Saturday, July 28 2001

Why some of the world's governments decide to cause needless pain to those over which they have power is one of the mysteries of human nature. The history of the world is suffused with example upon example of this institutionalized cruelty. The 20th century brought the world the holocaust, the killing fields in Cambodia, the Serbs and the Croats, the Tutsies and Hutus and others. These examples show us that, for many of earth's governments, finding more efficient ways of inflicting human suffering - or finding new groups against whom these ruthless efficiencies may be brought to bear - is much more important than truth, compassion and forbearance.

Perhaps what is astonishing is that we are still capable of astonishment when we learn of yet another instance in which helpless, pacific people are brutally dealt with by those who have the power to do so. Only the latest cause to know that this dark side of human nature exists - to emerge whenever the rule of law does not exist in a country - comes to us from China, and the Chinese treatment of Falun Gong adherents. Perhaps because of the geographic distance from, and our ignorance of, most things Chinese the persecution of the Falun Gong in China is a matter of scarce concern to most Americans. Thus we countenance our government's granting of Most Favored Nation status to China, the siting of the Olympics there in 2008 and China's eventual membership in the World Trade Organization. All of these are in spite of the sure and certain knowledge that the Chinese government routinely kills and imprisons those of its citizens who reveal any connection to the Falun Gong movement - or any deviation from the [party' name omitted] party line.

Falun Gong - the Practice of the Wheel of the Dharma - is a quasi-religious way of living that includes a complicated moral and spiritual system of belief. [...] Adherents focus on truth, compassion and forbearance as the pillars of their philosophy, but practice a form of exercise and meditation they call Qigong, which, they believe, permits a practitioner to draw on the powers of the universe. These powers can be marshaled to cure or prevent disease, to behave properly and to glimpse ultimate truths. While there are ancient arguments about whether Buddhism is a religion or a way of life, there is absolutely nothing sinister, overtly superstitious or political about Falun Gong - unless you believe no one should have a belief in any power greater than the state.

The practice of Falun Gong became popular in China and attracted perhaps 70 million adherents there - a large number unless you consider that it constitutes less than 5 percent of the Chinese population. About two years ago the Chinese government decided that it posed a threat, and began a systematic campaign to not only prevent its spread, but to eliminate its presence in China. To this end, [...] Falun Gong practitioners have been imprisoned, labeled insane, sent to psychiatric facilities, beaten severely and even executed by the People's Republic of China.

Falun Gong is and has been labeled [Jiang Zemin government's slanderous term omitted] by the Chinese government. Unfortunately, the western press has accepted these labels uncritically. Slowly the truth of this oppression is emerging, but as with most aspects of life under the Chinese government, nothing is revealed voluntarily and the most blatant truths are denied without shame.

This past weekend, a large group of Falun Gong adherents met and demonstrated in Washington, D.C., against this oppression by the Chinese government. The situs of this protest was chosen because it is possible to participate in such activities in this country without risk, but in China such a protest would have resulted in disaster for those in attendance. The hope in having the protest here was that it would influence U.S. policy and that the United States would try to influence the Chinese government to cease its oppression of the Falun Gong. [...]

There is, I submit, no essential difference in the manner in which China deals with its dissidents and the manner in which Saddam Hussain treats those who do not support him. Yet we censure, embargo and bomb Iraq while at the same time we carefully avoid offending the prickly sensibilities of the ancient [party' name omitted]s still in control of China. In doing so, we say to the world that our morality is inextricably bound to and determined solely by what we perceive to be in our economic self interest.

[...]

[...] Because the economic rewards that come from dealing with the corrupt and ruthless Chinese government apparently exceed the moral cost of doing so, politicians and citizens alike are willing to look the other way. A few understand the corrosive effects of this mendacity well enough to pay lip service to the problem, but when it comes time to choose between money and morality, our government has made this choice for us. Supposedly trading with this enemy gradually will encourage it to be more respectful of human rights, even though no one expects this to occur any time soon, and in any event, not soon enough to protect the Falun Gong adherents in China.

And so, if you must purchase something made in China, consider holding your nose as you do so.

Craig Van Matre is a lawyer with the firm Van Matre and Harrison in Columbia.

http://archive.showmenews.com/2001/Jul/20010728Busi002.asp