(Clearwisdom.net) In April 2004, the Singapore police notified seven Falun Gong practitioners whose ID numbers were recorded one year ago to report to the central police bureau. Among them, five of the practitioners received serious warnings. The other two practitioners were charged with eight transgressions including gathering without a permit and ownership and distribution of non-licensed VCDs. The incident happened as follows:
One afternoon in February 2003, several Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore did the Falun Gong exercises and clarified the truth near Merlion and two or three plainclothes police officers approached them. Merlion is a place where many Chinese tourists visit. In the past five years, Falun Gong practitioners have always performed the exercises and clarified the truth there. When one officer flipped through the truth clarification materials that were placed on the ground by the practitioners, a practitioner warmly clarified the truth to him. The officer revealed his identity and ordered the practitioners to pack up all materials within five minutes and asked him to notify other practitioners to leave. The first practitioner tried to convince the officer to let them stay.
The practitioner and the officer talked for a long time. Another practitioner named Cheng Lujin who was distributing materials walked over. The police officer again ordered Cheng Lujin to pack up all materials in five minutes and asked him to notify other practitioners to leave. Another practitioner, Huang Caihua, who was distributing the truth materials, joined in and the officer repeated his order once more. Huang Caihua began to take down the banner on a wall. About forty minutes had transpired by this time. The head police officer among the plainclothes officers was very angry. He suddenly pulled the sheet from under the materials away and ordered all practitioners on the spot to show their identification cards. He said, "You are doing the exercises without a permit, which is illegal. I'll see you all in court."
The next day, some practitioners were called to the central police bureau and were questioned about Huang Caihua and Cheng Lujin, because these two practitioners had sent truth clarification letters and VCDs to many police officers in Singapore before the incident. The police asked whether the Falun Dafa Association was aware of their actions, and where they obtained the VCDs. Obviously, the questions were targeted at Huang Caihua and Cheng Lujin who were active in truth clarification.
After this incident, the practitioners made no further efforts to communicate with the police bureau regarding this issue. Until April 2004, the police asked the seven practitioners whose ID numbers were taken at Merlion to report to the central police bureau. As stated above, five of the practitioners received stern warnings. The other two practitioners were charged with eight transgressions, including gathering without a permit and ownership and distribution of non-licensed VCDs.
It has been five years since the public all-out persecution of Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999. During these five years, Jiang's group had used the government propaganda machinery, educational system, diplomatic departments, business opportunities, public corporations and organizations to slander and persecute Falun Gong. Because of the severe information blockade, few people knew that many practitioners in China were illegally detained in prisons and labor camps, tortured and even died. Falun Gong practitioners inside and outside of China, despite the great pressure and suffering of the persecution, started the extremely difficult truth-clarification activities, in an effort to end the persecution and to relieve people of these lies.
Currently, all countries in the world except China allow Falun Gong practitioners to clarify the truth. What side does Singapore want to take?
In China, Jiang Zemin who started and perpetuated this persecution of Falun Gong has stepped down. What benefits will the Singapore police bring to the people of Singapore by treating Falun Gong practitioners unjustly?
Attachment:
Announcement by the Central U.S. Falun Dafa Association
We were dismayed to learn the Singapore Police Bureau is re-visiting an old case and attempting to convict Falun Gong practitioners while the new Singapore government and the Chinese government have frequent reciprocal visits.
Since late 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore often clarified the truth to the Singaporean people at the busy areas about Jiang regime's illegal persecution of Falun Gong. The Singapore police officers had slight disagreements with the practitioners. After the practitioners kindly clarified the truth to them, most officers learned the practitioners had never had intention and acts to violate any law, so they relented and even supported Falun Gong. Thus, the practitioners had never stopped clarifying the truth and distributing materials to the public. In February 2003, a senior police officer began to have an argument with two practitioners regarding the practitioners doing the Falun Gong exercises and distributing truth clarification materials. The original trial was planned to open in May 2004 but was postponed until recently.
Falun Gong practitioners follow the principle of "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance" to cultivation their heart and improve their moral standard. They have no political motives and never violate any law or policy. Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China have persistently protested against the brutal persecution in a peaceful manner in the past few years. They were never intimidated by abuse, torture or even murder.
Falun Gong practitioners abroad persistently clarified the truth to foreign governments and people, day by day, year by year, which helped many governments and people learn the facts; many of whom supported and issued proclamations to Falun Gong. Their efforts enabled Falun Dafa's principle of "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance" to spread in more than 60 countries. We sincerely thank the Singaporean government for its approval of the founding of the Falun Dafa Association in Singapore.
Jiang Zemin, the head perpetrator responsible for the persecution is no longer in power, and the persecution of Falun Gong is hard to maintain inside and outside of China. Just governments around the world have condemned the persecution, all of which make it increasingly difficult for the persecution to last. Jiang Zemin and his followers have been served with lawsuits in many countries. At this moment, it is truly unwise for the Singapore police to bring up the old case and try to convict Falun Gong practitioners who distributed truth clarification materials. The police bureau is hard to escape the blame of helping a tyrant do evil, and their act is against the Singapore government's acknowledgment and support for Falun Dafa.
We sincerely request that the Singapore police bureau and judicial department learn about the truth and uphold justice, and we ask the police bureau to withdraw the lawsuit against Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong practitioners hope to end this illegal and brutal persecution along with efforts of the Singapore government, people, the police bureau and all just people and governments in the world.
Central U.S. Falun Dafa Association
September 22, 2004
