Since the ban of Falun Gong by the Chinese communist government in July, 1999, the universities in China were affected as well. More and more students and teachers in the universities across China have been or are facing persecutions such as being expelled from school or removed from their post because they insist on their beliefs of Falun Gong. This is yet another persecution the Chinese scholars are suffering from since the Cultural Revolution. The Tsinghua University, being one of the most prestigious universities in China, becomes one of the key targets for persecuting Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government among institutes of higher learning. Here, we have collected the information we know of about the persecutions suffered by Falun Gong practitioners in the Tsinghua University. We hope this will draw attention from the international societies, and they can help to free them from the predicament.
It is reported that since July, Lanqing Li, the vice premier of the Chinese communist government, has been staying in the Tsinghua University, investigating and dealing with the "Falun Gong problem" personally. Under the pressure from the central authorities, the Tsinghua University is severely punishing students and professors who insist on their practice of Falun Gong. Yet, the majority of these students are excellent students all around. They are now suffering this persecution only because they want to persist in their beliefs.
On Oct. 21, last year, 14 students were arrested on account of attending a Falun Gong Experience Sharing Conference in the campus. They were beaten up, hand-cuffed and also suffered from other physical abuse. A PhD student was detained for 30 days for being a coordinator of this conference.
After Oct. 25, 1999, about twenty-five students (including 10 undergraduate students, 7 PhD students, 7 master-degree students and 1 MBA student) were suspended from school. These students and a young teacher were sent home with their respective parents. Two postgraduate students had to withdraw their Communist membership under high pressure.
At the beginning of December, the university asked those students on suspension to write confessions. The confessions had to meet certain requirements (such as admitting Falun Gong as "evil religion"). If the university were not satisfied, it would not consider resuming the students schooling until the next term. Again, at the beginning of the next term, the university would review the students confessions. Only when the university was satisfied with the confession, could the student go back to school.
Consequently the university transferred the files of those who insisted on practicing to the local public security so that they could be under surveillance at all times. Up to now, some students who followed instruction to write the proper confessions were allowed to go back to school. Others are still on suspension.
As far as we know, the following students and faculty members are still being persecuted:
- Chu, Tong (Female, young faculty members, Microelectronic Institute, Tsinghua )
- Li, Yixiang (Male, PhD student, Dept. of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua)
- Yao, Yue (Female, Master Degree Student, Microelectronic Institute, Tsinghua)
- Wang, Jiuchun (Female in her fifties, faculty members at Department of Technology Development, Tsinghua)
She has been detained at Qiliqu detention camp in Beijing. It was said she could be sentenced.
He became the target of public security after he put his "Declaration on abandonment of Communist Membership" on Internet. He got detained when he was attending an experience-sharing conference on Oct. 21, 1999. It was said he had been forced fed when he was on hunger strike in prison. He was continuously isolated for "reform" at 200# (a base of Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology of Tsinghua, near the south entrance of Chang Ping County) even after he came out of prison. A team of more than twenty teachers kept working on "reforming" him every day. The vice-chairman of Tsinghua Communist Committee Zhang, Zai Xing was the leader of the team. Mr. Lis mother and brother also joined in the persuasion. In the course of "the reform", he was compelled to write some stuff against his own will. His "transformation" became the typical propaganda used by government-controlled newscast (without mentioning his name). The "Peoples Daily" subsequently published his critical article against Falun Gong. They might pieced together some of Mr. Lis words and official will in order to produce such a propaganda.
She continued to practice Falun Gong. The institute had been trying to kick her out. She had to give up her Communist membership and student status under pressure.
Liu, Wenyu (Male, PhD student, Dept. of Thermal Engineering)
Zhang, Zhigang (Male, Postgraduate student, Dept. of Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering)
Yu, Jinmei (Female, Postgraduate Student, Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
At present, the university was running a "study class" to brainwash the above-listed four people. Ms. Wang, Jiuchun was allowed to go home in the evening and attending classes at daytime while the three students were confined in an isolated place. They were forced to learn the defamation materials against Falun Gong, having talks with the team leader and writing confessions. The duration of this "study class" was 20 days. They had to write articles on their personal experience. A transformation report would be pieced together, once something that could be utilized for defamation was found in their articles. It was said that Mr. Li, Yixings propaganda was produced through the same trick. The three students might be expelled from school if they dont change their mind before the end of the "class".
- The following students were still not allowed to go back to school. They either refused to write confessions, or could not pass the assessment. They are:
- Zhang, Cunman (student, Dept. of Precision Instruments and Mechanology); Wang, Weiyu (PhD student, Dept. of Precision Instruments and Mechanology); Huang, Kui (PhD student, Dept. of Precision Instruments and Mechanology) these 3 students had unwillingly written the so-called "acknowledgement", but still they were required to go through "study class", hence not able continue their normal education.
- Meng, Jun (faculty member, Dept. of Electronic Engineering) - because his "confession" was not up to par, he was not allowed to work, probably getting fired by next school term.
Li, Chunyan (student, Dept. of Engineering Physics)
Ma, Yan (student, School of Architecture)
Liu, Zhimei (student, Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
Li, Xiaodan (student, Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
Qin, Peng (student, School of Economics and Management)
Lin, Yang (student, Dept. of Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering)
Pan, Yidong (student, Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
Wang, Xin (PhD student, Dept. of Precision Instruments and Mechanology)
Jiang, yuxia - She went back to school once without the universitys prior permission, as a result her identity card was taken away by the local public security so as to restrain her outings. She could not get her ID card back until she met the universitys "requirement", or else she would be terminated from school. The public security threatened that she was risking being arrested or getting "Re-education through labor" (Chinas unique punishment) unless she gave up her belief.
Li, Min (working in affiliated business group) was sent home accompanied by her father, as her confession on her return did not include any condemnation, her communist membership would probably be seized.
In summary, before July 22, there were about 200 people regularly performed group practicing in Tsinghua University, around 50 were students and the rest were workers, faculty members and their families. After July 22, most agreed that they would leave the practicing group (they choose to practice at home instead); about 30-40 people mostly student, still declared their affirmation to practice, and consequently suffered from the above-mentioned punishment.
Category: Rallies & Protests