New York: Anti-Torture Exhibitions Move People's Hearts (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) Minghui.org correspondent Xiao Yan reports -- It's getting colder and colder in New York as winter begins. Nevertheless, on the streets of Manhattan, one can still see Falun Gong practitioners persistently clarifying the truth. Over the past few months, one of their unique ways to clarify the facts -- live torture-reenactments, has always caught people's attention and touched people's hearts. More and more people have come to learn the truth about Falun Gong.

Anti-torture exhibitions are held throughout the world

Falun Gong practitioners' live torture-reenactments are not only conducted in New York but also are being held in many places around the world. They have deeply moved people everywhere. The first anti-torture exhibition was seen on April 10, 2004 in the grand parade entitled, "Journey of Falun Dafa" that was held in New York. The exhibition in the parade drew a great deal of attention. At that time, people were shocked by the Jiang faction's cruelty and burst into tears over Falun Gong practitioners' solemn and heroic suffering. After this, Falun Gong practitioners successively held anti-torture exhibitions in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Canada, the U.S. and other countries and areas, and they have caused a great sensation. In recent months in Manhattan, people could see live torture-reenactments almost every day.

Demonstrating torture methods in the New York "Journey of Falun Dafa" parade.	Ms. Wang Yuzhi relating her personal suffering of being force-fed.
Liu Xiaotian, an orphan whose parents were both tortured to death for practicing Falun Gong, demonstrating a torture method used against practitioners in China.	Spectators (Denmark)
Anti-torture exhibition in front of the House of Parliament in The Hague.	Anti-torture exhibition in Brussels, Belgium.
Media interviewing a practitioner who demonstrates the torture method of being hung up (Taiwan)	A Korean practitioner demonstrating a torture method -- digging bamboo sticks into fingernails.

"Are these real?"

When people watched the exhibited torture methods that Jiang faction has employed to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, they often asked, "Are these real?"

Many of the practitioners who demonstrated the torture methods were victims when they were in China. Ms. Shi from Chicago once demonstrated the torture method of "being hung up" for several hours in a row. She had been imprisoned in China for five times because of her practice of Falun Gong. She sighed with emotion, "People felt shocked upon watching the torture-reenactments. Actually, what has been demonstrated counts less then 100f the real situation in China's labor camps."

On the Federal Plaza in Chicago, Ms. Wang Yuzhi, who was rescued and came to Canada as a political refugee with the Canadian government's support in 2003, once again recounted her personal nightmare-like experience of being force-fed in China's labor camp. She said with tears swelling in her eyes, "I protested this torture repeatedly, but the police said, 'Jiang is in power and you have no rights whatsoever.' Under this torture, both my nose and eyes started to bleed and run with pus. As a result I became nearly blind and my health was severely damaged."

She continued, "What I have personally demonstrated here is only a small portion of the tortures they used. We are unable to show you the whole picture of the real torture I suffered, and yet these methods of torture are frequently used on Falun Gong practitioners in China."

Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China are unable to openly hold torture-reenactments to expose Jiang faction's persecution. Nevertheless, they wrote down what they have suffered and even risked their lives to take photos and passed the information overseas, which made it possible to expose the tortures on internet. Many of the torture-reenactments held by practitioners outside China were directly based on this information.

Re-enactment photos from practitioners in China: Force-fed with excrement.

Re-enactment photo: Sexual assault with shoeshine brush

Police beat a 63-year-old Falun Gong practitioner with electric batons.

Hung up and beaten.

Insulting, using electric batons to shock face, mouth and lips.

Anti-torture exhibition is for the sake of all people

Australian Falun Gong practitioners held a grand rally and parade in Sydney. Practitioner Mr. Pan who demonstrated the torture method on a float said, "The torture-reenactment allows more people to learn about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Because of the limitation of the props, what can be reenacted is just a tiny part." "The suppression of Falun Gong practitioners who follow the principles of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance' is trampling mankind's conscience and morality. For the sake of all people, the persecution of Falun Gong must be stopped." Mr. Pan was unlawfully imprisoned in China when he appealed on behalf of Falun Gong in December 1999. During his imprisonment, he was electrically shocked with 40,000-Volt electric batons in sensitive areas.

Liu Xiaotian, an 18-year-old boy who fled to Denmark after both of his parents died from the persecution of Falun Gong two years ago participated in the anti-torture exhibition in Copenhagen. He told people that in China, he lost everything overnight. No one dared to accept him. For one year and six months, he had fled from one place to another, and traveled across one third of China to avoid police who were hunting him. He was fortunate to be able to escape China. Unfortunately, in China, tens of thousands of young people like Xiaotian are still suffering. Their parents are persecuted for their belief in Falun Gong by the Jiang group. Their happy childhood is destroyed. Xiaotian sincerely expressed his gratitude to the Danish government and people who provided food and shelter at his most desolate moment. He said, "From now on, it does not matter where I live, my first wish is to stop this genocide that is going on in China and prevent hundreds of thousands of children from suffering the same pain that I have been through."

Xiaotian's story touched many passers-by. The brutality of the torture methods demonstrated in the exhibition shocked the kind-hearted Danish people. There was always a big crowd looking at the anti-torture exhibition during the few hours it was displayed. People carefully read the words on the display boards, wanting to know eagerly the reason for this tragic persecution now happening in China. An elderly lady pointed sorrowfully at the practitioner who was re-enacting the torture method of "forcing bamboo sticks under the fingernails" and said, "I've seen these sorts of things in World War Two, but I cannot believe this is happening today."

In New York, since August 2004, Falun Gong practitioners have been persistently using different means to tell people about the persecution suffered by Falun Gong practitioners in China. New York Times journalist Lydia Polgreen wrote in her report that practitioners "from across the globe were flooding the streets and subways of New York, cheerfully but very persistently pressing stacks of literature into the hands of harried passers-by, waving gruesome photographs of victims and simulating brutal acts of torture." She stated, "Thus the demonstrations in New York, which play out in parks and on street corners from City Hall to the Museum of Natural History."

A Manhattan resident asked: "I see that you've been here for several weeks and you never have a day off. How do you operate? Where does the money come from? Who sponsors you? I want to donate some money for your work, but you don't accept money! Where did you obtain funds?" A Falun Gong practitioner told him, "Sir, we spend our own money. We are not rich, but we use our savings to do this. Our purpose is to tell people about the truth of the persecution of Falun Gong, so that people can choose to stand on the side of justice."

Upon hearing this, the gentleman's eyes were swelling with tears. He said, "Oh! This is so touching! It is really incredible! You see, I can't even hold my tears! I really hope that there is a day when a Hollywood director would come to see this and make a movie for this. This is indeed remarkable! Incredible!"

Sacrifice behind the anti-torture exhibition

Playing the role of victims in the anti-torture exhibition is really not an easy task. Falun Gong practitioners have sacrificed a lot for it. In the anti-torture exhibitions that were held in Washington DC in July 2004, because most young practitioners needed to go to work, the exhibitions were conducted by many 60-70-year-old practitioners.

In July, it was really hot in Washington DC. Although the demonstrated torture methods were only simulations, and the pain could not be compared with what practitioners in China have suffered in reality, participants in the reenactments still endured a lot under the scorching sun out of their own will.

Practitioner Mr. Fang is 71 years old. He participated in the anti-torture exhibition and played the role of a victim for four days in a row. He said that it was very painful to play the victim under the scorching sun. If he did not practice cultivation, it would have been impossible for him to endure the pain. However, even though it was hard to endure, he wanted to persist, because anti-torture exhibitions are very effective in clarifying the truth. They allow people to learn the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. Fang said that Falun Gong is great and it teaches people to be good. However, Jiang made up his mind to suppress Falun Gong and even fabricated lies to incite people's hatred towards Falun Gong. He said that we want to tell people that Falun Gong is great so that people can also benefit from the practice. We'd like to allow more people to learn the facts and reach out their helping hands to stop this persecution as soon as possible. Therefore, it is worth it no matter how hard it is.

Practitioner Ms. Sun is in her 70s. She also played the role of victim for several days. She said that she felt pain during the reenactment. The pain was not only physical. She felt pain in her heart when she thought about the suffering endured by fellow practitioners in China. She played a victim who was tortured by means of the "Tiger Bench", a very cruel method of torture. She sat on the "Tiger Bench" in a simulated way for an hour and felt very painful. Unfortunately, Ms. Sun's cousin Ms. Yang Jingfang was forced to sit on a "Tiger Bench" for 38 days in a row during her detention in China because she practices Falun Gong. Ms. Sun said that although it is painful to demonstrate the torture methods, she is very happy to be able to do so, because this is a good way to help people understand the truth about the persecution. So many practitioners in China are ruthlessly persecuted, but people don't know about this. Through anti-torture exhibitions, a great number of people have learned the facts. Some Chinese people who passed by even shed tears upon seeing the exhibition.

The sensation aroused by anti-torture exhibitions

Anti-torture exhibition have caused a great sensation everywhere.

On October 30, 2004, a live torture-reenactment and anti-torture poster exhibition was held in Chongshan Park, Pingdong City, southern Taiwan. A couple sincerely listened to the explanation of the facts. The wife could not bear to see the cruel scene and asked, "Are these real? It is too brutal!" "You should widely publicize it and let more people know about this!" "Will you hold it again tomorrow? I'll bring more people here to watch the exhibition." "This kind of things should be exposed!" That was the common feedback heard during this anti-torture exhibition.

An elementary-school boy who came here from Taipei for vacation attentively listened to the explanation and asked for related materials from practitioners. He said, "I will take this back to Taipei and tell my teacher." A 4-or-5-year-old boy received a flyer with his grandmother in a park in the morning and asked his grandmother to take him to watch the exhibition in the afternoon. His grandmother initially worried that the small child would feel scared upon watching these kind of scenes, but the boy said, "No, I'm not afraid at all!"

In the anti-torture exhibition that was held in the city center of Brussels, Belgium on September 11, 2004, people were all very eager to know more about the situation and listened carefully to practitioners' explanations. No matter whether they were old or young, everyone watched silently. Lots of people thanked practitioners for telling them about what is happening in China and encouraged them. There were also people who signed petitions with tears in their eyes. A gentleman was deeply moved by Falun Gong practitioners' steadfastness in upholding their beliefs despite the torture and murder. He went to sit with the practitioners to express his support.

People in Belgium sign the petition to support Falun Gong practitioners opposing the persecution.

Anti-torture exhibition in Brisbane, Capital of Australia.

British people sign the petition against the persecution.

Canadian people signing petition in support of Falun Gong

People in Manhattan sign petition

Signing petition to support Falun Gong and oppose the persecution

In June 2004, the 30^th G8 Summit took place at Sea Island, Georgia. More than a hundred Falun Gong practitioners staged anti-torture exhibitions there, a place that became the worldwide media focus during that period of time. More than 30 media representatives including newspaper, radio and TV stations from Atlanta, Brunswick, Jacksonville and Savannah came to report on the exhibition and interview practitioners. Some reporters said, "People are all talking about this exhibition," "This is the most worth-reporting event!"

On June 8, the Mayor of Brunswick came twice to the torture exhibition and looked over the real-life models, as well as large photos and illustrations showing more torture methods. The mayor then immediately went on air on a talk show at a local radio station to introduce the exhibition to the citizens of Brunswick. After his introduction, several city officials, including the city administrator, the city lawyer, the director of public relations and many police officers all came to visit the exhibition. They all felt very shocked. An Indian tribe leader from Arizona, while sitting on a bench, watched the torture exhibition for 5 hours. He told practitioners, on behalf of all native Americans, that under the sky, the sun, the moon, and stars, he witnessed the most vicious and evil persecution in the history of mankind."

During the truth-clarification activities in Manhattan, a great number of people expressed their indignation toward the persecution after learning the facts. After viewing the anti-torture exhibition, one gentleman signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution and said, "Using this kind of torture to prohibit people from practicing the exercises is really savage. That person (who persecutes Falun Gong) should be gotten rid of. He should be stopped from carrying out the persecution. Peace should be restored!" After learning about the persecution initiated single-handedly by Jiang, another person said, "The torture is too brutal. There is no humanity at all. It's really shameful! I wish governments, people and police could stage a movement of freedom to stop Jiang's regime from doing evil against the people. We can't allow this Nazi- like behavior to continue."

Spectators are shocked

Ms. Sun, a practitioner from Canada expressed that over the past five years, Falun Gong practitioners, out of their kindness, have peacefully and rationally explained to people what Falun Gong is and exposed Jiang regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong. They sincerely hope people will break away from Jiang's poisonous lies. Therefore, practitioners constantly come up with good ideas to effectively clarify the truth. Practitioners outside China initially distributed truth-clarifying materials and display posters on streets or in parks. Now, in recent months, they hold live torture-reenactments to expose the ruthless torture employed in China against Falun Gong practitioners. This has helped people to directly visualize the facts and expose the lies fabricated by Jiang's faction.

In China, practitioners have also been trying their best to help people break away from the lies. They distribute flyers, hang banners and clarify the facts face to face at great risk of being arrested, detained and beaten. They even risk their lives to tap into TV signals to broadcast truth-clarification video programs.

Why would an anti-torture exhibition touch so many people's hearts? Why would practitioners' truth-clarification in China scare the evil so much and help awaken so many people? It'ss because all of these exhibitions are due to practitioners' great efforts and the marvelous compassion and forbearance that they obtained through their cultivation.