Summary of Other Articles and News - 04/20/2003

(Clearwisdom.net)

Current Affairs and Commentaries

On April 18, in a summary report of foreign news agency dispatches, the Liberty Times (Taiwan) reported that in order to conceal the outbreak of the SARS epidemic before World Health Organization (WTO) inspectors arrived at the hospital, the Chinese regime moved 10 patients from the isolation ward to some other location. The Chinese regime's cover-up of the outbreak of SARS has been strongly condemned by other countries. Chris Patten, European Union external relations Commissioner and former colonial governor of Hong Kong, said that it was China's hiding of information about SARS when it first spread in Guangdong Province last year that caused such a severe outbreak in Hong Kong.

Blocking information is the typical of the way China handles public health and other emergencies. Since late Autumn and early Winter of last year, the central government did not release a single bulletin regarding the SARS problem and has spared no effort to block information from leaving the country. China's regime often uses four measures to block information: first, the government does not publicize the situation; secondly, the government sets regulations to strictly prohibit gathering news, reporting, or disclosing the truth; thirdly, the government fabricates or incites others to fabricate false information; fourthly, under the guise of providing information, they display a few examples and make a false appearance to mislead the public.

News from China

One day, while riding in a taxi, I chatted with the driver about Falun Gong. The driver dared not take a copy of the truth-clarifying VCD. I told him about the worldwide spread of Dafa. He said, "Why didn't I know about it?" I told him, "Because what you heard is entirely one-sided propaganda. Therefore, I want to tell you the real story. People should not be deceived by the lies, don't you think?" The young man was very moved and said again and again, "I will definitely read this information carefully and make a learn about Falun Gong."

Practitioner B was forced to leave home and become destitute to avoid being arrested and imprisoned. She wrote a letter and asked fellow practitioner A to send the letter, with some truth-clarifying materials, to her family members. A told B's family that Falun Dafa was good. B's elder sister said, "Yes, my younger sister previously suffered from various illnesses. She hasn't taken any medicine for several years. She was even held in a detention center and in a labor camp and has suffered so much. If her health had still been like it was before she started practicing, she wouldn't have come out of there alive? On the contrary, she is not only healthy, but her skin has become smoother, and she looks even younger than before. It seems to me that Falun Gong is indeed supernatural." B's father also expressed the same feelings. Practitioner A also told them about the lawsuits against Jiang that have been filed in other countries. They were very happy, "Good! I hope for Falun Dafa to regain its good name as soon as possible."

In November 2000, while distributing Dafa truth-clarifying materials, I was abducted by police officers and sent to the Wanjia Forced Labor Camp. On the eighteenth day of the first month of the lunar year, the police started to torment us. Round after round, they asked each of us whether we would continue to practice Falun Gong. If one answered "yes", the police would slam him or her against the wall. I strengthened my righteous thoughts and held a fellow practitioner's hand and said, "Don't be scared!" On the third round, the police did not ask me again, nor did they take me away. In the beginning of March, I was locked in a small cell and was separated from the others for 25 days. I cursed the collaborators [people that betray their beliefs and assist the vicious people to persecute practitioners] who were charged with supervising me. They became very afraid. In April and May of 2001, three Falun Gong practitioners were tortured to death in the Wanjia Forced Labor Camp. After that, many steadfast practitioners appeared to become ill. The labor camp then released us for medical treatment. On September 30, 2001, I openly and nobly left Wanjia Forced Labor Camp. One or two months later, those determined practitioners also openly and nobly walked out of the labor camp.