News and Events from Around the World
Falun Gong Practitioners' Personal Experience
The People Awaken to the Truth
News and Events from Around the World
Midwest-US Experience Sharing Conference Is Held In Chicago
On May 24, 2004, the Midwest U.S. Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference was held in Rosemont Convention Center in Chicago. More than 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners from across U.S. and other countries attended.
At 1:50 pm, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, arrived in person to the conference site, and gave a lecture for over 40 minutes.
The conference was held in conjunction with practitioners from around the world converging in Chicago to expose Jiang and his followers' persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and to support the hearing in the 7th Circuit Court to be held on May 27 concerning the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin.
Members of the "Van Tour to Support the Lawsuit against Jiang" from New York, Los Angeles and Houston and the Bicycle Tour from Washington DC got on stage to introduce the cause of their trips and share their cultivation experiences during the trips.
Practitioners who had an opportunity to present their papers spoke of how they cultivated themselves, clarified the truth to people in different walks of life in the world, and called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
The conference received many proclamations, including Resolution No. 933 from the Illinois State House of Representatives, which proclaimed May 23-29, 2004 to be Falun Dafa Week. Minneapolis proclaimed May 2004 to be Falun Dafa Month. St. Paul proclaimed May 2004 to be Falun Dafa Month, and the state of Wisconsin proclaimed this week to be Falun Dafa Week. In addition, many state senators, councilors and other officials sent congratulatory letters.
The conference concluded at 6:00 pm. In the following few days, the practitioners will continue holding activities in downtown Chicago, including a grand parade and an exhibition entitled, "Persecution Meets Principle."
Falun Gong Practitioners Converge in Chicago to Expose the Persecution
On May 22, more than a thousand Falun Gong practitioners converged in Chicago and held a series of large-scale peaceful appeal activities in Chinatown and downtown Chicago. The activities included a parade of a thousand people in Chinatown and downtown Chicago, and an exhibition entitled "Persecution and Principle" held in Chicago's Federal Plaza. The exhibition used live models to illustrate the persecution against Falun Gong in China.
In three days' exhibition named "Persecution and Principle" that exposed the horrific and inconceivable torture against Falun Gong practitioners in China, the practitioners displayed examples of slave labor, forced abortion, injections of harmful psychotropic drugs, stuffing a person under a low bed, electric shock, burning, hanging up and beating practitioners, being forced to sit still on a tiny bench for long periods of time, being tied spread-eagled to a metal frame, bamboo spikes hammered into one's fingernails, force-feeding, handcuffing, confining in a metal cage, dragging on the ground and other forms of torture.
Lawyer Terri Marsh, who represents Falun Gong practitioners in the lawsuit against Jiang, said at the press conference, "On May 27, the 7th Circuit Court will hold an oral argument regarding the Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuit against former Chinese president Jiang Zemin on charges of torture, genocide and crimes against humanity. In this lawsuit, Jiang is accused of devising, implementing and directing a campaign that attempts to eliminate Falun Gong in China. Jiang's behavior has led to the murder and torture of tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners. "
The torture exhibition caught many passersby's attention. After viewing the exhibition, people were shocked, and they kept shaking their head and sighing with emotion. Some people shed tears. One person said, "If such atrocities were not stopped, such things could happen to any of us. They may happen in any place in the world. What can we do for these persecuted people? "
A child, after learning that Falun Gong practitioners who are being held in labor camps are forced to work overtime to make toys for export, put the toy in his hands into the cage that detained a practitioner. He said he no longer wanted the toy, because it was too brutal.
Northern Europe: The 'Chinese Voices on Human Rights in China' Symposium Held in the Danish Parliament Building
On May the 10th, a forum entitled 'Chinese Voices on Human Rights in China' was jointly held by the Danish branch of the International Pen Pal Association and the Danish Falun Gong Association in the Danish parliament building. The speakers were part of the North European Human Rights Speech Tour, including the Executive Director of the Association for Asian Research Erping Zhang, renowned Canadian attorney Mr. Clive Ansley, the Executive Director of the Laogai Research Foundation Mr. Harry Wu, Ms. Jane Dai and her four-year-old daughter, who lost their beloved family members in the brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China, and Mr. Jun Feng, a writer and member of Pen Pal International who is an exile in Denmark.
Following forums in Oslo, Norway, and Lund, Sweden, the forum in Denmark's Copenhagen was the third stop on the Chinese Human Rights Speech Tour in Northern Europe. Among the participants were Danish Parliament member Soeren Soendergaard, statesman Viggo Fischer, the chief editor of Politiken's Asian department, senior reporter and expert on Chinese issues, Flemming Ytzen, and the representatives or reporters from various human rights organisations and media including Christian News, Amnesty International Copenhagen, the World Organisation Against Torture, the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the Danish Political Science Association, etc.
With the above-mentioned speakers' long-term hard work and contribution to China's human rights issues, their names were not unfamiliar to people concerned with China's human rights. Their trip to Copenhagen this time attracted the tremendous attention of the Danish people as well as various leading media. Long before the forum was held, reports had been published by major Danish TV stations and newspapers.
Before the speech forum concluded, Mr. Anders Jerichow , the chairman of the forum and the Danish International Pen Pal Association, raised a most basic question which has puzzled western society most: Why the Chinese regime is so afraid of Falun Gong?
As a person who does not practise Falun Gong, Mr. Harry Wu's answer deserved to be pondered deeply: "The most fundamental reason is that Falun Gong's high spiritual standard and belief impact the root of Communism. Ruled by the Chinese Communist Party's totalitarian system in the past decades, China has lost its Chinese moral standard. At present, the entire society is full of corruption and degeneration. Now in China, if you don't lie, you cannot survive. I don't mean that all the Chinese are untrustworthy. What I would like to point out is that in terms of groups, among the Chinese I know are two trustworthy groups. They are Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetan Buddhists. Only those people still hold spiritual and religious purity and earnestness, but they are fundamentally in conflict with violence, lies and dictatorship advocated by the Chinese Communist Party."
Fifth Annual World Falun Dafa Day Celebrations Held in 50 Cities Worldwide
From San Antonio to Sydney, London to Tokyo, Falun Gong practitioners in approximately 50 cities around the world held activities celebrating twelve years since the practice was first made public in China by Mr. Li Hongzhi.
The celebrations included traditional dancing, singing and public demonstrations of the Falun Gong exercises.
Activities in most cities also carried a sobering message, as speeches and pictorial exhibitions revealed details of the violent persecution of Falun Gong on-going in China. In some cities, Falun Gong practitioners displayed live demonstrations of torture techniques used by police and forced-labor camp personnel throughout China as part of an illicit campaign to "transform" Falun Gong practitioners into renouncing their beliefs.
An exercise and meditation practice with roots in ancient Chinese culture, Falun Gong flourished in China during the mid-to-late 1990's, with Chinese government estimates putting the number of practitioners at 70-100 million people by the end of 1998.
In July 1999, however, then-Chinese leader Jiang Zemin launched a nation-wide campaign to "eradicate Falun Gong" out of fear that its widespread popularity was overshadowing his own legacy. China watchers believe Jiang also had other personal motives to attack the traditional Chinese practice.
In more than a dozen countries around the world, both civil and criminal lawsuits have been filed against Jiang and several other senior Chinese officials known to be the primary instigators of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The lawsuits charge Jiang and his supporters with torture, genocide and crimes against humanity.
Perhaps the most significant of the legal cases is a class-action lawsuit filed in Chicago in 2002, naming Jiang and the '6-10 Office' -- a Gestapo-like agency established by Jiang specifically to "eradicate Falun Gong" -- as defendants. Oral arguments for the class-action suit, which is now on appeal before the 7th Circuit Court, will be heard on May 27th in Chicago.
Falun Gong Practitioners Peacefully Appeal during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's Visit to Ireland
On the afternoon of May 11, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Ireland, the current Chair-nation of the European Union, on the last stop of his European visit. On the evening of the same day, Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal outside the Dublin Castle in which the Irish Premier and Chairman of European Parliament, Bertie Ahern, had a summit with Premier Wen. Falun Gong practitioners called on the Chinese authorities to "Bring Jiang Zemin and Bo Xilai to Justice" and stop Jiang and his followers from persecuting Falun Gong. Practitioners also called on the Chinese Premier to allow two Falun Gong practitioners, Liu Feng and Yang Fang, to return to Ireland to continue their study.
Falun Gong practitioners also distributed one-page newsletters to people who came to the Castle for Premier Wen's reception banquet. The newsletter was specially designed for this appeal and clarified the fact that the persecution does not reflect the will of either the Chinese people, but is being orchestrated by former Chinese president Jiang Zemin and his group of followers.
On the afternoon of May 11, just before Premier Wen arrived in Ireland, three members of the Irish Falun Dafa Association were invited to testify at a Falun Gong hearing hosted by the Human Rights Committee of the Irish Parliament. After the practitioners' testimony, members of Parliament (MP) sponsored an urgent motion to request Irish Premier Bertie Ahern to bring up the cases of Liu Feng and Yang Fang during his meeting with Mr. Wen on the evening of the same day.
In the past several years, organizations such as Amnesty International Ireland, Pan-Irish Student Union and Student Unions of several Dublin Major Universities have been working very hard to rescue Liu Feng and Yang Fang. A number of MPs have brought up the case of these two students several times to Irish Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs. When former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji visited Ireland in 2001, Irish Premier Bertie Ahern requested his counterpart to release Irish Trinity College student Zhao Ming, who was being illegally detained in a labor camp at that time. In the beginning of 2002, Mr. Brian Cowen, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, brought up Zhao Ming's case to Chinese government officials again when he visited China. In March of 2002, Zhao Ming was released and returned to Ireland. People from all circles hope that the new Chinese Premier's visit will help secure the release of Liu Feng and Yang Fang as well.
USA: The Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio Issues Proclamation Recognizing the Bike Riders
On May 14, 2004, twelve young American Falun Gong practitioners embarked from the nation's capital to launch The Pedals of Peace bike ride. The ride, was designed to bring public awareness to the plight of the numerous children and teens in China who practice Falun Gong and are being persecuted because of their spiritual beliefs. A press conference was held in Cleveland, Ohio on May 18th, which was one of their planned stops along the way.
In support of these young people riding 700 miles to urge the end of the persecution against children in China who practice Falun Gong, the mayor of Cleveland sent a proclamation to recognize the riders' selflessness. A number of local newspapers and TV stations attended the May 18th press conference held at noon.
The riders told reporters that, many children are suffering in China because of the persecution against Falun Gong. Some children have no parent or guardian to take care of them because their parents were killed or sent to forced slave labor camps for practicing Falun Gong. Some young people have been arrested, beaten or even dismissed from school.
A young Falun Gong practitioner named, Fadu, inspired the Pedals of Peace ride after losing her father who was killed by Chinese authorities for his belief. In 1999, the Chinese government violated their own constitution and outlawed the practice and began a campaign of persecution that continues to this day. Now 3-year-old, Fadu travels the world with her mother telling people about their loss in hopes to bring the perpetrators to justice and to bring awareness to the plight of numerous others whose family members are being persecuted for their belief in Falun Gong.
It was reported that the Pedals of Peace riders would arrive in Chicago on May 21st.
US Senator Tom Daschle Urges the State Department to Examine All Disappearances of Falun Gong Practitioners in China
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
April 12, 2004
Thank you for contacting me regarding your cousin's disappearance. It is good to hear from you, even though it is with regard to such a troubling issue.
After receiving your letter, I shared your concerns with the State Department and urged them to examine all disappearances of Falun Gong members in China. As you know the State Department has been closely monitoring the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners, and they have assured me that they are in constant contact with officials at Chinese Embassy in Washington and officials in Beijing. The State Department persists in raising this issue with Chinese government officials at the highest levels, and they continue to ask the Chinese to respect the rights of all their citizens.
Subsequently, I called the Chinese Embassy in Washington to underscore my concerns about the disappearance of your cousin, the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and my general concern regarding the status of human rights in China. I also requested that the embassy update me on any development in your cousin's case.
Human rights remain a high priority for me, and I will continue to both encourage the Chinese government to ensure the protection of Falun Gong practitioners from acts of terror or political violence and to urge our own government to closely monitor the situations there. In the mean time, I hope you will continue to share new information about human rights in China with me so that I pass it along to State Department authorities to ensure that we are following this important situation as closely as we can.
Thank you for sharing your concerns with me during this difficult time. If you have any further concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Tom Daschle
United States Senate
Illinois, USA: House of Representatives Announce May 23 - May 29, 2004 to be Falun Dafa Week
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Falun Dafa practitioners observe the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in their daily lives, striving to become better people in all environments and situations; and
WHEREAS, Falun Dafa has its roots in ancient Chinese practices of mind and body that promote the cultivation of body, mind, and spirit, inspiring millions of people through gentle exercise and efforts to develop their moral standards; and
WHEREAS, The practice of Falun Dafa should be allowed in all countries, and those countries that persecute against its practice are denying their people their basic human rights; and
WHEREAS, Practitioners are joyously celebrating the anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the public on May 13, 1992; and
WHEREAS, On May 23, 2004, a regional conference will be held in Chicago for Practitioners from around the world; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the week of May 23-May 29, 2004 is designated as Falun Dafa Week; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Falun Dafa Practitioner, Hao Feng, as a token of our respect.
Slovakia : Mayors of Villages in Slovakia Call for an End to the Persecution of Falun Gong in China
Falun Dafa practitioners in Slovakia sent petition letters to Mayors of villages in the country asking for their support in calling for an end to the persecution of innocent people who practise Falun Gong in China. Mayors of four villages in Slovakia responded to the letter and signed the petition demanding an immediate end to the persecution and severe torture of practitioners of Falun Gong in China.
Text of the petition:
A Petition for the Support of the Human Rights of Falun Gong Practitioners in China
* Whereas, Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a traditional cultivation practice, which, apart from the exercises, teaches the universal principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance;
* Falun Gong is widely recognised in forty countries as a practise, which leads to higher moral standards and therefore helps to improve society as a whole;
* Falun Gong is impressive by the harmony of the exercises, meditation and study, by which it supports a good spiritual way of life, cultivates the mind, body and spirit;
* Falun Gong helps to preserve the traditional values of humanity, such as sincerity, persistence and unselfishness;
* Practitioners of Falun Gong in China are exposed to suffering in labour camps, prisons and re-education centres. The number of known deaths from torture has reached 955. Tens of thousands are being tortured during their detention in labour camps, prisons and especially women who are subjected to numerous forms of sexual violence, including sexual abuse and forced abortions.
We, the undersigned, demand an immediate stop to the persecution and the severe torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
China: Business Group Cooperates with Forced Labor Camp to Exploit the Slave Labor for Making Product Sold in America
The Changle Forced Labor Camp in Weifang City, Shandong Province, made several efforts to get a contract with the Linqu County Hongye Group. The Hongye Group is a Chinese-American joint venture that produces hand-woven rugs and exports them to America.
The labor camp authorities force Falun Gong practitioners to weave rugs in a heavily polluted environment. The practitioners have to work more than twelve hours a day, and they barely have time to take a bath or wash their clothes. Except for a three-day break during the Chinese New Year, they are not allowed to have any other holidays or even time off on the weekends.
In addition to the intensive labor, Falun Gong practitioners' meals are prepared using the cheapest and lowest quality ingredients, and the food is difficult to eat. Therefore, a lot of practitioners are forced to barely survive on supplemental food sent by their families. The intense work and terrible food dramatically damages practitioners' health, and they have become weak and emaciated. On top of that, they often suffer brutal torture from the police.
The address of Shandong Province Hongye Rug Group:
Hongye Rug Group, Wolong Township Hebei , Linqu County, Shandong Province, zip code 262612
China: PLA Officer from Fuzhou Military District Reveals Jiang's Secret Instructions for Executing Falun Gong Practitioners in the Military
One of my relatives, an officer from the Fuzhou Military District in Fujian Province, came home for a visit. Two days after arriving, he received a telegram from the military unit ordering him back to the Fuzhou Military District at once.
He thought it was a military emergency. After returning, however, he attended a meeting in which Jiang Zemin's secret instructions on persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in the military were conveyed: "Military personnel are strictly forbidden from practicing Falun Gong, and anyone caught disobeying this order can be executed by firearms. It is not required that the execution be reported to higher levels."
Later when a friend of mine heard this, he could not believe it, exclaiming, "Without any military discipline or law, how can they just execute people like that!"
My relative then replied, "This is very real. Our division began preparing for the emergency in July 1999, and we were ready to go to Beijing and arrest Falun Gong practitioners at any time. During that period, people who were on vacation or working elsewhere had to return right away. A division commander from the Fuzhou Military District even left the military, returning to his hometown this year because he practiced Falun Gong. He would rather give up his position of division commander than abandon his practice."
China: Ms. Yu Fenghua from Fengcheng City, Liaoning Province Tortured to Death
Ms. Yu Fenghua was was a music teacher at the Mohan Elementary School of Fengcheng City. She was 57 years old and practiced Falun Gong.
One night around 7:00 p.m. in October 2000, several policemen from Dengtiemeilu Police Station suddenly broke into Yu Fenghua's home. They ransacked her home and attempted to arrest her. She was on her way home from work and learned the news from somebody that the police were after her, so she decided to go to Dalian City to avoid the persecution that would face her at home.
One night in January 2001, Yu Fenghua was hanging a banner reading "Falun Dafa is Good" in the downtown area of Dalian. She was abducted by police who had been following her. While in detention, she refused to give up her belief in Falun Gong and firmly resisted the persecution. She also went on a hunger strike to protest. Soon she was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Several months later she was transferred to Dabei Prison in Shenyang City.
On May 5, 2004, Dabei Prison informed her family to pick her up. She was on the verge of death. When her family arrived, she was carried in on a stretcher. After returning home, she passed away at around 6:00 p.m. on the night of May 10.
The details of Yu Fenghua's death are to be investigated.
China: Beijing Policemen's Brutality: Stripping Female Practitioners Naked and Burning Their Private Parts with Cigarettes
By a Falun Gong practitoner from Henan Province, China
I am a female Dafa practitioner from Henan Province. I went to Tiananmen Square at the end of the year 2000 to validate Dafa, and I still can't forget what I witnessed and heard there at that time. I would now like to expose it and use these facts to describe how Jiang's evil political gang of scoundrels and the policemen that Jiang's political group manipulates, use brutal and vicious means to persecute Dafa practitioners.
On December 29, 2000 I went to Beijing with two other Dafa practitioners to appeal on behalf of Falun Dafa. Right after we entered Tiananmen Square, several policemen in plainclothes started questioning us, "Do you have your ID with you?" I said, "No, we camr here to visit." "Get into the car if you don't have your ID!" they shouted, and at the same time they attempted to forcibly drag us into a police car. We refused to cooperate with them and resisted going to the car, so they beat our heads with police batons. As a result, I felt very dizzy and my mouth had blisters from the beating. Eventually they dragged us into the police car. In the car, we took out the Falun emblem banner that we had made and displayed it to the people on the square through the window. The policemen grabbed the Falun emblem. Because there were many Dafa disciples going to Beijing to validate Dafa, including people from Sichuan, Shandong, the Northeast, etc., after a while the police station was full of Dafa disciples. We were sent to the Tiananmen Detention Center. Policemen asked our names and addresses one by one. Those who refused to tell their name and address were sent to the back of the detention center and then dispatched to different detention centers in Beijing.
I was transported with other Dafa practitioners to the Chaoyang District Detention Center in Beijing. On our way, I took out a banner from my sleeve which read "Falun Dafa is Good," and displayed it in the window along with another practitioner. Policemen pulled us back a few times, and then the banner was taken away. What could we do without a banner? Another practitioner told me, "You sit beside the window and shout Falun Dafa is good whenever you see someone outside and then all of us will shout together with you!" Then we started to shout, "Falun Dafa is good!" "Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance) is good!" "Falun Dafa is a righteous Fa!" "Restore our Teacher's reputation!" We kept shouting until we came to the door of the Chaoyang District Detention Center.
When we arrived at the Chaoyang District Detention Center, the policemen asked us to squat down. One practitioner moved a little bit slowly and she was kicked in her lower back by the guard, causing her to almost fall down. We then received physical examinations. All the healthy people were taken to the backyard to have their pictures taken by force. Finally, the policemen ordered the regular criminals made up of drug addicts and prostitutes to take us to a big room where we were stripped naked. All of our money, personal belongings, and Dafa articles were confiscated. In the process, some practitioners were beaten and kicked, and I was slapped twice across the face. After are belongings were confiscated, we were sent to various cells completely naked.
In the evening, the police started interrogating us, and they also questioned me. At that time, my righteous thoughts were quite strong, and I firmly refused to cooperate with the evil. After finishing the interrogation, I was sent back to the cell.
One practitioner who was interrogated during the daytime on the second day was a girl about 20 years old, but because practitioners didn't divulge their names, addresses or ages, we didn't know where this girl was from. This practitioner's clothes were neat, and she looked calm and beautiful before the interrogation. But after she came back from interrogation, her clothes were messed up and her hair was disheveled. She seemed to have changed into another person, and she was seriously hurt physically and mentally. I asked another practitioner what had happened to the girl, and she said, "The police took off all of her clothes and forced her to sit in the snow for 2-3 hours. The most evil thing was that the policemen ordered drug-addicts and prostitutes to burn her private parts with lit cigarettes..." This practitioner was overcome with grief and could not continue to describe the torture that happened to the young girl.
How can it be wrong for a simple and pure girl to live by the principle of "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance" and try to be a good person? And the so-called "people's police" order criminals to torture her using such obscene means. After I heard this, my brain was totally blank, tears kept falling, and this incident became an unforgettable memory for me. This is genuine evidence Jiang's declaration of, "The period of the best human rights situation" hypocrisy that "Jiang's gang of scoundrels" attempts to promote to the world.
Several practitioners and I went on a hunger strike for three days to protest the mistreatment and were sent to a very big room where the door was open to the outside. The room was extremely cold, and there were six wooden crosses lying there. The policemen ordered female criminals to remove our coats and pull up our sleeves. Then the policemen, together with the drug-addicts and prostitutes, used adhesive tape to firmly fix our arms onto the "crosses" one by one. They then used ropes to tightly tie our legs onto the bottoms of the "crosses," and then force-fed us using rubber tubes. One evil policeman also stomped on my hands. We were tortured from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and my two hands still have bruises from that abuse. Another female practitioner's trousers were taken off and she was freezing cold and shaking. One policeman nonetheless walked around her and said obscene words. Still another female practitioner refused to cooperate with them, and they beat her with police batons 40 times on her buttocks. Her buttocks became black and blue and she could not lie down or sit. She asked for help, but the policemen completely ignored her. The food that they gave to Dafa practitioners was yellow steamed bread and vegetable soup that the drug-addicts and prostitutes refused to eat. These are facts of the persecution that took place in Mainland China, and the events exposed here represent only a small percentage of the actual events occurring in China today.
Illegally Detention at Hong Kong Airport, Officials Call it "Routine Inspection"
By Taiwan Taoyuan Falun Gong Practitioner Wang Shuhui
On the night of April 29, 2004, I went to Hong Kong via China Airlines to attend a Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference legally permitted by the Hong Kong government. I was issued an entry permit by the Hong Kong government a week prior to my trip. However, when I entered customs, I was immediately escorted by the airport police to a small room and searched. I asked them in surprise, "Will it always be like this to enter Hong Kong in the future?" They replied, "This is just a routine inspection." They immediately confiscated my cell phone so I could not contact anyone. They constantly ignored my repeated requests to make a call. So I questioned them, "Would it violate Hong Kong's law if I made a call on my cell phone?" They did not answer my question but replied, "I will keep it for you for the time being." Then they repeatedly asked for my return ticket, which I refused to give them.
Later several people took turns, one after another, to look through my luggage. Even my small bag was searched five times. When I asked why they searched my bag so many times, they answered, "We work for different departments." Instead I asked again, "Which Hong Kong law have I breached for you to treat me like this?" They answered, "Sorry, we are just conducting a routine inspection." I said, "Is it because Falun Gong practitioners are not allowed to enter Hong Kong?" They reluctantly answered, "No."
After more than two hours of repeated inspections which proved unproductive, the authorities still claimed they were detaining me for alleged "security reasons" which they used as a thin excuse to deport me back to Taiwan. Then they took me to the boarding entrance, and rudely asked me to sign a piece of paper. I noticed that my signature had been forged on the document against my will, so I told them very clearly, "You forged this document. You've violated the law because this paper clearly states the rights I have during the illegal detention, including making a phone call. However you did not let me make the phone call, and also wanted me to sign this form acknowledging that I was aware of these rights." At that time the police knew they were not being reasonable and anxiously snatched the paper from my hand with the intention to tear it up and destroy the evidence, but I was able to stop them.
This whole ordeal lasted for several hours. I feel distressed by the Hong Kong authorities irrational manner. I am just a young girl, but still the Hong Kong government sent nearly 20 police personnel to conduct an unreasonable and illegal search. Even after they could not find any illegal item, I was forced to return back to Taiwan at my own expense. They explained their behavior of violating human rights by fabricating an excuse of their actions being for "security reasons." They targeted me and treated me in the manner they did only because I am a Falun Gong practitioner who lives according to the principle "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance".
Who should bear the responsibility when those in power enforce orders that violate the law and force people to ignore their conscience, such as the police officers who carried out their so-called orders from higher authorities? Would it be the higher authorities or the law enforcement personnel?
South China Morning Post: Family Calls For Release of Falun Gong Woman On Mainland
May 17, 2004
Families and friends yesterday petitioned for the release of a woman jailed
for three years on the mainland for distributing Falun Gong material in Shenzhen.
Speaking in Hong Kong yesterday, Fung Chi-man, 46, said he was desperate to have
at least a brief meeting with his wife, Fu Xueying, 28.
He has not seen or heard from her since her arrest more than six months ago.
"I was only told on May 10 that my wife was sentenced to three years in
prison," said Mr Fung, a businessman.
He said that since her arrest he had been calling a judge responsible for the
case every week and every time had been told to call again later.
Mr Fung often travels to the mainland, while his wife runs a chauffeur business
in Shenzhen.
The couple married in 1998. Fu obtained a one-way permit to live in Hong Kong
last July. She was arrested in October while distributing material about the
Falun Gong in Shenzhen.
A Security Bureau spokesman said last night they were keeping in close contact
with the family and they would follow up the case.
Mr Fung and about two dozen Falun Gong followers walked from Kwun Tong to
Kowloon City in a protest yesterday afternoon.
The group demanded the release of Fung and another Falun Gong [practitioner],
Lin Junhui, a mainlander arrested in November. She was sentenced by a Shenzhen
court to an unspecified jail term for returning with Falun Gong material after
visiting relatives in Hong Kong.
Australia: Falun Dafa Practitioners Take Legal Action Against a Sydney Chinese Newspaper for Defamation
New South Wales Falun Dafa Association has recently taken legal action against a local Chinese Newspaper (Chinese Daily), which is known as 2 ac for defamation, according reports from Epoch Times, ABC Online (Australia) and AAP. On December 18, 2003, the Chinese Daily published an article based on information provided by a Sydney Chinese consulate, who took the opportunity to attack Falun Dafa by repeating lies of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin's regime.
The spokesman of NSW Falun Dafa Association Mr. John Della told media that the article caused harm to Falun Gong practitioners and severe damage to the reputation of Falun Dafa.
"They [Chinese Falun Dafa practitioners] come to Australia, expecting and hoping for a free democracy where they can live in peace and without that sort of terror...and they read such an article and...it brings up all those memories and experiences," Mr. Della said in an interview with ABC Online, Australia.
It is reported that Falun Dafa is a registered organization in Australia and is protected by Australian laws. According to a report by www.xinguangming.org, before seeking for legal solution, Falun Gong practitioners offered the Newspaper an opportunity to publish an open apology to offset the damage it has made. However, the Newspaper declined the offer.
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is an ancient Chinese practice of mind and body based on the universal principle "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." It is estimated that Falun Dafa has more than 100 million practitioners in more than 60 countries and regions. Falun Dafa's positive benefit on stabilizing society and improving both physical and spiritual health has been widely recognized. However, Falun Dafa has been persecuted in China since 1999 reportedly for its staggering popularity and the jealousy of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin who is still the actual No.1 person in the Chinese authority.
Media Reports Bo Xilai in Trouble for His Poor Human Rights Record
While Bo Xilai was governor of Liaoning Province, it was one of the worst provinces in persecution of Falun Gong. Until December 1, 2003, deaths of 90 Falun Gong practitioners were documented. Bo Xilai's poor human rights record has brought him many "troubles."
Asia Times reported on May 13, "During Bo Xilai visiting the US along with Chinese trade delegation, he was sued by human rights organizations charging him with directing the persecution against Falun Gong when he was mayor of Dalian City and government of Liaoning Province."
The report stated, "Bo Xilai was transferred from the post of Liaoning governor and took the post of Minister of Chinese Commerce. This time when he followed Chinese vice Premier Wu Yi to visit USA, he ran into trouble. Chinese vice Premier Wu Yi visited the USA as Chairman of the 15th China-America Trade Association. The delegation arrived at Washington DC on April 20. The entourage included Bo Xilai and the director of the Bank of China. The trip was the first time Bo Xilai visited overseas as minister of Commerce. He was served with lawsuit papers on April 22 while entering a hotel to attend a dinner hosted by Wu Yi. He was charged with conducting the persecution against Falun Gong when he was mayor of Dalian City and governor of Liaoning Province."
The report also stated, "As early as March 9 and 10, two non-government organizations in the USA filed a detailed document and a list of 102 people with the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security which requested the US government to take action and prohibit those Chinese officials, listed for their direct participation in the persecution of Falun Gong, their spouses and children from entering the US. The new minister of Chinese Commerce Bo Xilai was on the list."
Actually, looking closer at Bo Xilai, one can easily find that the new minister has been in trouble in recent years. The report stated, "Reporter Jiang Weiping who reported on Bo Xilai's corruption case was sentenced to jail under government charges of 'illegally providing state secrets abroad', 'subverting state power' and 'illegally obtaining state secrets'. Thus, Bo was condemned by international human right organizations."
It was reported that before visiting the US, Bo Xilai planned to visit Germany. But German human rights organizations protested his visit and requested German government to refuse his entry. His visit was postponed as a result.
Falun Gong practitioners' protest only targets those persecutors. The report stated, "It is worth noting that in the affair, Falun Gong practitioners did not target other officials in the Chinese delegation. Only Bo Xilai in the delegation was sued in a US court. A similar situation did not occur during an overseas visit by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. During last December, Wen Jiabao visited USA, Falun Gong publicly stated that they would not protest Wen Jiabao."
Currently, the outside view is, "Bo Xilai is just appointed as Minister of Commerce and will have more chances to visit other countries. If he meets similar situations during each visit, it would not be good for him to continue to carry out his duty or for China's image." It is not known if the incident will affect his political career. But some one predicted that Bo Xilai would follow the trail of former Speaker of Chinese People's Congress, Li Peng, and his foreign affair activities would be affected by foreign non-government organizations to some extent.
AsiaNews.it, Italy: A Bicycle Ride to Save Chinese Children of the Falun Gong
May 5, 2004
Rome (AsiaNews) - A group of teenagers living in the United States organized an original initiative to denounce the persecution of child [practitioners] of the Falun Gong, as perpetrated by the Chinese government in Beijing.
From 13 to 21 May, these teenagers, who called themselves "Pedals of Peace," will embark on a bicycle ride from Washington DC to Chicago, where they will tell people about the terrible persecutions of Chinese children and teenagers, whose families belong to a [group] prohibited by [the] Chinese government.
The 700 miles' journey is called the "Save the Kids Ride" and has the support of various schools in the country, non-profit organizations and many non-governmental organizations.
"Petals of Peace," which inspired the name of the little riders, attempts to inform others of the sufferings of the Chinese children. The organization hands out paper lotus flowers, as a peaceful sign of its efforts to help save them.
"Petals of Peace" was founded because many people were moved by the tragic story of Fadu, a 3-year-old child whose father was tortured to death for belonging to Falun Gong.
Karen Chen, a 10 year-old Chinese child who lives in the United States, tells the tragic story of her family, who also [practices] Falun Gong: "When I was in China five years ago, there were TV programs saying bad words about Falun Dafa [the other name of Falun Gong] all the time. I have experienced the persecution of children, too. My grandmother is also a Falun Dafa practitioner like me and she was arrested in her home last year. The police took my granny and put her under arrest for two months not letting anyone see her. They even took away her passport and told her she was not allowed to come see her relatives in the United States.
According to Petals of Peace, more than 14 million Chinese children - especially those who either practice or are the sons and daughters of Falun Gong [practitioners] are being left orphaned. This is so since their parents are taken away to labor camps, where they are jailed, tortured, persecuted or even murdered.
U.S. Newswire: Washington-Area Youth Bike to Chicago; 'Pedals of Peace' Urges End to Persecution of Children in China
5/12/2004
A group of 16-19 year olds will leave the nation's capital May 13th to embark upon a 700-mile bicycle ride to Chicago, IL. Calling themselves "Pedals of Peace," they are riding to save the lives of children and teens in China who are being persecuted because of their spiritual beliefs.
The Pedals of Peace were inspired by a young Falun Gong practitioner, Fadu, whose father was killed for his beliefs. In 1999, the Chinese government outlawed the practice and began a campaign of persecution that continues to this day. Now three years old, Fadu travels the world with her mother telling people about their loss.
"We don't know the exact number of children suffering from the persecution, but we do know it has affected kids from eight months-to-17 years old, some of whom died in police custody. Others have had their families torn apart," says Keith Ware, an adult organizer of the bike ride.
Ten-year-old Herndon, VA resident and Falun Gong practitioner Karen Chen won't be riding to Chicago, but she urges her local officials to support the bike ride. She tells them about her grandmother who was deprived of all her rights in China. "I miss my grandma and want to see her. I hope that the persecution will end so then all the other mothers, fathers, relatives, and children can be safe."
The Save the Kids Ride will travel north, then west from Washington, DC through Cumberland, MD, Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus OH, and Indianapolis, IN, arriving in Chicago on May 21. They will be greeted by supporters who have tracked their journey on the Web site http://www.pedalsofpeace.org. Several adults, including experienced bikers, will join the teens in their continuous, relay-style ride. Other activities include an international postcard campaign and an art project.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is practiced freely in over 50 countries worldwide. The Falun Dafa Information Center, which tracks the persecution in China, has verified more than 850 (1) deaths there, but they say the number could be much higher.
(1) Currently, the verified death toll stands at 955.
Falun Gong Practitioners' Personal Experience
Falun Gong Cured My Wife's Cancer and Restored Happiness in Our Lives
Written by a practitioner from China
My wife and I are both Falun Gong practitioners, and we have been practicing for five and a half years. Since Jiang banned Falun Gong in 1999, we have thought to write down our experiences and insights gained while practicing. We'd like to let more kind people get to know the truth and also benefit from Falun Gong.
I had been fascinated with Qigong for many years. I used to practice many forms of Qigong but I did not grasp the essentials. Also, I didn't know that, to truly practice Qigong, one needs to improve one's moral character.
In the past, when I practiced those other Qigongs, my wife was strongly against it. She did not believe that Qigong could treat illnesses, yet she herself had many diseases. She often suffered from headaches and stomachaches, which were, of course minor ailments. However, the disease that worried me the most was the breast tumor, which she had for over ten years. When it became serious, she took some folk medicines and got through it. Yet after her mom died, her tumor became more serious. The hospital formally diagnosed her as having breast cancer and she had to have surgery immediately. Nobody knew what would happen after the surgery, and it was going to cost a lot of money. We did not have enough money at the time, and so both of us were very depressed. I talked to her and suggested that she practice Qigong. She said, "You don't have money to treat my illness and so are trying to take care of me with such a meager method." She refused to go. There were people everywhere on the street, practicing all kinds of Qigongs at that time and we did not know which one we should choose.
I went to a Falun Gong practice site. Every practitioner was so kind to me, and someone loaned me the book. When I read Zhuan Falun, I felt that every single sentence was so true. I continued to read the book at home for a couple of days, feeling that my heart had been opened. I understood many principles and then knew how to walk the road of my life. However, I was still a little bit doubtful. I learned the movements and then, when I got home, I taught my wife to practice. When she started to read the book, she believed some and doubted some, but she followed the instructions in order to cure her disease: she did the exercises and read the book. Miracles happened day by day, and within two weeks she totally recovered. The breast cancer and other ailments were gone. There are no words we could use to describe how we felt then.
Kindhearted people: please distinguish the kind from the wicked, and right from wrong. Millions upon millions of people will tell you, based on their own experiences, that Falun Gong is good!
Hepatitis B Disappears After I Started Practicing Falun Gong
I am a forty-two-year old Falun Gong practitioner in Weifang City, Shandong Province. Falun Dafa has saved my life and my family's happiness. I cannot find the words to express my deep gratitude to Teacher or describe the miracles I experienced from the practice. I can only repay them with determination in continuing my cultivation.
I had Hepatitis B for nine years before I began to practice Falun Gong. During that period of time, my whole life was about taking medicine, having injections, visiting hospitals and taking care of my health. My family spent all our savings and money borrowed from relatives and neighbors to cure the disease. However, my illness did not improve, but instead got worse and worse. I could endure the pain associated with the disease, but not the pressures and pain it brought to my family. My illness was contagious, so people avoided me. Because of my illness, my daughter was lonely and had no friends to play with in school. I looked at my family's pain and lost hope. I wanted to die.
I was lucky to learn Falun Gong early in the summer of 1997. I read the book Zhuan Falun and began to follow the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" to become a better person. I found that my pain associated with the disease was gone after a month. All the symptoms of hepatitis disappeared.
I used to scold my parents-in-law often. After studying the principles of Falun Gong, I understood how to treat them with respect. My parents-in-law told everyone, "My daughter-in-law is healthy now. She is nicer too. Falun Gong makes her a better person. Falun Gong is amazing!" Because of Falun Gong, I am healthy, and my family is happy.
In addition, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Before practicing Falun Gong, I never imagined that I could have another child.
The People Awaken to the Truth
Local Villager Suggests Best Places to Post Truth-clarifying Flyers
The night before the 2004 Chinese New Year's Eve, two fellow practitioners and I went to villages in Yishui Township, Yishui County in Shandong Province to distribute Falun Dafa truth-clarifying flyers. It was very cold and windy for several days before we left, but that night the wind stopped. It was a clear night with a bright moon, and not very cold either. We posted flyers in three villages over one night successfully.
It was around midnight when we arrived at the second village. When we were posting the flyers there, an elderly villager appeared in front of us and he asked curiously, "What are you doing?" We told him, "We are Falun Gong practitioners, we are posting our truth-clarifying flyers." The villager asked us for some materials. Unfortunately we did not have any with us other than the homemade flyers. When we told him this, he said, "Can I have a flyer, then?"
When we told him about Falun Gong, he said, "I know Falun Gong teaches people to be good and do good deeds, it also improves their health. There were some practitioners in this village also, but Jiang's men arrested them for practicing, and fined them heavily. Jiang is claiming good to be bad, and white to be black. Don't be afraid, keep on practicing and posting. I have also seen a lot of truth-clarifying posters when I visited other areas, and that was great. The righteous is righteous no matter what."
The villager followed us through the village and showed us the locations where villagers often gather so that more people could see our flyers. When we finished, he said, "It is amazing that you came so far for us in such cold weather." He invited us to his home for some hot drinks. We thanked him but did not accept the invitation, because it was very late and we did not want to interrupt his family's sleep. The elderly villager walked with us all the way out of the village and told us, "I will watch those flyers for you. Nobody will dare take them down."