Straight Goods (Canada): APEC and the persecution of Falun Gong [an open letter]

Wednesday, September 18, 2002

From: Barbara Anello & David Tompkins

China's treatment of its own people, and blatant disregard for human rights should disqualify Jiang [Chinese president] from attending the upcoming APEC meeting in Mexico. He is a leader who rose to power by his support for the Tiananmen Square massacre, who presides over soaring HIV infections at home, and ruthless persecution of the Falun Gong.

Although Jiang holds the chief position of leadership in the world's most populous nation, he should be seen for the criminal that he is. His policies both at home and abroad demonstrate a deeply calloused view that is utterly devoid of principle, and he shows complete disregard for the Chinese constitution and International Law. We hope that you will take the opportunity at the APEC conference to expose him for what he really is.

It is widely known that Jiang moved into the top post of the Chinese government by supporting martial law during the 1989 crackdown on democracy, which led to the massacre of many innocent students in Tiananmen Square. To conceal his crimes, he used state-controlled propaganda to wilfully and on a wide-scale brainwash the Chinese people and convince them that the "student rebels" killed soldiers and police in a "political incident." He manipulated the media, blocked all information and severely punished those who dared to stand up and ask for the truth.

During the past 12 years, under Jiang's rule, China has become morally bankrupt, and the people have experienced a serious loss of fundamental values shared by so many other peoples in the world. Behind the "economic successes" are systemic corruption and deception, organized crime led quite often by the authorities themselves, a vast disparity between the rich and the poor, the marginalization of unemployed workers and peasants, and a severe depletion of environmental resources due to greed. What is most alarming is Jiang's persecution of the democratic movement in China, trade unions, and literally all ethnic minorities and groups of faith including Christians, Catholics, Tibetan Buddhists, Muslims, and more recently the Falun Gong.

Falun Gong is rooted in Chinese culture and is based on the universal principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. It was the hope of many that this practice would revive the moral decay in China, the root for many political, economic, social and environmental problems, had it not been for the persecution. To monitor and carry out this horrific persecution, Jiang established a nationwide agency with power over all branches of the government, including the Judiciary, the military, the police, and the regional and municipal governments. Under the directions of the "610 office", at least 458 Falun Gong practitioners are verified to have been tortured to death, and tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners continue to be tortured in labour camps or mental hospitals. This regime has blatantly violated China's own constitution that guarantee freedom of speech, belief and assembly as well as its international obligations under Human Rights Covenants, which it has signed and brought into law.

We are alarmed that under the guise of "economic collaboration", Jiang, who Amnesty International calls a "human rights scoundrel", has exported his propaganda and his persecution of Falun Gong to every country he has visited. Wherever he goes, he exerts pressure on governments and communities, and tries to have them bar or arrest Falun Gong practitioners. Having people denounce or defame those who stand for goodness and truthfulness shreds the moral fabric of civilized society, and it has people choose prosperity and self-interest over goodness and decency. Over the past six months, such interference with other governments has happened in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Ukraine, and Iceland. We believe that such cases of interference indicate that there may be many other cases of similar interference we do not know about yet.

In Canada, we have detailed documentation about how Jiang has interfered with all levels of governments through his embassies and consulates. His regime strongly coerced municipal governments to rescind proclamations in support of Falun Gong. Chinese diplomats visited national newspapers to show them Falun Gong propaganda, and they broadcast it through the ethnic Chinese media. Fortunately, the Canadian government and people have first-hand experience of the peaceful and compassionate nature of Falun Gong, and are fully aware of Jiang's illegal activities in Canada. Canada has consistently and continuously provided full support to Falun Gong.

People are understandably reticent to label a foreign leader a tyrant like Stalin and Hitler. However, to provide an example, during the 1990s, peasants in China were encouraged to give blood, which they did in vast numbers, and in the process they were widely infected with HIV, the repercussions of which are only beginning to be felt now. However, today they are shunned, ignored, and blamed for their own disease. As the toll of death mounts indirectly from policies such as this, as well as directly in murder and persecution as against the Falun Gong, can a leader like Jiang be considered any less a tyrant than other Eastern or Western tyrants of the 20th century who starved and/or murdered millions?

During the past three years of persecution, many journalists and media outlets around the world have shown a great sense of justice, courage and ethical integrity in their coverage of Falun Gong. However, using "economic benefit" as bait for collaboration, Jiang has coerced many governments into either condoning or remaining quiet about his persecution of Falun Gong, and in some cases even complying with his harassment and discrimination of Falun Gong practitioners. In a most daring and blatant way, Jiang has divided many civilized countries by bringing about choices that should never have arisen. Peoples and governments have been offered economic opportunities so long as they will acquiesce to the indignities he inflicts upon dissidents at home.

A healthy society with a vibrant, robust and sustainable economy is rooted in core values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Justice, the rule of law and human rights all follow from this. We strongly believe that leaders such as Jiang who show flagrant disregard for human dignity in the long run undermine the legitimacy of all world leaders.

We sincerely hope that through your coverage of Jiang's crimes and the persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful and compassionate group recognized around the world, you can properly inform and remind your government and people of the principles that must not be compromised in the name of economic prosperity.

Yours truly,

co-signed by Barbara Anello and David Tompkins

Background

Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese meditation practice for the cultivation of one's body and mind. It is centered on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. It is peaceful, non-political and free of charge, being taught by volunteers in over 50 countries in the world.

Falun Gong was so beneficial for individuals and society that more than 70 millions in China were practicing it by 1999. Because of this unprecedented popularity, the Chinese government felt that Falun Gong was a threat to the regime. The President of China banned the practice in July 1999, and personally ordered a comprehensive campaign of defamation and persecution.

The number of verified deaths from torture has reached over 458; tens of thousands have been tortured while confined in labor camps, prisons, and psychiatric hospitals, and hundreds of thousands have been forced to attend brainwashing classes. Faced with brutal persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have consistently upheld the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance while mounting peaceful public appeals to end it.

Falun Gong has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the third year. For more information about the practice, please visit www.faluninfo.net.

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