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(Clearwisdom.net)
July 20, 2002 marks three long years of persecution of Falun Gong in the People's Republic of China. Supporters and practitioners of Falun Gong around the world will launch a series of activities with the theme, "Together We Will End the Persecution."
The following is an invitation sent from Canadian practitioners for the July 20 press conference at Parliament Hill, Ottawa.
The upcoming July 20, 2002 marks three long years of persecution of Falun Gong in the People's Republic of China. Supporters and practitioners of Falun Gong cordially invite you to participate in a gathering in Ottawa on July 20, 2002, entitled "Together We Will End the Persecution."
We would be pleased if you would present a short speech. We are always appreciative of any form of support you can offer. The involvement of the Canadian people has already freed three Falun Gong practitioners from illegal detention in China-- Professor Kunlun Zhang, Ms. Ying Zhu, and Mr. Shenli Lin are now living in Canada and freely practising Falun Gong. For this we are truly grateful.
Falun Gong, a peaceful mind/body meditation practice based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, was introduced to the public in China in 1992 and quickly spread throughout the populous nation. According to a Chinese government survey in late 1998, between 70 and 100 million people were enjoying enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual well-being from the practice. Alarmed by how quickly the practice had spread, Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin banned Falun Gong and initiated a brutal campaign of repression on July 20, 1999. Outside China, Falun Gong is freely practiced in over 50 countries.
Since July 20, 1999, tens of millions of innocent men, women, and children who practise Falun Gong have been ruthlessly persecuted in the PRC, hundreds of lives have been lost, while untold thousands still suffer in jails and labour camps. Among them are fifteen family members or relatives of twelve Canadian citizens and residents. One of them has been missing for over a year; three have been persecuted to death; twelve are still in jail or labour camps. A nation-wide rescue campaign will be launched.
Please read the following poem to know what is in our hearts.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
A Lotus Flower
A lotus flower grows out of the mud and filth,
rises up through foggy waters and,
after passing through all of this,
emerges on the surface a beautiful flower.Through the last three years of brutal persecution,
torture, imprisonment,
we Falun Dafa practitioners in China have endured humiliation,
rape, the loss of all our rights, and
vicious defamation in state-run propaganda and
thousands of deaths...Through all of this, however, there is something we have not lost.
We have not returned the violence, lies and hate.
We have endured all of the evil for our determination in following the universal principle of
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
This is what those who persecute us,
no matter how violent they are,
no matter how cunning and vicious,
will never be able to succeed in taking from us.People of the world:
Do not lose hope,
no matter how vicious, dark or hopeless things may seem.
Put trust in goodness,
in the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Righteousness can never be defeated.For those who have stood up in support of Falun Gong,
practitioners in China all know the immense efforts of
governments and people around the world to stand up for justice
on our behalf.
You have also faced pressures and difficulties.
You have touched our hearts.Your efforts are not for nothing.
After passing through the cloudy waters,
a beautiful, noble lotus flower will emerge.
Your efforts to support goodness are bringing a wonderful future to many.
The evil will not last long.Together we will end the persecution.
--On behalf of the persecuted Falun Dafa practitioners in China
(Clearwisdom.net) Li Xinqi, male, 60 years old, was a villager from the 5th group of Changhe Village, Fangping Township, Guangan District in Guangan City, Sichuan Province. The local police persecuted all four members of the Li Xinqi family because they persisted in cultivating Dafa. Li Xinqi was tortured to death on April 18, 2002.
Li Xinqi was a well-known good man who began practicing Dafa in April 1998. After he began practicing Dafa, he became more and more kind and his body became stronger and stronger. However, in July 1999, the persecution of Falun Dafa began. Li Xinqi did not want to cooperate with the evil, to lie or renounce his belief in Dafa. So on July 22, 2001, the local police department arrested all four of his family members, including his wife Chen Shibi, daughter Li Tianrong, son Li Tianguo and himself, and illegally detained them in the Guangan District Detention Center. The police also ransacked his home and took away all valuables. During the over one-year detention period, Li Xinqi, who was 60 years old at the time, became more emaciated by the day. His whole body became swollen, and excreted a yellow bodily fluid. On April 18, 2002, Li Xinqi passed away. Unbelievably, even after his death the village and township government officials went to Li Xinqi's home to extort money.
The citizens from Fangping Township/Guangan District are very sympathetic to Li Xinqi and his family's suffering, and they are very angry at the vicious police and the thugs' base, cruel behavior. The villagers called for an immediate end to the unreasonable persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, demanded the release of the practitioners and sought harsh punishment for the murderers.
July 16, 2002
Well I've come here today because quite frankly what is happening in China to people throughout China is really an international crime. People who have done nothing except teach truth and compassion and forbearance, I mean how could anyone be opposed to that, how could any civilized nation, how could any civilized person not agree that those are universal truths that certainly must be taught, must be learned, must be passed on from generation to generation, and in fact for simply following a regimen of simple exercises, for believing in truth, and compassion, and forbearance people are ending up in jail in prison camps, horrendous conditions.
We've read of rapes, we've read of people suffering all kinds of disease, we've heard of deaths, we've heard of beatings and it is simply totally unacceptable on the world stage.
In 2008 China will be holding the Olympics and I think this is an opportunity for many people throughout the world to impress upon the Chinese government that we will not tolerate that kind of activity in a country which in just a few years will be showcasing all of the world's talent, all of the world's athletic abilities.
China needs to understand that the 21st century is radically different than past ages and that all of the world's people have a new found sense of freedom, and that goes to allowing religious, and social, and cultural thought to expand in a hundred or a thousand ways.
Although it is the federal government that is responsible for external affairs and relations with other countries, the Ontario government can have a very strong role to play, and they can as part of the leading factor in most of the trade missions impress upon the Chinese government that we will not tolerate that kind of activity. And if there is trade to take place, if there is tourism to take place--and tens of thousands of Canadians go to China every year for the purpose of tourism--if there is money, as there is international lending, all of the things that happen in a modern economy are to take place with China, then China had better be part of the world community.
And being part of the world community is to show those very same things, truth, and compassion, and forbearance. And if they would learn that lesson and do the same thing Falun Gong has done, then I think the situation in China would certainly be much better.
Now in terms of Ontario, I have to say looking down the list of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are detained in China, it is readily apparent that most of those people are from the Toronto, Ontario area. And I think that the Premier owes it to the people of Ontario, particularly to the practitioners of Falun Gong, but literally to everyone who believes in human rights to make a strong statement.
I am confident that if that kind of statement were made in the Legislature there would be all party approval to it, and that would send a very strong message to the Chinese government. We are simply one province among ten in Canada, but the majority of new immigrants from China come to live here, and the majority of practitioners, I believe, of Falun Gong in Canada live in Ontario, and that we certainly have been able to live very happily with them, in fact we welcome them in our presence.
We think that what they are teaching and what they are practicing is a wonderful thing, and we would like the Chinese government to look at us and to see what a good thing Falun Gong has been to Toronto and to Ontario, and we would like them to believe as we believe that there is room for everyone in this province, and there should be room for everyone in a big and prosperous country like China.
Well having said that I can only say we lend our support to those who are seeking to have all of the people who are in labour camps in China taken out of those labour camps. We believe that they are prisoners of conscience. We agree with Amnesty International that it is unfair and we support Falun Gong in all of your efforts to have those people freed and want full religious, and cultural, and social thought to prevail in China.
(Transcript)
July 16, 2002
I am the Member of Parliament for Don Valley West here in Toronto, but I'm only one of a number of members of parliament from all parties who have been supporting the cause of Falun Gong and criticizing the Chinese government for the repression of the movement which began three years ago.
Indeed it was here I think a year ago to mark the second anniversary and there will be similar activities across the country involving other members of parliament, some from the Liberal Party and some from other parties.
The reason that we do so is not that we are practitioners but that we support the idea of religious tolerance and human rights in whatever situation and whatever country people find themselves.
We have attempted through the good offices of the Prime Minister for example when there have been trade missions to China including the last Team Canada effort to take advantage of those occasions to ask the Prime Minister to ask the Chinese authorities to intervene and free particularly the families of members of those who have connections here in Canada and we have just heard of one story of such a family and there are other family members here today that we wish to support.
So on behalf of myself and other Federal members of parliament, we wanted to show solidarity on this day, we wanted to show our support for the families in particular who live in Canada who have family members who are being held in China and we would again ask our own government to put pressure on the Chinese government to free those members of Falun Gong who are being held in such large numbers in various labour camps and prisons in China.
Thank you.
(Transcript)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 17, 2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]
NEW YORK, July 17, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center)--Ms. Yoko Kaneko was sentenced to one and a half years labor re-education by Beijing police on June 24 for distributing Falun Gong-related materials on Beijing's streets in May.
Although Ms. Kaneko's husband has been trying to contact all parties involved since she was first detained in May, the Beijing Labor Education authorities did not notify him about his wife's sentence. Instead, they sent the "Labor Education Decision Book" to the work unit of Ms. Kaneko's sister on June 28. According to Ms. Kaneko's mother, since Ms. Kaneko's sister was out of town at that time, the family did not receive the notice until last week, on July 9.
Authorities in China have offered no further information on the whereabouts or status of Ms. Kaneko.
Ms. Kaneko's husband Atsushi Kaneko, a 46-year-old Japanese businessman, along with Falun Gong practitioners in Japan have held numerous press conferences and public appeals calling for her rescue since she was first detained back in May. "The cruel fact that over 400 Falun Gong practitioners have died due to police brutality while in custody is vividly real for me now.... I am determined to do whatever I can do for her release," said Mr. Kaneko.
Family Not Notified, Mother Distressed
The Labor Education authority's notice does not tell Ms. Kaneko's family where their daughter is being held. It does not list any work unit, address, telephone number or person in charge who can be contacted, either. The notice is only imprinted by a Beijing Labor Education Committee's stamp. Ms. Kaneko's mother has expressed extreme concern, "I can still remember when [Yoko] last visited me--she was dressed in shorts. Now, I want to see her very much, but I don't know where to find her nor do I know how she is doing."
Thirty-eight-year-old Ms. Kaneko lives in Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Her Chinese name is Luo Rong. Her hometown is Jixi City in Heilongjiang Province, in China. On May 24 2002, when Ms. Kaneko and two Japanese friends, Ms. Yuko Holie and Ms. Abe Ayumi, were distributing materials that expose the persecution of Falun Gong to pedestrians on Beijing streets, Chinese policemen beat them to the ground and took them into custody. On May 25, Chinese police deported Ms. Holie and Ms. Ayumi, yet detained Ms. Kaneko, who holds a Chinese passport.
Husband and Supporters Rally in Japan, Call for Rescue
Mr. Kaneko and local Falun Gong practitioners in Japan have held several press conferences calling for the rescue of Ms. Kaneko. June 30, Falun Gong practitioners from Japan went to the Chinese Embassy in Japan to conduct a peaceful appeal. On July 6, Falun Gong practitioners held a large-scale parade in Niigata Prefecture where Ms. Kaneko lives, with coverage by all major media in Japan, including the Daily Yomiuri.
Chinese authorities typically deport foreign Falun Gong practitioners, but treat practitioners holding Chinese passports or even foreigners of Chinese descent more harshly.
Falun Gong practitioners in Japan and Ms. Kaneko's family say they are counting on the Japanese government and international community to secure Ms. Kaneko's safe and prompt return to her family in Japan.
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 437 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.
Recently I was riding the C-Train witháa small basket of lotus flowers and cards, when I noticed I was being observed by a beautiful young lady sitting next to me. She looked up at me, and I handed her a Falun Dafa flyer very carefully. She thanked me and began to read it. Two minutes later it was time for both of us to get off the train, and so she said. "I would like to see what is in the basket. It seems so peaceful. I was observing you earlier."á I answered. "Yes Falun Dafa is very peaceful, and its teachings are very precious. It teaches Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." I then read her the first part of the lotus poem. She strongly agreed that Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is the principle we need most in the world, and that the poem was beautiful.
While carrying the flowers that day, I felt it was so right and in perfect harmony with the Fa to be giving people something so beautiful with this message: We offer these flowers as a message of hope and thanks. We have been persecuted for a long time, but these flowers show that our hearts are still strong, and that we will continue to follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. We also know that all Chinese people face pressure from the Chinese government, making it difficult for them to support us. But they have, so we would like to express our appreciation."
The CityáAlderman's secretaries were indeed touched by our flowers and offered to "break the rules" to accept them, and makeásure they all reached their destination.
Last night our practitioners were making them very carefully with their hands and from their hearts, and we all agreed that this was a wonderful thing. á
(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Xingying Liu. On June 29, when my husband and I landed at Hong Kong airport at 3:10 pm and went through customs inspection, an immigration officer immediately came up to us and rushed us into a small inquiry room for no reason. After we repeatedly asked why we were taken to this room, he told us that we could not be admitted to Hong Kong even for transition to another airplane. He said that he did not need to give us a reason. My husband was finally allowed to go. I was detained for 21 hours. In the course of 21 hours, I witnessed many unbelievable incidents of brutality.
When I was taken into the inquiry room, I heard a tall thin man with small eyes and glasses (possibly the head of the police) was saying, "Got them all. No one escaped." Apparently, he was using a black list. About an hour later, a female officer told the tall thin man that some names were not exactly the same. The man said that no one was allowed to pass customs even if the name had only one character the same as the name on the blacklist. Thus, many people were denied admission. Some tour groups made up of several dozen tourists were refused entrance into Hong Kong. Many people were complaining. Some tourists from Taiwan complained that they would let the travel agency know that they would no longer visit Hong Kong and that this behavior was simply unacceptable. I asked the immigration officer why I was not allowed to enter Hong Kong. I have been to Hong Kong many times in the past. I have been a lawful visitor and have never done anything wrong in Hong Kong. Moreover, my relatives live in Hong Kong. I asked them if I was not allowed to enter Hong Kong because I am a Falun Gong practitioner or because Jiang was going to visit Hong Kong. No one answered my questions. All they told me was that they were doing what they were ordered to do from higher-ranking officials
The Hong Kong police were very stern in forcing the tourists to return to their country of origin. About 20 officers carried the tourists wrapped in canvas tarps to the airplane. Many children were scared and crying.
It was shocking to see how two female Japanese Falun Gong practitioners were treated. The two Japanese practitioners asked to talk to a lawyer before they were returned to Japan. Hong Kong police agreed to this request but then changed their mind quickly. Without asking two practitioners, the police tossed away their cassette players. Several dozen police then aggressively pushed the Japanese practitioners into an airplane. Their behavior was far from the conduct of police in a civilized society. An immigration officer with a white smock kicked one of the practitioners in her stomach. When I questioned them why they were beating people, they said that they would not beat people. They even asked me not to tell. When I persistently pointed out the officer in the white smock, he was asked to leave. I did not see him again until I left. The Japanese practitioner who had been beaten by the police was brought back again, since she had missed her airplane. She told me that she felt uncomfortable because certain acupuncture points on the back of her head were beaten. Her hands were bruised, her hair was messed up and her luggage was broken. She also told me that she felt bad and wondered why the Hong Kong police were so rude. When Hong Kong was returned to China, China had promised to adhere to the policy of "one country, two systems" and would leave it unchanged for 50 years. How come it had deteriorated so much after only five years? She had been in Hong Kong many times before. Was it because of Jiang's visit to Hong Kong that the police mistreated her?
A dozen Hong Kong police also mistreated a female Falun Gong practitioner from Singapore. I asked them to stop their brutal treatment of her. Two officers pushed me away and shouted at me to keep silent. They pushed me so hard that my left hand and two feet were bruised and I had to see a doctor when I returned to my country. During my detention, I only was given one meal. It made me disgusted that people would follow me around even when I went to the bathroom. They took away my dignity. I was treated worse than a prisoner and I had completely lost my freedom.
The deeds of the Hong Kong Government were enormously insulting. They have no respect for human rights at all. Hong Kong has degenerated to such a degree in just five years after being returned to China. Where have the promises of "one country, two system" and "high autonomy"- gone? Under Jiang's regime, Hong Kong has lost its policy of ruling by law. Such deeds of the Hong Kong government have left a cloud over the future of the Hong Kong people.
(Clearwisdom.net) At noon on Thursday, July 11, 2002, Falun Gong
practitioners in Boston held a press conference in front of the Massachusetts
Capitol Building to address the recent incidents in which both Iceland and Hong Kong
used "blacklists" provided by the Jiang Regime to refuse Falun Gong practitioners
entry.
Practitioner Jian Mengyang, a 17-year-old student first talked about what she and her family encountered during their trip to Iceland. Flying on Icelandair, Jian Mengyang arrived in Iceland at 8 AM on June 10, 2002. She was stopped when passing the passport control and her U.S. citizen's passport was confiscated. She was held at the airport for more than 3 hours. Later she was told that because she practiced Falun Gong, her name appeared on a "blacklist". She and 26 other Falun Gong practitioners who took the same plane were denied entry to Iceland. They were temporarily detained at a school near the airport while they waited to be repatriated. Both Chinese and Western practitioners from several countries were detained. Practitioners explained to the Icelandic police that the purpose of their trip was to peacefully protest the Jiang regime's ruthless persecution of Falun Gong in China and to show the Icelandic people the beauty of Falun Gong. Practitioners' kindness and warmth touched the police and they were allowed to stay for another day. The Icelandic government's order of barring practitioners from entering the country brought forth a strong reaction of dissaproval from the Icelandic people, who spontaneously organized a huge parade to protest the government's decision.
Around 8 PM that night, more than 300 Icelandic people drove from the Capital to the school where practitioners were held, to protest. Around 1 AM the next morning, under the pressure of the Icelandic people, the Icelandic government allowed these 27 practitioners to enter the country. Although it appeared that the ban was lifted in Iceland, under the directive from the Icelandic government, airports around the world still refused Falun Gong practitioners' attempts to board flights to Iceland. A few days later, at Boston's International Airport, Jian Mengyang's father and other practitioners were informed, respectively, that because their names were on a "blacklist", they were not allowed to board the Icelanair flights to Iceland. Because of the blacklist, their costly air tickets and precious vacation time were wasted. What shocked people even more is the fact that a "blacklist" was used in democratic countries to persecute their citizens. Jian Mengyang called for a thorough investigation on the source of the "blacklist" and the illegal actions involved in it.
Followed Jian's speech, Luis, an American practitioner talked about what another U.S. citizen, Ms. Dan Bihan, a 68-year-old practitioner encountered in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government used a blacklist provided by the Jiang government to forcefully repatriate Ms. Dan Bihan from the territory on June 22. Holding her U.S. passport, Ms. Dan had not previously encountered any trouble visiting Hong Kong. But this year, when Ms. Dan tried to visit Hong Kong again, she was denied entry because her name appeared on a blacklist. Ms. Dan was ordered to sign the notice of entry denial. Ms. Dan refused to do so, but the Hong Kong police forged her handwriting to sign it. Later, the police used a canvas tarp to wrap up Ms. Dan and forcibly carry her onto the flight to repatriate her. Ten days before that, holding a valid airline ticket and legal certificate, Ms. Dan tried to go to Iceland, but was informed that her name was on a blacklist and therefore she was not allowed to board the flight.
Mike, another American practitioner, talked about how an American citizen, David Jack was repatriated by the Hong Kong government on June 30 based on a blacklist. David went to Beijing to peacefully appeal for Falun Gong in February 2002. He was detained and then repatriated. He said he would like to peacefully appeal for Falun Gong again during Jiang's visit in Hong Kong, but he did not expect that Hong Kong would no longer be the same as before. The policy of "one country, two systems" exists in name only. He said that the staff of the Hong Kong customs were even ordered not to answer any questions regarding the reason for his repatriation. When he went to the restroom under escort, a customs officer said, "I don't know" (in response to the request for the reason he was being repatriated.) "But this is not good for you, nor for me". After 17 hours of detention, David was repatriated to the U.S.
Several media, including AP, Epochtimes and Xintangren TV station interviewed the practioners at the press conference.
(Clearwisdom.net) While the Chinese Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan visited Austria, Falun Dafa practitioners in Austria went to the Chinese Embassy to appeal to end the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China. They also wrote an appeal letter to the Chinese Foreign Minister. Staff of the Chinese Embassy tightly closed the door. Practitioners put their appeal letter into the Embassy's mailbox. Other practitioners continuously sent forth righteous thoughts in front of the Embassy.
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Practitioners putting the appeal letter to the Chinese Foreign Minister into the Embassy's mailbox |
Practitioners sending forth righteous thoughts in front of the Chinese Embassy |
(Clearwisdom.net)
(Clearwisdom.net) Taiwan Hsinchu Industrial College (THIC) has over 6000 staff members and students. Many of its staff hold masters or Ph.D. degrees. THIC plays an important role in Taiwan's science and technology. To create opportunities for the people of THIC to learn and benefit from Falun Dafa, a Falun Dafa club was recently established this year.
July 5, 2002 is the 29th anniversary of THIC. Falun Dafa club, together with many other social clubs, participated in the celebration. Practitioners prepared the introductory materials of Falun Dafa, including photo materials, cultivation experiences, VCDs, etc. Many video materials were broadcast on the spot, including a Falun Dafa introductory VCD, "Falun Dafa-the Journey to Return to one's true self", cultivation experiences from western and Chinese doctors, youths, and children. Many researchers and their family members stopped at our booth asking for Falun Dafa exercise materials. Many lovely children were reluctant to leave until they got a balloon with the words: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Practitioners peacefully introduced Falun Dafa and shared their cultivation experiences with visitors. The field was filled with peace and serenity.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Practitioners from Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province Congratulate the Establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Spain
At the grim moment when the evil political regime in China is relentlessly persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners, Falun Dafa has been spread far and wide in the world. This is a great encouragement to the practitioners in China. The establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Spain is a heavy blow to the evil forces. All the practitioners here in Daqing extend our warmest congratulations to the establishment of the Falun Dafa Association of Spain. At the same time we wish Falun Dafa to be spread even more widely in Spain and at a faster pace.
Daqing practitioners
July 9, 2002
á
Falun Dafa practitioners from Wuhan City, Hubei Province Congratulate the Establishment of Falun Dafa Association of Spain
Practitioners here in Wuhan are very glad to learn that the Falun Dafa Association of Spain has been formally established and like to extend our heartfelt congratulations! The establishment of the association is of great encouragement to our practitioners in Wuhan. Let's join hands and cultivate more diligently to fulfil the mission history has bestowed on Falun Dafa practitioners.
Wuhan Falun Dafa practitioners
July 9, 2002
(Clearwisdom.net)
Facts and Commentaries
Commentaries from a third party: Jiang toys with Hong Kong's legislation and uses the policy of "one country, two systems" as a fig leaf.
Under Jiang's direction, Tung Chee-hwa intends to enact the anti-subversion law, which simply aims at attacking anyone in Hong Kong who disagrees with the ruling party. Enacting new laws that make the unlawful lawful has become a characteristic of the Chinese Party's tampering with the law. Initially, Jiang started persecuting Falun Gong, and then, in order to cover up his illegal crimes, he forced the People's Congress to pass the "Anti-XX Law," three months after the suppression. Thereafter, he unblushingly claimed: "Falun Gong breaks the law". The Party needs to "rack its brains" to apply such gangster tactics that mislead the public in Hong Kong.
Open Forum
"It seems that God actually exists!"
In 1937, one of Stalin's most loyal high-ranking accomplices that joined the brutal persecution of Stalin's political opponents was also put on trial. His last words were: "I essentially deserve God's most rigorous punishment, because I repeatedly demolished his commandment. Now, look at my end, you can easily tell whether God exists or not." During that year, most people who had been appointed as section chiefs in his period of time were arrested and executed by being shot.
Practitioners Exchange Insights
The lessons that we can learn from the damaged truth-clarification material supply site in Yi County, Liaoning Province:
When we looked into this incident, we found the following factors that resulted in such a loss: 1) the related practitioners did not pay attention to signs indicating the danger of the material site being noticed by the police; 2) they did not study the Fa frequently; 3) they had a shallow understanding of the Fa; 4) they did not take prompt action to enhance the security of the site. Practitioners who encounter tribulations or cannot keep up with the Fa-rectification process tend to read the articles published on Clearwisdom.net with human mentalities. Teacher has created a Fa-rectification environment of cultivation practice for us, one of the purposes being to enable us to upgrade our cultivation level. The higher our ideological level of "benevolence and virtue in abundance" ("Distinction Between Human and Enlightened Beings" from Hongyin), the more powerful our Gong potency's strength is. Our powerful Gong can really "make(s) the unrighteous elements in all beings' thoughts disintegrate." ("Also in a few words" from Essentials for further advancement II).
In order to keep up with the Fa-rectification process, we need to view things from a broader perspective.
The boundlessness and greatness of the Fa is beyond all sentient beings' imagination. What virtue or qualification do we, lives with limited wisdom and ability, have to judge Teacher and the Fa? Any careless speech or assertions we make in this human world regarding the Fa, Teacher, fellow practitioners, or ourselves is the manifestation of our shallow understanding of the Fa, and may form quite a large disturbance which may be misleading to the cultivation practice environment.
News and Activities Around the World
In a chatroom, I got to know a student named Ao An from Vietnam. He knows Chinese. I introduced Dafa to him. He read the Dafa website and felt very good. After reading Teacher's poems, he said that maybe he had a predestined relationship with Dafa. He also wrote a poem. At last, his friends helped him to find Dafa books. He said in his letter that he would do good deeds following the Fa and promoting Falun Dafa.
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Falun Gong is freely practiced in at least 57 countries around the world, but relentlessly persecuted in China. The peaceful courage of practitioners there has shocked their oppressors and moved the people of the world. While China continues to block all information, FGMtv brings you the stories you may not hear anywhere else.
Hello, and welcome to FGMtv on July 9th, 2002
I'm Susan Mitchell.
The number of Falun Gong practitioners verified to have died as a result of mistreatment by Jiang Zemin's regime is 432. However, a new publication out of China that seems to have access to privileged information puts the actual number at over 7,000.
Our top story this week:
Eight more wrongful deaths are verified of Falun Gong practitioners in custody by Jiang Zemin's authorities.
And some of our other stories:
And finally...
Eight more wrongful deaths verified by the Falun Dafa Information Center in New York
Here are the names of the eight released on July 2nd:
Mrs. Cuifang Geng, a 48-year old woman from Lanzhou City, Gansu Province
Mr. Lanzhou Su, the husband of Cuifang Geng
Mr. Xunhua Gui, a 36-year old man from Hebei Province
Ms. Xiuling Zhang, a woman from Hebei Province
Mr. Xiaolin Rui, a 39-year old man from Anhui Province
Mrs. Cuiling Song, a 52-year old woman from Hebei Province
Ms. Guojun Li, a 37-year old woman from Shandong Province, and
Ms. Dabi Wu, a 59-year old woman from Sichuan Province
On June 19, 2002, the Spanish Falun Dafa Association was officially registered and established.
FGMtv offers its congratulations to the practitioners there!
Falun Info Net is also available in Spanish at the address on your screen.
http://faluninfo.net/sp
?/P>
Teaching the Falun Gong exercises in India
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is Born
Summer Parades around the world...
Summer weather prompts people around the world to display their cultures through festivals and parades. As the practice of Falun Dafa has quickly spread to nearly 60 countries outside China, parade onlookers are being treated to a glimpse of ancient Chinese culture.
Chinese Internet Cafés are forced to prohibit access to 500,000 Web sites, including Falun Gong
Clear Wisdom Web site reminds people to live in harmony with the universe...
Moving now to Hong Kong...
China's Prime Time Programming Interrupted with "Falun Dafa is Good" banners
AFP and BBC reported that as a result of the Sinosat 1 interruptions,
Mirage over Qingdao
Natural and Man-made Disasters abound in China today
Calligraphy -- for free! -- at a multicultural festival near Toronto
Chinese calligraphy is highly appreciated around the world. Visitors to the annual Multicultural Festival in Kitchener-Waterloo near Toronto were anxious to take advantage of the offer by Falun Dafa practitioners to have their names recorded in Chinese calligraphy.
A new attraction to add to a summer cultural afternoon!
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Thanks for watching FGMtv, dedicated to breaking through China's information blockade, revealing propaganda, and bringing you the truth of Falun Gong.
(Clearwisdom.net) As practitioners in China face tremendous pressure to give up their beliefs under the Chinese regime's brutal persecution, there are those who have given in and signed documents renouncing Falun Dafa. However, many of these people deeply regret doing so after they are released from detention and labor camps. "Solemn declarations" are the public statements made by such practitioners, often at great risk to their personal safety, to declare to the world that the documents they signed under duress are null and void and that they will continue to practice Falun Dafa.
Here are some of the Solemn Declarations from the practitioners:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
Solemn Declaration
In March 2001, the police illegally arrested me in my home and sent me to a brainwashing class. Under the combined attacks of high pressure, hypocrisy, my own attachments and Dafa collaborators' constant besiegement, I did not regard the Fa as the teacher and I sided with the evil. I even participated in the brainwashing of fellow practitioner(s) and committed deplorable sins. After I re-studied Zhuan Falun once more, I returned to Dafa cultivation.
It was our benevolent and great Master who pulled me away from the evil path! I will cultivate until the end and become a determined, diamond-like Dafa practitioner! Hereby, I solemnly declare that all my previous words and actions against Dafa under any circumstances are completely void! All the evil understandings of Dafa I spread among fellow practitioners are completely void! I will re-double my efforts and make up for the losses I caused to Dafa.
Meng Guihua
June 13, 2002
(Translated on July 15, 2002 from http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/10/33090.html)
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Solemn Declaration
When I was arrested and sent to a brainwashing class for forced brainwashing for the second time, I "stooped to compromise" and allowed the evil to take advantage of my omissions. I also had a heavy mentality of fear and even passed up an opportunity to escape.
After I was released, I clearly realized after studying the Fa that any and all attachments will become the evil's excuse to persecute Dafa. Master told us to completely break away from the old forces' arrangements, yet, at a critical time I obeyed the evil forces' arrangements and did what a Dafa practitioner should never do. I betrayed Dafa and Master. I declare that everything I was forced to write against Dafa in the evil brainwashing class is completely void. I will re-double my efforts and make up for the losses I caused to Dafa.
Guan Longmei
June 16, 2002
(Translated on July 15, 2002 from http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/10/33090.html)
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Solemn Declaration
I was arrested and my home was ransacked. In order to protest the persecution, I held a nine-day hunger strike and was forcibly sent to a brainwashing class. I was tortured even though I was extremely weak and I was not allowed to sleep. They forcibly instilled me with lies and evil understandings of the Fa. Because I did not study the Fa well enough, I became muddle-headed when both my body and my mind were extremely tired and I enlightened along an evil path. I let down Dafa and Master and left a stain on my path of cultivation.
Later, I finally woke up through Fa-study and help from fellow practitioners. I experienced extreme agony.
Hereby, I solemnly declare that all my previous words and actions in the brainwashing class and anywhere else that didn't conform to Dafa and Master's requirement are completely void! I will cultivate with determination and re-double my efforts to make up for the losses I caused to Dafa and keep up with Master's Fa-rectification!
Huang Xiuping
June 26, 2002
(Translated on July 15, 2002 from http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/11/33141.html)
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Solemn Declaration
I obtained the Fa at the end of 1998 and my body and mind were rectified. After the persecution began, I walked to Beijing to appeal in July of 2000. After I was illegally detained three times, I was illegally sentenced to one year of forced labor. During this time, I was brutally beaten many times, cursed at and physically and mentally tortured. Especially when I was in the labor camp, I was beaten, cursed at, brutally tortured, shocked by electric batons, suffered corporal punishment and mentally tortured. Because I persisted in cultivation, I was shackled to a "Dead Person's Bed" [a torture in which the four limbs of the practitioner are stretched out and tied to the four corners of an icy-cold metal bed. The practitioner cannot move at all. Neither is he allowed to get up to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom. This treatment would last from several hours up to more than a dozen days. This type of cruel torture causes severe damage both mentally and physically] by the thugs for a long time. Four police officers shocked me with four high-voltage electric batons simultaneously. During this painful tribulation, I did not treat it with righteous thoughts and was moved by human sentimentality. In the end, I compromised my belief and left a stain on my cultivation path.
Dafa cultivation is serious and sacred. I solemnly declare that all my previous words and actions in the labor camp that did not conform to Dafa are completely void. I will keep up with Master's Fa-rectification and become a qualified Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple.
Song Yuegang
June 27, 2002
(Translated on July 15, 2002 from http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/11/33141.html)
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Solemn Declaration
On the morning of April 25, police forcibly took me to the police department from my work unit and they handcuffed me to an iron chair. The police asked me, "Do you still practice now?" I said something compromising to get it over with, but actually what I said was negating the fact that I was a practitioner. I was afraid of being tortured by the evil and afraid of not being able to endure, etc. When I have fear, I develop the pursuit of comfort. With the existence of these two attachments, I did not do well at this critical moment. I felt very ashamed. Hereby, I solemnly declare that what I said in front of the evil that a Dafa practitioner is not supposed to say is void. I will cherish Dafa and become an upright and dignified Dafa practitioner.
Zhao Jiaxiang
June 2002
(Translated on July 15, 2002 from http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/12/33219.html)
(Clearwisdom.net)
When I was riding the bus going into a tunnel, the words "Falun Dafa is Good" and "Falun Dafa is the Righteous Fa" were spray painted in red on both walls. A gentleman said happily, "Look, it says Falun Dafa is good. This is great, it has spread to here!" Another passenger said, "Yeah, everyone knows Falun Dafa is good, but some people just won't let you say it." [Note: With access to all normal means of communication such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio denied to them, Falun Gong practitioners have resorted to many creative and sometimes unusual methods for clarifying the truth of the persecution to the Chinese people.]
One practitioner's husband is very supportive of his wife's practice of Falun Dafa, even though he's not a practitioner. His wife spent a lot of their savings on making materials that clarify the truth about Falun Gong and on renting places for practitioners that have been driven from their homes. When the wife goes out to pass out flyers, her husband follows her carrying a bag full of flyers. He does so both to help her carry the flyers and to watch out for her. Sometimes when he goes to work, he takes a few flyers to give out as well.
(Clearwisdom.net)
"When people do not have virtue, natural calamities and man-made disasters will abound. When the earth does not have virtue, everything will wither and fall. When heaven deviates from the Dao, the ground will crack, the sky will collapse, and the whole universe will be empty. When the Fa is right, the universe will be right. Life will flourish, heaven and earth will be stable, and the Fa will exist forever" (Essentials for Further Advancement, "When the Fa is Right").
During the times when people willingly try to be kind to each other and uphold moral values, it was believed that weather would become favorable for the crops. On the contrary, when people treat others with malicious motives and have lost their moral standards, they are conducting themselves against heaven's [law], doing evil and increasing their karma. Then, the heavens will show signs of disorder to warn and even punish people for their evil doing.
In the area of Southern China, including provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Fujian, gentle rains would come with the soft breeze to fill the rain-belt in April or May, which is called the pre-high-water season in Southern China. In the past, this season came on time almost every year and any abnormality in this season was considered a sign of a disastrous year.
During the past three years, not only did the gentle rains of the pre-high-water seasons not come, but also for the past 3 years there appeared a serious drought across a wide area. This is the first time this has happened in history.
In April and May of 2000, there was a spring drought across a wide area of Southern China. In the western area of Guangdong Province, the drought was very serious. In some cities, like Maoming City, the situation was the most severe in 50 years. Most of the reservoirs dried up, all the small streams ran dry, and quite a few main streams dried up as well. On the outskirts of Zhanjiang City, Hedi Reservoir had the lowest water level in history for that time of year. It could not irrigate more than 1.2 million mu (1 mu = 0.0667 hectares) of crops. The biggest river in Zhanjiang, Jiuzhou River, even dried up.
Over the entire high-water season of 2001, the rainfall in Guangdong Province was reduced roughly by forty to fifty per cent compared with a normal year. The average volume of water in reservoirs and the water level of rivers was reduced by approximately two fifths, and a few rivers even dried up. This had an impact on the water supply for industry, agriculture and city people's living.
In 2002 the drought was especially serious. There was almost no rain during the high-water season and the temperature was continuously high, which caused a serious spring drought in a wide area of Fujian Province. There were 1.63 million mu of fields influenced by the disastrous drought in Fujian. This was the first time in 50 years that both the temperature was higher than usual and the rainfall was lower than usual over a wide area. Throughout the high-water season, most hydrometric stations or rainfall stations in the province had "nothing" or "next to nothing" to report on official rainfall-records. Many big rivers and branch streams had very low water levels, and many mountain ponds and reservoirs had a low water levels or even dried up. In eastern and western Guangdong Province, serious drought made it impossible for 20 to 30 per cent of the rice fields to be ready for the transplantation of rice seedlings.
These very rare and unusual weather phenomena three years in a row may be to remind kind people of the fact that these three years have been a period of time when Falun Dafa and tens of millions of Falun Dafa practitioners have been severely persecuted in China. Especially since the beginning of this year, almost every day, some Falun Dafa practitioners, who believe in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance," have been tortured to death; the death count is at least 430 as of today. Furthermore, tens of thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners are still being held in jails and who knows how many are being tortured? Their lives are in extreme danger. Slandering the Buddha Law and persecuting innocent people will certainly incur warnings and punishment from Heaven. All kind people may realize and understand the principle of "good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil," which is upheld by the compassion of heaven. Let's together put an end to the evildoing as soon as possible and bring a bright and prosperous future to all.
(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 compassionate reminder 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 karmic retribution.
Li Yong, thirty-five years old, was an official at Qingling Detention Center, Wuchang City, Hubei Province. He had cruelly tortured Peng Min, a Falun Dafa practitioner. In the summer of 2001, when Li Yong was riding in a car on the way to attend to some business, the car's passenger side door suddenly opened and he fell out onto the road. He was knocked unconscious and was immediately sent to the Seventh People's Hospital in Wuhan City. One month later, his situation showed no improvement. The authorities transferred him to the Hubei Province People's Hospital, where he died three days later.
Li Guoyao, thirty-six years old, was a vice-director for a "610 Office" in Guangzong District, Xingtai City. As an eager accomplice of Jiang's persecution campaign, he actively participated in the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. In May 2002, he suddenly suffered from a sudden case of cerebral thrombosis. He remains in a coma at Xingtai City Hospital today.
Yang Huaixiao, male, sixty years old, lives in the residential quarters of Sanjiazhi Mine, Nanpiao District, Huludao City, Liaoning Province. He was responsible for monitoring Falun Gong practitioners and often tore down truth-clarifying materials. In April 2002, he reported on Falun Dafa practitioners to the local officials for the purpose of their arrest. One month later, his wife suffered cerebral thrombosis and became incontinent. Only after this karmic retribution did he realize the error of his ways.
(Clearwisdom.net) China.net reported that as evening approached on July 14, 2002, a correspondent visiting the upper floors of a tall building in Tianjin observed a stunning sunset in the western sky. Cloud formations reflected beautiful shades of red, casting the entire city and its skyline in a shimmering red glow.
Weather experts explained that this phenomenon was related to moisture in the air. Moisture and dust molecules in the air can reflect or refract the sunlight to display rarely seen colors.
(Clearwisdom.Net)
July 7, 2002, 8:20, Huashan Post Reports
On July 1, The Huashan Post reported an "Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) flying over Xiaxi." The same day various media throughout the nation reported similar news, that on June 30, around 10 p.m., a mysterious, light-emitting, shape-changing object flew over Jiangsu, Henan, Xiaxi, and Sichuan.
According to The Tianfu Morning Post: "Some readers claimed that an orange and white ray of light appeared in the sky. It flew from east to west and lasted for about 3 minutes. The illuminated object was about the size of a desk. During its flight it continually changed its shape, from a fang-like object to something that resembled a fan."
Henan's City Morning Post also reported witnesses' accounts: "At 10:30, an object resembling a flaming arrow appeared in the night sky. Then the tail of the fiery arrow opened up like a fan, which emitted bright light. The light-emitting section then changed into a crescent. A fireball on top of the crescent glowed brilliantly. Five minutes later the 'UFO' disappeared into the night sky."
The Lanzhou Morning Post reported that Chen Shiwen, a photographer in Linyao, was taking photos for a funeral. Suddenly people pointed to the sky and said, "UFO!" Chen quickly pointed his camera skywards. "I saw a brightly lit object with a tail flying slowly from east to west. . About 2 minutes later the object stopped and the bright tail disappeared. Then the object itself became dim, and it disappeared as well. About a minute later the 'UFO' reappeared, emitting an even more intense light. It ascended in a spiral towards the southeast. After about 10 seconds of spiraling it reassembled into the shape of a yuanbao (a golden, Chinese object that looks like a rounded mountain with three peaks) and slowly vanished into the night sky. The whole process took about 5 minutes."
The Yangzi Evening Post even published a photo. According to local readers, an object that looked like the morning sun was seen in the northwestern sky. It resembled a searchlight making a fan-shaped pattern. The light was brilliant and continuous like a wave. After about 10 minutes the light slowly disappeared, and only clouds were left in the sky.
A newspaper in Sichuan reported that a pilot from a local air force camp flew next to the object and mistook it for an enemy fighter. Tian Xianyuan, an eyewitness and the assistant manager from Chongqing City's Astronomy Center, was able to point out the object's exact location.
At the same time, web surfers from Jingzhou in Hebei, Baotou in Inner Mangolia, and Daqing Helongjiang pointed out in various forums that they also witnessed the same phenomenon.
The various witnesses' reports of the shape, size, time duration, and flight path of the UFO were very similar. It was flying very high, much higher than a normal airplane. It was quite large. According to one web surfer, "It was the size of three full moons together." It was bright and changed color from white to orange. It appeared in the northwest and moved slowly from east to west. It was shaped like a fan, with its light projecting outward. The duration of its appearance ranged from 2 or 3 minutes to over 10 minutes. So we can surmise that on the night of June 30, at about 10 p.m., a "UFO" visited almost half of China from east to west. And the object that everyone saw was the same "UFO."
This UFO sighting, covering more territories than ever before, was the most completely documented in China today. But what was it?
Nanjing's Zijinshan Astronomy Center's researcher Wang Sichao has offered the most believable explanation to date. Wang is China's famous astronomy scholar and minor-planet specialist. He is also a passionate researcher of UFO's and astronomy. On July 1, The Yangzi Evening Post published an interview with Wang. From analyzing the descriptions of the witnesses' accounts, Wang concluded that it was a "dimensional flying machine."
Mr. Wang said that this was not the first appearance of this kind of phenomenon. He and a few colleagues from Nanjing Zijinshan Astronomy Center have been observing, recording, and gathering information on similar incidents since they first appeared in 1971. The same phenomenon has shown up several dozen times, and Wang has concluded that they are the same kind of UFO. Wang contacted the space center, which couldn't confirm its exact nature, but is getting a clearer and clearer notion of its shape.
When the reporter asked Mr. Wang if this UFO belonged to an Extra Terrestrial, Wang replied that it couldn't be confirmed. Wang's belief that it is a dimensional flying machine, however, dismisses the argument that it is a natural phenomenon and affirms that an intelligent life is behind it. But whether it is of human origin or Extra Terrestrial, whether it is controlled inside or remotely, are still unknown. Maybe we will not be able to uncover the truth for many years, but human curiosity will never let us stop searching. With advancements in technology, we have more power and skills to investigate nature and ourselves. Searching for other life forms in space is as mysterious as figuring out the mysteries of ourselves.
Every year, there are more than 10,000 reports of UFO's around the world, and 99 percent of these reports are explainable, but 1 percent remains unexplained.
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(Clearwisdom.net)
"With righteous thoughts and righteous actions
He is diligent without letting up
Eliminating demons that damage the Fa
He is good to all beings" (A Righteous God)
During Jiang's visit to Hong Kong, from June 30 to July 1, practitioners around the world sent forth more righteous thoughts with pure hearts to eliminate the evil beings in other dimensions controlling the vicious people. Practitioners conducted peaceful appeals and clarified the truth to the public. On July 2, practitioners held a group practice in Haibin and witnessed the marvelous sight of Falun. Practitioners from all over the world gathered together to study the Fa, send forth righteous thoughts and share experiences.
The entire experience sharing was relaxing, lively and sacred. After studying the Fa, practitioners shared their cultivation experiences. The majority of the topics were related to going through tribulations, looking inwards, getting rid of attachments, and sending forth righteous thoughts with the most pure hearts etc.
A practitioner from Australia described her experience. When she had put down her attachments and passed one test, another test would arrive, and every test touched her heart. Before arriving in Hong Kong, her husband provided many obstacles for her. Namely, her husband did not support her financially, so she borrowed money from some one else; her husband said that business was heavy, so she worked overtime; her husband said it was dangerous in Hong Kong, and did not want her to go there. When her heart was not even a little bit moved her husband changed his attitude. While traveling to the airport, he offered to reimburse the practitioner who loaned her the money for the airplane ticket. She passed all the tests with her husband, and then faced one from customs. She enlightened that if our hearts are on the Fa, we can pass any test. The entire time she was on the airplane, she recited Teacher's article, "A Righteous God." When she went to immigration, her mind was full of "A Righteous God," and nothing else. The customs officer stamped her passport as he talked to another person.
In the afternoon, after the practitioners came back from the court hearing, 5 of the 16 practitioners from Hong Kong and Switzerland who joined the appeal outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong shared their experiences about the protest, and about the unreasonable trial. The group understood that we always need to look inward, watch our conduct in daily life all the time, and purify ourselves constantly.
A Swiss practitioner spoke briefly about the reasons for conducting the protest, and explained the false accusations the police made about "obstructing the police" and "blocking traffic." He also talked about the tests he went through from everything he experienced since March. He also expressed his understanding about sending forth righteous thoughts in court. He enlightened to the fact that we should have the same aim when sending forth righteous thoughts, and that only by sending the most pure thoughts will it be very powerful as a whole.
A female Hong Kong practitioner viewed the loopholes she found in her cultivation from three aspects. Being unclear on the Fa made many practitioners emphasize the formality rather than the meaning. For lack of purity in their hearts, many practitioners were disturbed by their human notions in this situation, and not having sufficient compassion made them forgot the policemen were also sentient beings that Dafa practitioners needed to save. We can do better if we think more of others, and pay attention to the small matters. She enlightened that the reason why this matter dragged on so long was because we have not achieved a state wherein we are "solid like diamond." When we can be more mindful of our conduct in our daily lives, cultivate compassion well, and have righteous thoughts and righteous actions, in the moment when we are in the media's focus we can take the situation as a good opportunity to clarify the truth and save more sentient beings. Several other Hong Kong practitioners that had protested also shared their experiences of looking inwards. Many other practitioners also shared their understandings on the topic in a warm and friendly discussion.
The experience sharing was successfully completed at 10 p.m. that night.
(Clearwisdom.net) I am a Dafa practitioner in Sichuan, Chengdu Province. On February 5, 2002, the police illegally broke into my home. They confiscated my personal property and abducted me. They forced me to go to the police station, and began to abuse me in the following ways: punching, kicking, slapping me in the face, forcing me to kneel for a long time, and simultaneously attacking me with multiple electric stun batons. In addition, the police demanded that I renounce Falun Gong in writing. As a dignified and noble Dafa practitioner, I shall never dance to the rhythm of the evil! I shall safeguard the Fa, as well as the dignity of Teacher. Hence, I not only refused to renounce Falun Gong, but also declared my adamant faith in Falun Gong despite their brutal abuse. The police flew into a rage and transferred me to the county detention facility.
Upon my arrival, the head of the county detention facility warned me about spreading the Fa and practicing Falun Gong exercises. Instead of heeding his warning, I remembered Teacher's words, "Face the evil people with righteous thoughts at all times. No matter what the situation, do not cooperate with the evil's demands, orders, or what it instigates." ("Dafa Disciples' Righteous Thoughts are Powerful")
Putting the warning out of my mind, I began introducing the Fa as soon as I stepped into the cell to the head inmate, who repeatedly praised, "Wonderful! Truly wonderful!" He requested to see a demonstration of the Falun Gong exercises. Despite the warning from the police, I demonstrated the exercises anyway. The head inmate was very impressed with the exercises and could not stop complimenting them. Afterwards I continued to introduce the Fa to other inmates, including those who had been sentenced to death. Everyone welcomed the Fa wholeheartedly. There were a total of sixteen inmates that were sent into and out of the cell. Each of them learned the truth about Falun Dafa. Moreover, Falun Dafa improved their thoughts and behavior. As these inmates put it, "Since Falun Dafa was introduced to us in this cell, we no longer feel like beating other inmates. In fact, none of the new inmates was ever beaten in this cell since Falun Dafa was taught here. It is a miracle in a detention center that a new inmate was not touched at all."
After a month of illegal detention in the jail, the police were ready to release me due to "lack of evidence." However, they threatened that I must either pay a 5,000 Yuan [average annual income in urban areas is about 6,000 Yuan, and less than 2,000 Yuan in rural areas.] as a "guarantee deposit" [to stop practicing Falun Gong], or be sentenced to two years of brainwashing classes and labor. I didn't think I should cooperate with the evil's persecution, so I declared, "I have no money for the guarantee deposit." Then they lowered the "price tag" to 3,000 Yuan. Again I said, "I do not have a penny of it." They saw that they could not extort money from me, so they continued to ask me to renounce Falun Gong in writing. Holding my two fingers to my head I solemnly declared, "You may take away my life, but you can never make me renounce Falun Gong." The police completely gave in to my words of justice, and decided to release me. With the righteous thought of safeguarding the Fa, I walked out of the county detention facility in a dignified manner, throwing myself back into the valiant current of Fa-rectification.
(Clearwisdom.net)
"What exactly is Falun Dafa?" As we clarify the truth to governments, media and society, we often hear people asking this question. Even many of those people who already know the truth about the persecution are inevitably puzzled by this question.
The following is a brief explanation of Falun Dafa from the concept of "cultivation."
Cultivation is one of the aspects of human civilization, and its origins date far back into history. Genuine cultivation methods usually include two components: a set of teachings or "the principles" and "the practice," and their scope far exceeds the domains of philosophy and fitness. The second component of cultivation, "the practice," usually refers to the part that is applied to cultivation of the physical body. The first component, the spiritual aspect, is the key that enables the elevation of one's spiritual level.
Throughout time, cultivation has never been popular or even public in society, but because of its broad and profound inner teachings, it has left various traces of its existence in both Eastern and Western civilizations. Taiji, Hetu, Luoshu and the Eight Trigrams, all from ancient China; Indian Yoga and some Western meditation methods, all have subtle references to the mysteries of various cultivation ways. Yet as history progressed, the principles of mind cultivation have gradually been lost, so it has become very difficult for today's people to understand the original meanings of those cultivation methods.
Falun Dafa is one of the high-level cultivation ways of the Buddha School (not to be confused with the Buddhist religion), based on the principle of the most basic characteristics of the universe: Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. It includes five sets of gentle, beautiful exercise movements, and was first made public to the Chinese society in 1992. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is the most fundamental nature of the universe, and it is also the sole criterion for determining what is good and bad in the universe. The cultivation of Falun Dafa includes studying the teachings in Zhuan Falun, with a calm mind. Also, a practitioner strives to improve his/her xinxing [mind or heart nature; moral character] by diligently following the standards of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance as addressed in the book. One also supplements this with the practice of the five sets of qigong exercises.
Falun Dafa follows Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance as its cultivation standard. It cultivates compassion; it is peaceful; all activities are free, open to the public and arranged by volunteers. Every practitioner is an active member of society. Practitioners come from all walks of life and include men, women and children of all ages. For an individual, the cultivation of Falun Dafa can purify the body and keeps one physically and mentally fit, enabling one to become honest, kind, tolerant and peaceful. Cultivation also expands one's consciousness and wisdom, so that one gradually reaches a clear-minded and aware state where one thoroughly understands the mysteries of life and the universe. For society, the cultivation of Falun Dafa can improve social stability, tolerance and harmony, and will improve the quality of the peoples' spiritual lives as a whole.
After Falun Dafa was first introduced in China, it spread mainly by word of mouth, from heart to heart, and the number of people practicing it has significantly increased. In ten years from 1992 to 2002, Falun Dafa spread throughout China and to fifty other countries around the world, receiving numerous awards and support from many governments, and from various groups within different countries. Currently, the number of practitioners all over the world, from different nations and various ethnic origins, is estimated to be over one hundred million.
Since July 20, 1999, to advance his own personal political ambitions, the Chinese dictator initiated the suppression against Falun Gong. He used his power to force the national propaganda machine to spread rumors and fabricate lies to defame Falun Dafa, and to create terror, disharmony and hatred. For the past three years, innocent Falun Dafa practitioners have been brutally persecuted. Over one hundred thousand practitioners have been sent to prisons, forced labor camps and mental hospitals, and more than one thousand people have been tortured to death. This kind of persecution still continues, targeting not only the Chinese Falun Dafa practitioners, but also impacting all people who voluntarily believe and follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. This persecution is a ruthless destruction of human justice, morality and conscience. Therefore, Falun Dafa practitioners from all over the world have all been trying their best to let the people and governments of the world know the truth about the degree of the evil nature of this persecution.
For the past three years, amidst this extremely cruel persecution, the large group of Falun Dafa students have not only steadfastly upheld their righteous belief, but they have also become more rational and mature in their cultivation, and in clarifying the truth to the people of the world. This large, but loosely organized body of individuals has displayed spectacular courage and peacefulness throughout this enormous tribulation. This has brought forth a positive effect of utmost importance in improving the global moral standard.
Falun Dafa created the true courage, tolerance and compassion of practitioners. With their own conduct, practitioners have been diligently validating Falun Dafa to the entire world, helping more people to understand Falun Dafa, and enabling people to seize this precious opportunity of cultivation, so they can begin their journey of returning to their true origin.
(Clearwisdom.net) Today, I am finally able to talk about, with a calm mind, the noble and magnificent undertakings of Dafa practitioners to those who are still under the deception of the media in China.
When I first met Dafa practitioners, I felt that they were sincere; they were frank, kind, magnanimous and tolerant. I was born arrogant and aloof; therefore I don't easily interact with people that I don't know. However, I was able to truly accept them, get to know them, then identify with them and help them. All this originated from one small event. It was in the spring, the wind chilled one to the bone and made one shiver. Two Dafa practitioners rented the lower level of my building. One night, the wind blew the door closed when they left to use the restroom and they were locked outside of their room. They did not want to interrupt my sleep in the middle of the night, so they stood in the chilly wind, enduring the freezing temperature until the morning. I was shocked when I heard about this, and was deeply moved and I thought to myself in amazement, " In this day an age there are still people who think of others with their whole heart!" I felt they were extraordinary. Later, they helped me understand Dafa and the truth about the persecution. I then started to realize that their every word and every deed conformed to "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance," and that they are the elite of modern times.
Later, I read in Master Li's Hong Yin [book of poetry]-
"The vast heaven and earth are small in my eyes, Who created the immense firmament? Beyond the cosmos is even more immeasurable, Spread the Great Dao to fulfill a grand wish." [Wish]
I felt myself very tiny and helpless. Dafa practitioners' mighty benevolence and tolerance are totally different from what is described by the deceitful Chinese media's propaganda. The Chinese media's propaganda can only deceive those who don't know anything about Falun Gong. For anyone who has read Zhuan Falun and has some understanding about Falun Gong, with a quick glance he can recognize that the media's rumors are full of inconsistencies and their deceitful propaganda is full of holes and is laughable. There is a saying from long ago, which states that evil cannot prevail over righteousness. For explaining the truth to the people, Dafa practitioners are bearing unimaginable hardships; their bodies and minds are bearing unimaginable brutality by the police. Yet Dafa practitioner's righteous acts also makes Jiang and his followers tremble inside. Oh sacred Dafa practitioners! You are guarding the law of the universe with your blood and with your lives! Why are so many pitiful people still not awakened to it?
Some people claim that Dafa practitioners no longer care about their family members after practicing Falun Gong. This is not true. They not only treat their parents well, they do even more for them than they did in the past. It is simply because of the Jiang-Luo regime's evil persecution, that they cannot return to their own homes and cannot see their relatives. To offer salvation to all living beings, they are joyful despite hardship. They are benevolent towards all people, and I truly admire their noble sentiments and their high moral standard. While I came to understand the practitioners more, I also came to understand the true meaning of life.
Later, when they told me that they were leaving, I felt a kind of speechless pain in my mind and tears began rolling down my face. Yet what the tears embodied were not merely human emotions. Only those who know Dafa practitioners could come to understand the meaning of these tears. After they were gone I found that I missed them, worried for their safety, and from deep within my heart I wished them the best.
6/30/2002
New Zealand's Auckland airport has defended its decision to order the removal of a poster promoting the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
The poster - showing a woman meditating underneath the words 'The world needs truth, compassion and forbearance' - was displayed in a gate lounge for international travelers.
New Zealand's Green Party has accused the airport of bowing to pressure from China which [started to suppress Falun Gong in 1999].
However airport managing director, John Goulter, says the poster was taken down after complaints from travelers but before a letter of complaint from Chinese diplomats.
A Chinese embassy spokesman says Beijing's consulate-general in Auckland complained because Chinese residents and tourists were offended.
The Greens say it is shocking that New Zealand is adding to the persecution of the Falun Gong by Beijing.
http://abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_609684.htm
Wednesday, Jul 17, 2002
Falun Gong Poster
A diplomatic row is brewing over Auckland Airport's decision to remove a spiritual sign which China says holds a sinister message.
The ad was placed by [practitioners] of the Falun Gong spiritual movement which is [suppressed] in China.
The Chinese consulate wrote a letter to the airport protesting the mini-billboard and the airport took it down.
But Airport Chief Executive John Goulter says the sign was removed purely because he says it did not fit with the airport's policy of being politically neutral.
[...]
Rebecca Lineham of Amnesty International says it is surprising and appalling that any authority in New Zealand should join in a Chinese Government campaign against freedom of expression.
Auckland Airport says the sign was removed before it got the letter from the Chinese Consulate, asking that it be taken down.
Falun Gong [practitioners] in New Zealand believe the airport bowed to pressure from the Chinese government.
Barry Wilson of Civil Liberties says: "This is a spineless act of appeasement by the airport authority. It's allowing itself to be dictated to by the Chinese embassy. It's a basic interference on freedom of expression."
Shelley Shao is a spokesperson for the Falun Gong movement in New Zealand.
"I think New Zealand should stand on its own feet and don't get any influence from another authority or country," she says.
Falun Gong is a world-wide movement promoting meditation and high moral standards but China is still persecuting it].
[...]
"They should not take it down because it is not a political thing because we just deliver the message about truth, compassion and tolerance," Zhu says.
In May, a similar incident occurred during the Dalai Lama's tour of New Zealand.
Chinese officials complained about a banner promoting the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit.
The Auckland City Council took it down saying the banner was inappropriate as it conveyed a political message.
The Human Rights Commissioner says she will write the Chinese Embassy and the airport over the Falun Gong sign.
ONE News sourced from TVNZ, RNZ, Reuters and
http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,117100-1-7,00.html
17/07/02
A CHINESE woman claims she was prevented by the Chinese Embassy from leaving Ireland to attend her mother's funeral because she is a practitioner of Falun Gong.
Dai Dongxue, 35, said embassy officials in Dublin had refused to renew her Chinese passport on three occasions in the past 18 months unless she was prepared to renounce her membership of the spiritual movement, also known as Falun Dafa. The Irish Falun Dafa Association said yesterday the treatment of Ms Dongxue is further evidence of the increasing involvement of Chinese embassies abroad in the persecution of Falun Gong [practitioners].
Ms Dongxue, who has worked as a teacher at Dublin City University since arriving in Ireland in 1998, was not permitted to return to China after her mother died last October. She claimed embassy officials were not even prepared to grant her temporary travel documents on compassionate grounds. "I am currently stateless and unable to travel outside Ireland because I do not have a valid passport," said Ms Dongxue. Her two older sisters, Xialing, 41, and Qiuxiu, 39, were also unable to attend their mother's funeral, as they are being held in a labor camp by the Chinese authorities. Both women were sentenced to three years' detention because of their [being] Falun Gong [practitioners].
Zhao Ming, a student of Trinity College Dublin, who was released from a Chinese prison and deported earlier this year following pressure from the Irish Government, said he was still being subjected to persecution. He claimed the Chinese Ambassador, Zhang Xiaokang, had sent letters to TDs maintaining there was no evidence to show that China had tortured any Falun Gong [practitioners].
"In that letter, the ambassador also enclosed a copy of the document that I was forced by torture to sign unwillingly to harass me," he added.
Mr Ming said he had only signed the document after being subjected to torture over a prolonged period. "I officially declare that those documents were signed when I was not in a clear mind after being deprived of sleep for 48 hours and tortured with electric shocking using several electric batons," said Mr Ming.
The IFDA also highlighted the cases of two other Dublin-based Chinese nationals who have been prevented from returning to Ireland after a visit home for Christmas in 1999.
Feng Liu, 22, a student of Dun Laoghaire College for Further Education, was arrested last month by the Chinese authorities, despite having a valid visa to return to Ireland. His colleague, Fang Yang, 31, a student at Dun Laoghaire Senior College, was prevented from boarding a plane at Beijing airport last month and escorted back to her hometown by police. Her passport was subsequently confiscated.
Other members of IFDA have also complained of suspicious burglaries of their homes, although there is no direct evidence linking the crimes to their practice of Falun Gong.
"The persecution in China is unprecedented in history by its ferocity and the evil from which it has sprung," said IFDA spokesperson Leo Harris. "It does not end in China, as the Chinese consular service has declared war on Falun Gong all over the world." The IFDA will mark the third anniversary of the [suppression] on the practice of Falun Gong by the Chinese government with a march in Dublin on Saturday. The organization claims that more than 100,000 Falun Gong [practitioners] have been arrested and detained in China. Falun Gong have documented 430 cases of deaths of its members in China as a result of torture.
http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgIoANDg8NEtA.asp
Wednesday
July 17, 2002 0830 IST
Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi
[...]
On the morning of July 13, 2002, regular walkers at New Delhi's Lodhi Garden were in for a surprise when two Chinese women in their thirties attracted their attention.
Janice C. and Diana W. were carrying the [truth clarification] material of Falun Gong. The two were from Singapore where they worked for an information technology company. They were in India on a mission close to their hearts.
"India is an open society. Indians are curious to know new things. We are already in more than [50] countries. We want Indians to know the virtues of Falun Gong, which is the fastest growing meditation practice all over the world," Janice told rediff.com
Insisting that Falun Gong [is good], she said, "It's a revived ancient tradition of meditation practices."
She added, "Our [practitioners] are not large enough in India but we are steadily growing."
In the last two years she has visited India ten times.[...]
Janice had also visited the Hanging Garden and Nana-Nani Park in Mumbai.
She claimed that Bangalore was very receptive of the "Chinese yoga", which included five easy-to-learn meditation practices to improve mental and physical health.
These exercises that espouse the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance are distinct from Taoism and Buddhism.
In China, Falun Gong was re-introduced to the public in May 1992 by a man called Li Hongzhi, who now lives in the United States.
Li was extremely successful in China and in the last few years had been the target of the Jiang's government.
Janice also claimed that 600 professors from 21 countries had nominated Li for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Chinese regime had treated Falun Gong as a threat to its internal security.
[...]
B Raman, a Chennai-based counter-terrorism expert said, "One has seen the brutal manner in which they [the Chinese government] have been treating the [practitioners] of the Falun Gong [group]. If one regularly visits the Web sites of Chinese think tanks, one would be struck by the number of articles seeking to demonize the Falun Gong and project its [practitioners] in the most negative colors."
Janice said, "Jiang's [...] government, which is officially atheist, is torturing our [practitioners], mainly women, because we are becoming more popular than communism itself. [...]"
Janice, an American citizen, said, "For us who are living in democratically elected governments, freedom of belief is fundamental. But Jiang's regime don't protect such human rights."
"Despite official suspicion of devotion to religion and spirituality, [the Chinese public's] faith in them is gathering strength even amongst young and educated people. One notices more young than grown-up people during visits to the Buddha temples in Shanghai," Raman said.
Janice was carrying with her a mobile office, which had DVD players, photographs and accounts of tortured women [practitioners] of Falun Gong around the world.
When asked if the Indian government would be uncomfortable if China objected to Falun Gong's spread in India, she said, "No. [...]They are very supportive of us."
[...]
But she insisted that she was very upbeat about India where people had tremendous interest in self-improvement.
Diana said, "In Lodhi Garden people asked us many questions and they showed warmth. They wanted to learn the exercises."
Janice added, "I believe through Falun Gong, Indians and Chinese can come
closer. Governments will come and go but people will survive. We believe India
will receive us with enthusiasm. We have ancient ties that can be revived
through Falun Gong."