December 9, 2002

(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Li Huagui. I am a Dafa practitioner and teacher in China. After July 20, 1999, I was illegally sentenced to one year forced labor for distributing truth-clarification flyers.

At the end of July 2001, I was illegally sent into Guangdong Province's Sanshui Female Forced Labor Camp. Initially, I was detained in the No. 308 team together with Zhou Xuefei, who was already detained there. Xuefei was sentenced to three years of forced labor. Xuefei and I were detained together for half a month.

The labor camp authorities put Dafa practitioners in the No.2 division, where we were deprived of all our rights and freedom. We were monitored around the clock by the prisoners, even when we ate meals, slept, used the restroom or took showers. We were not allowed contact with others on our own, nor talk to each other; even looking at each other was forbidden. I heard that there were eavesdropping devices installed in the cells and hallways. Once when Xuefei and I were standing in line together, I asked her why she did not wear socks in the very cold weather. When she was about to reply, the team leader suddenly came up and yelled at us.

The female labor camp employed the strategy of "psychological attacks." That is, it has been using all kinds of propaganda in the form of slanderous books, newspapers, printouts, videos, posters, etc. to endlessly bombard the practitioners. The labor camp also forced the practitioners to hold discussions, talk about their so-called understandings, write journals, write "disclosing and criticizing letters," and take so-called study courses. The labor camp periodically held "exams" to determine their progress in brainwashing practitioners. In the labor camp, even keeping silent was reason enough to incur abuse from the authorities. Those wicked persons have utilized coercion, temptation, threats, and other means in an attempt to force Dafa practitioners to give up their belief in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Dafa practitioners are under intense mental pressure all the time and in addition are forced to participate in military style drills and heavy physical labor.

Some practitioners who were detained for long periods of time (some of them had been there for over two years) took the risk in telling me that from the beginning, the labor camp authorities formed a partnership with some of the worst criminals detained in the labor camp to use them in torturing determined practitioners. In the summer, these criminals tied practitioners to the basketball goals, leaving them exposed to the scorching sun. In the winter, these same people stripped the practitioners, tied them up, and then put them on the concrete ground outside, or forbade the practitioners to go to their beds to sleep. Sometimes the practitioners were stripped and forced to sit on the cold floor all night long to freeze in the cold, and they were not allowed to go to bed to sleep or use the toilet. Sometimes, several evil persons took turns slapping practitioners in the face with books, claiming that they would beat them and make those who were firm in their belief to yield and renounce their belief. I felt that Xuefei must have experienced such abuse. In fact, what I know was just a little of what she had suffered. I hope that one day she'll have the chance to tell the world what she has endured.

Many times the guards did not allow people to put any food at Zhou's seat, so nobody knows how many times she was left in hunger. Another time when Xuefei was in line for the gruel, the persons in charge of watching her took her bowl away. They also often verbally abused her.

Xuefei's eyesight was not very good and she did not have her glasses with her. Even under this circumstance, she was still forced to perform a lot of manual labor, making hand stitched crafts that are exported to countries like the United States. Every time when the work period was over, I saw that she massaged her red and watering eyes. Occasionally, when she got the chance, she would tell me that her eyes hurt a lot.

Although she has suffered such vicious persecution, she was always firm in her belief. Believing herself to be a kind person that has committed no crimes, she has refused to cooperate with the evil. She would not participate in the military style training, the "re-education" classes, or the morning or evening roll call. When the guards talked to her, she kept a dignified manner and refused to squat down as customary. Therefore, she got point deductions every month; sometimes she got 1000 points deducted (the sentence is extended one day for every deduction of 100 points). However, the person in charge of watching her received 500 points every week. Those prisoner leaders received points every month, as many as 3000 points, which was used to reduce their sentences.

The persecution of Zhou Xuefei and all Dafa practitioners is completely unacceptable and unjustifiable. I hope all kind-hearted people can extend their support to help to rescue Zhou Xuefei.