(Clearwisdom.net)
News Report
The Central News Agency reported on August 15, 2002, that about one hundred Falun Gong practitioners from the Silicon Valley area of California appealed and held a press conference outside the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. They were protesting the verdict of a Hong Kong court in which sixteen Falun Gong practitioners making an appeal were charged with causing the obstruction of a public place. Zhang Xuerong, the Falun Gong spokesperson in Silicon Valley, pointed out that this was a political case based on false accusations, resulting from the surrender of the Hong Kong judicial authorities to the Chinese dictatorship. Another Falun Gong practitioner remarked that the wrongful verdict of this case clearly indicates the legal system in Hong Kong is quickly submitting to political pressure from the Jiang's dictatorship.
News from China
An appeal of a middle school student: I am a recent middle school graduate. The purpose of my letter is to tell you that Falun Dafa is good! For the sake of our future, please do not ignore the persecution of Falun Dafa. People who are asleep, please wake up! Don't be apathetic anymore.
A letter written by a practitioner in Changchun, China to the officials of Hong Kong:
Jiang's regime is extending its totalitarianism to Hong Kong. The trial of the 16 practitioners in Hong Kong was unjust from the very beginning and should not have happened at all. We sincerely hope that you will take the time to understand Falun Gong, for the sake of your own conscience, justice and the authority that has been entrusted to you by the people of Hong Kong. In unity, you should set a good example for China as to what it means to be governed by the rule of law.
Overseas News
On August 13, 2002, Toronto practitioners held a press conference in Hamilton, Ontario regarding the cases of 12 Toronto practitioners whose family members are currently imprisoned in China. Reporters from a local newspaper, the Hamilton Spectator, and radio station CKOC FM interviewed the practitioners. During the afternoon, practitioners, including several whose family members are imprisoned, visited the mayor's office and the offices of members of the provincial and federal governments to give them press statements and other related materials.
Reference Materials
Voice of America: Observing the Extreme Disparity Between the Rich and the Poor in China. The privileged class, which is the extreme minority of the Chinese population, holds a breath-taking amount of wealth. This is in obvious contrast to the wide population of workers and peasants, and has caused dissatisfaction among people. Chinese scholars recently warned that China should avoid entering another time of social instability.
Materials for Reference: Intelligence shows that the Chinese government was in contact with the terrorist organizations around September 11. Central Agency, August 16: US intelligence shows that before the terrorist attack on September 11, Mainland China provided training for the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Al Qaeda group. After September 11, Mainland China also sent weapons to the Taliban. US Intelligence has confirmed that Mainland China has other connections to the Taliban and the Al Qaeda. Last week the Christian Science Monitor quoted an Afghanistan military intelligence official that the Al Qaeda terrorist group intended to purchase surface-to-air missiles from the Chinese government.