Issued by Clearwisdom Net

On the morning of June 10, 2005, Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Nie Shu-wen took the 7:40 a.m. flight to Singapore. She was barred from entering Singapore and was forcibly deported back to Taiwan by the Singapore authorities. The authorities confiscated one box of books, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, carried by her friend who traveled with her. As soon as Nie Shu-wen arrived at C.K.S. International Airport at 5:30 p.m. the same day, she held a press conference. She said that she could not accept the Singapore government's discrimination and called upon Singapore not to bow to the Chinese communist regime.

Ms. Nie Shu-wen gives interview

Ms. Nie Shu-wen told the media that she went to Singapore on June 10 to attend a local Falun Gong practitioners' experience sharing conference. When she prepared to enter the country, an officer who inspects travelers' identities said, "We've received notice from the Immigration Office. You do not conform to the Immigration Office's stipulations and therefore you cannot enter Singapore." The officer was unable to specify the rules under which Ms. Nie was barred from entrance. After being repeatedly asked for details, the officer said, "I cannot tell you the reason. I only implement the Immigration Office's orders."

A friend who traveled with Ms. Nie asked the officer whether it was because Ms. Nie practices Falun Gong that the Singapore authorities banned her entrance. The officer did not deny anything at that point.

Ms. Nie Shu-wen is 72 years old. She worked as the director of the pediatrics department at Shanghai Hospital. She currently resides in Taiwan. As a former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) member, she deeply understood the CCP's viciousness and corruption after reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. In the tide of resignations from the CCP, she openly renounced her membership in the CCP at a news conference held on March 20, 2005. Currently, more than two million people have withdrawn from the CCP.

Ms. Nie said that Singapore claims to be a democratic country. However, it does not allow a law-abiding Taiwanese citizen to enter its territory. She wanted to express her stern protest against the Singapore government through the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Taiwan Falun Gong Association immediately contacted the Taiwan Office in Singapore after learning about this incident. According to a Secretary surnamed Song in the Taiwan Office, the Singapore Airport officials have a list of names on which Ms. Nie is included.

Chang Ching-his, chairperson of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association, expressed that the Singapore government's performance made people feel disappointed. Falun Gong is legal in Singapore. Ms. Nie Shu-wen, a law-abiding and kind citizen and housewife, was deported. In addition, the Singapore authorities even confiscated a box of books that expose the CCP's nature. These kinds of actions have damaged the freedom of expression that this democratic country should embrace. Has Singapore become a colony of the Chinese communist regime?

Chang Ching-his called upon the Singapore government not to become an accomplice of the CCP, especially at this present time when the CCP's rule is about to collapse during the huge tide of withdrawals from its membership. He called on the Singapore government not to become the CCP's funerary object. He also called upon all countries in the world that are independent and respect freedom and human rights, to condemn the Singapore government's violation of the freedom of expression, thought and belief.

Mr. Chang said that after Ms. Nie was barred from entrance by the Singapore authorities, the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association appealed to the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Spokesperson of the Press Department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr. Lu Ching-long, said that the Taiwan government would sternly uphold Taiwanese citizens' civil rights. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has contacted the Singapore government but has not yet received a response.

The Singapore government issued an unjust verdict against Falun Gong practitioners earlier this year. Two practitioners, Ms. Ng Chye Huay and Ms. Cheng Lujin, went to Esplanade Park to practice the Falun Gong exercises and clarify the truth about Falun Gong to people on February 23, 2003. In May 2004, they were charged with "Assembly without a Permit" and "Possession and Distribution of VCDs without a Certificate," as well as six other charges.

On the afternoon of March 2, 2005, in the Subordinate Court of Singapore, witness Ms. Dong said in a sad voice to the young female judge, "Please look at this poster. Falun Gong practitioner Tan Yongjie's legs were severely burned, because he did not give up his belief in 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.' Such torture is happening every day in China. It is a true fact that countless Falun Gong practitioners are being tortured to death, and countless families are broken and torn apart. Female practitioners are cruelly beaten and raped." The audience in the courtroom was moved and saddened, but the judge said in a cold voice, "This persecution is happening in China. It is the Chinese people's affair. We have no interest in it. The persecution happening in China has nothing to do with this case."

After a one-year trial, on April 27, 2005, the Singapore court issued a verdict convicting Ms. Ng and Ms. Cheng. They were fined 20,000 Singapore dollars and 24,000 Singapore dollars, respectively. The two practitioners refused to accept the verdict and were immediately detained in Changyi Women's prison. They went on a hunger strike to protest. Under pressure, their family members paid the fines and the practitioners were released on May 3.

Ms. Ng and Ms. Cheng called upon the local media to pay attention to the persecution occurring in China and to treat local Falun Gong practitioners with justice so that their voice could be heard by the public. For a long period of time, the Singapore media have repeated the CCP's propaganda defaming Falun Gong and have almost never objectively reported on Falun Gong. This has seriously misled the local people. Therefore, although Falun Gong is legal in Singapore, many people still don't realize that Falun Gong has spread to more than 70 countries and regions around the world, nor are they aware of the brutal persecution launched in China by Jiang Zemin and the CCP.

Over the past six years of the persecution of Falun Gong, Jiang and the CCP regime have used despicable means to extend their reach overseas. In the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom, the Chinese Embassies and Consulates have refused to extend Chinese Falun Gong practitioners' passports. They have even used a blacklist to ban Falun Gong practitioners of different countries from entering Hong Kong, a territory that that CCP claims is being administered under the policy of "one country, two systems."

In late June 2002, at least 89 Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners who held legal visas were denied entrance to Hong Kong and were deported. The Hong Kong Immigration Office used violent means, including forcibly putting practitioners in sacks or carrying them on stretchers, to put them on the planes back to Taiwan. As a consequence, some practitioners were injured. Their necks and arms were bruised. The Taiwan Falun Dafa Association submitted a strong protest against the Hong Kong government.

On July 1, 2002, Vice President of Taiwan, Ms. Lu Hsiu-lien held a press conference on behalf of the Human Rights Advisory Team of the President's Office. Aiming at the incident in which Taiwanese people who planed to attend Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong were barred from entrance, Ms. Lu published a strong statement of condemnation.

Hong Kong authorities use stretchers and sacks to deport practitioners

Ms. Lu Hsiu-lien (right) condems the Hong Kong government's unreasonable deportation of Falun Gong practitioners

In June 2002, before Jiang Zemin visited Iceland, Jiang's regime pressured Iceland's government in advance, which led to the government refusing to issue visas to Falun Gong practitioners from different countries. Forty-six Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners, who held legal visas, were detained for 13 hours at the Iceland capital's airport before they were allowed to enter the country.

The Falun Gong Association held a press conference to publicize the incident and expose the persecution and human rights violations by Jiang's regime. About 3,000 Icelandic people held a parade to protest against their government's unjust treatment of Falun Gong practitioners. They covered their mouths with cloth to symbolically express their disagreement with the human rights violation. Three huge Chinese characters, "We Are Sorry," were published in a large announcement in the most influential newspapers in Iceland to express the Iceland peoples' apology on behalf of their government. Jiang initially planned to suppress Falun Gong in Iceland, but on the contrary, Falun Gong became well known in the country and received nationwide support. It seemed that the high-ranking CCP officials did not expect or even imagine that such support for Falun Gong would be generated over this international incident.

Taiwanese practitioners practicing Falun Gong exercises at the Iceland Airport

The people of Iceland express their apology to Falun Gong in a newspaper ad

3,000 Icelandic people protest against their government's discrimination against Falun Dafa

Since Falun Gong practitioner Jiang Renzheng was deported from Germany and subsequently sentenced to a forced labor camp in China, the German Falun Dafa Association, along with practitioners in Germany and around the globe, have been calling for the German Government to rescue Jiang Renzheng. Their petitions were echoed by many international organizations including the International Human Rights Organization, Amnesty International and the United Nations Refugee Council.

On May 25, 2005, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote back to the chairperson of the German Falun Dafa Association, saying, "Contrary to the Chinese Government, the German Government will help Jiang Renzheng. We are in talks with our Chinese counterparts on this subject. We will raise this case as the focus of the forth-coming annual German Human Rights Dialogue."

In early April, the Ministry instructed the German Consulate General in Beijing to immediately establish contact with the Chinese authorities in an effort to confirm Jiang's situation since being sent back to China. Meanwhile, in a letter to German Falun Gong practitioners, the Ministry promised to fight for Jiang's release if his arrest and sentence were connected to his Falun Gong practice. Yet several weeks passed with no response from the Chinese Communist Party.

On May 4, the Ministry responded to a Falun Gong practitioner's letter, reassuring them that, "The Ministry has learned from other sources that Jiang Renzheng was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail. The Ministry has asked the Consulate in Beijing to inquire about Jiang's condition and make efforts to secure Jiang's release. To this date, the Chinese authorities have not commented on this subject. We trust the German Government will do everything it can to help free Jiang."

It has been two months since Jiang's arrest. According to reliable sources in China, the National Security Bureau, the Public Security Bureau and the labor camp in Benxi City are working hard to brainwash him. His best friend was sent to talk him into giving up Falun Gong. To date neither his wife nor his in-laws have been allowed to visit him, on grounds that he would be negatively affected by emotional excitement from seeing them. The Chinese Communist regime has been threatening him, attempting to force him to give up Falun Gong since his first interrogation in March. Publicly, however, the government dare not answer any questions, which clearly shows a guilty conscience.

Falun Gong practitioners call upon international society and everyone in the world to pay attention to what is happening to Jiang Renzheng. We hope that together we can rescue him so that he can regain freedom and return to Germany as soon as possible.

On May 19, 2005, several members of the Cork City Council in Ireland took a stance against proclaiming Shanghai a sister city. Chris O'Leary, a Green Party member, thought that this might send the wrong message to China. To date, twelve Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death in Shanghai.

The Irish Times reported that four of the city councilors from Cork protested outside city hall against the Mayor's forming an alliance with Shanghai and ignoring China's poor human rights record. Local Falun Gong practitioners also participated in the protest.

Practitioner Mr. Zhao Ming, who was shocked with electric batons in a prison in China, also participated in the protest. While he was visiting China in 2000, he was illegally arrested and sentenced to two years in prison.

Mr. Zhao Ming said, "I am not opposed to Chinese-Irish friendship. However, when Chinese Communist Party officials visited here, they pretended that nothing was wrong in China. This is completely untrue, because more than 2000 Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death over the past several years.

Chris O'Leary, a councilor from the Green Party, was strongly opposed to accepting Shanghai as a sister city. He said, "The regime in China is very intolerant of those who practice different religions, those who have HIV, anyone who is outspoken, the rights of people to associate - and here we are signing a twinning arrangement with a Chinese city. I think it sends out the entirely wrong signal."

Let us take a look at the situation in Shanghai. Twelve practitioners are known to have been persecuted to death since Jiang Zemin's suppression of Falun Gong started in July 1999. The notorious Tilanqiao Prison is located in Shanghai. Prison officials often cruelly torture and brutalize practitioners. The prison guards and collaborators routinely beat and kick steadfast practitioners. Practitioners are often kicked in the genitals.

For example, practitioner Mr. Qu Yanlai, who graduated from the Engineering Department of Shanghai Jiaotong University, and won high awards at a national chemistry contest as well as in mathematics, is now being detained in the so-called "Youth Experiment Squad" in Section Two of the Tilanqiao Prison. He has been on a hunger strike to protest his brutal mistreatment at the hands of the prison guards since he was illegally detained more than 900 days ago. In order to try to destroy his will, the prison guards torture him while attempting to force-feed him. We learned in April 2005 that the prison guards vented their personal spite while taking him to a place where they could force-feed him with a tube. They intentionally dragged him over dozens of concrete steps, causing such severe abrasions of his legs that even the bones were exposed and he bled profusely. It was a brutal scene, which the prison guards totally ignored.

The inmates are forced to perform heavy labor in Tilanqiao Prison. Inmates have to work from about 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and sometimes even later with virtually no breaks.

On June 14, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from Sweden, Norway, Germany, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia, Spain, Italy and Taiwan attended an anti-torture exhibition held by Finnish practitioners in the central park of Helsinki. Most of the practitioners came directly from the European Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference that was held in Stockholm, Sweden on June 12.

When passersby saw the re-enactments and listened to a practitioner talking about the cruel torture methods used in attempts to force Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their beliefs, they were shocked at these human rights violations happening in China. Practitioners also made a comprehensive poster exhibition showing the torture methods used in the labor camps, prisons and detention centers in China. Many people immediately decided to sign a petition calling for an end to the persecution.

Information and leaflets were given out in different languages, as Helsinki is filled with tourists from all parts of the world during the summer. The anti-torture exhibition especially gave people from China the chance to see through the lies fabricated by the Chinese Communist Party, which has been covering up its cruel persecution of the Chinese people.

At noon on June 11, 2005, more than 80 groups joined the first summer parade sponsored by the city government of Verdun, a suburb of Montreal, Canada. As the only Chinese group participating in the parade, the Falun Gong practitioners' exercise demonstration, waist drum troupe and dance performance were warmly received by local residents. Staff members of the organizing committee praised the group and thanked the practitioners for their wonderful performance.

Falun Gong practitioners' procession

The practitioners' procession received warm applause

Ms. Liza Frulla, Canadian Minister of Heritage, Henri-Franois Gautrin, Minister for Online Government, Government of Quebec, Georges Boss, Mayor of Verdun, and several City Council members of Verdun attended the event. When the Falun Gong practitioners passed by the reviewing stand, a number of people on the podium stood up and made the heshi sign (a hand gesture in the Buddha school to express respect and thankfulness). Other people applauded to welcome the practitioners. All along the parade route, onlookers cheered and applauded to welcome the Falun Gong practitioners' procession.

Waist drum troupe

Dance performance

At the parade's end, people from the Verdun government who were in charge of organizing this parade said to practitioners, "Thank you so much! Your performance was really wonderful!"

A large number of spectators on both sides of the street were Chinese people. Over the past several years, a large quantity of Chinese people who have immigrated to Canada chose to reside the city of Verdun. Thus Verdun is called the "second Chinatown" in Montreal. Numerous Chinese people were very happy to see the Falun Gong practitioners' procession, which was composed mostly of Chinese people. They applauded the practitioners.

Spectator videotaping practitioners' procession

People love the lotus flowers hand-made by practitioners

A kind-looking middle-aged gentleman was very interested in watching the parade. When this reporter asked him if he knew about Falun Gong and the situation in China, he answered yes. This reporter also asked him if he was aware that a Chinese diplomat in Australia and a Chinese official from the organization dedicated to persecuting Falun Gong had openly renounced their membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and are bearing witness to how the CCP defames and ruthlessly suppresses Falun Gong. The gentleman sincerely answered that he knew about it.

A Chinese spectator expressed his deep concern over Falun Gong, which is persecuted in China. "When I see the Falun Gong procession in the parade, I feel very sad for those practitioners in China."

There were also some Chinese people who had been deeply poisoned by the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) deceptive propaganda. They still trust the CCP and feel that the Falun Gong practitioners' exposition of the CCP's crimes and Jiang Zemin's persecution of Falun Gong has damaged the image of China's leader (Jiang Zemin). Most of the Chinese people who have this kind of thinking immigrated to Canada after the persecution of Falun Gong began. They were already deceived by the CCP's lies and were resentful towards Falun Gong when they came to Canada. Some of them are aware of the truth of the persecution but dare not speak openly about it. Some were deceived by the CCP's propaganda so badly that even when they personally saw how Falun Gong is warmly received overseas, they still refused to change their attitude toward Falun Gong. Some know about the truth of the persecution, but feel that it has nothing to do with them. Several decades of the CCP's tyranny, lies and atheist education have destroyed traditional Chinese virtue and have led many Chinese people to lose their conscience and good wills.

Mr. Han Deguang, a Chinese writer in Montreal once said, "In the face of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, I must stand out and speak. If you don't talk about it, he does not talk about it, and I don't talk about it, that's equivalent to indulging the persecution."

By comparison, people from all circles in Canada have firmly resisted the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong from the very beginning.

According to a report from Clearwisdom.net on July 31, 1999, the Canadian government condemned the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong. Canada was the first country to openly condemn the Chinese communist regime's oppression since the party officially began to suppress Falun Gong on July 20, 1999.

Later, through the great efforts of various groups in Canada, more than a dozen Canadian citizens' or residents' family members who had been imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong were successfully rescued. In order to rescue Canadian citizens' family members, many Members of the Canadian Parliament sent out their righteous appeals. In August 2001, MP Irwin Cotler and Scott Reid personally joined the sit-in petition in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canada. Later, they posed for photos with practitioners. MP Irwin Cotler said with a sense of humor, "We are taking pictures here, while the other side (the Chinese Embassy) is probably also taking photos." On October 10, 2002, the Canadian Parliament passed Motion M236 regarding the rescue of Falun Gong practitioners with ties to Canada.

Amnesty International (AI) is the largest human rights organization in the world. Starting from 1999, AI has been in the forefront to support Falun Gong. Ms. Carole Channer, who was in charge of the Montreal chapter of AI, has not been afraid in the face of threats from the Chinese government. She has bravely stood up for and appealed for practitioners who are persecuted for their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.