Falun Gong Demands an End to State Terrorism (Toronto Press Statement)

(Statement Made at the Chinese Consulate in Toronto on October 1^st, 2001)

October 1, 2000

Ms. Yu Xiuling, a 32-year-old villager from Liaoning province and Falun Gong practitioner who strived to embody Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance has died after 6 days torture for refusing to renounce her spiritual faith. She was taken from her home by police on September 14. She was handcuffed to a heater, interrogated and beaten severely by officers from the political security department. After 13 hours of brutal torture Ms. Yu was nearly dead. Police feared that if Ms. Yu was brought to the hospital they might have to face responsibility. To hide the torture, Officers Huang and Sun threw Ms. Yu, while still alive, out of the fourth floor window. Ms. Yu died from the impact and the police quickly cremated her body that evening.

The viciousness of such an abduction and attack on an innocent and kind-hearted woman sends a shocking chill through the heart of anyone with a human conscience. What is of greatest concern is that the beasts who carry out these hideous acts are actually supported and encouraged by leaders in the Chinese government.

The officers who threw Ms. Yu to her death, threatened her newly widowed husband: "If you want to file a lawsuit, feel free... We have orders from the top that no measure is too excessive when dealing with Falun Gong." The police then reported Ms. Yu's death as a "suicide."

These actions are the result of directions by Chinese president Jiang Zemin, carried out at the Central, Provincial and City levels by the so-called "610" offices--these departments are established for and dedicated to carrying out the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Ms. Yu is not alone. Over the last two weeks, more than 20 wrongful deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in police custody have been reported. Nearly all deaths are labeled "suicide" or "by natural causes" and nearly 20% have claimed the victim jumped from a building, a moving train, etc., while in custody.

The 610 offices, led by Luo Gan, have abducted, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, raped, killed and have brought terror to millions of Chinese and their families across the country. People are forced to turn in their neighbors and millions of practitioners have been forced into exile.

At the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in August, International Education Development (IED) stated, "State terrorism in the form of government terror against its own people -- what [the UN Special Rapporteur] calls "terrorism from above" -- produces far more gross violations of human rights than any other form of terrorism... Such is the case in China with the regime's violent assault on practitioners of Falun Gong."

To date, nearly 300 Falun Gong practitioners have been confirmed dead in police custody in the crackdown lead by the 610 offices. Sources in the Chinese government say the true number of deaths is over 1000. More than 100,000 are reported to have been sent to labour camps without trial

The venom of state terrorism has poisoned our Canadian soil. Shenli Lin the husband of a Canadian artist and Lizhi He a Canadian resident still suffer in labour camps today.

Next month Prime Minister Jean Chretien will once again travel to China. We express our confidence in our Prime Minister to show his true nature as a protector of peace and follow through with his conviction to eliminate all terrorism in our world. We encourage him to hear the voice of his Canadian people and stand for righteousness and strongly condemn Jiang Zemin and his followers for their State Terrorism against Falun Gong and bring our Canadian people home.

Martin Luther King said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." We cannot allow this type of evil persecution machine to continue to harm innocent men, women and children. The "610" office must be abolished. Its leader, Luo Gan, must be brought to justice!