The Epoch Times

Jul 14, 2004

The official response by the Chinese Embassy in South Africa to the shooting of Falun Gong practitioner David Liang reveals much, both in what it says, and what it doesn't say. The Embassy response fails to do the obvious and decent thing: it never condemns an apparently unmotivated shooting of someone of Chinese descent. Instead, the statement officially denies responsibility for the crime; and it blames others.

Why would Chinese governmental officials miss the chance to show their goodwill to an innocent shooting victim? David Liang, born and bred in China, was shot in the feet. His injuries are so severe that he will no longer be able to work as a cab driver, his occupation before the attempted murder. If the Chinese government were not responsible for the crime, wouldn't they extend sympathy to the victim? Wouldn't they help investigate the matter in order to clear their name? The lack of China's magnanimity in this case is astounding and tarnishes China's reputation.

What the embassy does do is blame others. Instead of extending sympathy to Mr. Liang, the statement blames Falun Dafa practitioners for defaming the Chinese government by their accusations that Chinese officials were implicated. In the Embassy's version, the Falun Gong practitioners are part of a well-known "conspiracy" and are the "tool" of the "anti-China forces" in the west.

This paranoid rhetoric is standard fare in the People's Daily. Do Embassy officials really believe that those who have access to something other than P.R.C. propaganda will believe that the shooting of David Liang is part of an anti-China plot? But one sees in this small example part of the larger story. In the P.R.C. today, government propagandists have often turned to blaming Falun Gong.

In addition, the Embassy statement blames the South African press for irresponsible reporting. The Chinese media are state-controlled. Are Chinese officials in a position to chide western reporters who are more knowledgeable about the process of truthful reporting? The free press is not in the habit of waiting until the whole story is known before going to press. Nor do they fabricate their stories based on dictates handed down from higher officials. The free press operates piecemeal. Reporters write about all that is known at the moment, despite gaps in information. They continue to report on the story as more information emerges. In this kind of process, can the South African media be blamed for trying to get at the truth?

The press and other media were simply reporting the fact that the only reason for the victim's visit to South Africa was to issue a lawsuit to Chinese officials. This fact necessarily makes the Chinese officials likely suspects. Moreover, no other motives for the shooting have been uncovered. David Liang and his passengers were not robbed, nor did the attempted murder happen in an area noted for criminal activity. The only individuals known to benefit from the shooting are Bo Xiliai, the Minister of Commerce, and Zeng Qinghong, the Vice-President of China. It is easy to make the case that the Chinese officials were trying to prevent the lawsuit, which charges them with the crimes of genocide and torture, from being served.

In denying responsibility for the crime, the Embassy statement claims that Chinese officials "had no direct contact with Falun Gong people." No one would imagine that a high-ranking official would actually pull the trigger. Surely they would hire locals to do their bidding.

Furthermore, the Embassy argues that "saying that the Chinese government participated and plotted in this shooting is groundless." Why is such participation and plotting in this crime groundless when it follows a pattern of the harassment and attempted intimidation of Falun Gong practitioners around the world?

The Chinese officials have consistently hired others to do their dirty work against Falun Gong practitioners overseas. Usually, the work is done through Chinese associations. In a case in Chicago in which practitioner Bill Fang was beaten outside the Chinese consulate, two of the assailants were officers of the Fujian Township Association, an organization known to have very close ties to the Chinese Consulate. In New York, during a Falun Dafa parade, some Chinese men approached Falun Dafa practitioners with broomsticks in their hands, saying, "They (the Association) paid me $20 to beat you. You pay me $40 to leave you alone." Thugs were hired by the associations, and the associations were following consulate directives.

What does the tactic of blaming others accomplish? The Embassy statement tries to shift attention to others. However, David Liang was not shot by "anti-China" forces, and the South African press are simply doing their job. I do agree with one Embassy statement: the truth will emerge.

http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-7-14/22400.html