Mrs Xu’s son, who is living in Germany, said, “Public attention and awareness is extremely important for exposing human rights violations. My mother is only the one of tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners who have been innocently arrested. Her release is a step towards justice. We appeal to all people to help end the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong.”

Although Baolian has been released, tens of thousands of other Dafa practitioners are still illegally imprisoned in China's forced labour camps and prisons. We would like to urge the Chinese Government to stop the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners and release all practitioners who are imprisoned and brutally tortured for their beliefs.

In Europe and every corner of the world there are practitioners selflessly devoting their time and energy to telling people the facts and raising awareness about the persecution against Falun Dafa in China. Their efforts are touching people’s hearts. A Chinese business man on his trip to Germany was informed of the truth by German Dafa practitioners. Excited about the prospect of learning Falun Dafa, when he got back to China he asked for Falun Dafa books and materials from local practitioners.

The Yunnan Daily printed a story that claimed Mr. Xie Hongyu had become infatuated with Falun Gong and committed suicide. Then on September 24, the paper published another report entitled "The 'Golden Phoenix' Who Should Not Have Fallen from the Sky." Later, the CCTV (China Central Television) program Interview on Focal Points used the same story to create rumours to link Mr. Xie's death to Falun Gong. These were not independent reports; they were produced by government controlled media organisations.

The campus was full of pictures of people who had died. As college students who respected science, we were sad for those Chinese people with no scientific knowledge; we both hated and sympathised with those Falun Gong practitioners. However, we did not think carefully about the obviously doubtful points in their logic: Why were so many people practising and cultivating it? Why did those terrible incidents, including the self-immolation, murder, and self-abuse, never happen before the 20th of July, 1999?

Recently, 241 family members of Falun Gong practitioners submitted a complaint letter to the National People's Congress, Supreme People's Procuratorate, Ministry of Justice, Hunan Province Supreme Procuratorate, Hunan Province Judicial Bureau, and various procuratorates and judicial bureaus at different levels in Hunan Province.

A CEO of a joint venture saw the truth about Falun Gong and recently he gave a speech in a meeting for over 300 mid-level managers in his company. When he talked about promoting work ethic, he said, "On this issue, I hope everyone will learn from Falun Dafa. We shall learn from the spirit of teamwork they exhibit. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their beliefs." He then added, "I admire their Teacher greatly."

Be it in financing the national debt or putting the money in the bank, the people's concern is whether or not they can get back their principal and interest when the time is due. Be it issuance of national debt, a raise in the interest rate or attracting foreign investments, those in power are hoping to alleviate the economic crisis. However, what China is encountering now is a huge economic black hole as a result from the five-year long persecution of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

It was hard, solemn, and stirring to make the choice, because they hoped to take the rare chance to tell the international community the truth. But on the other hand they were worried about his safety. Meanwhile, some other Falun Gong practitioners, ignoring their life or death situation, were ready to rush out to meet the visitors in order to tell them the inside story about the persecution.

Two practitioners escaped from the police station. In order to protect them, Mr. Wang helped them hide in a mountain nearby. He delivered meals to them every day. After finding a safe place for the Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Wang helped them break through many blockades and obstacles before arriving at a safe place.

He also talked about how those who persecute Falun Gong have suffered different degrees of retribution. After listening, the village secretary tried to make a deal with the practitioner, saying, "We will take down the cartoons, if, in the future, you guys stop posting Falun Dafa materials around town. Agree?" The practitioner answered righteously: "We post our banners to let more and more people learn the truth. Even if I stopped, other practitioners would continue to do it."

The wife of Mr. Li Qiang, a Falun Gong practitioner in our camp, came to ask for a divorce. After Director Yang heard this he met with her for over two hours to find out more. He told her, "All Falun Gong practitioners are good people. Li Qiang is a righteous and kind man who has been temporarily detained here, like other practitioners, because of his beliefs, not because he is a bad person. If you make a wrong decision now and divorce him, it will be difficult for you to find for such a good man again and you will regret it."

Prior to the interview, they had called Gao to the factory's workers union office and gave him "ideological education." They told him to cooperate, repeat what they had presented to the TV audience, and assist them to "expose and criticise" Falun Gong. Gao didn't want to lie to the TV audience and refused to do that. Seeing that they couldn't get what they wanted, they locked him up in a small room in the workers union office for a whole day.

The Chinese Constitution stipulates that citizens may believe in religion or not believe in religion; they may choose to have any religious faith. As Chinese citizens, Falun Gong practitioners' faith in Falun Dafa is within their rights granted by the Constitution. Theirs is a faith in the practice's ability to enhance physical and emotional health as well as longevity, to elevate their moral character, develop compassion and truthfulness, enabling them to let go of greed, do good work, be a good wife or husband, a good parent to their children, be respectful of their parents, and to promote family harmony and a peaceful life.

Actually Falun Gong has spread to over 60 countries and is legal in all of them, and has been issued over 1200 proclamations from different countries and groups. In China, Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong is totally based on lies and slander spread through the media. If information flows freely on the Internet, Jiang's lies will be exposed quickly. Then nobody will trust him anymore. Here we can see clearly why Jiang and his clique blocks the Internet: liars are always afraid of the truth!

In July of 2004, at the Yudu Mountain attraction point in Beijing, a banner with words, "Falun Dafa is great!" appeared could be seen shining in the sunshine. In China it is common practise for Falun Gong practitioners to hang banners relating to Falun Gong as a way of appealing to the people of China to help them realise that the persecution initiated by the former Chinese President Jiang Zemin is wrong.

I am a college student in Shandong Province, China, but I have had the most extraordinary experiences over the past five years because my mother is a determined Falun Gong (or Falun Dafa) practitioner. Jiang Zemin started his senseless persecution against Falun Gong on July 20th, 1999, and after five years I continue to be touched by the efforts of practitioners in China. They have been unfailingly peaceful in the face of the ruthless torture and persecution, and they persevere in practicing Falun Gong and in telling people the truth about Falun Gong.

Zhang Mingjiang, is a policeman at Xi-an police station in Dawa county, Panjin City, Liaoning province. The torture of Ning Bo, an elderly Falun Dafa practitioner, was exposed publicly on the Internet. Practitioners from overseas and mainland China made many phone calls condemning his torture of practitioners and telling him the truth about Falun Gong. After hearing news of this, a division police chief from Panjin named Zhang Mingjiang ordered him to release Ning Bo.

One time during a professional course I attended, a teacher made a few remarks that slandered Falun Dafa. That very day, after returning to my hotel, I wrote a letter to her to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa, hoping that she would not continue to be deceived by the slanderous rumours. After the teacher read my letter and understood the truth, she openly apologised in class during the next lesson and said, "Some things I also don't fully understand. If I said anything wrong, please forgive me."

"...What's the disagreement? The regime is fighting with the public. Furthermore, Falun Gong practitioners are all good people, and it's very hard to find them doing anything bad. You're forcing us to a fake program to denigrate Falun Gong, to frame Falun Gong by claiming they kill people? How can we do that kind of thing? We have no choice but to scrape it together! What is being broadcast are all fake films anyway. This will be just another failed political movement at the whim of Party elite. Those who suffer will all be common people!"

With tears in their eyes, several inmates were very emotional and told me that if they had known Falun Gong and its teachings were about how to be a good person, they wouldn't have committed their crimes or ended up so badly. Each person involved in beating me up under police instructions came to apologise and asked me to forgive him for his wrongdoing under police pressure.

Jiang manipulated the nation's propaganda to defame and spread hatred towards Falun Gong to achieve the vicious goal of deceiving all Chinese people into being against Falun Gong. At the same time, Jiang issued orders secretly at every level to force each governmental department to persecute Falun Gong. Furthermore, he issued the order to the police that "[practitioners] beaten to death will be counted as suicides."

At noon on October the 1st 2004, many civilians witnessed policemen violently beat and drag off a Falun Gong practitioner. People at the Square were all talking about the incident and many said: "We personally saw the brutality of police against Falun Gong today."

Facing the persecution, Da Zhi still determinedly supports Falun Dafa and lends support to those who practice. During a period when the practitioners responsible for distributing materials were sent to forced labour camps or closely monitored, Da Zhi stepped forward when it was very difficult to get hold of Falun Dafa materials. With the support of his family, who practice, Da Zhi took on the responsibility of downloading Teacher's articles and materials from the Falun Gong websites, making a huge contribution to the local area.

In recent years, I have met many Falun Gong practitioners who deserve my respect. They are so sincere, kind, tolerant and pure! My sincerest hope is that they spread Falun Dafa to every corner of the world. "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" are the principles that human beings should live by. These principles are the basis for social equality and widespread happiness and they are fundamental for a country's prosperity.

During the past a few years, I got to know many people who learned the truth about Falun Dafa through practitioners' truth-clarification efforts. Some of them started to practise Falun Dafa. Others have been very supportive of practitioners and even helped them with their truth-clarification. Here I'd like to share some stories of how a few people helped Falun Dafa practitioners. I am using assumed names for those people to protect them from persecution.

She got an idea that if she broke the tip of her ballpoint pen on her way to school, then her pen would not write. It was a bit chaotic with activity around the scene and she decided on the spot that even if she makes a mark, she wouldn't write her name. When her turn came, she scratched into the white cloth "Falun Dafa is Good." More surprisingly, many children left marks on that piece of white cloth and the words they wrote were "Falun Dafa is Good!"

I think these practitioners are courageous, kind-hearted and honest. These are virtues a person should have. They should not be captured and detained. Look at today's society. When people get into trouble, in order to protect themselves, they always tell lies! Nowadays, you don't trust other people any more, no matter how good they sound. This society is hopeless if it continues to be like this! So I really admire the spirit of Falun Gong. Not everybody can follow "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance!"

After my release from the so-called "Judiciary Re-education Centre"(1) held by the ruthless "6-10 Office," I ran into a friend I hadn't seen for many years. She is a reputable attorney. After I told her details about the persecution that had been inflicted upon me by the Chinese dictator Jiang and his followers, she expressed her deepest sympathy and her anger concerning the persecution. She also exposed the Chinese legal system's cooperation in the persecution.

One day in 2001, right after the alleged "self-immolation" incident took place, some people who were not Falun Gong practitioners accompanied their relatives to see doctors in the Jishuitan Hospital, in Beijing. When they passed by a sickroom they saw a number of people inside, many of whom were policemen, trying to bandage several other, healthy people. They thought it was strange that they were bandaging healthy people.

Zhang Qiyong's family went through a lot of trouble to employ Wang Ruirong from the Ruihai Law Office in Chongqing City. When the lawyer asked to see her client, the detention centre dodged, evaded, and stalled for time using all sorts of excuses. When Wang Ruirong met Zhang Qiyong for the first time in the detention centre on the 1st of June, 2004, she asked the guards to remove his shackles and handcuffs, not to treat her client like a death row inmate, and to stop torturing him.

As Mr. Feng addressed the three staff from the "6-10 Office", his coworkers stood up from their cubicles and watched the three uninvited visitors, who now felt embarrassed for causing a scene. At this moment, Mr. Feng's supervisor arrived on the scene. He said to the three of them, "I am Mr. Feng's supervisor. Would you like to have a few words with me in my office?"

I live in the rural area near Handan City, Hebei Province. I went to Shijiazhuang City earlier this year to do business. There was a woman next to me who was a Falun Gong practitioner. She was very kind and very helpful to others. I could not link her to the image portrayed in the TV propaganda of "killing," "suicide," "self-immolation" etc.

One day in 2002, officer Li from Hezhuang Township went to Liu Rongxin's home and said, "The township government still has the 2,000 yuan bail money you paid. If you agree to slander Li Hongzhi (founder of Falun Dafa), and let some journalists take pictures and videos, we will return the money to you." Ms. Liu's family member was very angry upon hearing that; "I won't do it if you returned the 2,000 yuan; I wouldn't do it even if you give me an extra 2,000 yuan."

One day when Su Jing, Head of the Woman's Division of Masanjia Forced Labour Camp, was illegally forcing detained female Falun Gong practitioners to work near this prisoner's room, the prisoner opened the window and shouted, "Falun Dafa is great!" All the people present at that time were shocked and stared at her, especially Su Jing, who was very startled and nervous.

In the spring of 1992 there appeared in northern China an extraordinary and wonderful practice called Falun Gong. Falun Gong resembled a resplendent bright pearl with its dazzling brilliance scattering away the dust that had settled in people's minds and illuminating the way for cultivation. In order to spread Falun Gong, the founder of Falun Gong, Master Li Hongzhi, left home for Beijing, Shandong, Taiyuan, and other places to hold classes in order to spread the teachings and teach the practice.

the Hebei Educational Department, Hebei Journalists Association, Hebei Anti-Cult Association, the provincial commissioners of Hebei Young Communists and the directors of Hebei Young Workers collaborated with the provincial education system in initiating an article-soliciting campaign. They intend to use this activity to frame Falun Gong and poison the young minds of students. The article-soliciting notice has already been sent to every county and city with the request that all schools "accomplish it as a political mission."

I learnt how to break through the Chinese government's tight internet blockade and get to the Falun Gong website. I checked it out and I was stunned - the persecution of Falun Gong is based completely on lies. I was indignant that Jiang Zemin has deceived the people all over the world, especially the Chinese people and us, the police. We erroneously carried out orders from above and did such awful things. Now I thoroughly understand that Falun Gong is good, is the best in the world, and is the practice of "Truth, Compassion and Tolerance."

In 1998 China signed the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Under the despotic rule of Jiang's regime, however, China reneged on this promise to the world, turning the convention into a worthless piece of paper as people are arrested and tortured just for believing in "Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance."

His special relationship with Jiang Zemin and given the special authority granted to her because of such relationship, Chen has initiated a persecution that has rarely been seen in the past. The persecution affected a broad spectrum, from individuals in the higher to the lower educational echelons. This included persecution of those in graduate and undergraduate schools, high schools, middle schools, primary schools, and kindergartens. This persecution was detrimental to a large number of people, especially given the cruel means employed.

The people of Africa may want to know more about who Chen Zhili is, and what she represents: a career spent denying the freedoms of speech and belief, and, in her enthusiastic persecution of Falun Gong, the attempt to control a nation's thoughts and beliefs through brainwashing, torture, the denial of access to education, and the indoctrination and promulgation of hate propaganda.

Through a series of on-line news, people may have recently become clearer about the disaster that Chinese dictator, Jiang Zemin and his faction has brought to the nation-wide educational system during the persecution of Falun Gong. It may not be excessive to say that China's educational institutions are marching toward complete deterioration. How to stop this catastrophe has become an issue that is placed before every Chinese person and needs urgent resolution.

Facing their fearlessness and righteousness, the presiding judge realised he was on the wrong side and was unable to say a word in self-defence. He could not help but express this honest complaint: "The Chinese legal system is nothing but a show, a commercial, something that cannot be depended upon. The Constitution is not effective, not to mention the legal system. Nowadays, 'administrative intervention' is called 'the Leader's idea'." He then dismissed the court abruptly.

"We are extremely shocked upon learning that an Australian Falun Gong practitioner was shot in South Africa. Jiang's regime has blatantly carried out a terrorist act on the soil of another country, taking its persecution abroad. All practitioners in Guangdong Province strongly condemn the Jiang regime for their hiring of thugs to shoot Falun Gong practitioners. We call upon all kindhearted people in the world to awaken to the evil nature of Jiang's regime and condemn such appalling violence!"

Jiang does not let people practise Falun Gong because they believe that Buddhas and Gods exist. Yet according to a report in January 2002 by Hong Kong's Open Magazine, Jiang transcribed Ksitigarbha Sutra at home and spent huge amounts of money asking lamas to pray for his good fortune and long life. Jiang worships a Bodhisattva, yet, at the same time, he uses the excuse of the Chinese government's being atheist to persecute Falun Gong.

Although terms of the visit had been negotiated for nearly a decade, the Chinese authorities still claimed at the last minute that they needed more time for preparation. Critics have commented that Jiang's followers couldn't possibly hide their crimes any longer, no matter how much time they are given, because of the tremendous amount evidence of the torturing of Falun Gong practitioners that has found its way out of China.

"Mother, look!" My daughter stopped and squatted down. I turned around and saw her pick up a piece of yellow paper. "Mother, look! Falun Dafa is good!" Whenever we see truth clarifying materials lying on the ground, we always pick them up and stick them back on the wall. This has become a habit of ours, so my daughter takes note of every piece of paper on the ground and picks them up to see if they are truth clarifying materials.

"The Party secretary is busy with many issues each day. If you bother the Party secretary for such small matters, he would not get any other work done." Li's relative was outraged and told the secretary, "My daughter had her detention term illegally extended in the Heizuizi Labour Camp because she is firm in her belief of Falun Gong. She is now on a hunger strike. This is an important matter of life or death. As people's officials, if you do not care about people's life or death, what issue will you deal with? What law has she violated?"

the practitioner asked: "Can you see the stick hitting Liu Chunling's head from the back. You can also clearly see how it bounces back after hitting her in the back of her head. Look, there is a policeman poised to strike right behind Liu Chunling." The person in charge nodded in agreement, although he said: "Don't you think it would be impossible for the government to make up this incident?" To this, the practitioner replied: "In order to find a reason to persecute the Christians, Nero, an emperor of ancient Rome, set fire to the city and then fabricated the story that the Christians did it.

"From July 20th 1999, a group of misguided individuals inside the Chinese regime, led by Jiang Zemin, have misused the resources of China to wage a most severe persecution...Jiang Zemin and his followers have usurped a huge proportion of China's financial resources to sustain this persecution. These resources include the revenue from the foreign trade of products created by or enhanced through the blood, sweat and tears of Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned in labour camps, detention centres and other similar places in China."

Later, the "610 Office" found Chen Guozhen's sister, Chen Hua, and asked her if she knew who wrote the letter distributed in the local neighbourhood. Chen Hua replied, "How should I know who wrote it? The day that my sister was kidnapped, there was a whole crowd of people in the bank and they all scolded you guys for arresting a good person, and said that you are no better than criminals." The "610 Office" staff member said, "Chen Hua, you really have great influence in town and within three days, the flyers had spread around the whole town."

The village leaders and most of the villagers were angry and unhappy about the unlawful activities conducted by the town "610 Office" and the police. Someone said, "Why can we not watch the VCD? Locking them (the practitioners) up for no reason is not fair. I could barely get 120 yuan a month for my retirement. A fine of 3000 yuan for an investigation fee plus the poor quality of food in the jail makes me wonder where all the money goes?"

Five days later, the people who arrested me came. They made fun of me, saying that I was arrested even though I was not a practitioner. They told me not to practice and to say some bad words about Master Li. I said, "I won't curse, even my child won't curse. My whole family has benefited from Falun Dafa." The people from the police department replied angrily, "You will stay here if you don't curse Falun Dafa."

Ni Xiaohui is a 27-year-old villager in Yushu City, Jilin Province. His parents are farmers and he is their youngest child. While doing odd jobs out of town, Ni Xiaohui was infected with a sexually transmitted disease. When the disease inflamed, he would find blood in his urine. His family spent 50,000 yuan in search of a cure, but nothing helped. One day Ni Xiaohui learned Falun Gong and within the year, he completely recovered. He continues to practice the exercises and studies the Falun Gong teachings each day.

We had to write a letter to appeal to the local Party Secretary of the Administration Office of Politics and Law. After conducting an investigation, they refused to return the car to us and nothing else was mentioned. The darkness and corruption of the society infuriated me. I planned to appeal to each level of government right up to the top and prepared to adopt an extreme approach -- if the matter could not be resolved properly, I would die with them.

I would normally board a bus, and tell the passengers "help yourselves to these video CDs, and please come to learn the facts about Falun Gong. Do take these materials and bring a good future to your home." After finishing distributing the video CDs, I add, "I wish you safe trip home, a happy journey home!" After hearing this, the driver enthusiastically gives me the thumbs up sign and says "Great job Falun Gong! Wonderful!" Many passengers also say "Thank you for your words of good luck!"

As she was being dragged out, this female practitioner shouted, "Help! Criminals are attacking me!" Upon hearing her cry for help, her fellow villagers rushed out with sticks and hoes to see what was going on. They surrounded the police. The police hurriedly explained, "We are from the police station." The villagers replied, "It doesn't matter even if you are from the police station. Her husband is not home. Why do you want to arrest her?" The police showed their IDs and said, "We have IDs. We're in charge of Falun Gong." The villagers did not budge and said, "We don't care."

Not long ago, when a practitioner was making Dafa truth-clarifying materials at home, someone reported him to the authorities. As a result, the practitioner was arrested and sent to the local police station where this particular policeman worked. The policeman saw the whole thing. He thought, "In the past, he frequently told me the truth about Dafa, and today, I had better help him out. They will search his home soon, so I should notify his family ahead of time to remove all the Dafa material before they show up." He rushed to his bike and rode to the practitioner's house.

It was claimed that the scenes of pigs and chickens feeding took place at the residence of Zhang Dianguo, and this was used to illustrate the "dramatic change" that came over him after he stopped practicing Falun Gong. It can be said that the television station personnel, in order to fulfill the task handed down by their superiors, which was to fabricate propaganda to slander Falun Gong, had used many deceptive means. The "news" of "passing off a sweet potato as a potato" by the Liaoning TV Central TV stations was ridiculous and far-fetched. This incident caused quite a stir among the local residents.

While making phone calls to a police station in an area where the persecution of Falun Gong was still running rampant, we came to learn how eager the police were to learn the truth about Falun Gong. They had direct contact with Falun Gong practitioners and they know clearly that practitioners are all good people. However, they were fed with lies and hatred, and were forced to choose between making a living and maintaining their conscience. How many people are lost in this process, forced to become tools used by Jiang's regime to persecute practitioners?

As soon as we finished putting up the information, a forty-year-old man walked up and carefully read the truth clarifying material. We went over to him because we saw that he was earnestly reading what we had posted. The man said, "This is very good, and very reasonable. I'd like to take this material back to show my neighbourhood. I want them to know Falun Dafa is good, and the propaganda on TV is false. The government doesn't punish the bad people; they don't punish people for corruption, depravity, prostitution or gambling, but they persecute Falun Gong."

One day in 1997, a Falun Gong practitioner told my wife that Falun Gong could cure her illness and keep her fit. My wife thought it was worth a try and began to practice Falun Gong. It was miraculous. Within several months her many diseases disappeared. She has continued the practice to this day. In July 1997, the government placed a ban on Falun Gong, and forbade the practice. On December 17, 2000, the Beijing Police Department detained my wife Yang Yuzhen because she went to Beijing to clarify the truth, to say a word of justice, and to show that Falun Dafa is great.

"Right as I was boarding the bus, the driver began yelling at me for no reason. After getting on the bus, I heard a passenger say, "She probably didn't hear the driver yelling." The fare conductor replied, "Maybe. Otherwise no one would just sit there and take it." Then I said, "Yes, I heard him, but I am a Falun Gong practitioner. Master Li has told us not to hit back when attacked, not to talk back when insulted, and to think of others first in all our endeavours. I understand why the driver is yelling. It was not done maliciously, so I shouldn't be mad at him.""

At the end of the year, an institution held a big employee meeting to evaluate and choose outstanding workers. Before the ballot, the boss first wanted to ask employees to recommend a person who could monitor the ballots. Right after the boss's voice trailed off, a female employee yelled out: "Let's choose a person who practises Falun Gong! They are not selfish, we can trust them." Her suggestion immediately received unanimous support from all the employees.

At the end of the year, an institution held a big employee meeting to evaluate and choose outstanding workers. Before the ballot, the boss first wanted to ask employees to recommend a person who could monitor the ballots. Right after the boss's voice trailed off, a female employee yelled out: "Let's choose a person who practises Falun Gong! They are not selfish, we can trust them." Her suggestion immediately received unanimous support from all the employees.

In terms of attacking Falun Gong, Les Presses Chinoises used exactly the same methods as Jiang's group: lies and propaganda followed by the incitement of hatred. When people began to resent the page after page of gory so-called "news and reports" that were used to defame Falun Gong, Jiang's group staged the "Tiananmen Self-immolation Incident," which the international community put into the spotlight. From then on, hate propaganda has been spread on a large scale.

Due to lack of understanding of Falun Gong, when I was first imprisoned I even slapped a Dafa practitioner's face. Due to slander from the television programs I felt that all Falun Gong practitioners were bad people. However, once I had personal contact with them, I gradually realised that they were all very kind people. There were lots of mosquitoes during summer but they never killed any mosquitoes. They told me that even a mosquito was a life and that they did not kill anything.