March 8, 2003

(Clearwisdom.net) Zheng Xujun and his wife have been illegally detained in labor camps ever since they went to appeal for Falun Dafa. Many people in England are putting their efforts into rescuing them. Zheng came to England as a doctoral exchange student at Liverpool University after his university recognized his academic achievements. I've met him only twice but the impression he had on me was very profound, so I feel obligated to tell people about him. The first time I met him was when we went to visit a fellow practitioner's friend in London during Easter vacation in 1999. As we got out of the metro, I noticed that he was wearing a plain gray suit jacket, which was very scholarly looking. I heard from fellow practitioners that he managed the practice site at Liverpool University very skillfully, even though his English wasn't so great. After we greeted each other he started to talk about how we could do better in introducing Falun Dafa to the English people. He also said that it would be a such a pity if westerners didn't have the opportunity to attain the Fa. Seeing how he takes other people's matters as his own, and witnessing his level of responsibility to the Fa and to sentient beings encouraged me a great deal back then.

The second time I met him was on July 20th of 1999. I was in Beijing visiting a relative of mine. I went to practice as usual on that day. When I heard that Jiang's regime was going to outlaw Falun Gong, without any preparation, I took a bus to the appeals office. When I arrived at Zhongnanhai, I saw many policemen blocking off the roads. I ran into Zheng and his wife. He had come back to China after finishing his studies in England. His wife is a very gentle and quiet person. After graduation she worked in the Second Artillery Headquarters. She didn't talk very much, but she told me that a few months ago, the Second Artillery Headquarters condemned her for her resolve in continuing to practice Falun Dafa. She was one of the three most steadfast practitioners at the headquarters. They wanted to terminate her, but she said that she would practice, no matter what. They had walked that night from Fengtai to Beijing. Many roads were blocked, and it took them quite a long time to get to Zhongnanhai.

We went to the appeals office together. When the police heard that we came to appeal they took us to the Tiananmen Police Station. There the police lied to us, and told us that there was a new office set up to handle Falun Gong issues and they offered to take us in their car. We all decided to go. The police searched our bags before we got into their car and they forcefully took away Mrs. Zheng's copy of Zhuan Falun. She tried to get it back, but the cops beat her. Looking back at that moment, I feel very regretful for having a poor understanding of the situation and not standing up to protect her or the book. In contrast, Mrs. Zheng's righteous thoughts were very strong.

The cops held us at the Shijingshan Stadium. Many practitioners had already been captured and held there. No one came to hear our appeals, but instead we were told that we would be sent away. In the afternoon, I saw Zheng again. When he learned that I didn't have anything to eat, he insisted on giving me 100 yuan (a typical urban worker in China has a monthly income of about 500 yuan). He said that we should endure until the end; if we weren't able to see any appeals officers today, we would go again the next day; we couldn't give up until the issue is resolved. He wanted me to accept his money because there could be a situation in which I would need it. I didn't know what tomorrow would be like and I couldn't refuse him so I accepted. He also said that he and his wife had considered the worse possible scenario that could happen, but no matter what, we had to rectify the Fa.

We were taken out of the stadium by the police who used violent force. I had not heard anything about Zheng since that day, nor was I able to get any information on his whereabouts. Then a few months ago, I learned that the police had arrested Zheng and his wife for appealing. Zheng's work unit tried their best to protect him, but the police still illegally arrested him. At the present, he is being illegally detained in the Tuanhe Labor Camp and his is wife is being held at the Beijing First Female Prison.

Such kind and decent people are being treated so unjustly. It is all of our responsibility to rescue them!