his hands. He was handicapped in his right leg after jumping off the 4th floor during his Forced Labor Camp term in order to resist the persecution. Mr. Pan Zhaowen was kept in the Changchun's Forced Labor Hospital for over 40 days before finally undergoing surgery.

[Linyi City, Shandong Province and Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Telephone Numbers of Vile Persons:

Linyi City's "610 Office": 011-86-539-8111821;

Liu Fengcai: 011-86-539-8312907 and 011-86-539-8314085;

Yu Tinggui: 011-86-539-8102105 and 011-86-539-8102605;

Shao Shiqin: 011-86-539-8111820 and 011-86-539-8301907.

Responsible persons for persecuting Falun Gong in Kangping County/ Shenyang City:

Wu Yuxiang, deputy director of Police Department: 011-86-24-87343433 (office) and 011-86-24-87346288 (home);

Li Mi, chief of Political & Security Section: 011-86-24-87335588 (home);

Zhang Xiangning, a police officer Zhang Xiangning: 011-86-24-87347451 (home);

Wang Jingxu, deputy director of Zhennan Police Station in Kangping County: 011-86-24-87342750 (home);

Li Lianyou: 011-86-24-87344209 (home).


89 Solemn Declarations Received Today

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:

Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.


The Truth about Dafa Practitioner Wu Cuiying's Death by Police in Datong City, Shanxi Province

May 17, 200

(Clearwisdom.net) At about 8:00 p.m. on May 14, 2001, Zhang Ji and Wang Biao from the Police Department's Political and Security Division led police to Wu Cuiying's home to arrest her. Prior to this, Ms. Wu had been illegally detained twice for persisting in practicing Falun Dafa. After that, the police went several times to her home to arrest her and search her home but failed to find her. They also threatened her husband every time they were there.

On May 14, nobody answered the door when the police came, so the police stayed outside the door to wait until someone came home. At about 9:00 p.m., Zhang Ji and Wang Biao called additional police and started climbing up the side of the building to reach Ms. Wu's apartment on the sixth floor. They broke the window to get into the apartment. At this point, Ms. Wu was forced to jump from the sixth floor. Ms. Wu's husband followed her and also jumped. Ms. Wu's husband was not injured, but Ms. Wu died at 11:00 p.m. after emergency treatment failed to save her life. Many people living in the residential complex witnessed how the police climbed up to the sixth floor, broke the windows to the apartment and how Wu Cuiying was forced to jump out of the building.

After this incidence, instead of trying to save Ms. Wu's life, the police immediately arrested Ms. Wu's husband in the name of protecting him. The police disallowed Ms. Wu's husband to go to the hospital to see his wife before she passed away. They also required all the employees of the No. 5 Police Hospital not to disclose the truth about Ms. Wu's death.

Ms. Wu and her husband suffered such persecution until the loss of Ms. Wu's life simply because they practiced Falun Gong to become better people. Ms. Wu benefited both spiritually and physically from practicing Falun Gong. She was nice to everyone and all her neighbors knew she was a very decent person. Such a tragedy would not have happened if it were not for the police that kept persecuting and mistreating her.

We hope all kind-hearted people remember Wu Cuiying and how she died for the dignity and with her faith of Falun Dafa.

á


Radio Free Asia: Four Falun Gong Practitioners in Chongqing Were Sentenced

(Clearwisdom.net) On May 19, 2002, Free Asia Radio Station reported that four Falun Gong practitioners in Chongqing were sentenced for broadcasting Falun Gong videos over the wired TV station.

According to the report, the First Chongqing Intermediate People's Court pronounced four Falun Gong practitioners, including Jinwei, guilty and sentenced them to 7 to 16 years of imprisonment in the name of organizing and using the [slanderous term omitted] organization to break the legal implementation and destroying the broadcasting and TV facilities. The report cited a government official stating that on January 1, 2002, four Falun Gong practitioners, including Jinwei and Li Xiangdong, managed to broadcast Falun Gong videos for as long as seventy minutes, and dozens of families were able to watch the Falun Gong videos.

The reporter interviewed a Falun Gong practitioner, Su Jing, from Washington D.C. She said that Falun Gong practitioners in China are deprived of the right to clarify the truth of the persecution. The resort was to broadcast the truth-clarifying videos over the TV station. Ms. Su Jing hopes that the international society would show concern for the fate of Falun Gong practitioners. The report also stated that Su Jing appealed to the Chinese government to stop the persecution and to release all Falun Gong practitioners who are jailed.

The reporter also interviewed a Falun Gong practitioner, Ms. Lai, from Maryland, U.S. She said that Falun Gong practitioners in China have always been trying to have peaceful dialogues with the Chinese government through the normal channels.


Evidence of Kidnapping, Beating and Confiscating Property of Falun Dafa Practitioners in Mengyin County, Shandong Province

(Clearwisdom.net) The government of the town of Duozhuang in Mengyin County has been brutally persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners for the past three years. They beat, confiscate the property of and destroy the homes of practitioners who hold to their beliefs.

On July 22, 1999, Zhao Chuanwen, Zhao Chuanwu, and their wives went to Beijing to appeal. After they came back, the Duozhuang government illegally detained them. Government officials did not allow them to sleep, forced them to watch videotapes slandering Teacher Li, left them outside to bake in the hot sun and tried to force them to write statements giving up Falun Gong. While being illegally detained, officials seized their homes and property. They fined Zhao Chuanwen 3000 Yuan and Zhao Chuanwu 2000 Yuan. [The average monthly salary of a Chinese worker is 500 Yuan.]

In October 1999, Zhao Chuanwen attended a Falun Dafa experience sharing meeting. The government sent him to the town's police station. Du Zhongtai, head of the police station, brutally beat him. Then they sent Zhao Chuanwen to the detention center and illegally detained him for 15 days. Refusing to give up his practice of Falun Gong, authorities then sent him to the county's detention center for another month and fined him an additional 1,500 Yuan.

In February 2000, Zhao Chuanwen again went to Beijing to appeal. The "610 Office" of Mengyin County illegally detained him for one month and then sent him to a brainwashing class in the town of Duozhuang. There, Zhao and other male practitioners were forced to labor beyond their physical capabilities. Family members of practitioners were mentally tortured by being forced to attend brainwashing classes every day and to read with him. Even Zhao's elderly mother was treated this way. They would fine the families if they refused to go.

The Party Secretary of the county's Politics and Law Committee, Li Zhiye, is the main area coordinator of the persecution of Falun Dafa and practitioners. He went to Duozhuang brainwashing class and said, "If practitioners say that they will practice, just beat them every day." Three days later, the Vice Party Secretary of Duozhuang, Li Xiufu, and the Vice Director of the Army Bureau, Fang Simin, directed thugs including Pu Fanhai and Fang Deliang to inhumanly torture the practitioners in Duozhuang. They beat the practitioners hips and legs with rubber batons. Practitioners Lu Xingde and Liu Changzhi passed out during the beating. They covered practitioner Wang Jianli's head and forcefully struck him more than eighty times with batons. They stepped on practitioner Zhao Chuanwen's hands and feet to beat him.

During the detention of the brothers Zhao Chuanwen and Zhao Chuanwu, the government of Duozhuang confiscated their homes. They took all their valuables, including automobiles and bicycles, cash, electronics, furniture, food, kitchenware and even fabric from the family business. They illegally detained Zhao Chuanwen for more than 100 days and fined him more than 20,000 Yuan. They illegally fined Zhao Chuanwu 22,000 Yuan and later returned some vehicles, furniture and fabric.

In November 2000, the government confiscated Zhao Chuanwen's motorcycle and tricycle. When they discovered that Zhao continued to go to Falun Dafa practitioners' meetings, they again broke into his house and took everything. They sold all of his possessions. They even broke all the windows, removed the doors and windows and broke apart the ceiling. In the end, they cement blocked off the doorway to prevent entry to the house. Now Zhao's house has been emptied of its contents and left strewn with debris (see picture). They also burglarized Zhao Chuanwu's house (see picture) and took away three pigs belonging to Zhao's father.

From July 20, 1999 until the end of 2001, nine Falun Dafa practitioners were sent to labor camps from the town of Duozhuang. More than 50 people were illegally sent to brainwashing classes. More than 10 families had personal possessions confiscated. Illegal fines were higher than 30,000 Yuan.

The "610 Office" is still illegally holding the brothers Zhao Chuanwen and Zhao Chuanwu. They are suffering inhuman torture just because they persisted in believing in Truth, Compassion, Forbearance.

Zhao Chuanwu's house, the doors and windows were taken apart

áZhao Chuanwen's house, the windows removed and the glass broken

Zhao Chuanwen's yard, flour container was broken

Zhao Chuanwen's house, the ceiling was destroyed

Zhao Chuanwen's yard, strewn with broken debris

Zhao Chuanwen's windows

Zhao Chuanwen's house (the east room)

Zhao Chuanwen's house (the west room)

Zhao Chuanwen's house (the west living room)

Zhao Chuanwu's house after being robbed

Zhao Chuanwen's gate, the door removed and the entrance sealed off with cement blocks


Unjust Officials from the Changjiang River Water Conservation Committee in Wuhan City, Hubei Province Receive Heavenly Retribution and Warnings

(Clearwisdom.net)


News and Activities Around the World


Video: Celebration of World Falun Dafa Day

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40 Principals Join Falun Gong Association During the 97th Taiwan Primary School Principal Training Class (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) From March 18 to May 10, the National Schoolteachers Association under the Ministry of Education held its 97th Taiwan Primary School Principal Training Class. During the training class, Dafa practitioner and principal Hou proposed to establish a Falun Gong Association among the schoolteachers. His proposal received warm responses. 40 principals among 120 principals from across Taiwan participated.


Tens of Thousands of People in Singapore Happily See Falun Gong (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) The "News Journal" Walking Race, which is the most popular mass event in Singapore, began at 7:30 a.m. on May 19. As many as 70,000 people attended the event. The walking race started from the National Stadium and took over 3 hours for a journey of 10 kilometers. The scene was quite spectacular.

Usually, this kind of event took place in August, around the Singapore National Day. Now it is arranged in May, and this year and it is absolutely not a coincidence. Many practitioners realized that this was an excellent Hongfa opportunity. So wearing T-shirts with Dafa words or corresponding designs, over 40 practitioners attended this event.

On the wide road, the walking procession extended a few kilometers. With several dozens of practitioners only walking in the procession, the effect was really limited. To let more people understand Dafa in a positive way, about a dozen practitioners left the walking procession. They went to practice the Falun Gong exercises at a small park near where the procession was to pass. While doing the exercises, some practitioners continuously sent forth righteous thoughts. The seemingly simple activity achieved very good effects. Moved by Dafa, almost all walking race attendees, no matter male or female, old or young, one after another turned around to look at the exercises. Some were pleasantly surprised, some were amazed, some were astonished, some stopped to watch, some slowed down, some tried to imitate, some whispered, and some kindly smiled. There were also some who did not show any interest. Unfortunately though, there were also some who made impertinent remarks. During the whole 3-hour process, people continuously passed by as if troops being reviewed passed by the platform. Almost everyone turned around to look at practitioners doing the exercises. Thousands of people obtained the opportunity to view the elegance of Falun Gong exercises and were impressed. Such a wonderful Hongfa effect can only be achieved without pursuit. Many beings obtained the chance to be saved because of this. Practitioners deeply felt the mighty power of Dafa and the Teacher's boundless compassion.


Indonesian Falun Gong Practitioners Are Invited to Attend the "World Health Day" Symposium and Receive Certificate of Honor from the Provincial Department of Health (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net)

Attending the World Health Day Symposium by Invitation and Receiving Certificate of Honor

Photo Exhibition During Falun Dafa SeminarPractitioners Studying FaPractitioners are demonstrating the first set of exercise. A Qigong doctor in the first row says Falun Gong's energy field is very strong
Practitioners demonstrating the fifth set of exerciseOfficials from Department of Health taking group photos with practitioners on the 54thWorld Health Day.Practitioners distributing flyers in morning market

On May 8, 6 Dafa practitioners from Jakarta were invited to attend the "May 8 to May 14 World Heath Day" Symposium sponsored by the Provincial Department of Health in West Kalimantan. In the symposium, Falun Gong was recognized as a righteous Fa, which is in accordance with principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" to improve people's health and upgrade their xinxing (moral character). Whereas, Falun Gong is an extraordinary cultivation practice, which is widely spread in over 50 countries in the world, the Provincial Department of Health in West Kalimantan issued a certificate to honor and to appreciate Falun Gong (See the certificate at the end). That Falun Gong practitioners attended the symposium by invitation and received the certificate of honor has received very good feedback from the community. A week later, a few dozen new practitioners, including some government officials from all levels joined the local practice site.

The symposium started at 9 am. Over 100 people attended the symposium, including officials from the Department of Health, chancellors from the Civil Administration Department, police and army officials, physical education committee, Qigong organizations, martial art organizations as well as Falun Gong practitioners. The director of the Department of Health first gave the opening remarks, followed by speeches from officials from the Health Department and Physical Education Committee. They all emphasized the importance of improving people's health and ways to achieve this.

Then a Falun Gong practitioner gave a speech. He first talked about the journey of Falun Dafa since Teacher first introduced it to the public in 1992. Then he introduced the 5 sets of Falun Gong exercises. He pointed out that Falun Dafa is an extraordinary cultivation practice in accordance with the principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" and it is widely spread in over 50 countries in the world. He said that Falun Gong is not involved in politics; it is not a religion, and it has no organization; all activities are free of charge and the exercise-instruction is free also. During his speech, some people asked the question: Falun Gong is so good, why does the Chinese Government persecute Falun Gong? Most attendees did not know much about Falun Gong. This question actually provided them with a very good opportunity to learn the truth about Falun Gong. The audience attentively listened to the practitioner answering the question. They all understood that Falun Dafa is a righteous Fa.

When practitioners demonstrated the 5 sets of Falun Gong exercises on stage, a Qigong doctor sitting in the front row said: I can feel that the Falun Gong's energy field is very strong. I want to learn Falun Gong. Some newspaper reporters also came to take interviews. They were all amazed by the Falun Gong exercises. Some attendees requested information about Falun Gong and expressed their wish to learn Falun Gong.

At the entrance of the symposium hall, practitioners displayed on white boards the truth-clarifying photos, which attracted many spectators. At the same time, they distributed the Dafa materials to every attendee. Practitioners' well-organized Hongfa activities gained many people's appreciation.

One week later after the symposium, the local practice site welcomed over 30 new practitioners including government officials from all levels as well as common people from society.

Holding a Dafa Introduction Seminar in the Town of Singkawang

Distributing Dafa materials at SingkawangFalun Dafa Introduction Seminar at Singkawang
Demonstrating Falun Gong exercisesQigong master and Falun Gong practitioners giving speeches

On May 3, 2002, 6 Dafa practitioners went the Town of Singkawang, 130 km away from their city to hold a Falun Dafa Introduction Seminar. With 90% citizens of Chinese origin, this town is also named as "Little Hong Kong". About one year ago, practitioners came here to spread Dafa, but there was very strong interference and the activity was hindered. Now the situation has changed. A local new practitioner had been suffering from sinusitis, sinus abscess, and headache for over two years. He went to Jakarta to seek a cure. Doctors decided to do surgery. But he got the chance to meet Dafa practitioners in Jakarta. After listening to practitioners introducing Dafa, he decided to genuinely practice Falun Gong. Six month later, he completely recovered from his sinusitis. To express his appreciation and gratitude to Teacher, he made up his mind to spread Dafa in Singkawang.

Mr. Xiao, a principal of a Buddhist school, has over 20,000 followers. Mr. Xiao has already understood that Falun Gong is a righteous Fa, and is willing to help spread Dafa. He is happy to help practitioners distribute Dafa materials and introduce Dafa to his friends and relatives. He firmly believes that in the near future, under Teacher's compassionate arrangement, Falun Dafa will definitely spread widely in Singkawang.

Attachment: Translation of the Special Certificate of Honor toward Falun Gong from the Provincial Department of Health in West Kalimantan, Indonesia:

The Provincial Department of Health in West Kalimantan

The Symposium Committee

Certificate of Honor

Serial number: 440-383-PSD-F

Honor and Appreciation Are Hereby Granted to Falun Gong

Subject to health and being energetic, a one-day symposium is held to commemorate the 54th World Health Day on Wednesday, May 8, 2002, at the Auditorium of the West Klimantan Provincial Department of Health, Kuta City, 7 Daeng Abdul Hadi Street.

West Kalimantan Province

Director of Department of Health

Dr. H. M. Toris, Z, MPH

Kuta, May 8, 2002

Symposium Committee Chairman

Fardhon Hanafiah, SKM

see also: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/5/24/22406.html


Photo Report: Hongfa Activities in Indonesia

Photo Exhibition During Falun Dafa Seminar

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Practitioners Studying the Fa Practitioners demonstrating the first set of exercises. A Qigong doctor in the first row says Falun Gong's energy field is very strong.

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Practitioners demonstrating the fifth set of exercises Officials from the Health Bureau taking group photos with practitioners on the Fifty World Health Day Practitioners distributing flyers at farmer's market
Practitioners distributing flyers in a city Falun Dafa introduction class
Exercise demonstration Practitioner speaking during a meeting
A Congressman, Islamic leader learning the fifth set exercise Muslim women learning the fifth set exercise
Student from an Islamic Institute visit photo exhibition "the Journey of Falun Dafa"
On World Falun Dafa Day, Dafa practitioners send forth righteous thoughts round-the-clock, eliminate evils and study Fa, upgrading Xinxing
A Congressman, Islamic lead celebrate the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Falun Dafa to the public

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Falun Gong Practitioners from Malaysia Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On May 13, 2002, practitioners from Malaysia went to the famous scenic site, Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day. They simultaneously held the "Journey of Falun Dafa" photo exhibition.



Dutch Practitioners Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day in Amsterdam

On May 13th, Dutch Falun Dafa practitioners held activities in the Vondel-parc in Amsterdam to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day. Although it was just a regular working day, the park was very crowded.

The celebration started at 11:00 a.m. We hung up our banners that read "the world needs Truth, Compassion, Forbearance," and put up some picture boards showing Falun Dafa around the world. We gave balloons, which had Falun Dafa written on them, to children.

Some of us demonstrated the exercises while others distributed truth clarifying materials. We also sent forth righteous thoughts each hour on the hour. Many people stopped by our site and accepted our flyers, and many people came to ask questions.

At 4 p.m. we walked from the park to the central railway station through the Amsterdam city center. During our walk we distributed all the flyers we took with us. At the Dam, a famous square, we took a group picture and successfully concluded our World Falun Dafa Day celebration.


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Group photo at the Dam Photo boards attracting visitors Practitioners meditating

Group practice


Falun Gong Practitioners from Cambridge, England Hold Photo Exhibition Entitled "Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day" (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On the 10th anniversary of Falun Dafa's public introduction, practitioners from England held a one-week photo exhibition entitled "Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day" at the Central Library in the city of Cambridge. Following the "First World Congress of Future Science and Culture" and the "New Chinese Concert" which were held at the Auditorium of Cambridge City Hall, practitioners once again utilized the public service in the City of Cambridge---the Central Library to spread Dafa to people.

In this photo exhibition, in addition to displaying photos introducing Dafa, Dafa's worldwide spread, honors and awards that Dafa has received and the health survey reports, practitioners also sincerely introduced to local citizens our great Teacher's photos, Falun emblem, and "Lunyu" using finely designed photographs.

It was very convenient for people who came to the library to visit our exhibition. Because of the regular work, practitioners from Cambridge were not able to personally receive visitors for the entire time. But all Dafa materials on the display booth were taken away by visitors, which showed that many people were present at the exhibition. In order to let people understand Dafa deeply from more angles, another exhibition entitled "Water, the Origin of Life" which validated Dafa from a scientific point of view was just opened.


Minnesota Celebrates World Falun Dafa Day at State Capitol

In the central spot in the magnificent State Capitol Building of Minnesota, state government officials, practitioners, and friends held a presentation to honor World Falun Dafa Day.

Minnesota is near the geographic center of the North American continent. Those who attended could look up in the large, round Rotunda section of the Capitol building, with balconies and a large dome overhead. They could feel they were at the center there.

After remarks by a practitioner to welcome everyone to World Falun Dafa Day, State Senator Ellen Anderson gave a short speech commending Falun Dafa and mentioning her efforts to pass a resolution in the State Senate in support of human rights in China. State Senator Gen Olson also attended to show support for Falun Dafa. In addition, a practitioner read a letter of support from another State Senator, Sandy Pappas.

Many cities in Minnesota have issued proclamations or recognition to Falun Dafa. A practitioner read the proclamation from the large city of Bloomington.

The celebration moved outdoors, where practitioners demonstrated the exercises on the broad and dignified front steps of the State Capitol building. Soothing music played softly as practitioners performed the exercises. Some practitioners held banners and balloons, which swayed in the breeze and added color to the festive, yet solemn occasion.

Twice the exercise demonstration was interrupted by rainfall on this Spring afternoon. Twice, practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts and the rain stopped. By the end of the celebration, the sun was shining warmly and the ground was dry.

Local media and passers-by accepted information and asked questions. The state near the center of North America is welcoming and getting to know Dafa more and more.


UK Dafa Practitioners Demonstrate Falun Dafa at "Life Styles Show" (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On May 18, 2002, the City of Coventry's government organized a large scale "Life Styles Show" in a commercial complex in downtown Coventry. Many organizations from all walks of society including recreational, fashion, health and fitness, beauty, traditional crafts and martial arts attended the show. Falun Dafa was invited to demonstrate the exercises. Among various performances and demonstrations, Falun Dafa practitioners' demonstration was so unique and graceful that many in the audience were deeply moved.

Before the show, local practitioners were given permission to demonstrate the exercises and clarify the truth in the town square. Many people have already come to recognize the truth about Falun Dafa.

During the show, participating organizations performed onstage in turn. The contemporary music was very loud and it made the hall somewhat noisy, but when Falun Dafa practitioners went on the stage, the peaceful and serene Falun Dafa music turned the noisy environment into a very calm and comfortable one. Five practitioners demonstrated the five sets of exercises and one practitioner introduced the principles and discussed the persecution in China. The audience was deeply moved. When the 10 minute long demonstration finished, the audience gave the practitioners long and loud applause. No other performance had won such warm acceptance. The host was also deeply moved and he thanked our practitioners many times. To our surprise, one hour later, the host came to us again and invited us to do the demonstration on the stage one more time to satisfy the requests from the audience.

Besides the demonstration, practitioners enthusiastically distributed truth-clarifying materials to the people coming to the show. Many local residents asked the schedule and location of practice site. One gentleman even offered his home as public group practice site.


During the Toronto Experience Sharing Conference, Practitioners Are Invited to Attend the Victoria Day Parade (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) May 20, Monday, was Victoria Day, a festival of the Queen. A celebration ceremony sponsored by the Canadian ministry was held in front of the Ontario Legislative building in downtown Toronto, followed by a grand parade. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario personally delivered a speech. Some important officials also attended the celebration ceremony. The parade procession included army honor guards as well as various groups and organizations in society. The local Falun Gong practitioners were formally invited for the first time by the government to participate in the parade. This manifested the general recognition and support of Falun Dafa by the Canadian Government and its people.

On the roadsides, the onlookers cheerfully watched and judged the parade processions. In the holiday noise and excitement, the beautiful music "Falun Dafa Hao" and the happy and peaceful Falun Gong practitioners' procession brought people a pleasant surprise. The practitioners' procession included several subgroups dressed in white, blue and yellow. The Canadian National flag and a banner reading "Falun Dafa in Canada" was quite a scene showing support from Canada. The "heavenly girls" on the colorful float and the performance of the "Fan Dance" and "Colorful Scarf Dance" gained warm applause and cheers. The colorful vertical Falun Dafa Flags and the triangle flags reading "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance" formed a small phalanx, which showed the sincerity and stateliness of Dafa. When some Chinese people saw the scene, they first widely opened their eyes, astonished and confused. They then immediately vividly smiled. Shone by the Buddha's light, people's hearts are changing.

"The Fa-rectification of the human world is coming soon." (The Teacher's New Article "The Blessings From Dafa") With the boundless compassion given by Dafa, practitioners use various forms to clarify the truth to sentient beings and offer salvation, closely follow Master and welcoming the Fa-rectification of the human world.


Austrian Practitioner Abducted in Changchun Returns to Vienna

(Clearwisdom.net) Austrian Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Alexander Hamrle traveled to Changchun, China to tell as many of the Chinese people as possible that Falun Dafa is good. Police illegally abducted him in the process. This caused strong reactions from both the Austrian government and people. Due to the unrest that resulted, the Austrian Government and several members of the Austrian media implemented a successful rescue effort on Mr. Hamrle's behalf. Mr. Hamrle safely returned to Vienna on the evening of May 16, 2002.

We appeal to the Chinese government to release all detained Falun Dafa practitioners immediately. We call on all kindhearted people to work together to stop this brutal persecution of honest people who practice "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance."


Summary of Other Articles and News - 05/20/2002

(Clearwisdom.net)

Media Report

VOA: Martial Bachoffner, a 34-year old French computer engineer from Montreal, was arrested by Chinese police and deported after unfurling a banner to support Falun Gong. He returned to Canada on May 17, 2002, receiving a warm welcome. Martial said he told the police that the persecution of Falun Gong was the same as the persecution of Jews by the Nazi Regime. His actions were legitimate because China has signed the Human Rights Conventions of the United Nations.

Truth and Support

A kind-hearted driver was not afraid of the persecution. He went to the laboratory where his wife worked to post truth-clarifying materials. His wife was therefore demoted in her job. He saw Master's law body for three continuous days, admitting that he was a Dafa practitioner. Many officers from the public security attended a classmate reunion banquet, so he also attended intentionally to clarify the truth. Someone used the workers' appeal to defame Falun Gong. He asked the other employees in his workplace who went to appeal, whether they practiced Falun Gong in front of his supervisor. Now there are many people who would like to learn Falun Gong from him.

News And Activities Around The World

The following are cultivation experiences from practitioners from the "River of Hope" community in Xindian, Taiwan. These practitioners have practiced Falun Gong for only 3 months.

Miss Zhang: "Now I can easily let go of my troubles, worries and attachments."

The 82-year-old Mr. Shi: "My longstanding heart disease is now much better. I have completely stopped taking pills for heart disease, which I used to take everyday. I used to be very ill. Now I have become so strong and energetic it is as if I have endless physical strength."

A housewife: "I try and use time to my advantage to tell people about Falun Dafa. For example, I spread the Fa when I go to the food market to shop. Sometimes on holidays I go to scenic sites nearby to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa and its persecution. I also volunteer to go into elementary schools to tell stories to students. I tell stories of 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance' to the students, which are truly for their benefit. As a result, I have become happier and happier."


Summary of Other Articles and News - 05/21/2002

(Clearwisdom.net)

Truth and People's Heart

On May 19, Dafa practitioners in a city of China successfully held a small experience sharing Fa conference. They exchanged their understandings through Fa study and truth clarification.

On Teacher's birthday, I clarified the truth to my colleagues. One of them said immediately, "I always thought what CCTV [state-run TV news channel] and 'Focal Point Interview' [one of CCTV programs] said were true! Now that I have heard the truth, it's so stunning I can't live [with the lies] any longer!" We talked for three and a half hours non-stop. Somehow I saw a small electronic instrument on a desk shaped like a missile, and I said nonchalantly, "Who is the missile aimed at?" A colleague immediately said, "At Jiang!"

Latest News from China

I used my first-hand experience to expose the lies about Wang Bo on People's Daily. In order to force practitioners to write guarantee statements, Hebei Province No. 1 Female Labor Camp locked up practitioners individually, not allowing practitioners to sleep, forcing them to stand (for a long time) and squat. They beat and kicked the practitioners and shocked them with electric batons. One practitioner's foot was crippled from being shocked by electric batons.

Practitioners Exchange Insights

Experiences of clarifying the truth: One's main consciousness should predominate and one's mind should maintain righteousness. Maintaining strong righteous thoughts is the premise of safety. It would be better to keep sending forth righteous thoughts while clarifying the truth. Send forth righteous thoughts towards the truth-clarification materials to be distributed.

Means of clarifying the truth. The truth-clarification materials should be comprehensive but refined, so that readers will be able to obtain straightforward, direct and effective information within a limited period of time. Practitioners should also pay attention to the mutual exchange of experiences and insights.

See clearly through the thief's logic, the crocodile's tears and Judas' excuses. Fellow practitioners in former days who went astray on the path of cultivation, please remember: There is only one choice between evil and Dafa. If you take the evil side, you have been brainwashed. If the evil says that you made contributions, then you have committed crimes against Dafa. The thousands of years of waiting, the vows made hundreds of thousands of years ago are being fulfilled. How critical it is! Please think about it thoroughly.


Hongfa Exhibition Board: Falun Gong Welcomed All Over the World

Falun Gong is widely accepted and welcomed in 57 countries around the world, and only in Mainland China is it being defamed and brutally persecuted.


Download High Resolution Image (PSD file)

Size: 4x16 feet (120x480 cm)

Use two 4 x 8 feet plastic boards. Tape two boards together so it can be folded and easily carried.


Practitioners Exchange Insights


Regard the Fa as the Most Important, Pay the Greatest Attention to the Entire Situation

(Clearwisdom.net)

Look Upon Everything from the Perspective of a Cultivator

Since we are cultivating ourselves in everyday society, the appearance of the situations that we are encountering are similar to what other people are encountering. If we cannot treat these things from the perspective of a cultivator and according to the Fa, we will get bogged down in the day to day issues of everyday people.

Among everyday people, the method for solving a problem is to seek answers and solve the problem from the surface of things, just like the way patients are treated in a hospital or by qigong healers treating the symptoms not the root of the problem. However, we practitioners should not fall into the conventional thinking of everyday people. Teacher has transmitted a very high Fa to everyone with profound principles that enable us to reveal the primary root causes of all problems. When treating a disease, if the primary cause of the disease has not been removed, the disease cannot be cured; even though some type of improvement might occur, the disease can come back later. In our lengthy cultivation, many problems have not yet been solved because we fail to view the Fa from the perspective of the Fa itself. If we treat this persecution as one of those among everyday people, it will be very hard for us to rise above this persecution.

Pay the Greatest Attention to the Entire Situation

The course of Fa-rectification requires us to coordinate our activities on a larger scale. Whether an individual practitioner cultivates himself well depends on the extent to which he assimilates himself with the principles of "Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance;" whether the whole is truly strong depends on the extent to which this whole assimilates itself with the principles "Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance." Though the evil ruling circle has a strong manifestation in superficial spaces, it is only a matter of time before it is eradicated.

It is normal that among practitioners there are contradictions, which provide practitioners with many factors to lift their xinxing. Don't pour negative energy into this whole, due to the contradictions. When a practitioner complains of others or the whole, he may have poured negative energy into this whole and in this way we may have wasted our energy inside our practitioners instead of using it to eliminate the evil forces. Raising a question with good will in order to solve a corresponding problem is one way we can contribute active energy to solve the problem.

Furthermore, whenever we treat deficiencies within a whole or district as something unrelated to ourselves and take a problem in our cultivation for a responsibility of the Falun Dafa Research Society, the Falun Gong Assistant Center or other disciples, we have then already been unable to realize the problem in our cultivation from the perspective of the Fa itself and have begun looking externally.

While all of us can understand quite clearly the requirements of Fa-rectification for every particle in ourselves, Fa-rectification has certain requirements for us as a whole as well. Unable to recognize the situation of the whole, an individual practitioner though can make good progress in his personal cultivation, he may fail to satisfy the requirement of the whole, even cause contradictions between requirements of the individual and the whole, which may in turn cause disharmony within the whole. Any obstacle to the whole is indeed an obstacle to any individual practitioner's cultivation: if a problem in a larger scope and higher level has not been solved, an individual practitioner, no matter how much effort he may make, cannot reach consummation.


Righteous Thoughts When Promoting the Fa

(Clearwisdom.net) Once during an activity introducing Dafa, I met someone. He asked me as soon as he saw me, "Are you Chinese?" I said yes, and then he immediately started using abusive language to attack Dafa and Master. In the beginning I did not pay attention to him, because perhaps I was affected by the attachment of avoiding conflicts. He continued to curse, and even stepped up to push me (I am a big person). I suddenly realized in my mind that I shouldn't dodge his attack. At this time he said, you are [abusive words omitted]. So I looked directly into his eyes, and said righteously, "Falun Gong is not a religion. Who is evil? Let me tell you, only the evil would get angry when encountering the righteous. Only the evil would explode in demon nature, feel uneasy, and attack the righteous with abusive language. So many people are glad to accept our truth clarification materials. Why are you afraid? It's because you are being manipulated by the evil. Why do I say that? In this world evil can never triumph over the righteous, and the righteous never fears evil. Only evil fears the righteous. So it is you that must be evil." All of a sudden his face turned white. He turned around and ran away. In the afternoon he passed by again, but when I prepared to approach him to clarify the truth of the Fa, he turned around and ran away.

From this small incident I enlightened that we should keep righteous thoughts at every moment. Righteous thoughts include Dafa practitioners' compassion to the people and using a pure benevolent heart to save people. In righteous thoughts there is also the elimination of the evil behind people. The process of promoting the Fa to people is a process of cleaning people, allowing their Buddha nature and benevolent hearts covered with attachments to shine through a little. Little by little, we are already changing people, changing the world. Perhaps this is a little manifestation of the Fa rectifying the human world.

This is my personal understanding. Feel free to correct any mistakes.


Open Forum


A Practitioner Who Obtained the Fa in Jail Recalls Dafa Practitioner Ms. Ding Yan

(Clearwisdom.net) After I learned that Ms. Ding Yan was tortured to death for validating Dafa, I was very sad. The time I spent with her reappeared in front of me:

On June 24, 1999, I was detained in Shijiazhuang City No. 1 Detention Center for a criminal offense. At first I couldn't face the reality and had a complete nervous breakdown. I did not wish to live any longer, so I tried to escape this painful life with voluntary starvation, the method of slowly committing suicide. I was constantly suffering, in tears and in pain.

That same year I was lucky to have met Ding Yan. Meeting with her became the turning point in my life. Her pleasant singing voice brought warmth and happiness to us, and her skill of cutting hair benefited everyone in the cell. She was healthy and optimistic, always doing the work before anyone else, and she often taught us not to beat or curse people and that all of us should become good people. Through her, we learned about Falun Dafa and experienced for ourselves that Falun Dafa is good. Many people wanted to practice and some people said, "I'll practice Falun Gong after I get out. If I ever have to come back here again, it will be because I practice Falun Gong!" She also taught me to live an open and aboveboard life. She taught me to recite Hong Yin and told me, "Suicide is also creating karma." I wrote to her, "I want you to be my friend, because I know you wouldn't lie to me." She drew a Falun and the movements of the first four exercises and wrote, "There is Teacher and there is the Fa, so you won't be lonely." At that time I thought what Ding Yan said was right, but I didn't understand the Fa from the perspective of the Fa. Then she wrote me another message saying, "Cultivation is serious. If you can't regard the Fa as the Teacher, I won't be able to write to you anymore, because I am also a practitioner. If you cultivate the Buddha Fa, you must be diligent, 'like a lion.'" Soon after this she was transfered away, but I didn't realize that this was our last parting!

Because of Ding Yan and other practitioners' influence, I joined in Dafa cultivation to assimilate to "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance." Although I walked a wayward path before, my conscience was not yet dead. I believe in the Truth and want to become a truly good person. I learned how to consider others first, and I learned to become generous and treat everyone with kindness. Before I obtained the Fa, I hated my father-in-law and mother-in-law, but now I don't, and I'm grateful that they are taking care of my children. Falun Dafa gave me a new life and made me forget about suicide. Dafa helped me to regain a healthy body and made me become a noble person. I often sighed, "If I learned Falun Dafa earlier, I wouldn't have been here at all!"

Ding Yan has left us, but her steadfast heart still inspires all who knew her. The article she wrote, "Let Life Glorify in the Fa Rectification" [shared at the Guangzhou Fa Experience Sharing Conference] has become the eternal witness to the fulfillment of her own vow. Ding Yan, greetings to you! It was an eternal honor for me to have met you.

Note: On October 28, 1999, Ding Yan attended a press conference held in Beijing by Falun Gong practitioners, which gave the world media the opportunity to gain a positive perspective about Dafa practitioners in China for the first time. On November 26 of the same year she was arrested when holding the Guangzhou Fa Experience Sharing Conference. The speech she gave at the conference, "Let Life Glorify in the Fa Rectification" [http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2000/1/14/10211.html] encouraged countless practitioners to take the path of assisting Teacher to rectify the Fa. On the night of August 18, 2001, Ding Yan was tortured to death in Chengde City Prison.

See more reports about Ding Yan:

Falun Dafa Practitioner, Ms. Ding Yan from Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, was Tortured to Death by Prison Guards in Chengde City Prison

http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2001/9/7/13629.html

History Records the Everlasting Glory

http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2001/1/3/5465.html

Special Report: On One-Year Anniversary of the Press Conference Hosted by Falun Gong Practitioners in Beijing on October 28, 1999

http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2000/11/8/6248.html


Poem: After 10 Years

100 million golden flowers float on the ocean blue,
The Lord of Buddhas guides them through the darkest of all storms.
Following the highest path -- Benevolence, Tolerance, Truth,
Every voyage different, the Great Dao has no form.

Providing what is righteous, light illuminates the gloom,
Sentient beings awaken as the final curtain falls.
Many parts played out, provide foundation for the new,
Every being thankful to the Master of them all.


Poem: Quiet and Still the Heart is Relieved

We are what we aim to be
determination etches future eternity,
focused, complete consciousness
is the seed of the fruit that will be obtained.
Nothing without the heart of selflessness
no sweetness without the pain of loss,
the choice to be truly diligent
is key to successful completion.
Now seize the precious opportunity
And lay down deforming jealousy,
Quiet and still the heart is relieved
Stepping forward to validate the reason we came.