It's Not Clear Whether Ms. Chen Xiuming of Spirit Mountain County, Guangxi Province Is Alive or Not

Location: the detention center in Spirit Mountain County, women's division.

Date: November 30^th, 2000, the second day of the hunger strike started by practitioners Chen Xiuming, Yu Ping, Huang Yanchun, Shi Limei and Yang Zhen for unconditional release because they are innocent.

To disorganize and differentiate practitioners, the local public security bureau sent associate directors Lu Baolian and two female wardens, Lao mei and Guo mei to get practitioners from jail. They intended to send Chen Xiuming, Shi Limei and Yang Zhen to Maoqiao Labor Camp in Nanning City; Huang Yanchun to Shili Labor Camp; Yu Ping was to be kept in the detention center.

Ms. Chen Xiuming had been kept in her cell since August when she was detained for going to Beijing to appeal. She was already weak because of the detention and was weakened even more by the hunger strike. She no longer had the strength to walk at the time. But Lao mei and Guo mei forcibly dragged her without consideration for her poor physical condition. Xiuming passed out instantly because of their barbarous dragging. Other practitioners in the cell held Xiuming and cried out in dismay. The two female wardens also panicked and didn't know what to do. Xiuming regained consciousness after quite a while, but her limbs were stiff and her eyes could not focus. Considering Chen Xiuming's poor physical condition, practitioners pleaded repeatedly with the associate director, Lu Baolian, to ask whether Xiuming could be sent away to recover. Practitioners asked them who should take the responsibility if she died? "Don't you care for other people's lives at all?" However, Lu said that Xiuming was 'pretending to be dead.' She then ordered that no one would be allowed to stay with Xiuming. Eventually, Xiuming was dragged into the convict transportation vehicle. Shi Limei and Yang Zhen were also dragged into the van shortly after. Huang Yanchun was sent to the Shili County Labor Camp after she was put into the van.

Since Yang Zhen was pregnant at the time, her family managed to bail her out after her 7th day of holding a hunger strike. After Yang came back, she told other practitioners and Xiuming's relatives that Xiuming had never been sent to Nanning. Xiuming's relatives then went to the County Public Security Bureau and pressed them for a definite answer on her whereabouts. The bureau spread the ridiculous rumor that Xiuming had escaped from detention. How could a lady who didn't even have the strength to walk, escape from the police? If she is still alive, where is she? If she is already dead, where is her body? The detention center is responsible to provide an actual detailed reply to Chen Xiuming's relatives.

The other three practitioners have been on hunger strike for 9 days now. The Public Security Bureau still forbids their relatives to visit them. There has been no response to practitioners' requests either. Being anxious and worried, the relatives of the practitioners went to the county government to request a permit to visit the detained practitioners. Yet, they could not find any officer in the Public Security Bureau, the court or the detention center, who would take the responsibility to grant the permit. If anything bad happens to the three practitioners currently on hunger strike, every officer who shares the responsibility will become a criminal.

It has already been a tragic injustice that several vulnerable women have been imprisoned merely for insisting upon their right to cultivate themselves. As the local officials are responsible for taking care of the people's needs, if they still have a little bit of conscience left, let them put their hands on their chests and ask their consciences, what kind of crime did the women commit? Why should they be kept in a hell-like situation ?

What if another case similar to Chen Xiuming happens? Officers: Are you really feeling comfortable and justified with all the crimes you have committed? Are you really not afraid of karmic retribution? Do you really want to put an end to your future?

Now let's talk about Yu Ping. The defendant's right of defense was deprived in court on November 13^th. The case was dismissed in the middle of the trial. The letter of complaint sent by her husband, Wang Chengzhong, on September 15^th to the court still remained sealed on December 4^th. In the letter, he mentioned that their two children had been forced out of school since September, because no school dared to enroll them. No government official has ever explained why our children could not be enrolled.

Therefore, we request you to:

1. Find out the real situation of Ms. Chen Xiuming and provide a clear, definite and truthful reply to those who are worrying about her;

2. Take good care of those who are on hunger strike and grant their unconditional release. There should be no more mishaps. In addition, the right of a fair trial should be returned to them. Whether they are criminals or not should be determined in court. How can people be thrown into labor camps or detention centers at will?

3. What crime has a child committed so that he is not allowed to go to school? The county public security bureau must resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Practitioners in China

December 7^th, 2000