November 09, 2001

Falun Gong is most accurately described as a "cultivation practice". Practitioners of Falun Gong cultivate their minds, bodies and spirits by acting in accordance with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance". Practitioners strive to live by these principles at every moment, under every circumstance, always improving their XinXing (Mind or heart nature; moral character). In turn, remarkable benefits arise. Practitioners also do five gentle exercises. Individuals have been empowered to leave behind addictions and bad habits, families to live in peace together, and communities to embrace what is virtuous and life-affirming.

Since Jiang's regime illegally banned the practice in July, 1999, at least 307 practitioners have been reported to have died as a result of torture and abuse in police custody, while government sources inside China disclose that the actual number exceeds 1,000. The number keeps rising every week. Over 500 were illegally sentenced; over 1000 were forced into mental hospitals; over 20,000 were sent to labor camps without any legal proceedings; over 100,000 were arrested and jailed. Countless Falun Gong practitioners have suffered brutal beatings and other physical abuses by Chinese police. Their families are broken. Millions of family members, relatives, friends and colleagues are also implicated.

It is not the number of deaths reported or the number of imprisonments that makes this persecution without precedent, it is the extremes. The extreme goodness of Falun Gong, whose practitioners strive to embody completely Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, is opposed by the extreme brutality of the persecution. "To exterminate Falun Gong at all costs" is the watchword of Jiang Zemin, the unquestioned leader who has orchestrated this persecution. Any and all means are used in the attempt to force Falun Gong practitioners to give up their belief - physical and mental torture, rape, forced abortions, and mutilation.

The cost of telling truth is so high, and the temptation of telling lies is so strong, yet Falun Gong practitioners in China have chosen the former without hesitation! They risk everything, e.g. loss of home, loss of job, arrest, torture and even death, simply to defend their [beliefs]. They step forward courageously and selflessly to appeal to the largest totalitarian power in the world, and to clarify the truth to everyone. Because they know that they are doing so not just for themselves but for billions with good will in the world; for a better world in which truth and justice prevails; for "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" to illuminate everyone's heart, and because they understand the invincible power of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance".

The Chinese government has spread a lot of propaganda to cover up the brutal persecution of peaceful, good people who believe in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance". They have utilized the claim that Falun Gong is hazardous, in order to justify their [suppression] against it, and to disguise their actions as respectable. I offer the following facts for your understanding: Falun Gong's popularity has a lot to do with its remarkable health effects. The practice spread to over 70 million people in China, primarily by word of mouth, in just seven years.

People chose Falun Gong over thousands of other qigong and Tai Chi practices because of its positive effects, and it soon became the most popular of all qigong practices. Falun Gong is now practiced in over 40 countries. People of any culture may discover for themselves the beneficial health effects of the practice. None of the other forty countries in which it is practiced have reported incidents of Falun Gong causing harm.

If many Falun Gong practitioners are not seeking medical treatment, it is because they are healthy and not in need of it. A 1998 study of over 12,000 practitioners, conducted by medical scientists from top institutions in Beijing, found Falun Gong practice to have significant healing effects for 99% of those practicing, with a disease "cure" rate (indicating complete recovery) over 58%. Medical problems of every sort showed improvement. Other studies, including some immunological research done in the United States, have confirmed Falun Gong's positive impact on health.

During Falun Gong's first seven years in China, no deaths or injuries were reported by the Chinese Government. With the [suppression] in July of 1999, it was suddenly reported that 700 people had been killed by the practice. Just a few weeks later, the number was doubled, curiously, to just over 1400.

The Chinese Government has bribed people to blame their health problems on Falun Gong.

A number of cases have been revealed in which the Government paid large sums of money to hospital patients and families of recently deceased persons to attribute health problems and deaths to practicing Falun Gong. Many such persons have gained notoriety by appearing on Chinese TV and being quoted in newspapers.

The facts speak for themselves. Moreover, Falun Gong practitioners have offered a standing invitation to the World Health Organization for conducting a fair and independent investigation of this matter. To date, however, China has blocked this action, as well as similar investigations by other international organizations. In the last year, many foreign journalists who have attempted to investigate these matters, or who were simply covering Falun Gong issues, have been detained, harassed, had their licenses revoked, and in some cases, were even deported from China.

In the fifty-third session of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the International Education Development (IED)'s Statement defined Chinese President Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners as "state terrorism against its own people." The statement pointed out that " the regime points to a supposed self-immolation incident in Tiananmen Square on January 23, 2001, as proof that Falun Gong is a '[Jiang Zemin government's slanderous term omitted]'. However, we have obtained a documentary video of that incident, which proves that this event was elaborately staged by the government."

All Falun Gong activities are open to the public, and free of charge. All Falun Gong materials are freely available online at www.falundafa.org.

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