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10.4 Chinese Government Officials Pressure U.S. Local Governments to Rescind the Awards
10.4.1 Chinese upset with Boone County, Missouri, USA
Date of report: January 6, 2000
Source: Associate Press Newswires
Location of incident: Boone County, Missouri, USA
Title: Chinese upset with Columbia, Boone County
Seemingly harmless government proclamations have drawn the attention of the Chinese government to mid-Missouri. Despite an attempted intervention by the Chinese government, this week is officially Falun Dafa week in Boone County.
The Chinese Consulate in Chicago asked Boone County Commissioner Don Stamper to rethink dedicating this week to Falun Dafa, a spiritual movement that is banned in China because it endorses pre-communist Chinese culture. “We just wanted to alert the county that the Falun Gong is an outlaw organization,” Shen Welian said from his Chicago-based office Tuesday. “This would certainly be something against the Chinese.” “I just don’t want to see Boone County make a decision that really hurts the Chinese official side and the Chinese people’s feelings,” Shen said.
“We visited with them, but there was no doubt (the request) was in conflict with our Constitution,” Stamper said. “We were careful to make sure we weren’t creating an international incident.” Stamper said he would not restrict the group’s use of public property. “To withdraw this would be symbolic of interfering with their rights.”
10.4.2 Chinese diplomat pressured Columbia City Government in Missouri, USA
Date of report: December 26, 1999’
Source: Columbia Missourian.
Location of incident: Columbia, Missouri, USA
Title: A world of controversy, Even in Columbia, Falun Gong sparks debate
Author: Rika Kanaoka
Abstract:
To Mayor Darwin Hindman, just another formality in a city official’s day. After reviewing some written materials left by some residents, he signed a proclamation declaring this week “Falun Dafa Week.”
Three people had approached the mayor in mid-November. Their brochures seemed “peaceful and sincere,” he said, as it explained pursuing tranquillity, goodness and meaningful lives through physical exercises, meditation and study. The group just wanted to let [the] public know more about their activities. “It sounded good,” Hindman said.
But within weeks of the proclamation, an international controversy came to the mayor’s doorstep. The Chinese Consulate in Chicago sent Hindman a series of critical faxes that called Falun Dafa a dangerous cult and asked the mayor to withdraw the proclamation.
At that point, Hindman discovered that Falun Dafa was another name for “Falun Gong,” a Chinese spiritual movement founded in 1992 that claims 100 million practitioners worldwide and 2 million in China. Threatened by the popularity of Falun Gong, the Chinese government passed a law on July 22 that made it illegal in China. Since the crackdown, thousands of the practitioners have been jailed.
This action caused criticism from other countries, including the United States, that China is violating human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of beliefs. Falun Gong tribute weeks or days have been proclaimed in cities including Washington D.C. and Chicago.
After researching the issue further, Hindman decided to stand by his decision. “I prefer to rely on my own gov-303
ernment,” he said, “It was an interesting experience to be in the middle of international pressure, and the Chinese government was pretty good at putting on the pressure.” (Ref. AP Newswire,January 6, 2000)
10.4.3 Chinese Embassy in US pressured Washington DC City government
Date of report: December 1999
Source: DC Falun Dafa practitioners
Location of incident: Washington DC, USA
Description:
The Mayor of Washington DC, Anthony Williams, declared the week of August 9, 1999 as FALUN DAFA Week. While interviewed by media, Greg Chen, the Special Assistant to the Mayor for Asia and Pacific Islands, stated that the DC mayor would recognize and appraise any group that contributes positively to the community. Falun Dafa had helped numerous people quit their unhealthy habits and helped to preserve many traditions. Therefore, it was the Mayor’s duty to recognize such a beneficial teaching.
The proclamation of Falun Dafa Week made the Chinese government uncomfortable and angry. The Chinese Embassy has made numerous contacts with the Mayor’s office to complain. In addition, the embassy officials made numerous appearances at the Chinese community meetings in order to slander Falun Dafa. They also launched a campaign to apply pressure on the DC government. Despite all of this, the DC government stood firmly by their decision. The Mayor neither cancelled the proclamation nor apologized to the Chinese Embassy.
On December 8, 1999, the Chinese official newspaper “People’s Daily” made a false statement claiming that the DC government cancelled Falun Dafa Week.
10.4.4 A Conversation with a State officer about Maryland governor “canceling” the proclamation
Date of report: December 1999
Source: Wang Pei
Location of incident: Maryland, USA
Description:
Maryland State Governor Parris N. Glendening awarded the founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi “Honorable Citizenship” of Maryland on August 14, 1999. Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke named August 13, 1999 as “Li Hong Zhi Day” in Baltimore Maryland.
On December 7, 1999, practitioners in Baltimore read an article from the Baltimore Sun newspaper which indicated that the Maryland Government had rescinded the awards and apologized to the Chinese Government about the awards. We, therefore, made an appointment with Ms. Elizabeth Pike who is the director of the state’s federal relations office.
Ms. Elizabeth Pike was the person who dealt with the Chinese Embassy about this issue. She said a Chinese officer called her office and angrily requested that she take back the award. After meeting with the Governor, she wrote a letter, which explained that the award was not intended to hurt the Chinese people’s feelings. The Maryland Government didn’t intend to rescind the award. But later, Ms. Pike was informed that this issue was on Chinese CCTV and that her name was mentioned. She pointed out that what the news reporter said was not quite the same as what she wrote in the letter. Also, she felt that the Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, took this Falun Gong issue very personally and she could not understand it. According to Ms. Pike, the Maryland Government had decided that this was the end of the issue. They would not make anymore apologies and the original letter was just trying to be polite. The Maryland Government didn’t and will not take back the award given to Mr. Li Hongzhi.
10.4.5 US denies urging its local governments to apologize to China for the proclamations of “Falun Dafa Day”
Message received on: December 16, 1999
Source of news: Ming Pao
Title of the article: USA denies urging its local governments to apologize to China for the proclamations of “Falun Dafa Day”
Abstract:
The US State Department denied yesterday urging or suggesting that its local governments apologize to China for the proclamations of “Falun Dafa Day”. It was also stated that in the past several months, the US government has clearly expressed its stance against China’s crack-down on Falun Gong and that people should have the freedom of expression and association.
The spokesperson of the US State Department, Veri, said that it is “ridiculous” to blame the US government for urging its state or city governments not to condemn China’s crackdown on Falun Gong.
As reported in the Washington Post a couple of days ago, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco and the state of Maryland all apologized to China for the proclamation of “Falun Dafa Day” or honoring the founder of Falun Gong as “Honorary Citizen”, under pressure from the Chinese government.
It also said that the US State Department had assisted the Maryland government with drafting the letter for apology.
Neither did the officials in the US State Department censure this letter, said Veri, nor did they offer any help or encouragement on this issue.
10.4.6 Cancellation of Proclamation from Baltimore City still unknown
Date of report: December 7, 1999
Source: Baltimore Sun
Author: Frank Langfitt and Heather Dewar
Title: Never mind, Li Hongzhi.
Location of incident: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Abstract:
(Baltimore Sun) This year, Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke named an official day for Chinese citizen Li Hongzhi, the leader of the spiritual meditation group Falun Gong. The governor’s office gave Li an honorary state citizenship certificate. Ordinarily, such gestures of goodwill go unnoticed by the executives who proclaim them and most of the rest of the world. What the mayor’s and the governor’s offices missed, though, is that the Chinese Communist Party regards Li as Public Enemy No. 1 and has spent the past five months trying to destroy him and his millions of practitioners here.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington complained angrily and pressured the Baltimore City government to have the proclamation cancelled. When a Falun Gong practitioner called the city to find out about this issue, the city government officers told her there was no confirmation in regard to the cancellation of the proclamation; however CCTV reported that the proclamation was cancelled. After several months of the Falun Gong proclamation, Baltimore City issued another honorary title on the same day to the Xiamen, a southern city in China, as the “Sister City” with Baltimore City.
10.4.7 China sways Seattle mayor to reverse Falun Gong proclamation
Message received: December 5, 1999
Victims: all Falun Gong practitioners
Location of incident: Seattle, USA
Description:
China’s ambassador to the U.S. convinced Seattle Mayor Paul Schell to rescind a November 29 Falun Gong proclamation. Schell issued an official proclamation declaring the week of the World Trade Organization meetings to be “Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa Days.” Schell encouraged the citizens of Seattle to “join me in honoring the spirit and dedication of this extraordinary individual.” On Monday night, November 29, Chinese Ambassador Li Zhaoxing met with Schell and the next day received a letter from the mayor expressing “regret” that “my office accommodated a request from a group of Seattle residents.” Schell’s letter, which was obtained from the mayor’s office by Newsroom, referred to China’s important economic relations with the United States and with Seattle, which is home to Boeing and Microsoft. “I hope you will convey my regrets to your government for this unfortunate situation,” Schell wrote to the Chinese ambassador. “I assure you that there was never any intent to cause embarrassment or insult to the government or people of China.” In Seattle, the Falun Dafa group obtained more than 10,000 signatures in less than two days from people who are concerned about human rights abuses against practitioners by the Chinese government.
10.4.8 St. Louis City, Missouri, USA received pressure from the Chinese Consulate
Date of report: November 1999
Source: St. Louis Falun Gong practitioners
Location of incident: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Description:
Upon hearing the rescinding of the proclamation in LA, we felt that we needed to provide the city government of St. Louis with updated information of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. One practitioner called the City office for an appointment. The assistant of the Mayor who is in charge of international affairs, Ms. Karen Isbell assured us explicitly that the recognition would not be taken back, even though they “had received pressure from the Chinese consulate”. She mentioned that in our local area, Falun Gong had no controversy.
10.4.9 The certificate issued and rescinded by Los Angeles City government
Date of report: November 11, 1999
Source: Xinhua News Agency, LA Falun Gong practitioners
Location of incident: Los Angels, California, USA
Abstract:
(Xinhua News Agency) November 11, 1999, Las Angels City government told Chinese General Consul, An Wenbin, the city cancelled the certificate issued for Falun Gong. This certificate was obtained by Professor Wu Yingnian, University of California at Las Angels, through an officer in the Mayer office, who stole the name of the Mayer. After be aware of this matter, the Mayer seriously criticized the officer.
(Dr. Wu Yingnian, UCLA) In late August, I, on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners in LA, sent an application to the LA city government requesting the Mayor to award Falun Gong and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi. The application materials included an introduction to Falun Gong, a short biography of Mr. Li Hongzhi, health surveys of Falun Gong practitioners in China, experiences of Falun Gong practitioners, and awards from other cities and states. A few days later, a staff member informed me that they would award Mr. Li Hongzhi a certificate of commendation. At the end of August, I picked up the certificate from the front desk. On September 5, Falun Gong practitioners in LA announced the certificate during the group practice on Santa Monica beach. The certificate carried the signature of the Mayor.
A few days later, however, I received a phone call from another staff member, telling me that the city government had decided to rescind the certificate. I requested her to give me a written explanation but she refused. I regretted very much about this decision.
We went through normal application procedures. I arrived in LA and started my job as an assistant professor at UCLA at the beginning of August, so I did not know anybody in the city government. During this event, I did not even meet the two staff members.
10.4.10 Proclamation of “Li Hongzhi Day” in San Francisco City Cancelled
Date of report: July 20, 1999
Location of incident: San Francisco, CA, USA
Description:
As Falun Gong practitioners in San Francisco Bay Area, we handed in a Falun Gong information package for the application to the Neighborhood Service Office in San Francisco City Hall on June 1999. On June 19th, 1999, the office issued the Proclamation and named July 23, 1999 as “Li Hongzhi Day” in San Francisco. Alan Y. Huang went there to pick up the award that day. We were
very pleased to learn the news. We planned to hold a ceremony at the Northlight Court in the City Hall on July 23, 1999. Mayor Brown’s office arranged his representative Mr. Wong to present the award at the ceremony. We also contacted Mayor Brown for the possibility of his personally attending the ceremony. Mayor Brown responded that he would attend if he had time.
On July 20th, 1999, three days before the ceremony, the Chinese government officially banned Falun Gong and started massive persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. While we were planning for the ceremony, we delivered an appealing letter to the Chinese General Consulate in San Francisco. Along with the appealing letter, we included two invitation cards for the consulates to attend the award ceremony. We thought that it could be a good opportunity for the Chinese government to get to know more about us and to understand that Falun Gong poses no harm to any government.
However, in the afternoon some reporters from a local newspaper called us to verify that the Mayor had canceled the proclamation. We were very surprised to hear the news and immediately called the Mayor’s office for verification. We were told that the person in charge was not available to answer the phone. Shortly after, the reporter from San Jose Mercury News called us and said that the Mayor’s press office confirmed the cancellation. The reporter wrote an article in the San Jose Mercury News the next day about the incident. Other newspapers, such as the Sing Tao Daily and the Chinese World Journal, also reported the news. Based on the information we got from the media, we decided to cancel the ceremony. We suspect that the Chinese Consulate had contacted the Mayor’s office and pressured them to withdraw the proclamation, as they did to the other cities. However, we never received the notification of the withdrawal from the Mayor’s office, nor any explanation. Recently, we called the Mayor’s press office for a copy of the press release regarding the withdrawal of the proclamation to Mr. Li Hongzhi. We were told that there was no written statement about the withdrawal but the news in the paper was accurate.
Reference: Washington Post, 12/11/1999, “Falun Gong Honors Rescinded: State, City Proclamations for Spiritual Group Irked Chinese”, by Steven Mufson.
10.5 China Steps Up Harassment Overseas with Embassies as Main Forces
10.5.1 Diplomats in Thailand asked local Chinese businessmen to report on Falun Gong activities
Date of report: January 18, 2000
Source: www.duoweinews.net and Asian Weekly
Location of incident: Tailand
Description:
According to the Duowei Chinese news net (January
18), the Chinese Embassy in Thailand held a Y2k banquet entertaining the leaders of the overseas Chinese.
During the banquet, a high rank official of the Chinese
Embassy made an astonishing speech. He expressed his
wish that the guests could help the Chinese Embassy by
reporting on any activities of Falun Gong practitioners in
Thailand in order to attack Falun Gong.
“Asian Weekly” reported that it was the first time that the Chinese Embassy has ever asked the overseas Chinese, who care only about business instead of politics, to attack Falun Gong. It is estimated that there are about one thousand Falun Gong practitioners in Thailand. The founder of Falun Gong has visited Thailand a dozen times since 1993 and has held numerous lectures.
10.5.2 The Chinese Consulate in Sydney hosed down appealing Falun Gong practitioners
Date of report: January 13, 2000
Source: Sydney Falun Gong practitioners
Location of incident: Sydney, Australia
Description:
On January 13, two staff members of the Chinese Consulate in Sydney hosed down Falun Gong practitioners appealing outside the banisters of the Chinese Consulate building. At 11am, two staff members of the Consulate started to spray water on Falun Gong practitioners by pretending to wash a car. One of them was watering and the other one was giving orders. Neither did they wash nor did they scrub the car. They kept the spray of water high above the car and the water directly fell on the sidewalk, and the appealing Falun Gong practitioners as well as their banners outside the banisters. It lasted for more than one hour.
Falun Gong practitioners stayed in their places enduring the mistreatment silently. Many people passing around were also sprayed, although the two staff members tried not to spray them. Later, a Western lady was sprayed. She asked why they did this. Also a police car came over right before she left. A practitioner stopped the police car. Then, the two staff members ran into the building immediately.
A female police officer went into the Chinese Consulate building after learning the situation. Then another police car came over. She even volunteered to leave her contact information with a practitioner and said that she would like to be the witness if needed.
10.5.3 Macau police seize Falun Gong practitioners on handover eve during their meditative exercises
Date of report: December 19,1999
Source: Reuters
Location of incident: Macau
Title: Macau police seize Falun members on handover eve
Excerpt:
MACAU, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Macau police seized about 40 members of the Falun Gong movement, which is banned in China, as they performed exercises in central Macau on Sunday ahead of the Portuguese territory’s handover to Beijing at midnight.
Police frog-marched or dragged them away one by one, including a six-year-old South Korean girl, as they sat cross-legged with their eyes closed during their meditative exercises in a park opposite the Lisboa Hotel, home of Macau’s largest casino.
Under Sino-Portuguese accords, Macau will have a high degree of autonomy within China for 50 years under a “one country two systems” formula and, so far, Falun Gong is legal in Macau.
Macau’s government, trying to snuff out appeals that might mar the handover ceremonies, has turned away about a dozen Falun Gong members trying to reach Macau to demonstrate and call on President Jiang Zemin to stop persecuting the group.
Australian Helen Tao, who was dragged away as she held up a banner reading “Falun big principle is the real law,” said she was disappointed by the police action although it was expected.
Tao and the others -- from Macau, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Britain, France, the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Japan -- were held in a downtown police station and after five hours had not been told what would happen to them.
Amnesty International Hong Kong spokeswoman Catherine Baber said: “This sends a very bad signal about the freedom of expression and ‘one country, two systems’ in Macau.”
(http://abcnews.go.com )
10.5.4 Macau expels six more Falun Gong practitioners
Date of report: December 17, 1999
Source: Reuters (http://www.insideChina.com)
Title: Macau Expels Six More Falun Gong Members
Location of incident: Macau
Abstract:
Macau police on Friday tracked down and expelled six practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement banned by Beijing, two days before Portugal hands this territory back to China, a group spokeswoman said. Three ethnic Chinese members with Australian passports and one from mainland China were turned back on Thursday when they arrived in Macau by ferry from Hong Kong.
Macau, which has not outlawed the Falun Gong, has said it will not tolerate foreign-inspired appeals during the handover when China regains control of the first and last European colony on Chinese soil.
10.5.5 China demands arrest, extradition of Falun Gong leader from US
Date of report: November 2, 1999
Source: AFP
Title: China demands arrest, extradition of Falun Gong leader from US
Description:
A senior Chinese official, Yu Shuning, who is a minister counselor and spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, demanded on Tuesday that the leader of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement be arrested and sent to China from his US home. Although China has presented its case for Li’s arrest and extradition from the United States to the international police organization, Interpol, but Yu acknowledged the Interpol had not responded positively and the US demurred.
10.5.6 Chinese government interferes with Falun Gong conference held for UN correspondents
Date of report: October 7, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners
Location of incident: United Nations
News Source: http://abcnews.go.com/
Abstract:
Gail Rachlin and Erping Zhang, who are two Falun Gong practitioners, were invited by the United Nations Correspondents Association to hold a news conference regarding Falun Gong in early October 1999. However, Erol Avdovic, the president of the association received a phone call from the press spokesman at China’s U.N. Mission, who asked whether the event could be postponed or cancelled.
This request was refused because the principle of the association is “free expression”. In fact, this was not the first time China tried to cancel the U.N. correspondents event. In 1993, a Chinese dissident was forbidden to hold a news conference in the correspondents’ clubroom because of the pressure from Beijing’s ambassador.
10.5.7 Falun Gong practitioners in Australia harassed
Victim: Michael Lam (contact no. 02 9153 8323)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Michael Lam’s car tires were punctured outside his property in August 1999 (reported to the police). E-mail & phone have had constant interference since Apr 1999. He received a disturbing letter in September 1999. Property has been trespassed and the most recent of which occurred on 14th February, 2000
Victim: Jasy Fu , female (contact no. 02 6255 4699)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Her unit was broken-into a couple of times (reported to the police) and she has had phone interference.
Victim: Bill Almeida (contact no. 02 9759 3003 or 0418 424 826)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Around August - September 1999 he found his unit was broken-into one day and personal property was everywhere. Nothing was missing, and yet he found there was a problem with his computer (reported to the police)
Victim: Qiwen Yao (contact no. 0416 233 839)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
His place was broken into and a phone handset, which stored some telephone numbers, was missing. The Australian Falun Dafa web-site, which he is in charge of, has been hacked a few times (reported to the police)
Victim: Muzhen Yang, female (contact no. 02 99150 0580)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Around August - Sepember 1999 she noticed she had been followed by strangers and her unit door was opened one day.
Victim: Cuiying Zhang, female (contact no. 9793 9634)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Her car window was smashed and tires were punched with 3 big screws (reported to the police). See photos enclosed.
They have been using Hurstville Youth Centre, Sydney for our practice and the staff member there told us that they had received pressure for this.
Victims:
1. Wei Holly (0414 525 033)
2. Zhao Liqi (02) 9586 0328)
3. Wei Xibin (02) 9870 7287)
4. Hu Julianna (02) 4733 2108)
5. Li Qizhong (0419 480 939)
6. Wu Ken (02 9411 5088)
7. Chen Richard (0413 8113 707)
8. Qu Jane (02 9588 5872)
9. Zhu Haiying and spouse (02 9588 5582)
Location of incidents: Australia
Description:
Their applications for visa to visit their families in China have been rejected simply because they are found to be Falun Gong practitioners.
10.6 The Chinese Government Put influence on the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations in the USA
10.6.1 Caltech allows Falun Gong activities - regardless of China’s warning
Date of report: February 20, 2000
Source: www.duoweinews.net
Reporter: Chu Lusheng of Central Press
Abstract:
California Institute of Technology (Caltech), ranking academically as the one of top universities in America seriously asks China not to interfere with the lawful activities of its Falun Gong Club. The president of Caltech, David Baltimore, laureate of Nobel Prize, said that the Falun Gong Experience Sharing Meeting should be held tomorrow as planned.
Falun Gong practitioners from Arizona, Nevada and the other areas of California have arrived at Caltech today. However, Ramanuj Basu, Audience Service Manager of Caltech Public Events Office, received a call from Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, asking Caltech to cancel this activity.
Ram said that he was surprised and irritated by this call. Out of his responsibility, he reported the issue immediately to the vice president for student affairs of Caltech, Chris Brennen. Chris said:” Let me assure you and the Caltech community that Caltech has no intention of taking any action to interfere with the lawful activities of the Caltech Falun Gong Club. Moreover we remain committed to the free exchange of information throughout the world.”
President Baltimore met with Li Jianzhong right after that, clearly stating his support for the right of freedom of belief and holding activities.
Meanwhile, Baltimore asked Crag Henderson, who is in charge of the security affairs in Caltech, to enhance the patrol to avoid any possible interference.
The computer network system of Caltech has been cut off from communication with the network in China, which has affected some of its academic activities and some of the applicants for admission from China. According to Li Jianzhong, the reason behind this might be that Caltech allows the existence of Falun Gong Club.
10.6.2 Chinese Embassy distributed CDs with fabricated stories in celebration of Chinese New Year in Virginia, USA
Date of report: February 6, 2000
Source: Celebration attendants
Location of incident: Fairfax County High School, Virginia, USA
Description:
During the local Chinese community celebration of the Chinese New Year, Chinese Embassy officials defamed Falun Gong in Chinese communities. They distributed their CD with Chinese Government fabricated stories to attendants.
10.6.3 Another attempt by Chinese Embassy to Defame Falun Dafa Overseas
Message received: November 23, 1999
Contacts: Li Jingning
Location of incident: The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave., Washington, D.C. 20064
Description:
On the evening on November 23 (before Thanksgiving Day), the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at the Catholic University of America held an annual party and 40 plus members attended the party. After the dinner, the Chinese Embassy, as a party sponsor, showed a movie and about half of the people left the room soon after the movie started. In the middle of the movie while only twelve people were present, the Chinese Embassy began to play an hour-long videotape to defame Falun Dafa. The Falun Dafa practitioners in the party pointed out all the materials presented in the video were fabricated on purpose by the Chinese propaganda. When given permission, the practitioners played their own videotape, the Real Story of Falun Dafa. After watching the video, the party was dismissed without further discussion.
10.7 Chinese Embassies In The World Refused Falun Gong Practitioners’ Appealing Letters
10.7.1 Chinese embassy in US refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: February 8, 2000
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in US
Location of incident: Chinese embassies in US
Description:
After the Chinese government arrested hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners during the Chinese Spring Festival, there was a peaceful appeal at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC on February 8. The activity started from 3pm and ended at 5:30pm. Practitioners tried to deliver an open letter to Chinese President Jiang through the Chinese Embassy, but they were told that although it was open, the Embassy would not accept any letter from Falun Gong practitioners. This was one of many times that the Chinese embassy refused Falun Gong practitioners’ letters.
10.7.2 Chinese embassy in France refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: December 31, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in France
Location of incident: Chinese embassy in France
Description:
Practitioners in France delivered an open letter to the Chinese Embassy on the morning of December 31. The guard of the Chinese Embassy closed the door before they finished their words and never opened the door again.
10.7.3 Chinese embassy in Singapore refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: December 30, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore
Location of incident: Chinese embassy in Singapore
Description:
On December 30, practitioners in Singapore tried to deliver an appealing letter to the Chinese
Embassy. After negotiating with the consulate for ten minutes, they got the answer that he did not have time and could not accept the letter.
10.7.4 Chinese embassy in Sweden refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: December 29, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in Sweden
Location of incident: Chinese embassy in Sweden
Description:
On December 29, Falun Gong practitioners in Sweden gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to express their concern over the injustice against the four contact people and to urge the Chinese communist regime to stop its irrational persecutions against Falun Gong practitioners. After we finished doing the first four exercises, we tried to deliver an appealing letter to the Chinese government. But the Embassy refused to accept this letter and asked us to directly mail it to the Chinese government. They did not tell us the reason for that.
10.7.5 Chinese Ambassador in US refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: December 14, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in US
Location of incident: Chinese embassy in US
Description:
The Chinese Ambassador in the United States, Li Zhaoxing and his wife, along with the Chinese General Councilor to Houston, Wu Zurong and their staff members, attended a dinner in Atlanta, GA on September 11th, 1999. Atlanta Falun Gong practitioners requested the Chinese Ambassador to communicate their letters to Chinese leader Jiang Zemin but were refused.
10.7.6 Chinese embassy in Japan refused Falun Gong practitioners’ appealing letter
Message received: November 22, 1999
Victims: Falun Gong practitioners in Japan
Location of incident: Chinese embassy in Japan
Description:
On November 22nd, from 10am to 12pm, Japan Falun Dafa practitioners came to the Tokyo Chinese Embassy to deliver some appealing letters and related materials. But the Embassy refused to accept them. They had to leave them in a box in front of the Chinese Embassy.
10.8 How The World And China Respond Differently
10.8.1 Amnesty International says China’s human rights white paper is a whitewash
Message received: February 18, 2000
Description:
BEIJING, Feb 18, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Amnesty International on Friday rejected China’s latest human rights report as a whitewash and accused Beijing of waging the largest crackdown on peaceful dissent for more than 10 years. The London-based human rights group said the white paper released by China on Thursday contained empty guarantees and failed to address repressive legislation and rampant abuse of power. “Constitutional rights have been severely proscribed by newer laws or are simply not delivered in practice,” said an Amnesty statement faxed to AFP.
Amnesty rejected the Chinese government’s long-held view that it must put the priority of feeding and improving the lot of its 1.3 billion people ahead of Western interpretations of human rights. “This is a weak and unconvincing explanation for Beijing’s failure to act decisively against torture, to allow thousands to be detained, to carry out unfair trials and to deny constitutional rights to critics and perceived opponents of the regime,” said the statement.
China has come under particular fire for its ongoing crackdowns on political dissent, in particular the banned China Democracy Party (CDP), and the outlawed spiritual Falungong movement. Rights groups say several thousand Falungong have been rounded up across China this month. China admitted to detaining 35,000 between July and November last year, and sentenced group lead-ers to up to 18 years in jail. Amnesty described the crackdown as the worst since the pro-democracy movement was crushed in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. “The ongoing crackdown on peaceful dissent -- the most serious and widespread in China since 1989 -- is alienating and potentially destabilizing China.
“So indeed are corruption and abuse of power, issues that find no mention in the White Paper.”
10.8.2 China fails to address western concerns in human rights
Date of report: February 17, 2000
Source: Associated Press Newswires
Title: China Fails to Address Western Concerns in Human Rights Report
Abstract:
China cannot copy Western methods for promoting human rights, the government said in a report on its rights record that ignored concerns raised by foreign governments and critics. The Chinese now “enjoy unprecedented democracy and freedom,” the report said while also conceding that China’s democratic and legal systems show “room for improvement.”
But it did not touch on many issues frequently raised by foreign governments and rights groups: China’s world-leading use of the death penalty, a prohibition on organized political dissent and the sentencing of people without trial to labor camps. It did not address repeated appeals by foreign governments to open talks with the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader. Nor did it mention the seven-month crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which has seen thousands detained or imprisoned. It also did not mention two international human rights treaties that Beijing has signed but not ratified.
10.8.3 China opposed to European move to censure its human rights record
Date of report: January 25, 2000
Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Title: China opposed to European move to censure its human rights record
Excerpt:
Beijing (DPA) - China on Tuesday expressed strong opposition to moves by the European Parliament last week to censure China’s human rights record. The plenary session of the European Parliament on January 20 adopted a resolution on China’s human rights situation, proposing linking the question of human rights to Sino-E.U. relations and trade negotiations involving China’s long-sought entry into the World Trade Organization.
``The resolution, in disregard of the objective facts, made irresponsible remarks against China’s human rights situation, its policy on ethnic groups and China’s ban on the illegal cult Falun Gong, which is in accordance with the law, and distorted the ‘one country, two systems’ practice in Hong Kong,’’ said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao.
European parliamentarians also advocated joining the United States in putting forward a resolution criticizing China at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in March, China’s spokesman said.
It is known by all that the Chinese government has done great work and achieved great results in promoting and protecting human rights.
“China’s human rights situation is in its best period in history. This is a fact that can be acknowledged by any unbiased person,” he added. Zhu said China and the European Union have made progress during recent human rights dialogues and exchanges that were based on dialogue instead of confrontation.
“However, the European Parliament ran counter to this spirit and adopted the anti-China resolution that seriously undermined the development of bilateral relations. The Chinese side would like to express its regret over that.”, Zhu said.
“Confrontation will lead nowhere”, he warned.
10.8.4 Chinese officials expressed “strong indignation” today over an American campaign to censure China at the United Nations Human Rights Commission
Date of report: January 13, 2000
Source: The New York Times (Page 16, Column 1)
Title: Proposed Censure Angers China
Abstract:
BEIJING, January 12 -- Chinese officials expressed ‘’strong indignation’’ today over an American campaign to censure China at the United Nations Human Rights Commission. A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bangzao Zhu, demanded today that Washington ‘’immediately correct its wrong decision.’’ ‘’The U.S. is in no position to point its finger at other countries over human rights,’’ Zhu said in remarks carried by the state-run New China News Agency. He said the United States would be gross-ly interfering in China’s internal affairs by offering a resolution criticizing China at the commission, which meets in March in Geneva.
On Tuesday, State Department officials said American ambassadors have been told to push for international support for such a resolution again this year. The State Department said that Beijing is intensifying a crackdown on political dissent and religious minorities, vigorously suppressing the Falun Gong spiritual movement and tightening its grip on the media and the Internet.
China Falun Gong Practitioners
10.8.5 US to seek resolution critical of China’s rights record
Date of report: January 11, 2000
Sources:
1. AP
2. Reuters
3. The New York Times
Titles:
1. U.S. to Seek Resolution Critical of China’s Rights
Record
2. U.S. to Back UN Resolution on Rights in China
3. U.S. to Propose New Criticism of Rights in China
Description:
The Clinton administration, citing an intensified crackdown on political dissent and religious freedoms in China, will seek a resolution in the UN Human Rights Commission criticizing China’s rights record.
“China’s human rights record has continued to deteriorate. Over the past year, the government of China intensified its crackdown on political dissent, initiated a campaign to suppress the Falun Gong, and intensified controls on unregistered churches and on the political and religious expression of ethnic minority groups, especially Tibetans,” the State Department spokesman James P. Rubin said on January 11, 2000 in Washington.
10.8.6 China says it will fight hostile religious forces
Date of report: January 11, 2000
Source: Associated Press
Title: China says it will fight hostile religious forces
Abstract:
BEIJING (AP) _ The Chinese government will strengthen its control over religious practices to keep “hostile overseas forces” from splitting the nation, according to remarks published Tuesday. The government has recently banned the Falun Gong meditation movement and other practices.
10.8.7 China draws up black list of Falun Gong practitioners abroad
Date of report: January 5, 2000
Source: Agence France Presse (AFP)
Abstract:
China has drawn up a black list of 1,000 Chinese practitioners of the banned Falun Gong mystical sect living abroad, a Hong Kong-based rights group said Wednesday. “The Chinese government has set up a special service in charge of drawing up a black list of Falun Gong members living abroad to stop them returning to China,” the Information Center for Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China said in a statement.
One thousand names have been supplied by overseas “secret agents” and handed over to the service made up of officials from the state security ministry or secret police, the national police and the border police. On New Year’s Eve 12 members of the Falun Gong named on the list were stopped at Beijing airport as they arrived from Japan. The group, all Chinese nationals, was spotted by border police after consulting the computer which gave out a “low” tone, the information center said. They were sent back to Japan the next day after being held for 10 hours. However, six Japanese members of the sect managed to reach central Beijing where they held morning exercises on Tiananmen Square on January 1, before being swiftly rounded up and expelled.
10.8.8 China Demands U.S. Revoke Sanctions Over Religion
Date of report: December 7, 1999
Source: Reuters
Title: China Demands U.S. Revoke Sanctions Over Religion
Abstract:
China demanded on Tuesday that the United States withdraw newly imposed economic sanctions that aim to punish Beijing for alleged religious persecution. “The Chinese government and people express their strong indignation over this,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue told a news conference. “The Chinese side demands that the U.S. side correct its mistake immediately, and reverse its decision,” she said, adding that the sanctions had an adverse impact on bilateral ties.
Washington decided in October to extend sanctions that have been in place since shortly after Chinese troops fired on student demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in 1989. The sanctions were among several responses required by U.S. law against countries cited in an annual State Department report as key violators of religious freedom. The report, released in September, designated China, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar and Sudan as countries of particular concern.
It said while the Chinese constitution provided for
freedom of religious belief, in practice the government
“seeks to restrict religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship
and to control the growth and scope of religious groups.”
U.S. concerns over religious freedom in China have lately focused on Beijing’s harsh crackdown on the quasi-spiritual movement Falun Gong, which Beijing says is
attempting to overthrow the government.
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