The Bitter Experiences of a Primary School Teacher in Mengyin County, Shandong Province

[Minghui Net] Falun Dafa practitioner Ma Fumin (male), of Jiuzhai Town, Mengyin County, Shandong Province, is in his 50s and has been a primary school teacher for 32 years. Linyi City, Shandong Province had awarded him the "Model Teacher" title and everyone around him knows that he is a good person. However, since he is a Falun Gong practitioner, the local government detained him for 24 hours from August 4 to 5, 1999, during which he was beaten and physically punished many times. Later he was forced to pay 2,000 Yuan RMB [US$240, $60 is the average monthly wage in China] before being released. On February 2000, Liu Shaowu, the director of the Discipline Commission of Jiuzhai Town, led 23 people from the local government to rob Ma Fumin's home. They took away all the electronics, furniture, a sewing machine, gas range, and other living materials; they stole all the lumber that the family prepared for building a new house and furniture. In addition, they plundered the cotton, rabbit hair, peanut seeds, and beans that the family had saved for years, as well as a bicycle and cart. They didn't even leave small things like an alarm clock and tape recorder that Ma's child used to learn English. They stole three trucks of Ma's family belongings that were worth about 20,000 Yuan. The family was only left with a few pieces of clothing and their empty thatched house; their lives were in severe difficulty. They created a false charge that "Ma Fumin's wife told Jiuzhai Town practitioners to go to Beijing to appeal." Although they ransacked Ma Fumin's home in broad daylight, the town government officials didn't admit it. They said, "This is a government action, there's no illegal act." From March 14 to June 15, 2000, Jiuzhai Town held a "study" class according to the order of the county government. Both Ma Fumin and his wife were sent to the "key member class" where they were monitored 24 hours a day; men and women lived in the same room and shared the same toilet. The practitioners were constantly beaten and had to endure various physical punishments. For example, they were forced to sit on the cold cement for a long time with their legs stretched and their hands on their toes, while over a dozen of guards took turns severely kicking their backs. Other physical punishments included long periods doing half squats, deep bows, push-ups, running while carrying a bicycle, etc., in addition to beatings from batons. Ma Fumin was forced to pay two fines totaling of 5,400 Yuan. From February to May 2000, he didn't receive any salary, not even a basic living fee. Since June 2000, he only received a 200 Yuan basic-living-fee per month [average monthly wage is 500 Yuan]; after deduction of certain fees, the actual amount he received was less than 150 Yuan a month; he is still in this situation now. Ma Fumin has asked the town government three times around the end of 2000 to stop withholding his salary, he also pointed out that it's illegal to ransack his home and withhold his salary, and handed in his written appeals. The authorities simply paid no attention to his appeals. Ma Fumin then wrote to Song Faliang, the chair of the county's Party Committee, and Zhang Guangjing, the acting County Commissioner, but received no response from either. Up to the end of 2000, Ma has been fined 5,400 Yuan and had 6,784 Yuan of his salary withheld, Ma's wife was fined 900 Yuan; their family property which was worth about 20,000 Yuan, was stolen, and their total loss was around 33,000 Yuan. Ma Fumin's family can barely survive. One of their children is in college and the other in middle school; their studies are in a very difficult situation because of this. Although the government treated Ma Fumin like this, he continues to work diligently with no hatred or grievance, which has won the respect and trust from students and their parents. Why did the government treat a good person like this? Li Zhiye, director of the Politics and Law Committee of Mengyin County, said at the closing ceremony of the "study" class of Jiuzhai Town, "Don't think we go too far to punish you, you are indeed very annoying." Is being a good person and telling the truth to the Party and government "annoying"? Do they deserve to be tortured and illegally mistreated like that? How can we trust this kind of government? The phone numbers of some criminals in Mengyin County who persecute Falun Gong practitioners: Lei Yancheng, deputy director of the Propaganda Department and director of Spiritual Civilization Committee of Mengyin County, (O) 86-539-4272440, -4810697; (H) 86-539-4272116; (BP) 86-539-126-5923233; (Mobile) 86-139-05392183 Li Zhiye, director of the Politics and Law Committee of Mengyin County, (H) 86-539-4273802, (Mobile) 86-139-05490909 Wang Changli, deputy chair of the Party Committee of Mengyin County, (H) 65-539-4275552 March 28, 2001