(Minghui.org) On April 25, 1999, about 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered at the State Council Petition Office located on Fuyou Street on the west side of the Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing. They appealed peacefully, asking for the unconditional release of practitioners who had been detained, a non-threatening cultivation environment, and a lifting of the ban on publication of Falun Gong books. This incident was referred to as the Beijing "April 25 event." It clearly demonstrated the peacefulness of practitioners. More importantly, it exposed the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) intent to ensnare Falun Gong and set the stage for its persecution.
The Truth Behind the “April 25 Event” Concocted by the Political and Legal Affairs Committee
Luo Gan, the former secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, is the central figure behind the "April 25" incident. In early 1997, he ordered the Public Security Bureau to carry out a nationwide investigation, which was the precursor for framing Falun Gong. In July of 1998, the Public Security Bureau issued an order demanding that all local public security bureaus begin to collect evidence that proved Falun Gong had committed crimes. However, no criminal activities could be found. On the contrary, they found many incidences where practitioners benefited physically and mentally from the practice. During the two investigations, some local police bureaus harassed, extorted, ransacked practitioners’ homes and confiscated personal belongings.
On April 11, 1999, He Zuoxiu, a relative of Luo Gan, published a deceitful article in a Tianjin magazine. He twisted the facts, fabricated materials to demonize practitioners and slandered the founder of Falun Gong. On April 18, 1999, the Tianjin City officials ordered police to beat practitioners who went to the newspaper to clarify the facts about Falun Gong. They arrested 45 practitioners. When other practitioners sought their release, the police said they had to go to Beijing to resolve the problem.
On the evening of April 24, 1999, practitioners from Beijing, Tianjin and neighboring cities that heard about the unjustified treatment of practitioners traveled to Beijing. They went to the Petition Office to seek a peaceful resolution of the Tianjin incident. On April 25, more than 10,000 practitioners had arrived in Beijing. This is the well-publicized "April 25 Event." According to non-practitioners, the compassion and tolerance displayed by practitioners was unexpected and the CCP was at a loss. The display of compassion avoided conflict.
According to inside sources, the Tianjin incident and the subsequent April 25 event were actually a trap set up by the Politics and Legal Affairs Committee, which was earmarked to trigger the persecution of Falun Gong. Many practitioners acknowledged that they spontaneously went to the Petition office. However, they were led by the police to form a circle around the Zhongnanhai Central Compound. This provided the evidence, which was used as a propaganda tool, claiming “Falun Gong surrounded the Zhongnanhai Compound."
After the April 25 event, Jiang Zemin, out of jealousy, demanded that the Political Bureau ban Falun Gong. On June 10, the 610 Office was established at all government levels specifically persecute Falun Gong. The 610 Office was set up as part of the Politics and Legal Affairs Committee. Beginning July 20, 1999, the CCP launched its persecution against Falun Gong, which has now lasted for 13 years.
Ignoring the Law, the Political and Legal Affairs Committee Carried out the Persecution
During the past thirteen years, members of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee were the initiators as well as perpetrators of the persecution. The persecution violated the Chinese Constitution and the International Human Rights Covenant, to which China was a signatory.
Over one hundred methods of physical torture, including forced brainwashing, and injecting drugs that destroy the nervous system became the norm. In addition, the persecution included ransacking homes, killing, live organ harvesting, as well as fabricating lies about and slandering Falun Gong and its founder Mr. Li Hongzhi. Examples of such fabricated stories include the “1,400 Death Cases” and the “Tiananmen self-immolation incident.”
During the past 13 years, the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, under the leadership of Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang committed violations of existing Chinese law. Law violations weren't the exception but the norm. In order to continue the persecution, the 610 Office assumed power and took over the entire state machinery. All public entities, including the Public Security, National Security, Police system, forced labor camp, inspection, media, foreign policy, education, culture and medicine became involved in the persecution. The CCP spent nearly a quarter of the nation’s wealth on the persecution of Falun Gong.
Persecution Growing out of Conspiracy
The persecution was based on a plot developed by Jiang Zemin and his cronies. The "April 25" event was used as a bait to lure practitioners to Beijing, which then resulted in the "Falun Gong surrounding Zhongnanhai" incident. The next plot devised by Jiang Zemin and Luo Gan was the "Tiananmen Self-immolation Incident." More and more evidence has come to light, exposing the conspiracy and showing clearly as to how the persecution of Falun Gong was planned.
One police official said that the Public Security Department, Police Department and National Security Department had videotaped the incidents to maintain a record. Because it was so reprehensible, many of those people involved kept records in case one day the truth was exposed. The lies deceived many people who did not know the truth. With a constant barrage of media propaganda, people developed hatred and some became directly involved in persecuting Falun Gong.
The CCP fears that the persecution will be exposed. All torture orders were given orally during confidential phone calls. However, the truth can’t be hidden forever. Much detail and evidence is being uncovered and people are willing to speak up. The recent incident of Wang Lijun bringing a large amount of evidence to and seeking asylum in the US Consulate in Chengdu is one such example.
The Falun Gong issue became the driving force in China. The future will expose more of the truth.
Jiang, Luo, Liu and Zhou of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee have committed unspeakable crimes in persecuting Falun Gong.
People that had been sued by practitioners, such as Bo Xilai, and Wang Lijun, are the major accomplices of Jiang Zemin. If they continue to hold power in China, the persecution will continue. The way it goes is that Luo Gan chooses Zhou Yongkang so he can remain at his post, then Zhou Yongkang chooses Bo Xilai, and Bo Xilai chooses Wang Lijun, and so on.
The recent incident in Chongqing upset the Chinese political arena. It also is a puzzle to everyone. Looked at from a different viewpoint, one realizes that at the core of the current situation in China is Falun Gong.
The persecution of Falun Gong by Jiang’s regime also extends to other legal matters that were granted to the Chinese people by the Chinese Constitution, including stopping people from appealing, forced evictions from homes for new construction, the "defeat corruption" issue, black jails, internet censorship, confiscating personal property, as well as suppressing morally upright lawyers, journalists, and human rights activists. China's society is very corrupt. Such a society is dangerous, even for those who benefit from such corruption.
Falun Gong practitioners have suffered torture for 13 years. The CCP's Political and Legal Affairs Committee has committed innumerable crimes. Alas, because of the Chinese regime's media propaganda, many Chinese still don’t know the truth. Despite the 13 years of suppression, practitioners in China and abroad have persistently and rationally clarified the facts about Falun Gong to people. Their effort to bring those held responsible to justice will continue until the persecution ends.
Disintegrating the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, disintegrating the CCP and eliminating the factors causing instability will lead to a brighter future for China.
People worldwide can only tell right from wrong after leaning the truth. Only when they keep a distance from the CCP, can people wake up from the fog in their minds.
