The Mercury (Hobart, Australia): Widow in heart-rending call for support on China mission

December 29, 2001, Saturday

HER life was torn apart in three months under a [Jiang Zemin's] [party's name omitted] government [persecution] on the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Her husband was murdered, her sister-in-law sentenced to two years in a labour camp and her father-in-law died of a stress-related heart attack, she says.

Now Dai, an Australian citizen, fears for her own life as she plans one last trip back to China. "We need help," Ms Dai said in Hobart yesterday, holding her baby daughter Fadu.

"We need the Australian Government to make sure our safety -- we want to go back to collect my husband's ashes."

She said her family was just one of tens of thousands "crushed" by the [Jiang Zemin's] government for their beliefs.

Ms Dai fled China soon after her faith was outlawed in 1999, when she was pregnant.

She said her husband, Chengyong Chen, had spoken out against the ban and their community and employers, had turned against them.

Chengyong was arrested by police a number of times. He was tortured and his body was eventually found dumped in an abandoned hut in July, she said.

Ms Dai wept as she told her story, while her 18-month-old daughter slept cradled in her arms. She now fears returning to China, after airport officials almost prevented her from leaving the last time.

Ms Dai had returned briefly before Chengyong's death, to show her exiled husband their child.

"I handed my [Australian] passport to Customs in China and I had to stand by -- I wait so long until the boarding announcement," she said.

"At that time, as I hold only Chinese passport, I thought baby and I both die."

"No one would know what happened to us, because in China thousands and thousands of families, like us, they don't have a chance to speak out."

Falun Gong -- also known as Falun Dafa -- roughly translates to "universal exercise".

It now has millions of followers worldwide, with most of these practising in secret in China.

They perform a daily routine of exercises, and meditation, focusing on the need for truth, compassion and tolerance.

About 35 practitioners are now in Tasmania for the Hobart Summer Festival, and they will give daily exercise demonstrations in St Davids Park.

They will also host a forum, and photo exhibition in the town hall until tomorrow. It opens from 1pm to 4pm.