10/12/06
By Ella Miesner
Falun Gong is an art of meditation persecuted by the Chinese government. Media Credit: Joey Castillo illustration | Daily Texan Staff
Every morning she is there. Standing or sitting on the West Mall, always
silent and still. We walk by and look past, or maybe wonder, "Who is this
woman, and what is she doing out so early?"
Her name is Lillian and she is practicing the art of Falun Gong, a meditation
that emphasizes mind and body integration.
Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Gong in May 1992 in Changchun City, China. [Mr. Li]
lectured in more than 54 major Chinese cities and by 1999, there were more than
100 million practitioners in China alone. He brought Falun Gong to America
during a visit to Houston in 1996, where it quickly took root and began to grow
in the West as well.
Falun Gong is rooted in ancient Chinese culture. Followers practice meditation,
a series of slow exercises and focus on the core principles of truth,
benevolence and forbearance. These seem like noble goals, and followers of the
practice attest to numerous health benefits and greater inner peace. Falun Gong
publications call the practice "the most remarkable system for the
improvement of body, mind and spirit" and claim that the practice is
neither religious nor political.
[...]
On July 20, 1999, China's Chairman Jiang Zemin ordered a nationwide persecution
of Falun Gong practitioners. Neither side of the conflict makes clear exactly
what provoked the action, but Falun Gong adherents have their theories.
James Hwang, UT finance senior and coordinator for the Austin Falun Gong
Association, claims the Chinese Communist government is envious of the
practice's strong following.
"The Chinese Communist party has only about 60 or 70 million members, and
many of those are leaving," said Hwang. "Falun Gong has over 100
million followers, so Jiang Zemin got jealous."
Though many have dismissed Falun Gong's claims of persecution as exaggerated,
the world can no longer deny the reality of the situation. On July 6, respected
Canadian scholars David Matas and David Kilgour released a report investigating
allegations that the Chinese government has a policy of harvesting organs from
live, detained Falun Gong practitioners. Though the secrecy of the Communist
government makes it nearly impossible to prove conclusively whether or not organ
harvesting from prisoners actually occurs, the authors provide evidence that, in
their own words, is "verifiable and, in most cases, incontestable."
One undeniable fact is that China has an official policy of arresting, detaining
and persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Lillian, the woman on the West Mall,
can speak for this reality firsthand.
Lillian, who declined to give her last name for privacy reasons, began
practicing Falun Gong 10 years ago this month. She credits her practice with
improved health and mental peace.
"I had health problems since I was a youth," said Lillian. "I had
had to quit my job, I couldn't work. Since practicing Falun Gong, everything has
been wonderful."
Falun Gong has undeniably brought her hardships as well. She, like many other
practitioners in China, was arrested and detained for her practice.
"The police used torture," Lillian said. "The cell had a bar
grate, and they handcuffed my hands over the back of the horizontal bar above my
shoulders and held me there for 72 hours continuously."
After the completion of her one month sentence, Lillian was allowed to leave the
detention center, but she was never really free and was constantly subjected to
surveillance by the government and police. She was arrested again in 2001,
imprisoned for another month, then taken to a rehabilitation center.
"I lost my freedom completely," Lillian said of her time at the
center. "Two staff [members] would take turns bathing me. I was never out
of anyone's sight. I was forced to watch programs, read newspapers and watch
media that slandered Falun Gong."
After her release, Lillian was subjected to constant physical monitoring in an
intensely stressful situation. Her husband and 3-year-old son left her, and her
family was in a constant state of worry. She was eventually able to come to the
United States and settle in Austin, where she now resides happily and without
fear of persecution.
"I feel very happy I can practice here freely," Lillian said. "I
can wear the T-shirt to let more people know that Falun Gong is very good and to
let people know about the persecution in China."
"The American media are afraid to report information on Falun Gong because
of the influence of China's government," said Hwang, "but the Chinese
people know deep down that the government is corrupt, and they are doing
terrible things."
The media blackout is one reason there has been little response to allegations
of torture, arrest and organ harvesting.
[...]
Falun Gong is beginning to receive a more official response, especially with
regards to the organ harvesting issue. In April, the U.S. Congress Subcommittee
on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations heard testimony of
allegations of organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners. The subcommittee
stressed the idea that the Chinese government should abolish the policy.
[...]
For now, the Austin Falun Gong organization and its members simply have to
continue their practice toward self-improvement and their efforts to make the
extent of the crisis known.
"We hope people come to see the truth [about the persecution]," said
Hwang. "It is worse than the Nazis."
You can view the U.S. Congress Subcommittee's report on organ harvesting at
http://investigation.go.saveinter.net. If you are interested in Falun Gong, you
can join Lillian in daily meditation at 7 a.m. on the West Mall or find more
information on the Austin Falun Gong Association's Web site, www.faluninfo.net.
Source
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2006/10/12/LifeArts/
Woman.Continues.Falun.Gong.After.Persecution-2346221.shtml?norewrite200610140146&sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com
