August 29, 2002

I wish to clarify a few points made in the article about the Chinese government's continuing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners ("Crackdown targets use of Internet by dissidents," World, Saturday).

First, the reporter's observation that Falun Gong has grown quickly through the Internet is on the mark. Web sites carrying the texts of the books, audiovisual materials and lists of local exercise instruction and other activities enable people interested in Falun Gong to begin learning the practice. Likewise, e-mail enables the curious to inquire about it and practitioners to share their understanding with each other.

However, the article credits Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, with actions that some practitioners - but not he himself - took. Mr. Li did not set up the secret press conference that was held in a Beijing hotel in October 1999.

To say that Mr. Li "fled to the United States in 1999" also is not correct. Mr. Li began to take Falun Gong outside China in 1995 and traveled to numerous countries to lecture and give exercise instruction at conferences organized by practitioners. He first came to the United States in 1996 and left China voluntarily to become a [US] permanent resident in 1998, long before Falun Gong was declared illegal in July 1999.

It is known that Mr. Li does not read or speak English, and he would have no need to set up e-mail lists. Practitioners, many of whom have advanced degrees in fields such as engineering, computer science and medicine, are very capable and have taken the initiative to set up these communication channels.

Likewise, practitioners in Beijing were fully capable of setting up a secret press conference and were committed enough to accept the consequences. Several of them were arrested, and one of them eventually died as a result of torture by police. Mr. Li was living in the United States at that time, and there has been no report of his having contact with them. One of them lives in Sweden and can attest to this.

Otherwise, allow me to express my appreciation for the many accurate articles about Falun Gong that The Washington Times runs. As we Falun Gong practitioners strive for constant self-improvement, we want to offer these few minor corrections in the corresponding spirit of improving the accuracy of your news product.
ááááá
TAO WANG
Washington

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020829-5136552.htm#3