In September 1999, senior calligrapher Mr. Wang Juntao was illegally detained by Chinese police because he practised Falun Gong. Due to the torture he received at that time, he lost all feeling in one leg. In October 1999, Mr. Wang's wife, Ms. Wang Liluan, went to visit him in the detention centre and was also detained and tortured. Three years ago, Mr. Wang's brother-in-law was persecuted to death for practising Falun Gong.
Two years ago, the elderly Wang couple escaped the persecution in China and went to Australia to reunite with their son. The elderly couple in their 60s' submitted an application to the Australian Department of Immigration for refugee status, but was rejected by the Department on the excuse that ordinary Falun Gong practitioners would not be persecuted. Thus, without legal visas, the elderly couple was detained at Villawood Detention centre in Sydney.
On the morning of March 11, 2003, Mr. and Mrs. Wang were suddenly taken on a flight to be deported to China. Ms. Ou, who has been contacting the Department of Immigration, stated in her fax to the Department that morning, "At present, China's persecution of Falun Gong is so severe, if they are deported back to China, their lives will probably be in danger. Could the Department consider delaying the deportation?" But the Department did not give her a clear reply.
According to news from the Immigration office in Sydney: Because one of the couple, Mr. Wang Juntao, suffered a heart attack, the deportation has been delayed, but the Department of Immigration would reschedule a flight to deport them at 3:28 p.m. on March 12. Later news confirmed that the Wang couple is currently detained at the Villarwood Detention centre in Sydney.
As of now, the Department of Immigration still insists on deporting the elderly couple, on the assumption that ordinary practitioners will not be persecuted. But the elderly couple had already suffered persecution before they came to Australia, and their entire family has been torn apart due to the persecution in China. This is a solid fact.
It is known that Jiang's political scoundrel regime has lost all humanity and rationality. The brutality and malevolence of the persecution methods applied to Falun Gong practitioners are unimaginable for people with normal states of mind. Under the increasing attention from all over the world, Chinese dictator Jiang gave orders to "kill Falun Gong practitioners without pardon," "One will not be held responsible for beating Falun Gong practitioners to death, and beating them to death will be counted as suicide." Over the last three and a half years since July 20th in 1999, details of 609-torture death of Falun Gong practitioners have been verified, and the torture death cases are spread over 30 provinces nationwide. At the end of 2001, according to the estimation of the Chinese authorities, the death toll of Falun Gong practitioners while in detention is over 1,600. At least 6,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been illegally sentenced to prison without legal processes. Over 100,000 practitioners have been illegally sent to forced labour camps without trial. Thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been sent to mental hospitals and administered medicines that damage their central nervous systems. A large number of Falun Gong practitioners have been kidnapped to various "brainwashing centres" located all over China to suffer physical and mental torture. Even more practitioners suffer from beatings, sexual abuses, physical punishment and financial extortion imposed upon them by lawless officers.
Under such circumstances, if Mr. and Mrs. Wang are deported back to China, it is easy to imagine the situation the elderly couple would face.
Regardless of whether you are their friends or fellow practitioners or just sympathetic, you can use many means to help them avoid being deported back to the persecution in China: write to MPs to tell them the urgent situation, express your concerns to the Australian Immigration Department, and try to bring the attention of more media to this issue--or only extend your best wishes from the bottom of your hearts. All of these efforts are able to help.
People should live by loving each other. When righteousness is not respected, when innocent people are persecuted, how can we stand by and not feel guilty?
Please extend your helping hand. You can write to:
Immigration Minister-Phillip Ruddock:
http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/contact/index.htm#email
Prime Minister of Australia -- John Howard
http://www.pm.gov.au/your_feedback/feedback.htm
UN http://www.unhcr.ch/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/contact
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