Letter from Vancouver City Councillor Tim Louis to Officials of Qiangdao City Concerning the Persecution of Falun Gong in China

January 28, 2003

Mr. Xia Geng
Acting Mayor of Qingdao City
Xiang Gang Zhong Road
Qingdao Municipal Government, Qingdao, P.R. China,
266071

Dear Mr. Geng:

I am a Councillor with the City of Vancouver, Canada, elected by the people of Vancouver and working to serve their needs. I have heard a tragic story from a resident of Vancouver, Ms. Tianxiao Zhang. I am informed that she lost her brother-in-law, and then her mother, due to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. I am also informed that her brother-in-law, Songtao Zou, was tortured to death in the Wangoun Labour Camp of Zibo City, Shandong Province. He died suddenly in police custody at the age of 28 years. His body was forced to be cremated hastily at Zibo City. Songtao was transferred suddenly to this Labour camp in September 2000 with his family, un-notified of the reason. After Songtao's family members returned to Qingdao City from Zibo, they were even ordered not to weep or cry at home since, as police said, their neighbours would know of Songtao's death. Even though Songtao had a Master's Degree in Marine Biology, he was deemed unemployable due to his unwillingness to give up his belief in Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance; the major principles of Falun Gong. Tianxiao's mother passed away in sorrow in 2001, struck by the death of Songtao and the homelessness of her young daughter, Yunhe Zhang. Further, her sister Yunhe Zhang is believed to have been held secretly at the Dashan Labour Camp located at Sifang District of Qingdao City for at least a few months since the beginning of 2002.

Since we are both in the service of civic governments, we are, professionally, colleagues. We both know that we should be responsible for our people. Please allow me to make two points here:

1. Falun Gong is practised all over North America and I am informed that it has received nearly 800 awards and proclamations worldwide in recognition of its contribution to people's health and their morality. People in Canada who practise Falun Gong enjoy full freedom and are protected by the Canadian Charter (Constitution). These people are peaceful and do their best to follow the fundamental universal principles - Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

2. I am informed that Yunhe Zhang's right to practise Falun Gong is protected under the Chinese Constitution. She should never have been arrested for her belief in the first place, and her arrest did not observe a legal manner.

Canadian people respect human rights and justice, and through their Foreign Ministry and other channels, are closely watching you and your police system. I hope you can take my advice that you release Yunhe Zhang immediately and that you ask for forgiveness from Yunhe's family about the illegal actions done to them.

Sincerely,

Tim Louis
Councillor