Issued by Clearwisdom Net

NEWS - Feb. 12, 2007 Falun Dafa Information Center [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

NEW YORK, NY -- The Falun Dafa Information Center disclosed Monday morning that 14-year-old Beijing native Youran Zhao has been successfully rescued, and is safe at this moment and unharmed, thanks to the tremendous efforts of U.S. homeland security officers and others. She is under the care and legal custody of her aunt and said to be recovering from the trauma. Zhao, as reported by the Center (on 2-11), had gone missing after declaring Saturday evening (around 5 PM) her intent to seek political asylum; she was on a tour of the northeastern U.S. with a group of students from China. She was said to be held against her will by Chinese tour leaders, acting on orders from China's notorious Public Security Bureau (PSB), sources had said. Harrowing events Sunday confirmed these allegations.

Federal authorities confirmed that Zhao, who practices Falun Gong, was missing from the tour group Sunday around noontime when several police apprehended tour chaperons on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tour chaperons refused to disclose Zhao's whereabouts, only insisting "She's not here" and that "other chaperons" had taken her somewhere. Investigators have since learned that the tour leaders, acting on orders from China's communist regime to kidnap her back to Beijing, had hastened her off to JFK Airport around 7:30 AM Sunday, seeking to put her on the first available flight to China; Zhao's tour group, which remained in Boston on tour, was not scheduled to depart until February 13.

Sunday afternoon U.S. Customs officials at JFK Airport successfully identified Youran and the two Chinese chaperons who were attempting to smuggle Zhao out of America via Air China. The two chaperons and Zhao were held until her guardian and aunt, Ms. Xiufen Zhang of New Jersey, could arrive. Zhao and Zhang left under the protection of airport personnel after witnesses identified men believed to be Chinese agents who had been following Zhao.

The Information Center wishes to express its gratitude to the many U.S. customs officials and police and others who assisted in this matter, and to call attention to the welfare of Zhao's family in Beijing, who have reportedly been threatened by PSB agents with jailing and banishment to China's gulag system.

Information Center spokesperson Mr. Erping Zhang, who was at the airport and assisted in the investigation, said Monday: "That Beijing's communist rulers feel threatened by a harmless girl who seeks only protection from religious persecution in a free, democratic country is a sad, and disturbing, reminder of the state of human rights in China today. If these are the actions they brazenly take on U.S. soil -- resorting to kidnapping -- one shudders to think how they treat believers inside China. We are deeply concerned for the welfare of Zhao's remaining family in China, and call on media and rights groups to carefully monitor their situation."

NEWS - Feb. 12, 2007
Falun Dafa Information Center, www.faluninfo.net

Background
Founded in 1999, the Falun Dafa Information Center is a New York-based organization that documents the rights violations of adherents of Falun Gong (or "Falun Dafa") taking place in the People's Republic of China. In July of 1999 China's autocratic Communist Party launched an unlawful campaign of arrests, violence, and propaganda with the intent of "eradicating" the apolitical practice; it is believed certain leaders feared the influence of the practice's 100 million adherents. The campaign has since grown in violence and scope, with millions having been detained or sent to forced labor camps. The Center has verified details of over 2,900 deaths and over 63,000 cases of torture in custody (reports / sources). Falun Gong is a traditional-style Buddhist "qigong" practice, with roots in the Chinese heritage of cultivating the mind/body for health and spiritual growth.

New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV)'s Chinese New Year Spectacular show, a traditional fine arts cultural show, was performed on February 10, 2007 at the historic Opera House in Boston, presenting the audience a new hope in the New Year.

Elegant dancing performed at the Chinese New Year Spectacular, preserves the splendor of the traditional Chinese culture and exhibits the essence of the divinely-inspired culture

An engrossed audience

A number of VIPs in the New England area wished the Spectacular a success and the audience a Happy Chinese New Year. The Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, sent congratulatory messages to the Spectacular show, saying that the Chinese New Year Spectacular show brings us the best of Chinese culture. The Governor of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, said in her congratulatory message that she appreciated NTDTV's effort to enrich people's understanding of Chinese culture and traditions, and provide us with an excellent opportunity to learn about the Chinese and Western society.

The Massachusetts' Minister of Finance not only sent a congratulatory message but also awarded NTDTV. In addition, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vermont, Kuo-tung Yang, a congressmen from Massachusetts and the Boston Chinese City Council member also sent congratulatory letters.

Vice-chairman of the Veterans' Association in Quincy, Dee Lawson, said that his friends who went together with him to watch the show commented that the performance was incredible. They felt they could understand why the Chinese Communist regime persecutes Falun Gong. "Your preservation of traditional Chinese culture and spectacular scenes and costumes were all wonderful."

Gary Sottile said the performance was excellent. Dancers' postures, the color, music and songs were all enthralling. He appreciated every program, and he was so deeply moved that he cried numerous times.

Twin sisters (the two in the left) commented that the Boston Chinese New Year Spectacular is wonderful

The twin sisters, Sylvia Cooper and Marilyn Cooper, who work at the government, said the performance was really excellent. They praised the beautiful costumes, melodious music and backdrop designs of very high caliber. At the intermission, they bought a VCD of the 2006 Chinese New Year Gala, and also asked for the time and venue for the Chinese New Year Spectacular show in New York, and hoped to go there to watch.

Physician Anthony Lopez said that it was the first time his wife and he watched the show. They were surprised that the traditional Chinese culture is different from what they imagined. They hoped to watch more of such performances.

Ms. Dai, who works at a big company in Boston, said that she loved all the programs, particularly, "Hua Mulan," which carries deep meaning and is touching. She thought it has educational meaning for young people, because many young people nowadays have no idea about loyalty and filial piety. "Ladies of Manchu Court" was very beautiful. It displays the Manchu princesses' graceful, elegant and subtle beauty.

The entire performance of beautiful dancing and pleasant colors and music highlighted the loyalty, filial piety, righteousness, ritual, wisdom and trust in Chinese history as well as kind people's worship of Gods and Buddhas, and the heavenly principle that good and evil will receive their due returns. The show concluded with the dance, "Resounding Drums." Amid the rumble of drums that exorcises demons and evil spirits, everyone happily greeted the arrival of the New Year.

The following speech was given on February 3rd at a press conference outside the Chinese Embassy in London. The speech is by Annie Yang, a Falun Gong practitioner who was wrongly imprisoned in a forced labor camp when she was in China. The press conference was held to announce the establishment of the European branch of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG-Europe). To find out more about the event, please see

Today I am very pleased to see the establishment of the European Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong. Its establishment is necessary and important. Its purpose is to urge the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

In China today, millions of Falun Gong practitioners are still being illegally detained in prisons and labor camps, suffering and enduring inhuman torture simply because of their belief in Falun Gong. This group of people is being brutally persecuted just because they are following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. In order to force them to give up their belief, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses different ways to torture Falun Gong practitioners. At the same time, the CCP is telling the world that this is a golden age of human rights in China. This is a hooligan's behavior based on violence and lies.

Annie Yang giving her speech

On the night of 1st March 2005, I was arrested without any legal procedure and was sentenced to two years in a labor camp. During this period of time, I suffered tremendously both physically and mentally. At Haidian District security branch, the evil police officer Liu Dafeng insulted me with rude language, kicked me, grabbed my clothes and smashed me against the wall just because I refused to sign their form.

At the Beijing Female Labor Camp, I was forcibly brainwashed. I was forced to watch many films that slandered Falun Gong. I was only allowed to sleep 2-3 hours per day. When I was arrested, I had already practiced Falun Gong for 8 years. I know what Falun Gong is. Especially since July 1999, I have chosen this path after careful thinking. A lie will always be a lie even if it is repeated thousands of times. It can never be turned into truth.

Due to international pressure, the CCP have hidden their methods of persecution. On the surface, you don't have any physical injury, but the mental torture is far more severe than the physical torture. Physical injuries can be cured by medicine, but the injury to your soul can never be cured. In order to achieve their purpose of forcing Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their beliefs, the CCP uses very mean and contemptible ways to torture practitioners. We weren't allowed to wash our hair or clothes, nor were we allowed to have a shower. We also went without food and water, and were subject to physical punishment and ill-treatment. We were not even allowed to go to the toilet. The most evil thing is they take organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Their persecution has truly reached its peak.

Since July 1999, all the propaganda abusing Falun Gong has been fabricated. Many Chinese citizens have been misled. Many of them thought what is on the television or in the newspaper is true, which has caused misunderstandings about Falun Gong. This has helped the CCP to make their persecution appear legal and lawful. This shows that the persecution is not only towards Falun Gong practitioners, but also innocent Chinese citizens. It is a persecution of humanity. The CCP has made many innocent Chinese citizens and police commit crimes, even forcing drug addicts and other criminals to torture Falun Gong practitioners, doubling these people's crimes. This persecution is really genocide. This persecution must be stopped immediately.

On February 10, 2007, a parade and a press conference were held in Jhongli to support 18 million withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party. Representatives from the Global Service Center for Quitting the Party, the Epoch Times, and the Association for the Rescue of Falun Gong Practitioners Being Persecuted gave speeches. One hundred members of the Divine Land Marching Band from Taiwan also attended the activity.

The press conference

Re-enacting the organ harvesting

The parade

The Divine Land Marching Band in the parade

Falun Gong practitioners in the parade

The Divine Land Marching Band led the parade, with groups from Minghui School, the Epoch Times and Falun Gong practitioners also taking part. Many citizens watched the parade. After they learned what the parade was about, they were all very supportive.

Mr. Qiu Jiaxin, the representative from the Service Center for Quitting the Party, said that the withdrawals from the CCP are from people from all walks of life in China. The CCP was shocked when the number of the withdrawals rose above 10 million. Mr. Qiu said that more and more Chinese people recognize the true nature of the CCP, and have decided to quit the party, which shows that Chinese people are waking up, and they want to dissolve the CCP in a peaceful, nonviolent way.

Mrs. Liao from "Association for the Rescue of Falun Gong Practitioners Being Persecuted" is giving a speech

Mrs. Liao Qianhui from the "Association for the Rescue of Falun Gong Practitioners Being Persecuted" said that Falun Gong practitioners are treated very differently in Taiwan and Mainland China. They can freely practice in Taiwan and 80 other countries, but in China, they have been persecuted. Mrs. Liao said that "good is rewarded with good and evil meets with evil" is a heavenly principle, and 18 million Chinese people already realized the CCP's sins and brutality so they quit the party. Mrs. Liao pointed out that by withdrawing, these people not only saved themselves, but also gave hope to other people. She called upon people to have righteous thoughts for those who are being persecuted.

Mrs. Ma Shuhua from the Service Center for Quitting the Party said that the CCP has brought disasters to China and the whole world, and promoting and passing out the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party is the best way to rescue Chinese people from the CCP. Mrs. Ma told two stories in her speech. In one of the stories, a chief of the 610 Office learned the truth from a volunteer and decided to quit the party so that he would have a wonderful future. In the other story, twenty college students told the volunteer on the phone that they wanted to quit the party, and they were willing to do something for the Service Center.

Many citizens were attracted to the rally and press conference. They supported this activity. Some of them heard about the persecution, and wanted to know more information, and some of them were touched by the Divine Land Marching Band's performance.

A young man from Vietnam was attracted to the display board in Vietnamese. He was happy to see his own language and called his friends asking them to read the display board together. He condemned the CCP's brutality and told practitioners that he often saw practitioners' activities in his hometown in Vietnam. He is interested in learning the exercises.

Several old men read the materials carefully. They supported the activities and thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

People are learning the truth.

A gentleman from Beijing told volunteers that he was a member of the CCP, but he decided to quit that day. Many people condemned the CCP's harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Some of them thought that the media in Taiwan did not pay enough attention to it and they should report more about it.

Most people supported the activity and expressed that the organ harvesting should be exposed to the public. They thanked the volunteers for their efforts, because they know if the CCP collapses, then all the brutality such as organ harvesting will not happen again.