Voices of Justice Worldwide Condemning the Political Verdict in Hong Kong
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August 15, 2002
Washington, D.C. - On Thursday, sixteen Falun Gong practitioners, who were holding a peaceful hunger strike at the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong last March, were convicted of causing "obstruction" on trumped-up charges.
The hunger strike began when four Swiss Falun Gong practitioners were held up in Hong Kong en route to Beijing to petition the Chinese government to stop the persecution of persons exercising their internationally recognized human right to practice their spiritual beliefs. They were denied entry into China, even though they had valid visas.
Congressman Chris Smith, Vice Chairman of the House Committee on International Relations strongly denounced the Hong Kong court ruling against the Falun Gong.
"These peaceful protesters were mistreated by the police. Excessive force was used during the arrests, that included strangling and subduing practitioners through applying painful pressure to sensitive acupuncture points that injured nine."
"Not a single bystander or passer-by -- other than the police themselves -- testified that the practitioners obstructed the pavement. During the trial, the defense actually showed a video showing that the practitioners occupied only 7 square meters while the pavement has a space of 140 meters."
"Today's ruling is not only the latest in China's persecution of the Falun Gong, but also an affront to the rule of law in Hong Kong. It is a dangerous and troubling sign that China's disgraceful and brutal campaign against people of faith has been expanded to a new level."
"The world was told by the People's Republic of China that Hong Kong and China would exist under a 'two governments, one nation' system. The actions against the Falun Gong in Hong Kong clearly show that the ongoing process by which basic freedoms and democracy are withering away in Hong Kong have reached a new low. Once again, the world has been shown that the word of the PRC means nothing. Peaceful people have been denied freedom of expression and unjustly convicted of a bogus crime."
"The dictators in Bejing now seek to export their brutal persecution of Falun Gong beyond the borders of mainland China. In China, this persecution has been well documented by many international observers, including the United States Department of State. It has included a nationwide propaganda campaign, arrests of tens of thousands, brainwashing, and torturing to the point of death of several hundred practitioners."
"When Jiang Zemin comes to the US this fall, I will be prepared to defend the Falun Gong's right to protest and speak out strongly against his regime's persecution of the Falun Gong."
Joe Higgins T.D.
Member of Parliament, the Republic of Ireland
Socialist Party
14th August 2002
The Honourable Tung Chee Hwa
Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR
Re: Trial of Falun Dafa Practitioners
Dear Honourable Tung Chee Hwa,
I am writing to you to express concern about the recent trial of 16 Falun Dafa practitioners who were arrested and charged with obstructing a path while meditating peacefully in front of the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong.
The heavy-handed manner in which the Hong Kong police arrested and removed these peaceful practitioners, including using strangle holds on a 60 year old woman, is a cause of great concern.
I am also concerned that the Falun Dafa practitioners receive a fair trial. Zhao Ming, a Chinese student now living in Ireland who was released from a labour camp in China due to the publicity given to his case here, was asked to give evidence in the trial stating the vicious torture he had suffered in the labour camp. When he went to the Chinese embassy to get the visa for Hong Kong they immediately recognized him and would not even issue him an application form. Moreover, the fact that two senior council were chosen to represent the prosecution's case, the main argument of which is obstruction of a footpath, is unusual to say the least.
I am urging you to take all necessary measures to ensure that the charges against the 16 Falun Dafa practitioners are dropped and that Falun Dafa practitioners in Hong Kong are allowed to live free from all intimidation and persecution. I will continue to raise the issue of the treatment of Falun Dafa practitioners in China both at the level of the Irish Parliament and the European Union.
Yours sincerely,
Joe Higgins T.D.
Friends of Falun Gong, USA
Tel: 866-FG-Friend (343-7436)
Email: info@fofg.org
--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-- 8/15/02
Hong Kong: Failing The Litmus Test for Freedom
TENAFLY, NEW JERSEY, USA -- Friends of Falun Gong USA is horrified at the gross misrepresentation of justice carried out in the Hong Kong courts today as sixteen human rights advocates from Switzerland and Hong Kong were found guilty in a show trial that has made a mockery of democracy. The sixteen were arrested several months ago on March 14 while demonstrating for the rights of Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China.
The demonstrators, who were Falun Gong practitioners themselves, had been charged with "obstructing the sidewalk" and "attacking police" as they were arrested only hours into their three-day hunger strike to bring attention to the latest development in the persecution of Falun Gong on the mainland -- that officials in China gave orders to police to shoot Falun Gong practitioners simply for handing out flyers. They were entirely within their rights and within the law. A video of the incident, as well as eyewitness accounts, clearly showed that they were quietly meditating in a small area and not obstructing pedestrian traffic in any way. Neither was there any demonstration of violence on their part. The police, in contrast, were brutal in their handling of these persons. The video shows them surrounding and manhandling the victims before carrying them off and throwing them into police vans.
The outcome of this trial is a blow not only to human rights but also to the future of Hong Kong's autonomy in the face of increasing pressure from Beijing and President Jiang Zemin.
"The people of Hong Kong, and indeed all those who cherish freedom should grieve for the future of human rights in this once-free society," commented Alan Adler, Executive Director of Friends of Falun Gong USA. "This is a seminal moment in the history of Hong Kong, marking the beginning of the end of One Country, Two Systems. It was clear from the beginning, as evidenced by video of the actual events, that the charges against these people were false. Hong Kong has failed its litmus test for freedom. Our hearts go out to the Hong Kong people, who are clearly in danger of losing more and more of their rights."
Mr. Adler concluded by stating, "Despite today's setback, friends, supporters, and practitioners of Falun Gong will continue to speak out against Beijing's worldwide persecution of Falun Gong, and continue to expose the Jiang Zemin regime until freedom prevails for Falun Gong practitioners everywhere."
###
Friends of Falun Gong USA is a nonprofit organization made up of supporters of the human rights of Falun Gong adherents. Friends of Falun Gong USA is independent of Falun Gong.
Civil action may seek damages from SAR government and Jiang over suppression of Falun Gong; [practitioners] say they'll sue
Stella Lee
08/16/2002
South China Morning Post
Falun Gong members plan to take legal action against the Hong Kong government and mainland leaders for suppressing their activities following yesterday's first criminal conviction of practitioners.
The 16 members, including four Swiss nationals and one New Zealander, were found guilty of causing a public obstruction during a protest outside Beijing's Liaison Office in Connaught Road, Western, on March 14. Three of them were also convicted of assaulting police officers. They were fined between $1,300 and $3,800.
A spokesman for Falun Gong in Hong Kong, Kan Hung-cheung, said afterwards: "The ruling is wrong. We're shocked. The verdict affects not only Falun Gong, but also the freedom and rights of all Hong Kong people.
" Falun Gong is in a dangerous situation as the precedent set today would mean our group would be further suppressed using different excuses in future."
Mr Kan said the group believed the incident had been a result of pressure exerted by President Jiang Zemin.
He said that as well as lodging an appeal against the verdict, the group was planning to launch a civil suit against the SAR government departments or officials behind the decision to arrest and prosecute the 16 practitioners.
It has not been decided yet in whose name the case will be brought.
Mr Kan said the legal action would also target Mr Jiang and other Chinese leaders who ordered the outlawing and suppression of their spiritual group on the mainland, claiming the restrictions had effectively been extended to the SAR.
The group has not decided whether to launch the civil suit in Hong Kong or through a foreign court. Mr Kan said that if it went ahead, the lawsuit would be the first against Mr Jiang on the issue.
He said in addition to damages, the legal action might seek to ban the defendants from the country in which the trial was held.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for the US Consulate said it would not comment on the verdict, but reiterated a caution made by the US State Department this week to Hong Kong on civil rights.
"We continue to stress the importance of Hong Kong preserving its civil liberties, free society, human rights and rule of law. These are necessary components that make Hong Kong a distinctive international city," she said. The State Department issued a similar warning on Wednesday ahead of the verdict.
A spokeswoman for the British Consulate said it had taken note that all the defendants had been convicted of public order offences.
"We believe Hong Kong has the right to maintain public order. Equally, it is important that the rule of law and respect for basic human rights and rights to peaceful demonstration are maintained in Hong Kong," she said.
Director of Human Rights Monitor Law Yuk-kai said he believed the prosecution of the Falun Gong members was politically motivated.
"All demonstrations will occupy space. If this case constituted an obstruction, I think all protests cause obstruction," he said.
stella.fylee@scmp.com
Copyright 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
August 16, 2002
Major Business News
Every chance they get, Hong Kong officials repeat that the region's autonomy is not being whittled away by Beijing. The government doth protest too much. Just consider the Falun Gong's March 14 protest outside Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong -- 16 members were arrested, and yesterday convicted, for obstruction. Whether under pressure from Beijing or not, the SAR is certainly doing its bidding.
Life is increasingly difficult for Falun Gong followers in Hong Kong. After more than 30 members were seized and beaten while visiting the mainland in April last year, Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa suggested the [group]'s adherents were dangerous. A month later, 100 Falun Gong members from foreign countries were detained and deported by immigration officials at Chek Lap Kok airport.
Hong Kong police have begun contriving reasons to thwart peaceful Falun Gong activities, for instance, tearing down the group's banners because approval was not secured from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. The group's favorite protest site was taken away, supposedly to make way for more flowerbeds.
All of this undercuts the Justice Department's claim that the decision to prosecute in the March 14 Falun Gong case was not politically motivated. Indeed, as the protesters' defense lawyer pointed out, the police barricades were more of an "obstruction" to the general public than the protesters themselves.
Falun Gong followers pose no threat to Hong Kong. If Mr. Tung's government wishes to uphold Hong Kong's status as a stable base for the international business community, it would make sense to focus less on flowerbeds and more on preserving the impartiality of the police and judiciary.
Thu Aug 15,10:36 PM ET
By MARGARET WONG, Associated Press Writer
HONG KONG - The conviction of 16 Falun Gong followers on obstruction charges drew mixed reactions from Hong Kong newspapers Friday, with some accusing the government of going too far.
The Chinese-language daily Ming Pao said police had overreacted and "a wrong prosecution resulted in a wrong verdict."
A magistrate convicted the Falun Gong practitioners on Thursday of causing a public obstruction during a protest March 14 outside the Chinese government liaison office here - in a case that many critics called a political attempt to appease Beijing.
Ming Pao noted that the trial hinged on laws intended to stop illegal street peddlers from blocking Hong Kong's sidewalks.
"It was not meant to target any political dissidents, restricting them from demonstrating and exercising their right of freedom of expression," Ming Pao editorialized.
[...]
When Hong Kong was reverted from British to Chines sovereignty in 1997, Western-style freedoms of speech and assembly were guaranteed for at least 50 years under a government arrangement dubbed "one country, two systems."
Frequent local protests by Falun Gong, which is outlawed in mainland China as an [Jiang's regime's slanderous words], however, have outraged many pro-Beijing figures who have demanded a local ban on their activities.
Hong Kong has stopped well short of that, and Falun Gong remains legal here, but opposition figures and human rights campaigners fear the territory's freedoms are being undermined.
Hong Kong officials and the magistrate who delivered the verdicts, Symon Wong, insisted that the case had nothing to do with anyone's Falun Gong practices.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020816/ap_wo_en_po/ho ng_kong_falun_gong_10
Toronto, August 15 -- This morning in Hong Kong, sixteen Falun Gong practitioners were convicted of causing an obstruction in an appeal outside the Chinese government's Liaison Office. Toronto Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal of the verdict outside of the Hong Kong main office in Canada between 12:30pm and 3pm this afternoon.
Over 30 practitioners made the appeal after hearing the news of the verdict. An appeal letter was delivered to a manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto. Falun Gong representative Jillian Ye, who delivered the letter, said to the manager:
"We are not here to oppose your office. We are here to sincerely express our deepest concern for Hong Kong and for the Hong Kong people."
Almost all of the major Chinese media came to report the appeal activity under very short notice, including World Journal, Ming Pao, Sing Tao Daily, New Tang Dynasty TV, Fairchild TV, CFMT TV, Fairchild Radio, Radio Free Asia etc.
Pointing to some photos took at the scene of the arrest, a practitioner explained to some reporters why the 4 Swiss practitioners went to Hong Kong to do a legal and peaceful hunger strike and how the police were apparently under pressure from China's Liaison Office to violently arrest the practitioners. The reporters were shocked to see these photos and moved by the practitioners' noble actions.
By Dirk Beveridge
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, August 15, 2002; 2:12 PM
HONG KONG -- Sixteen Falun Gong followers were convicted Thursday of public obstruction for protesting against China, and government critics said an appeal by members of the meditation group could severely test Hong Kong's freedoms.
Falun Gong members accused China of exporting mainland-style suppression to this former British colony by prosecuting practitioners who demonstrated in front of the Chinese government's liaison office here.
But Falun Gong did not completely block the sidewalk and the defense called it a trumped-up case intended to stifle the group's pleas that Beijing should stop trying to eradicate it in the mainland.
"The verdict once more shows the pressure from mainland China," said Erich Bachmann, one of four Swiss defendants. "The people are now being persecuted in Hong Kong."
Falun Gong accused Magistrate Symon Wong of bias and promised an appeal.
When Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China five years ago, Western-style freedoms of expression were guaranteed for at least 50 years under a government arrangement dubbed "one country, two systems." But many fear those freedoms are crumbling fast.
"If the administration and police decide to embark on a case to interfere or restrict or undermine the rights of people here, the last line of defense would be the judiciary," said Law Yuk-kai, director of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, a non-governmental organization.
"So if the court gives a green light to this unscrupulous interference, I don't think we have other avenues to address our worries," Law said.
Three years ago, Hong Kong's Court of Appeal went against the government and ruled it was constitutional for activists to burn the Hong Kong and Chinese flags in protests, although the Court of Final Appeal eventually reinstated a ban on flag desecration.
Many ordinary citizens in Hong Kong have little regard for Falun Gong - but experts note that people spreading unpopular viewpoints from the fringes often become the focus of important cases involving speech rights.
While Hong Kong's government insists local freedoms are safe, frequent protests here by Falun Gong, which is outlawed in mainland China as an [Jiang's regime's slanderous words], have presented local leaders with a dilemma.
[...]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22193-2002Aug15.html
Aug. 15
- By Carrie Lee
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Members of the [...] Falun Gong spiritual movement are considering legal action against some Chinese leaders including President Jiang Zemin and Hong Kong police officers for what they call "persecution."
Kan Hung-cheung, a leader of the movement in Hong Kong, revealed the possible moves on Friday, a day after 16 Falun Gong members were fined in Hong Kong for public obstruction and other offences during a demonstration against China in March.
He said the 16 were considering filing a civil suit in Hong Kong to seek compensation from the police officers responsible for the decision to arrest them during the March protest.
"They were unlawful arrests," Kan told Reuters. "Theoretically we can claim compensation for unlawful acts through a civil suit."
"We've held preliminary talks with our lawyers. We'll talk further to study its feasibility," he said. "If we do it, we'll do it as soon as possible." He gave no timetable.
Kan said a group of Falun Gong followers from different parts of the world might also sue Jiang and other Chinese leaders for their suppression of the spiritual movement.
In a case that has raised fears about personal freedoms here under Chinese rule, a local court on Thursday fined 16 members, including four Swiss, one New Zealander and two U.S. residents from Hong Kong, for public obstruction. Some were further fined for willfully obstructing and assaulting police.
It was the first time that members of the controversial spiritual movement had been prosecuted in Hong Kong, where personal rights under previous laws were retained after China took the territory back from Britain in 1997.
FREEDOMS?
"Switzerland gives great importance to the freedom of expression and we are therefore quite surprised by the verdict," a spokeswoman for the Swiss consulate in Hong Kong said.
[...]
However, the Asian Wall Street Journal opined: "If (the) government wishes to uphold Hong Kong's status as a stable base for the international business community, it would make sense to focus... more on preserving the impartiality of the police and judiciary."
The Ming Pao daily said it was hardly credible or acceptable to the public that a small group of protesters should be punished for obstruction.
"This is harmful to Hong Kong's international image. The charges should never have been laid," the newspaper said.
All 16 defendants have said they would appeal.
Falun Gong is outlawed in mainland China but remains legal in Hong Kong. Beijing promised the former British colony a high degree of autonomy after it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20020815_615.html
To whom it may concern,
My name is Ellen and I have lived in America for 10 years. I love China, and I was happy to see Hong Kong go back to China. However, what the Jiang regime is doing is hurting people. Since Hong Kong's return to China, Hong Kong's economy has gone down year by year, and the freedom of the press has been taken away step by step. Now the independence of law enforcement is in danger. Why were 16 peaceful meditators arrested for blocking the street? Even a child would not believe this. I wonder what will be the next thing Hong Kong's people will lose. Please stand up for Hong Kong's freedom, as it is the only land of freedom in China. We can't afford to lose our only place of freedom. Please release the sixteen Falun Gong practitioners, and let them go home to practice their exercises.
Sincerely,
á
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter from the United States. We have recently heard of this politically motivated trial going on in Hong Kong. I am talking about the one where the Falun Gong practitioners were unlawfully arrested for a peaceful demonstration. I even saw the pictures at this website http://www.faluninfo.net/focus/hongkong.asp . It seems that it is absolutely unacceptable that this trial should continue.
In the name of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance, you must look into your own hearts and know that this trial of the practitioners is wrong. Additionally, you will also know that your once democratic and free system is now being controlled by the government of Mainland China.
More and more every day, we see that Hong Kong and the PRC are truly one! This will not only affect the moral attitude of your country but also the financial aspect. If the Falun Gong Practitioners lose this trial, the world will know that Honk Kong is no longer safe for honest business.
Support Falun Gong now!
Washington, DC
To whom it may concern:
I'm writing from the United States. I'm deeply concerned about the current trial of Falun Gong practitioners. We hope you can pay serious attention to the situation and help dismiss this politically motivated trial. This case is not a normal trial, but the Jiang regime's attempts to silence all voices against his brutal persecution. Hong Kong's good reputation for freedom and democracy is under serious attack.
If the Chinese president, Jiang Zemin, were not persecuting Falun Gong, there would be no need for peaceful appeals. These 16 practitioners stood up for justice for the millions of people in China who face slander, threats, arrest, imprisonment, torture, and even murder every day. Police and law enforcement should uphold justice, help the good, and punish the bad. During the three years' of being persecuted, Falun Gong practitioners have been using non-violent ways to call upon all the kind-hearted people to help end the persecution together. Their peaceful appeal has been recognized and supported by more and more people, organizations and countries.
The whole world is watching. We hope you can uphold justice and help dismiss this trial. This is also to ensure a good future for Hong Kong's citizens and all Chinese people.
Sincerely,
á
(Clearwisdom.net)
On the morning of August 13, 2002, some practitioners representing the Japanese Falun Dafa Association went to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to deliver an appeal letter, calling on the Hong Kong authorities to immediately end the political trial against the 16 innocent Falun Gong practitioners.
Except for staff members on duty, most people were on vacation. Staff members from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office accepted the appeal letter and promised to pass it on to Mr. Fang, who is in charge of the office. They also promised that the letter would be eventually submitted to the Hong Kong government.
Practitioners explained to the staff members item by item about the materials they were dropping off, including the truth-clarifying VCD and photos clearly exposing the truth about the false accusations of "obstruction" and "assaulting police" against the 16 Falun Gong practitioners. Practitioners also expressed their hope that not only the representatives would pass on the appeal letter, but also, all kind-hearted people who love Hong Kong, understand the truth and carry a sense of justice would work together to prevent the Jiang regime from undermining Hong Kong's freedoms, democracy, and prosperity.
(Clearwisdom.net)
On the evening of August 14, 2002, Falun Gong practitioners from Melbourne, Australia once again gathered together in front of the Chinese Consulate to denounce the Hong Kong political trial against the 16 innocent Falun Gong practitioners. They appealed to people all over the world to pay attention to Hong Kong's future. Practitioners also expressed their wishes for the Hong Kong officials: at this critical moment that affects the people of Hong Kong's future, we hope that you will make the right decision according to your conscience and sense of justice, and make a decision that you will not regret later.
(Clearwisdom.net)
On August 13, 2002, some practitioners from Toronto started a 48-hour sit-in in front of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, continuing their appeal for the 16 Falun Gong practitioners being tried in Hong Kong. Practitioners delivered an appeal letter and truth-clarifying materials, hoping that Hong Kong would follow the policy of "one country, two systems" and resist the Jiang regime's trampling of Hong Kong's democracy and legal system.
(Clearwisdom.net) Starting from 8 a.m. on August 13, 2002, Falun Dafa practitioners from the San Francisco Bay area held a peaceful appeal in front of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to support the Hong Kong and Swiss practitioners' hunger strike appeal, to protest the Kong Hong police's groundless accusations, and to urge the Hong Kong authorities immediately stop the political persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and dismiss the "obstruction" trial. This trial is absolutely a political fabrication forged by a few members of the Hong Kong authorities, who have given in to the Jiang regime's pressure. These Falun Gong practitioners are clarifying the truth to people for the sake of Hong Kong and its people's future.
(Clearwisdom.net)
On the afternoon of August 13, Tuesday, in order to support the 16 Falun Gong practitioners, including 4 Swiss practitioners, who were falsely accused by the Hong Kong police, practitioners from Ottawa gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to hold a peaceful appeal, urging the Hong Kong authorities to immediately dismiss their politically motivated trial of the 16 innocent Falun Gong practitioners and issue a public apology.
Today's temperature in Ottawa reached 34 degree centigrade. But the muggy weather did not affect practitioners' activities of sending forth righteous thoughts once every half-hour. To stop these groundless accusations, to safeguard practitioners' legal rights, and most importantly, to create a beautiful future for the Hong Kong people, some Ottawa practitioners went to Hong Kong to join the 54-hour hunger strike with the practitioners there, and urged the Hong Kong government to immediately stop this political trial. Although other practitioners were not able to personally go to Hong Kong, our hearts are linked together. The practitioners from Ottawa are using their steadfast righteous thoughts obtained through cultivating Dafa to support their fellow practitioners in Hong Kong.
NEWRO, a well-known local TV station, spent more than 2 hours on site to cover the event. The reporters interviewed several practitioners. Through the practitioners' brief introduction and analyzing photos taken while Hong Kong police violently arrested the 16 Falun Gong practitioners, the reporters were able to quickly understand the nature of the so-called "obstruction" and "assaulting police" accusations. By telephone, the reporters also interviewed Lucy, a practitioner from Ottawa, who was taking part in the 54-hour hunger strike in Hong Kong.
The reporter asked Mr. Li if he worried that his wife Lucy's appeal in Hong Kong would end up in violent arrest, just as what the 16 practitioners encountered. Mr. Li answered, "I don't worry about Lucy, because I know what she is doing is the most righteous thing. What I'm truly worrying about is the people of Hong Kong's future."
We also presented lotus flowers that practitioners personally made to two staff members. The flowers that emerge unstained from the mud are just like those Falun Gong practitioners who are steadfastly upholding their belief in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," undeterred by violence and totalitarianism. Facing the vicious environment, they refuse to bend or be contaminated, bringing hope and joy to the people around them.
(Clearwisdom.net) After Hitler's demise, an international court martial convened in Nuremberg to try the Nazi war criminals. These war criminals hid behind the excuse of "the sacred duty of a soldier is to obey orders," hoping to escape being held accountable for the unforgivable crimes that they committed against mankind. Of course, none of these war criminals were able to escape their downfall, and this monumental trial set the precedent that so-called sacred duties and orders from superiors do not constitute valid reasons for committing crimes.
On March 14, 2002, sixteen Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful sit-in hunger strike in an open area in front of Hong Kong's Chinese Liaison's Office. This legal appeal resulted in their violent arrest by the Hong Kong police. Nine of the practitioners suffered injuries, and they were denied medical attention for several hours. Astonishingly, the very police who knowingly violated the law then turned around and accused the Falun Gong practitioners of "obstructing traffic." Four of the practitioners were accused of "assaulting police." This trial began on June 17, 2002. On August 14, Magistrate Symon Wong followed the script and upheld all of the Hong Kong police's accusations, giving the verdict that the sixteen Falun Gong practitioners brought inconvenience to "the public" and fined them various amounts. Among those practitioners on trial were four Swiss citizens and one New Zealand citizen.
The police authorities accused the Falun Gong practitioners of "obstructing traffic," but laughably, outside of the policemen themselves, they could not find anyone, an "obstructed" pedestrian for example, who could serve as a witness to this charge. Even more telling is the video provided by the defense and the raw numbers. There is open space in front of the Hong Kong Chinese Liaison Office covering over 140 square meters, but the Falun Gong practitioners took up no more than seven square meters with their peaceful appeal. There is no way they could have obstructed the traffic, then whom did they bring an inconvenience to?
The Hong Kong police's accusation of "assaulting" police is even more of a blatant reversal of the truth. Aside from the fact that the police were in violation of the law to arrest the practitioners in the first place, it was precisely the police that used violence and acted deviously during the arrest. From the video footage, the police could be clearly seen pinching the practitioners' pressure points in the neck and head area, and forcefully twisting the practitioners' arms. One female police officer even went so far as to stand next to a female practitioner who had been contorted into a bundle by the police, and yell, "She's biting me!"
A few individual male police officers even acted against female practitioners. One female practitioner nearly fainted on the spot. During cross-examination, one Hong Kong policeman even admitted that their actions were intended to cause pain so that the practitioners would give in.
In the face of such clear evidence, the verdict should not have been difficult to reach. However, the presiding judge disregarded the protocol for ensuring a fair trial and ignored justice, repeatedly favoring the prosecution and trying to help the police find anything at all wrong about the Falun Gong practitioners. The judge repeatedly limited the defense attorney's questions as well as the defendants' testimony. When no fault could be found with the practitioners, the trial was extended repeatedly. A trial that normally should not exceed two weeks was extended to nearly two months, repeatedly giving the police time and opportunity to come up with anything against the practitioners, and hoping to wear down the Falun Gong practitioners financially with mounting legal fees. The judge even made personal attacks against the defense attorney twice, hoping to distract the defense. This is quite possibly the most outrageous behavior by a judge since courts were established in Hong Kong. Today, this judge's actions have shown him to be no different than his counterparts in Mainland China. They are all political tools being manipulated by Jiang. Just like courts in Mainland China, this so-called judgment was decided before the trial even began, and the proceedings themselves were just for show and to pay lip service to "One country, two systems." Now the fa ade has been ripped off and the truth is apparent -- innocent, good people are being persecuted, while Hong Kong's freedoms are dying away.
The ultimate reason for all of this was the directive of the Chinese Liaison Office, behind which was the wicked Jiang regime. Even the police admitted that they arrested the Falun Gong practitioners under pressure exerted by the Chinese Liaison Office. However, the evil's orders can never become the safety net for one's own wicked actions. Since Jiang's regime first suppressed Falun Gong three years ago, Falun Gong has been spread to more and more countries throughout the world, and more and more governments have given their support and respect. On the other hand, Jiang's evil regime is losing steam, showing fear at the sight of yellow or blue clothing (typical attire for Falun Gong practitioners conducting peaceful appeals) and the sight of palms being held upright. In order to avoid seeing the Falun Gong practitioners, Jiang even directed his underlings to apply diplomatic pressure and provide blacklists to the Icelandic government, hoping to prevent Falun Gong practitioners from entering Iceland. Little did he know that the people of Iceland would put on the yellow and blue clothing, learn the Falun Gong exercises, and send the same message to Jiang's gang. In the long run, how much longer can Jiang go on like this? To the policemen of Hong Kong who participated in falsely accusing the Falun Gong practitioners, and that judge who obediently framed the Falun Gong practitioners, have you thought about your futures after Jiang?
When that time comes, can you still argue that it was following orders from above? The Nazi war criminals could not escape using the excuse of "the sacred duty of a soldier is to obey orders," can your duties be used as a defense? We'd like to ask that female police officer who feigned being bitten, is your sacred duty to frame people? We'd like to ask those Hong Kong policemen giving false testimony during the trial, is lying a part of your sacred duties? We'd like to ask the judge who left a stain upon the Hong Kong court system, is tossing aside justice and the rule of law to persecute good people a part of your sacred duties?
Heavenly justice is boundless and no one is exempt. Your offenses against justice in the human world and divine beings in the heavens will all be recorded. In the face of heavenly judgment, you will have no excuses whatsoever!
(Clearwisdom.net) On August 9, under pressure from the Chinese Embassy, the
Cambodian government deported a Chinese couple, Li Guojun and Zhang Xinyi, who
were living and working in Phnom Penh with refugee status granted by the
United Nations. At present, the couple is imprisoned in Changsha City, Hunan
Province. Mr. Li Guojun and Ms. Zhang Xinyi had been teaching Chinese in a
school in Phnom Penh. In May 2002, a friend from abroad sent the couple a
package containing Falun Gong books and materials. Upon discovering the
package, the Chinese school in Phnom Penh fired them.
At noon on August 14, 2002, in order to urgently rescue Mr. Li and Ms. Zhang and point out that the Cambodian government violated international regulations by openly abducting UN refugees, as well as to expose the fact that the Chinese Embassy is extending the persecution of Falun Gong all over the world, Falun Gong practitioners from Washington DC went to the Cambodian Embassy located on 16th St. to hold a peaceful appeal. Practitioners displayed a banner reading, "Falun Dafa, Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" in both Chinese and Cambodian. They quietly sat on the grass in front of the Cambodian Embassy, doing sitting meditation and sending forth righteous thoughts.
At around 1 p.m., a few practitioners rang the bell of the Cambodian Embassy and calmly went into the embassy to deliver a letter to its officials. They also clarified the truth about Dafa to all of the staff members. At around 4 p.m., after persistent efforts, the practitioners visited an official and clarified the truth to him. They explained to him the facts of the Jiang regime's persecution of overseas Falun Gong practitioners and its pressuring other countries' governments.
The practitioners told the Cambodian officials about the principle of karmic retribution and called on the Cambodian government not to yield to the Jiang regime's vicious pressure and serve as accomplices in their evil schemes. Practitioners also expressed their wishes that Cambodian government would take into account their international image and their country's future and stand by the side of justice.
August 15, 2002
Concern is growing over the government's treatment of religious groups after two Chinese practitioners of the Falun Gong movement were deported to China despite having UN protection.
The deportations come less than a month after Vietnamese religious dissident Thich Tri Luc, who fled to Cambodia and was given refugee status by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), disappeared in Phnom Penh. It is feared he was returned to the Vietnamese authorities.
Falun Gong members Li Guojun, 46, and his wife Zhang Xinyi, 39, were arrested this month in Phnom Penh, where they had lived since 1999 and taught in a Chinese school.
[...]
UNHCR officials in Cambodia have refused to comment on any of the recent deportations.
But Erping Zhang, spokesman for the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Centre, said the couple were being detained in Hunan province, southern China.
"This is a blatant and direct violation of their official status as United Nations refugees," he said in a statement posted on Monday on the centre's Web site.
"As this moment this couple could be facing severe torture or worse. This is precisely the situation the [UNHCR] was established to prevent. Immediate action is necessary."
The couple were exposed as Falun Gong members when they received a package from a friend containing Falun Gong books and materials, according to the Web site report.
They were fired from their jobs as teachers, and were refused extensions for their passports in June by the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh.
A month later the couple applied for, and received, "person of concern" status from the UNHCR office in Phnom Penh. But they were arrested early this month, according to the centre and police reports.
Police officials did not say what charges were leveled against the couple. The Cambodian human rights group Adhoc has expressed alarm at both the couple's deportation and Thich's disappearance.
Cambodian authorities have a long history of forcibly and illegally deporting dissidents - most notably several members of the anti-Hanoi Free Vietnam movement and more than 500 Montagnard asylum seekers from Vietnam's Central Highlands.
The deportation of the Chinese couple illustrates Cambodia's deep ties with China, which was a strong supporter of the Khmer Rouge regime that left an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians dead in the late 1970s.
China continues to supply this impoverished country with aid and maintains a close relationship with the Cambodian government, marked by numerous visits by senior Chinese officials, including President Jiang Zemin.
[...]
David Price
4th District, North Carolina
Dear Mr. ... (name omitted to avoid Chinese embassy's harassment):
Thank you for contacting me regarding the recent national Falun Gong rally in Washington DC.
Like you, I am concerned about the repression of religious expression and other human rights in China. I had the opportunity to travel to China this past spring, and took the opportunity to raise the issue of Chinese repression of Falun Gong. As you might imagine, I did not receive a satisfactory answer to my inquiry, but we must take every opportunity to press the issue. Over the past few years, violence against Falun Gong practitioners has become systematic. The displays at your rally graphically demonstrated that thousands of Chinese citizens suffer torture and maltreatment in China's prisons and labor camps for their practice of Falun Gong.
It may also interest you to know that the Congress is considering legislation reflecting its opposition to religious persecution in China. H. Con. Res. 68 would express the sense of congress that the Chinese government should stop persecution of all religious practitioners and safeguard fundamental human rights. Further, the resolution would urge the Chinese government to release from detention all religious practitioners, allow the Chinese people to pursue their personal beliefs, and adhere to international covenants on civil and political rights. The bill is now under consideration by the House International Relations Committee.
I greatly appreciate opportunities to discuss the issue of human rights in China, and was pleased to be able to meet with several practitioners of Falun Gong on July 17. Although I had a scheduling conflict, several of my staff members were able to attend the DC rally and familiarized themselves with the principles and practice of Falun Gong. They shared with me the descriptions of repression that practitioners suffer.
I have always believed that U.S. foreign policy should actively promote human rights, and that all countries should be held accountable for human rights abuses, including the violation of freedom of religion.
I appreciate the benefit of your views in this matter, and I will continue doing all I can to expand religious freedom and human rights in China.
Sincerely,
David Price
Member of Congress
(Clearwisdom.net)
At 4:00 p.m. on August 4, 2002, Wang Dianyu, Chief of the Kangning Police Station Office in Linghe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province and police officer Wang Hong stormed into Falun Dafa practitioner Cao Shufang's home. Cao Shufang, female, 61, lived on the 5th floor of Building 44, Linghe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province. She was an employee of Jinzhou City Cotton and Linen Company. The police locked her husband in the bedroom while they tried to abduct Cao, causing her to fall down from the north balcony on the fifth floor, head first. When the police finally came downstairs, they had spent some time confiscating Falun Dafa material and Master Li's photo.
Eyewitnesses reported that the victim was still alive after landing, but the tardy rescue effort could not save her. Although people called "120," (emergency number in China) the ambulance took a long time to show up. Someone took a photo of her body, but the Linghe District Political and Judiciary Committee confiscated his camera and film. By 9:30 p.m., 32 police vehicles, more than one hundred policemen, and journalists from Jinzhou TV station, Jinzhou Daily, and the Jinzhou Evening News had all gathered on the scene. The residents and neighbors resisted their attempt to coerce lies against Falun Gong. The Director of Linghe Police Station publicly stated, "You go ahead and sue us, you won't get anywhere!" After being left there all night, the body was finally sent to the funeral home at 4:50 the next morning.
Cao Shufang had poor health before cultivating Falun Dafa. After she obtained the Fa in 1996, she was the picture of health. She was very active in community service and donated money several times to fix the road in front of her apartment building. She took care of community gardens, thought of others first, and took the initiative to help when needed. Anyone who knew her said she was a great person. Many people in the neighborhood cried when they heard she had died. Even young children said, "Grandma Cao is so nice, why arrest her just because she practices Falun Gong?" One resident questioned the police, "She is such a nice lady, why do you want to arrest her?" The police answered, "She was accused many times." One woman commented, "Everyone knows that Mrs. Cao is a wonderful lady. Just the day before yesterday she was talking about donating money for our future community library." Another male senior citizen said, "I was playing cards in my 7th floor apartment and heard people saying that Mrs. Cao had committed suicide. I ran down without shoes to take a look. There were policemen on the scene, but it was nothing like a suicide! Her husband is retired at home, their relationship was quite good, and they had the deep respect of their two sons and one daughter. Only the police could have caused this." More than one hundred people appeared on the scene, condemning the police for failing to come to her rescue in time. When the police said it was suicide, the people were angered by the obvious lie. Another resident told me, "She would help anyone having difficulty. One very hot day, when our community was laying bricks in the road, she brought the workers ice-cold drinks and ice cream. She helped with building maintenance by cleaning the building's stairwells, and voluntarily weeded our park's gardens. She had no intention of suicide. Why would the two police in the apartment let an old woman jump off the building? There must be reasons."
Many people who heard the news had serious questions, "What were those policemen doing? Did the police push her, or did she jump intentionally? If she jumped intentionally, how could such an old woman climb over the high railing in front of two young policemen? As the people's police, they should be protecting the people. But instead they are harming kind people time and time again. Do they work for public safety or public harm?"
Wang Dianyu, the police chief, often cooperated with Director Zhou, who was promoted for persecuting Falun Gong. He abducted Falun Gong practitioners in their district, including Yao Suchun, Zheng Suli, Lu Xiumin, Zhang and Lu Yaxian into Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. Falun Dafa practitioner Wang Yulan was also abducted into Masanjia Labor Camp, but was rejected by the labor camp due to health reasons. Wang Dianyu continued to harass her after her release, forcing Wang Yulan to leave home and go from place to place.
Wang Dianyu and his accomplices have abducted many Falun Gong practitioners for brainwashing. Zhao Yunpeng, male, over 60 years old, and his wife Yang Ping were taken twice for the brainwashing sessions. Liu Limin and Yang Xiuhua were also abducted for the brainwashing sessions. Zheng (female, first name not clear) was abducted to the detention center. Wang Dianyu frequently harasses Falun Gong practitioners in his district.
On August 4th, 2002, Wang Dianyu and his accomplice's actions led to the death of Falun Gong practitioner Cao Shufang. These so-called "people's police" are using every means at their disposal to persecute and even murder Falun Gong practitioners.
Relevant phone numbers:
Party Secretary of Linghe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, Li Fubin, 86-416-2120288 (o), 86-416-3123009 (h)
District Commissioner of Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, Zhang Xiaoguang, 86-416-3122851 (o), 86-416-2839880 (h)
Linghe District Political and Judiciary Committee of Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province Chair Wang Fengshan, 86-416-3122543 (o)
Director of Linghe Police Station, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, 86-416-2124624
Political Secretary of Linghe Police Station, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, 86-416-2149474
Political Security Office of Linghe Police Station, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, 86-416-2120882
Kangning Police Station, Linghe District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, 86-416-2860516
(Clearwisdom.net) Ou Keshun, male, was born in Songyu Village, Wangcheng Township, Linli County, Changde City, Hunan Province. Before practicing Falun Dafa, he had suffered from leukemia. Having obtained Dafa in early 1998, he recovered fully and was able to work in the July harvest.
On January 12, 2001, he was kidnapped into a brainwashing class held in the city's Drug Rehabilitation Center. In the afternoon of January 14, Liu, a section head of the city's Police Bureau, punched and kicked him repeatedly. Liu then locked him up with some violent, drug-abusing inmates, who beat him further. Ou passed away on the morning of January 18, 2001.
A sick man with late-stage leukemia obtained a new life because of practicing Dafa. This precious life was then taken from him by police brutality.
August 11, 2002
(Clearwisdom.net)
[Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Gross Abuse of Practitioners in Wuhan City's Female Prison
Wuhan City's Female Prison used the "sandwiching" method, where two or more people work with one practitioner to isolate him or her, prevent him from talking with others and to forcibly brainwash Dafa practitioners. Three to six prisoners took turns to tightly monitor one Dafa practitioner around the clock. These criminal inmates used all kinds of inhumane methods to torture determined Dafa practitioners, such as forbidding practitioners to sleep, forcing practitioners to stand still for a long period of time, cuffing their hands behind the backs, locking them up in a solitary confinement cell, exposure to the hot sun, mistreating them with tortures they themselves had thought up, hanging practitioners up with only the tips of their toes touching the ground, slapping their mouths and insulting them. Now these brutal tortures are continuing. Ms. Peng Yan and other Dafa practitioners are still being tortured.
[Xiangtan City, Hunan Province] The "610 Office" Again Starts a Survey of Dafa Practitioners Who Had Published Their "Solemn Statements" on Minghui.net
Note: The "610 Office" is 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.
[Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province] Police Relentlessly Arrest Dafa Practitioners
After policemen from Yingtan City arrested Dafa practitioner Ms. Zhao Xiying on July 20, 2002, they again launched a large-scale raid to capture Dafa practitioners. Over ten Dafa practitioners were illegally detained and several Dafa practitioners' houses were illegally searched. Some Dafa practitioners were forced to leave home to avoid being illegally arrested. The illegally detained Dafa practitioners suffered inhuman tortures. For over ten days, they were brutally beaten while both hands were cuffed. They were hung up with only the tips of their toes touching the ground, and were forbidden to sleep.
Phone numbers of Yingtan City's police authorities in Jiangxi Province:
Political and Judiciary Committee Office: 011-86-701-6441732
Political and Judiciary Office: 011-86-701-6441378
[Zhaoyuan County, Heilongjiang Province] Policemen Torture Dafa Practitioners and Their Relatives
Zhaoyuan County's police authorities in Heilongjiang Province always extended the detention terms of Dafa practitioners. Recently police took all relatives of those detained practitioners to the detention center and forced the relatives to persuade practitioners to write repentance statements. Meanwhile, policemen also forced the relatives to write guarantee statements. [Note: these statements declare to the authorities that practitioners are sorry to ever have practiced Falun Dafa; that they will never practice Dafa again; that they never [again] go to Beijing to appeal and never again associate with other practitioners].
The cell phone number of Liu, director of Zhaoyuan County's "610 Office" is: 011-86-13945915499
The cell phone number of Han Fengxiang, chief of Zhaoyuan County's Political and Security Division, is: 011-86-13054218998, his home phone number is: 011-86-459-8220377
[Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province] List of Names of Illegally Detained Dafa Practitioners
| Name | Gender | When Jailed | Term of forced labor (yrs.) | Detained Location |
|
Liu Jinfeng |
F |
2000 |
3 |
Jiamusi |
|
Liu Xixiang |
M |
2000 |
3 |
Harbin |
|
Zhang Changming |
M |
2000 | 3 | Jiamusi |
|
Wei Jinqiang |
M |
2000 |
3 |
Jiamusi |
|
Liu Ruiyuan |
M |
2000 |
3 |
Jiamusi |
|
Song Wei |
F |
05/2000 |
á |
Harbin |
|
Chang Zuoxiang |
F |
06/2000 |
2 |
Harbin |
|
Yao Shufang |
F |
04/2000 |
2 |
Harbin |
|
Song Zhanhuan |
F |
04/2000 |
2 |
Harbin |
|
Yang Wei |
M |
06/2000 |
3 | Suihua |
|
Gong Youren |
M |
06/2000 |
1 | Suihua |
|
Zhao Chengdi |
M |
06/2000 |
3 | Suihua |
|
Wang Shuhai |
M |
2001 |
3 |
Suihua |
|
Hao Fenggui |
M |
06/2001 |
3 | Suihua |
|
Li Guiyao |
M |
02/2001 |
2 | Suihua |
|
Liu Changhai |
M |
11/2001 |
3 | Suihua |
|
Xie Youwei |
M |
2000 |
2 |
Suihua |
|
Liu Zhengquan |
M |
05/2002 |
á |
Suihua |
|
Zheng Shuzhong |
M |
07/2002 |
3 |
Suihua |
|
Wang Junmin |
M |
04/2002 |
á | Suihua |
|
Yu Guangjun |
M |
2001 |
á |
Suihua |
|
Yu Guirong |
F |
2002 |
á |
Boli |
|
Hao Yuqin |
F |
2002 |
á |
Boli |
(Clearwisdom.net)
Liu Jiesheng, a practitioner from Xingning Town of Zixing City, Hunan Province: His home was illegally searched during the first half of 2001 and many Dafa truth-clarification materials were confiscated. He was then illegally sentenced to a one-year forced labor term. He is still being illegally detained in Xinkaipu Forced Labor Camp in Hunan Province.
Li Linfen, female, a practitioner from Xingning Town of Zixing City, Hunan Province: She was forced to attend a brainwashing class held by the "610 Office" of Zixing City and Zixing City Police Bureau. [Note: The 610 Office is an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political or judicial systems.] (More than ten other practitioners were forced to attend this brainwashing class at the same time) She was illegally detained for over ten days because she firmly adhered to Dafa. Then in March 2002, she was taken away from home and is still being held at a local detention center.
Xiao Wang, an employee of Tangdong Coal Mine of the Zixing Mining Bureau. In the second half of 2002, he was illegally sentenced to a four-year prison term because he had printed Dafa truth clarifying banners outdoors.
He Xuezhao, a teacher of Hunan Province Liyujiang Electric Company, was illegally detained for 10 days because he participated in a group practice outdoors. In January 2001, he was illegally sentenced to a one-year forced labor term because he went to Beijing to appeal. His term was illegally extended for over six months. In the year 2002, right before the Chinese New Year, he was forcibly taken to a brainwashing class by the Bingzhou City "610 Office" and was unconditionally released after an eight-day hunger strike. In March 2002, while he was on duty, policemen took him to a hotel basement. One officer, Pan Yanshu, and more than ten other policemen led by two vice-directors from Liyujiang Police Station and Yanganlu Police Station, took turns torturing him. They didn't allow him to go to bed for four days and nights. He was handcuffed from behind; one policeman held the handcuffs above his head and the other used force to press his head down. They used all methods to torture him. Five days later, he used his righteous thoughts to leave the hotel basement. He has now been forced to become destitute and homeless, as he must abandon his home to avoid further persecution.
Li Guoquan is an employee of Bingzhou City Metallurgy Chemical Plant. In November 2001, he was arrested because he distributed Dafa truth leaflets and was illegally sentenced to forced labor for an unknown term.
Above is the partial list of Dafa practitioners who have been persecuted. The real number is far beyond this. Here, we solemnly warn those who are still conducting vicious behavior against Dafa: Stop immediately and sincerely correct your mistakes, because one day justice will prevail.
Listed below are the criminals in Zixing City, Hunan Province:
Peng Yanshou, the section chief of Politics and Security Section of Zixing City Police Bureau. Home phone number: 86-735-3330012, cellular: 86-13975504250
Gu Xiangyu, the Party instructor of Politics and Security Section of Zixing City Police Bureau. Home phone number: 86-735-3321561, cellular: 86-13973504967
Since July 20, 1999, these two people closely followed Jiang's political gang and persecuted Dafa practitioners and directly or indirectly used many methods such as searching homes and confiscating practitioners' property, destroying Dafa books, imposing fines, detention, sentencing to prison or forced labor camps, brutal torture etc, to persecute practitioners who firmly upheld their believe in Dafa. They are the principal criminals who persecute Dafa practitioners in the Zixing area.
(Clearwisdom.net) Dafa practitioner Qiu Yuanjin was arrested and detained in Jiaozhou City's Zhongyun Police Station on February 1, 2002. Qiu Yuanjin rejected requests of policemen who are controlled by the evil, and refused to eat and drink to protest the persecution. To avoid responsibility for Qiu Yuanjin's deteriorating health, the police sent him home. Three days later, police personnel arrested him again and sent him to Jiaozhou City Detention Center, where he was detained illegally for four months. While there, police put Qiu Yuanjin in heavy shackles since he continued practicing the Falun Gong exercises and clarifying the truth. According to people who were released from the same detention center, the guards severely abused Qiu Yuanjin. In May 23, 2002, Jiaozhou City Court illegally tried three Dafa practitioners, including Qiu Yuanjin. He was sentenced to four years in prison. During the trial, the three practitioners clarified truth in the court with dignity and therefore frightened the evil.
During the detention period, Jiaozhou City "610 Office" staff and detention center directors repeatedly promised to release him as long as he would give up his belief, but Qiu Yuanjin firmly refused their offer. About a month ago, without notifying his family, Qiu Yuanjin was illegally sent to Qingdao City's Caixi Prison. His present condition is unknown.
We hope all Dafa practitioners who read this article will send powerful righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil in other dimensions in the Jiaozhou City area.
(Clearwisdom.net)
"Falun Dafa is good!" "Clear Dafa's name"
(Clearwisdom.net) Editors' Note: In both Western and Chinese culture, the principle of karmic retribution, that is, being held ultimately accountable for one's own actions, is widely accepted. The fundamental teaching of Falun Gong is the characteristic of the universe, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." The universe will reward actions that are in harmony with this principle, while actions such as beating, torturing and murdering people will incur karmic retribution. Stated another way, good deeds will be rewarded with good, while evildoings will meet due retribution. Articles such as this one are meant as a compassionateáreminder of this principle to those who would commit wrongdoing. While many of those who persecute Falun Gong are merely "following orders," the universal law requires that they, too, be held responsible for their actions, and that only by reversing their course of wrongdoing may they escape retribution.
Xiao Deyuan, the director of the First Section of Pengshan County's Police Department in Sichuan Province, is very active in persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in the Pengshan area. The local persecution against Falun Gong is planned and directed by this lawless official. Since 2000, many Falun Gong practitioners who went to Beijing to protect Dafa or to clarify the truth to people have been persecuted by Xiao Deyuan. More than ten Dafa practitioners have been sent to forced labor camps by Xiao Deyuan. The practitioners who firmly expressed their wish to practice Falun Dafa were detained for forcible brainwashing. The related departments of Sichuan Province especially visited Xiao Deyuan and collected the facts of his persecution against Falun Gong practitioners as "model cases," which were edited into materials for slandering Dafa. They praised Xiao Deyuan's "contributions" to the persecution.
In January 2001, fearing that Dafa practitioners would go to Beijing to appeal, Xiao Deyuan arrested all the practitioners and former practitioners in Pengshan area that he could find, and sent them to the detention center and forcefully brainwashed them for three months. He also took this chance to extort over 1,000 Yuan [average monthly income for a person in that area is about 200-300 Yuan] from each person. He threatened that one wouldn't be released until the money was paid. One of the Dafa practitioner's families was in extreme hardship, but they still were forced to borrow more than 900 Yuan to bribe Xiao in exchange for the practitioner's release.
Among those arrested was a person who had already given up practicing Falun Gong a long time ago. He was arrested and taken to the brainwashing center. He ended up being detained for three months. After being released, he clearly realized how evil the persecution was, so he began to practice Falun Gong again. Since then, he has firmly practiced Dafa.
Once, Dafa truth-clarifying materials were found in a district of Pengshan. Xiao Deyuan suspected that local Dafa practitioners were responsible. So he ordered some policemen to search a practitioner's house. Although they found nothing, they still arrested this practitioner, took her to the detention center and illegally held her for over two months. They even extorted several hundred Yuan for her "expenses." One of her family members, who does not practice Falun Gong, was also detained just for speaking out for her.
Xiao Deyuan even openly expressed, "Some of you said that I was Jiang's dog. Being a dog is not shameful as long as I'm loyal."
It is inevitable that good is rewarded with good and evil meets evil. Once, the former director of the First Section of Pengshan Police Department took a flight to Beijing to capture Dafa practitioners together with several policemen. The flight had to be diverted to Tianjin City, and they had to take a car to Beijing. On their way to Beijing, they were involved in an accident and almost lost their lives. This accident was a warning, but Xiao Deyuan paid no attention to it and went on persecuting Dafa practitioners. In October last year, Xiao Deyuan suddenly suffered from arthritis, severe intestinal problems and several other illnesses. Xiao is currently having to take several forms of medication and suffering for his wrongdoings.
China is holding and torturing thousands of political and religious dissidents in mental institutions, according to a Dutch-based psychiatry watchdog.
In a new report, the Geneva Initiative on Psychiatry (GIP) likens China's abuse of mental health facilities to that of the former Soviet Union. Evidence of the abuse of psychiatry first emerged in China with the crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
In this interview with Newsline's Johanna Stoyva, GIP general secretary Robert van Voren describes the situation as a gross violation of human rights and medical ethics.
"It's fairly similar to what happened in the Soviet Union, people are being injected with a neuroleptics, with psychotropic drugs, they're beaten up, they're raped, they are wrapped up in wet linen and when it dries they are squeezed like an orange. That creates excruciating pain. It's punishment, it's maltreatment, it's torture."
RN: "This idea, that most forms of mental illness are caused by politically deviant ideas, does that persist today in official psychiatric theory in China, do they still believe it?"
"Yes. The Chinese do not use the international classification of diseases, as has been developed by the World Health Organisation, they have a Chinese classification of mental diseases, like the Soviets had theirs. They have special terminology for people who have reformist ideas or deviant religious thoughts, and are therefore perceived to be mentally ill."
RN: "So they have a whole system of categories based on political dissidence?"
"They consider reformist ideas and struggle for the truth, or deviant religious thoughts like Falun Gong, as being a form of mental illness. They classify it like paranoia, or schizoid paranoia, or paranoid development of schizophrenia, it's all more or less in the same range the Soviets used."
RN: "Are political dissidents being put in mental asylums?"
"The issue of political abuse of psychiatry came to the forefront because of the situation with the Falun Gong. When the Chinese cracked down on Falun Gong in the late 1990s, large groups of them were incarcerated in psychiatric hospitals, and that's how we found out there was actually something going on. It turns out there are much larger groups of people who wind up in psychiatric hospitals. They are labour activists, they are dissidents. There is a large group of people who have been complaining to authorities for example, for local authorities being corrupt, or roofs leaking, all kinds of minor things. And they've been sending complaint letters to the authorities, and they are perceived as being bothersome, so they just lock them up in a psychiatric hospital. It's a very commonly used way of getting rid of bothersome people."
RN: "Would most Chinese psychiatrists believe that political dissidents suffer from mental illness?"
"First of all, psychiatry in China is divided into very rigid sectors. There are four sectors, and only two of them appear to be involved in political abuses. The ones involved are the psychiatry of the Ministry of Safety, and the psychiatry of Ministry of Social Affairs. Not involved are the university systems and the systems of the Ministry of Health; these are the systems that have fairly good contacts with western colleagues and some of them have quite innovative ideas. They appear to be quite shocked that this is actually going on in their country, but they have no contact with the psychiatrists in the other systems."
"The psychiatrists in the other two systems either believe that these people are mentally ill - like many of the Soviet scientists believed that the dissidents were ill -or know very well what they're doing and know they are using psychiatry for non-medical purposes. Either way, what they are doing with people in psychiatric hospitals is a form of torture and therefore it is a breach of their medical ethics and of their whole professional competence, and they should be punished for this, they should be prosecuted."
http://www.rnw.nl/hotspots/html/chi020814.html
July 30, 2002
(Clearwisdom.net) Around the time of July 20 of this year (July 20 marked the three year anniversary of Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong), Jiang and his political gang once again spent a huge amount of money to hire extra night patrol workers to arrest Falun Gong practitioners who distributed truth-clarifying materials to the public.
One night, I made up my mind to distribute truth-clarifying materials to the residents living in the countryside. It was after midnight and the environment was very still with only the occasional barks of dogs. As soon as I finished sending forth righteous thoughts, I went on my way. It was very quiet on the street, and I did not see anyone, not even routine night patrol workers.
The countryside was new to me and I did not know my way around. But I didn't worry because my mind was only filled with righteous thoughts to save the people in that area. I said to Teacher, "As your disciple, I am going to distribute truth-clarification materials in the countryside. I am not familiar with the area. Will Teacher please guide me?"
All along the way into the countryside, I kept sending forth righteous-thoughts to eliminate any interference from the old evil forces. My bicycle was very old, but it worked smoothly and did not give me any difficulty. It was a moonless night as well and I could hardly see the road in front of me. Just as I was about to run into some rocks lying in the road, a car suddenly showed up from behind. Its headlights lit up the road enough so that I could see the rocks and avoid them. Had this not happened, I would have had an accident for sure. Things like this occurred quite a few times along the way. My heart was deeply moved to know that Teacher was protecting me. Tears ran down my face thinking of this.
One time I came to a big uphill climb in the road. This stretch of road is so steep that even young people usually have to walk their bikes up it. I was very surprised then to see that even though I am an old man over the age of 60, I was able to peddle up the hill with very little effort!
At the top of the hill was a big town and the outlying district beyond the town was my final destination. I did not know the way up the hill but after a few tries I found the right path. The slope was too steep to peddle the bike so I got off and pushed it, which took me about twenty minutes. Whenever I came to a house, I would leave a set of truth clarifying materials in a noticeable place for the people inside. The roads got more and more rugged as I went further. After a while, I started to breathe heavily and my legs began getting tired as well. In my heart, I asked Teacher to give me more strength. No sooner had I done so and I regained my energy, not being tired at all.
The sky brightened as the morning approached. When I came to a "Military Restricted Zone," the road was blocked off and I was prevented from continuing on. I became a bit disappointed about this, but after a second thought I felt this type of thinking was not correct. From the very start I had asked Teacher to guide me, so it must have been Teacher who brought me here. Now that I was here I should help save the soldiers as well. I should not have had that feeling of disappointment. So, after leaving a set of truth clarifying materials in a prominent place for the soldiers to pick up, I happily turned back the way I came.
As dawn arrived it became easier to see. To save time, I ventured off the road and took a short cut directly down the hill. I carried my bike in front of me and I slid down the hill on my feet. Every time I almost lost control some rocks would appear under my feet to give me traction and allow me to regain my balance. When I finally reached the bottom of the hill there was another village, and I distributed more truth clarifying materials to the homes there. Then, as I made my way down the long narrow road, another village appeared. I greeted a good morning to the early rising villagers by distributing truth-clarifying materials to them as well.
By the time I came to the last house at the end of the village, I had just one last set of truth-clarifying materials left. I felt both relieved and delighted to see that I had just enough materials to last the duration of the trip. Looking back, what a wonderful arrangement Teacher had set up for me!
(Clearwisdom.net) I live in Northern China, and am now 56 years old. Since the persecution began in July 1999, I had to leave home due to the persecution. My home used to be a Fa-study [book-reading] site. After July 1999, the police waited outside my home for more than 40 days, so at that time I could not return to my own home. Later, with the help of fellow practitioners, I found another place to live.
My righteous thoughts and actions toward Dafa enable me to walk through the path of Fa-rectification. I study Fa and practice the exercises every morning, then distribute truth-clarifying materials to other practitioners, to improve as a whole.
I remember in September 2001, I went by train to clarify the truth to relatives in a village. What happened on the train made me realize that our compassionate Teacher is always taking care of me. The two passengers sitting across from me were reading truth-clarifying materials, when I thought: why don't I take the chance to clarify truth to other passengers? However, I felt that my body could not move, like some force was holding it back. About 10 minutes later, five or six train police showed up and guarded the two doors at both ends of the carriage. One policeman took away the passengers who read the truth-clarifying materials, and began to search their luggage. After a while, one policeman brought in a laptop, and two other police started to match the passengers' ID's with the laptop, one by one. At that time, I was sending very strong righteous thoughts. Then, a miracle happened. The police passed me and began to check the ID of the passengers sitting in front of me. In this way, the whole carriage was checked and three people were taken away. Looking at the three persons being taken away, I said in my heart, "I hope you all escape the danger safely, if you are my fellow practitioners." Later the police with the laptop came and sat next to me, talking with the lady sitting beside me. They were a couple. After he left, I began to clarify truth to his wife, and told her to not let her husband do anything that would hurt Dafa. I told her of the principle that good will be rewarded with good and evil with evil. When getting off the train, the lady nodded to me with a smile to say good-bye. I thought at that time: Teacher, this is your arrangement. Please be assured that I will cultivate diligently in my cultivation practice, and be a true Fa particle.
The solemn declarations on Clearwisdom.net are a door to home, opened for the practitioners who deviated. We are a whole, and need to improve and elevate as a whole, not leaving out a single practitioner. With the guide of Fa and help from other practitioners, from the beginning of 2001 to May 2002, I contacted nearly 60 practitioners who once deviated. During this one and a half year, I studied Fa, shared experiences and discussed with them, helping them to improve their understanding. Gradually they wrote their own solemn declarations and returned to Dafa with determination. After that, I realized that Teacher had arranged this because many of these events have been like miracles.
In June 2002, Jiang and his associates sent their people to arrest me directly. Police cars from "610 Office" (an agency specifically created to persecuteáFalun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems.) surrounded my living place on July 5, but they found nothing. Then they chased after me to my home, harassing my mother, who is over 80 years old. Police cars were waiting outside the building, and still await me there, even today.
Reflecting upon my three years' Fa-rectification process, I have suffered from mental pressure and financial difficulties (my salary was stopped). But what would that account for? I am a Dafa practitioner of Fa-rectification, the Teacher is taking care of me and the Fa is guiding me. I can't help reciting Teacher's recent article:
Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions
A Great Enlightened Being does not fear hardship
Having forged an adamantine will
And with no attachment to living or dying
He walks his path of Fa-rectification openly and nobly
(Clearwisdom.net) On August 10, the first Mexico Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held in Mexico City. Practitioners from many countries came to attend this solemn Fa conference together. This was the first Fa conference held in Latin America. This area is considered the cultural and economic center of Mexico, which made this an especially good place for the Fa Conference.
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| Photo exhibition | Conference hall | Sending forth righteous thoughts |
Before the Fa conference, practitioners held a series of activities for one week. Taiwanese practitioners who arrived in advance went out everyday to introduce Dafa and clarify the truth about Dafa to Mexican and local Chinese people. The Mexican people's warm reception of Dafa encouraged all of the practitioners. In each evening, we studied the Fa and shared experiences with practitioners in Mexico.
During the Fa conference, many practitioners from both Mexico and other areas shared their cultivation experiences. Falun Dafa was first introduced to Mexico in November 2001. We were very touched upon seeing that Dafa has been so deeply planted into the Mexican people's hearts in such a short period of time. Many pure and kind-hearted Mexican people have had their lives completely changed through cultivating Dafa.
Many people who have not started practicing Dafa yet also attended the conference. Some of them came with their friends, some with their families. A photo exhibition was also held near the conference hall, which allowed people to view the peaceful journey of Falun Dafa. These photos also introduced to people how Falun Dafa was widely spread in the world in such a short period of time.
The Fa conference was held in a peaceful atmosphere. Of course, we also found that there were many things we needed to improve on in organizing the Fa conference. Some practitioners from the U.S. who had no experience in hosting Fa conferences organized this one. But the success of the conference showed that we are able to do things well through a harmonious unity with everyone doing his or her part of the work well. This provided an excellent cultivation opportunity for each of us.
We are very grateful for Teacher's giving us this opportunity, and we will do even better in the future.
(Clearwisdom.net) On August 10, 2002, the first Mexico Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held in Mexico City. The next day, Sunday, some practitioners from Taiwan, Houston and Canada, together with local practitioners, went to promote Falun Dafa at the Zocalo Square, the largest square in Central America and a popular tourist attraction. It just so happened that the Indians held a ceremony for offering sacrifice to their gods that day, and it attracted a large audience. We placed at the center of the square two banners imprinted with the words, "Urgently rescue Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China" and "Falun Dafa" in Spanish. As soon as we started doing the Falun Dafa exercises, many people came up to watch. Most people accepted our flyers and thanked us, and many people learned to practice the exercises on the spot. Some children also earnestly followed our movements. Within a few hours, thousands of Dafa flyers were distributed, and even the police accepted our flyers and read them. In the end, several boxes of flyers were exhausted, but people were still reluctant to leave. We deeply felt the yearning of the people of Mexico for Falun Dafa.
We had to leave the square to catch the night's flight. At the airport, before Taiwan practitioners boarded their flight, an airline employee was given a Dafa bookmark in Spanish. He turned it over and read out loud "Falun Dafa" with delight. We gave him more bookmarks and a flyer with information about local practice sites. He then happily passed out the bookmarks to his co-workers.
(Clearwisdom.net)
July 23, 2002
At the request from the host of an event designed to promote fellowship, we traveled to Southern Thailand to spread the Fa. When we arrived at the location, we immediately began to decorate our booth for the event that would take place that evening. On the wall we posted large Falun Gong posters and photographs of Falun Dafa worldwide activities, and on the table we neatly displayed Dafa books, Falun Gong exercise instructional VCDs, Falun Gong brochures, and various Dafa information sheets.
That evening, we were invited to the stage to introduce Falun Gong to the attendees. A practitioner introduced Falun Dafa to the audience, and explained the importance of cultivating one's mind according to the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. After the speech, many audience members immediately realized and accepted the truth of Falun Gong. Next we demonstrated the five Falun Gong exercises. Seven or eight attendees immediately started to learn Falun Gong by imitating our movements during the exercise demonstration. Afterwards, the host came by to express his gratitude for our contribution to the event. "Falun Gong is a peaceful exercise. We ought to promote Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance in society," the host declared. The host issued Falun Gong a proclamation of honor, and asked to be in the photographs with Falun Gong practitioners.
July 26, 2002
Since we are already in Southern Thailand, we thought we'd spread the Fa to the public as well. In the morning we went to the beach, where we demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises, and distributed truth-clarification flyers to each and every person passing by. Two young women photographed us during the exercise demonstration. They complimented practitioners on the grace and beauty of the Falun Gong exercise movements, as well as our compassion toward people in Thailand by traveling all the way there to spread Falun Dafa.
During the trip, some practitioners wore T-shirts that said, "Falun Dafa" or "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance." Some wore buttons that said, "Falun Dafa Is Good." We distributed Falun Dafa brochures and truth-clarification flyers when we were in grocery stores, on the streets, on a ferry, and everywhere else we visited. We never missed an opportunity to clarify the truth to people in Thailand. During the trip we constantly studied the Fa together, and shared our thoughts and experiences of the trip. I truly feel I have advanced in the Fa during the trip to Southern Thailand, and that doing Fa-rectification work has been tremendously rewarding to my personal cultivation.
(Clearwisdom.net) On the tenth anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the world May 12, 2002, France's Guadeloupe TV station interviewed some local Falun Gong practitioners. The interview was broadcast on local TV channel A1 news at 7 p.m. on July 16, 2002:
Footage of practitioners practicing the exercises with voiceover by the Chairman of Guadeloupe Falun Dafa Association:
"To reduce stress and to be kind to everyone in our society, please believe me, is by no means an easy matter. Stress has been deeply rooted in the body of each and every one of us, but life can be more wonderful if we are able to relax and take a step back."
Voice of the Narrator with Falun Dafa exercise music in the background:
This is the spirit of Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong. Practitioners describe it as a traditional Chinese way of cultivation that can reduce stress, and enhance internal energy. Since it was spread from China in 1992, its development has brought about unbelievable controversy
A male practitioner:
This cultivation practice was very popular in China in the first several years, and was praised and supported by Chinese government. In 1995, Master Li was invited by the Chinese Embassy in France to promote Falun Gong in Europe. A few years later, Chinese President Jiang discovered that there were seventy to one hundred million people practicing Falun Gong, and that these people were at all levels of all walks of life, ranging from workers to policemen, and from government employees to businessmen. Because of jealousy and an attachment to power, Jiang Zemin felt that Falun Dafa was a threat to himself and decided to crack down thoroughly on the practice. Falun Gong, which was praised for several years prior, was banned. After that, oppression, apprehension and the cruel physical punishment and torture of practitioners ensued.
Narrator:
Estimates suggest that there have been more than 1,600 people killed by police, 100,000 people apprehended and 25,000 people detained in labor camps. At present, Falun Gong practitioners are all over the world, including Guadeloupe. Though the real number is hard to estimate, they have done their best to let the public know what has happened in China.
Male Practitioner:
Amnesty International, various human rights groups, politicians, parliamentary members and mayors from all over the world have expressed their support to us one after another. After learning what is happening in China and how they are abusing human rights, [you will agree that] China deserves condemnation. Recently, the Organization Committee of the Olympic Games stated to China (Jiang Zemin's administration) that China's sponsorship of the 2008 Olympic Games may be cancelled if it fails to improve its human rights significantly.
Narrator:
In addition to exposing the persecution, practitioners also practice the exercises in Guadeloupe. These harmonious exercises can bring internal peace to people.
Female Practitioner:
These five sets of exercises can improve people's health physically and mentally, and the movements are very simple. According to everybody's personal situation, one can practice them repeatedly. They are easy to learn, and suitable for the elderly, children and people of all ages. They are very good for improving one's health.
Narrator:
Starting 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, Guadeloupe Falun Dafa Association will hold an "Information Day" activity at Baie-Mahault Business Centre.
(Clearwisdom.net) On August 11, the famous International Annual Art
Festival was held in Edinburgh. The Meadow Park, which is normally quiet and
peaceful, was packed on the day with crowds attracted to the event. According
to media reports, there were about 150,000 tourists participating in various
activities. Right after the Dafa disciples engaging performance during the
parade a few days ago that received an award, the audience again warmly
received today's performances in Scotland by practitioners dressed in
traditional Chinese costumes.
As soon as the exercise performance started, many tourists gathered on the sidewalks, and their cameras were going off one after another. We also passed out a few thousand copies of Dafa literature. The audience even queued up to sign their names on the petition to stop the persecution. The beautiful performances by Dafa disciples also attracted groups of local photographers.
A Chinese martial arts teacher from England even asked Dafa disciples to teach the exercises at his classes. Indeed, the beauty of Dafa is attracting more and more people from all over the world.
Dafa practitioners from all over New England are traveling up the coast of Maine, visiting twelve towns to express their appreciation to the United States House of Representatives for passing Resolution 188,áwhich condemns China's ongoing campaign of terror and persecution against Falun Dafa. They expressed personal thanks toáCongressmen Tom Allen and John Baldacci for sponsoring this resolution. Theyáalso thanked the American people for supporting the rights of people around the world for their freedom of choice and personal belief. During these visits to towns that had never seen a Dafa practitioner before, they spoke of how Dafa had improved the quality of their lives, and consequently the quality of life for theiráfamilies and communities.
á
They spoke to everyone about the suppression of Falun Dafa ináChina beginning in July of 1999 and howáthe Chinese governmentáthen proceeded to kidnap, imprison and torture to death men, women and children who believed in and lived by "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."
á
They clarified the truth about the situation of the Jiang regime's extension of its persecution toáthe United States and how the Chinese government, under the direction of its dictator Jiang has tried to threaten individuals in the United States who peacefully practice Falun Dafa. China has tried to intimidate city and state governments if they support Falun Dafa with threats of economic punishment. It has tried to limit Americans' right to travel to foreign countries by creating a blacklist. This list of names is to prevent people from traveling to countries where Jiang visits in order to conduct their peaceful appeals. á
á
The purpose of this trip is to show
our appreciation for these kind-hearted people's support and to help share the
deeper message of what Falun Gong is, and how it is helping to bring greater
peace and understanding to many people's lives.
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(Clearwisdom.net) On August 10, 2002, Johnson County's annual grand parade was held in the city of Goedele. It was the third time for Kansas Falun Gong practitioners to participate in this event. They once again demonstrated to thousands in audience the beauty of Falun Dafa. Many in the audience happily accepted our Dafa materials, and children joyfully read the words on the bookmarks, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and nodded to express that they would remember these three words.
During the parade, one congressman saw the practitioners in bright yellow Dafa T shirts, walked up to us, gently patted a practitioner on the shoulder and said, "You have been contributing a lot to the community activities, thank you!" The practitioner gave Dafa flyers to the congressman and his wife, who have been very supportive of us. One of the local residents accepted the flyer and read out loud the words on it in delight, "Falun Gong... you are a Falun Gong practitioner!"
(Clearwisdom.net) The annual fair in Erie County in Northwest New York usually attracts over 100,000 people. Local Falun Gong practitioners participated in this year's fair and took the opportunity to introduce Falun Dafa to the American people and clarified the truth about Falun Gong practitioners who are being persecuted in China.
The practitioners set up a booth at the fair, teaching people who were interested to practice Falun Dafa exercises. They also displayed posters to clarify the truth about the persecution in China. One practitioner, who is good at calligraphy and painting, sketched paintings and wrote Chinese characters for visitors.
Some kind-hearted New Yorkers had a quite favorable impression of Falun Dafa. When some of them learned that there was a practice site in the county, they immediately wanted to go to learn the exercises.
A young man came up to our booth and learned to practice the first set of exercises. He said that he felt that the environment was very peaceful and quiet, even though there were many visitors at the time and it was quite noisy.
One doctor liked Falun Dafa very much. He said that when treating patients, sometimes he would feel the presence of an unhealthy field, and he would feel discomfort. He was also looking for some Qigong therapeutics. He said that he was happy to be introduced to Falun Gong. He took many Dafa materials and asked for information about the practice site.
A Taiwanese couple showed interest in Falun Gong and said they had never heard about it until Jiang's regime began to persecute it. They felt that the brutal persecution was unacceptable and not befitting of a civilized nation.
There were also a couple and their two children, who showed great interest in Falun Dafa. The man and his two children learned to practice the exercises on the spot. The wife said, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is a principle that everyone should follow. The man said happily that while in meditation, he felt like he was at a beach and could listen to the tide.
(Clearwisdom.net) On August 11, 2002, San Francisco Falun Gong practitioners took part in an annual sports meet of local residents of Chinese descent, which was held at a college in San Francisco. Their bright yellow exercise suits were quite eye-catching, and their good demeanor was praised by both participants and organizers. During the event, the practitioners took the opportunity to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to the local Chinese people.
[Insert photos]
Participating in the activity as volunteers
One day before the sports meet, more than ten practitioners volunteered to help with the preparation work. Their good demeanor received organizers' praise. The practitioners got along well with local Chinese people, taking every possible opportunity to clarify the truth and introduce to them that "Falun Dafa is good," and "Falun Dafa is the righteous Fa." They also explained how such a good cultivation way is suffering from brutal persecution by the Jiang regime.
After the meet, the practitioners volunteered to clean up the site, and the organizers were quite appreciative.
Friendship first, competition second
Because the Dafa practitioners left such a favorable impression with the local Chinese people, we were permitted to hang large posters about Falun Dafa inside the stadium so that we could directly let people know the truth about Falun Dafa. In the meantime, we hung many Dafa truth-clarifying display boards outside the stadium, which proved to have a good effect also.
We took part in the tug-of-war contest and won third prize. We tried our best to show the kind nature of Falun Dafa through our sportsmanship and warmth towards the other participants.
Pure and beautiful art performances
We sang "Falun Dafa is good" and demonstrated Falun Gong exercises. We also performed fan and heavenly girl dances, and sang other songs. Our performance won warm applause from the audience and the host's high appraise.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Commentary on Current Events
Central News Agency reported on August 12th that the deputy spokesman of the Department of State, Philip Reeker, expressed today how the United States has not changed regarding concerns of basic human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of personal beliefs, and has included these points into the latest human rights report. He said that he is not clear about the incident of Hong Kong police forcefully moving and arresting 16 Falun Gong practitioners, but he promised to investigate. Growing concern is developing over this trial, while many are observing it as an indicator of whether freedom and justice can continue to exist in Hong Kong. If Falun Gong practitioners were found guilty, that would indicate that the freedom of speech does not exist in Hong Kong, even though it is a democratic society. The promises of "one country, two system" and "50 years of no change" would be rendered empty.
A Chinese living overseas wrote to the Hong Kong government to say that the consciences of Hong Kong officials are being tested like never before in history:
As a Chinese living overseas, my heart is yearns for China's prosperity. Hong Kong is the pearl of the east and a focal point of the world. I was shocked when Hong Kong police filed a lawsuit against Falun Gong practitioners and accused them of "blocking the traffic." It is so sad! "One country, two systems," the future of Hong Kong's people and the conscience of Hong Kong officials are being tested like never before in history.
References
The last line of antibiotic defense is threatened. Microbiologists have expressed fears that hospitals are ill equipped to cope with "superbugs," after a bacterium resistant to one of the last lines of antibiotic defense was identified in the United States. Always trying to come up with the latest drugs, people are reacting to illness. Although science is quite advanced, human beings are indeed still only guessing at the real cause of diseases.
The impact of being close to the natural world on children's growth. Recent research shows that girls should be encouraged to study or play in a room where they can see the natural world. They should play in the open air, take a break in a natural environment, or grow plants. These have been shown to have benefits on their well-being.
(Clearwisdom.net)
The reason why people cannot calm down is because their minds are not clear and clean. The root cause is too many strong human desires and attachments. All types of desires and attachments can develop into a wide variety of postnatally formed notions and thought karma. This produces interference that manifests itself in the form of being unable to calm one's mind. Therefore, I feel that we cannot fundamentally resolve these issues by simply eliminating and resisting our own bad thoughts and thought karma. We must also let go of all kinds of conflicts and discard various desires and attachments. By doing so, we can keep our minds genuinely clear, clean and in a state of wuwei (non-action). If desires and attachments are not removed, we will develop new thought karma and bad thoughts.
For a few days now, I have felt that various human attachments originate from "self." When one is truly selfless and altruistic, nothing can move one's heart. He or she can tolerate anything and consider others first when faced with any issue. This is a feeling of weightlessness, the freedom of selflessness and altruism. In this state, one experiences a sense of joy and contentment, the state of a noble being.
The process of constantly removing one's attachments during cultivation is also the process of continually breaking free of the concept of self. Our capacity to tolerate also keeps expanding accordingly. Beings at different levels have attachments characteristic of those levels, so the state of being clear and clean exists on different levels. Strictly speaking, attachments are relative from a certain perspective, and so are the degree of mental clarity and depth of tranquility. The higher one's state of mind is, the larger one's capacity will be, as will be his wisdom and capacity. As one reaches higher levels, he will think about and do things on a larger scale. Meanwhile, the particles of his being become more microscopic, and his thinking becomes clearer and calmer. Beings on different levels and in different realms find joy in different things, and they think and act accordingly.
There are no shortcuts in cultivation. During our cultivation, it would be great if we could let go of the sense of self all at once, but oftentimes we cannot . We can only keep making progress in letting it go and broadening our hearts.
Written on April 22, 2002
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, I dreamed of sitting in a high-speed train. In the beginning, there was strong wind inside the train. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind, "This train was sealed. Where did the wind come from?" When this thought came out, the wind stopped. In the meantime, I clearly saw the scenery outside through the window. The train was rushing on a wide road. There was no rail. Furthermore, there were many vehicles and pedestrians passing by. I was worried whether we would collide with the vehicles or pedestrians. However, the train passed safely. Nothing happened. I was relieved.
The train kept on moving forward on the road. Then there were no vehicles and pedestrians. There was a rail in the middle of the road. The train rode smoothly. I was worried again, "How come the rail was built on the road?" Suddenly, the rail turned into single track and went to the side of the road. It almost hung over the edge of the road. I was afraid again and worried, "How dangerous! Can we move through?" As a result the train passed by smoothly. Suddenly, I understood that the train was actually driven at a uniform speed smoothly from the very beginning. Two roads were exhibited in front of me: one is formless but always continuing, smooth and without any mishaps along the way; the other is what my eyes can see, full of thrilling scenarios. I found the worries I had had while traveling on the latter road was brought by my eyes and my heart.
When I woke up, I realized that our cultivators are actually on a "great way without form." There is no accident on this road. The so-called danger was actually brought by human concepts.
This is my personal understanding, if it is not proper, please compassionately point out anything and correct it.
August 15 2002
China's continued detention of dissidents was unacceptable and self-defeating, the Australian Government told a visiting Chinese delegation yesterday.
This was the case whether those being unfairly held were Tibetans, non-violent Muslim nationalists or members of the Falun Gong meditation [group].
The Chinese delegation, led by the Vice-Foreign Minister, Wang Guangya, and including a judge of the Peoples' Supreme Court, was told that the Australian Foreign Affairs Department received more representations on Tibet than any other human rights matter.
The second most complained about issue was treatment of Falun Gong members.
[...]
And in relation to Falun Gong, Australia believed treatment of practitioners in contravention of China's obligations under international human rights agreements was "unacceptable and counter-productive".
[...]
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/14/1029113958288.html
Thursday, August 15, 2002
CHINA'S ENTRY into the World Trade Organization, both Clinton and Bush officials have said, will have broad-reaching and positive effects, not only opening a vast market to U.S. goods but also encouraging greater political freedom and openness inside the world's most populous nation. Everyone hopes these predictions prove correct. But China's entry into the world economic system has been lopsided so far. After long negotiation, it agreed at least in principle to follow international rules governing trade. But internally, it continues to deny its workers the most basic rights of association, petition and expression -- including rights that China, by accepting other international accords, long ago promised to respect.
These lapses are highlighted in a recent report from Human Rights Watch that reviews workers' protests that occurred this spring in several northern Chinese cities. The protests, about which The Post's John Pomfret filed dispatches at the time, involved "tens of thousands of workers from dozens of factories and mines, and lasted longer than any protests since the violent suppression of the 1989 Democracy Movement," Human Rights Watch says in its assessment. Chinese authorities did not respond with the same viciousness as they did in 1989, nor did they crack down as hard as they have against the Falun Gong spiritual movement. But they stymied the protests with carrots and sticks -- "mostly sticks," the report says -- including huge shows of police force and temporary jailings.
Beneath those tactics, though, is a political and economic strategy that depends on "fundamental violations of civil and political rights, including denial of workers' rights to form independent labor unions as well as pervasive media censorship." China's Communist regime has to a great extent unleashed private capital. People are free to start businesses, move where they please, hire whom they please -- all of which would have been unthinkable in Mao Zedong's day. But the loosening is, once again, lopsided. Workers who are cheated or exploited have no recourse. Would-be union organizers are handed long prison terms. Judges, controlled by the party, are frequently corrupt. As The Post's Philip Pan reported recently, tens of thousands of Chinese workers are injured or made sick on the job, then routinely fired and left to fend for themselves. The result is a nascent capitalism inside a dictatorship that many workers perceive as stacked against them. "If you have a cutthroat heart, you can make it," one resident of the northern city of Liaoyang told John Pomfret last March. "If you are a good person, I don't think you can."
So far, American companies seem little troubled by this lopsidedness. They are happy to pay the exceedingly low wages and to accept the system that helps keep them low. U.S. officials work harder to enforce the standards of the World Trade Organization than of the International Labor Organization. But China is a member of both, and its failure to uphold the terms of the latter membership -- including respecting the principles of freedom of association and collective bargaining -- raises questions about its commitment to the former as well.
(Clearwisdom.net)
This flash file contains individual death cases of Falun Gong practitioners in China (in Chinese).
flash: Whose Fault? 1.4 MB with music
(Clearwisdom.net)
The following video is an updated analysis of the Tiananmen Square staged immolation incident broadcast on CCTV (the state-run China Central Television). This analysis highlights some newly gathered information and demonstrates that the so-called self-immolation incident was a pure setup. People who learn the truth understand that they have been lied to, and will no longer believe Jiang's regime's propaganda. (video in Chinese)
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