LONDON (EFGIC) – On April 25 1999, Falun Gong emerged on the international radar screen. Over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered that day in Beijing in hope that the Chinese Central Government would not escalate the persecution against them. They asked for a fair and relaxed environment, and an end to abuses and slander against the meditation practice.
Over the past four years, however, this peaceful appeal has often been mistakenly cited as the reason for the official banning of the practice three months later. Meanwhile, an outpouring of propaganda from China portraying the gathering as a “siege” that shocked the leadership has added to the confusion. Given that the group of pacifists was unarmed, and that video footage shows the road, entrance and exit ways, and even the path for the blind left unobstructed, Jiang’s rhetoric of a “siege” is silly. Moreover, being “shocked” at the sight of a medium-size protest in China compares with the freedom in countries like the U.S., where larger protests take place almost every weekend. It also disregards China’s own tradition of large-scale protests. Jiang’s regime wanted to crackdown, so it used the appeal as an excuse.
China’s recent cover-up of the SARS that allowed the disease to spread unchecked reminds us to question news that comes from the Chinese government. Suddenly, the world's investors recall why China is still a risky place to open a franchise or build a factory. If Beijing will lie about something as serious as its own public health crisis, how trustworthy are the delirious economic statistics it publishes? Rally organisers say the tragedy of the SARS epidemic is not just a ‘misstep’ by the leadership in Beijing, but an endemic problem of the regime – and former leader Jiang Zemin in particular, who is widely believed to still hold the reigns of power in the authoritarian state – placing an obsessive view of power above the interests, and the very lives, of its people.
“The SARS tragedy demonstrates the Chinese regime’s willingness to lie and spread propaganda for its own self-interest, even when the lives of millions are at stake,” explains European Falun Gong Information Centre spokesman, Mr. Peter Jauhal. “For almost four years, we have witnessed this regime severely persecute Falun Gong and then lie and spread propaganda to the world to cover it up. It’s the same pattern, and it poses an extraordinary threat not just to China but also to the world.”
Jiang Zemin’s regime manufactured laws to retroactively legalise the campaign against Falun Gong, while at the same time it manufactured stories to demonise the practice. In spite of the vast propaganda campaign, convincing evidence to justify the campaign has yet to be seen, while hard evidence of State-sponsored torture has been met with blanket denials. Jiang hoped to align his power by redirecting mounting public frustration towards an innocent and peaceful group. He set up “Office 6-10”, a plain-clothed police force to eliminate Falun Gong, placing Luo Gan at its head. Four years of top-down persecution have left numerous families torn apart, an untold number of torture and murder victims, and Jiang Zemin facing international lawsuits for crimes against humanity and genocide.
Falun Gong supporters will be rallying together at the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place, London on 25 April. A press conference will be held at noon at which practitioners and supporters will speak out against the persecution and provide information on the lawsuit against Jiang. Family Members will also tell of loved ones who are being imprisoned and tortured. Following the press conference, two practitioners, Weiguo Xie and Zhu Bao Sheng, will hand in a letter at 10 Downing Street at 3 pm. The letter asks Tony Blair to help rescue their loved ones who are imprisoned in labour camps in China for practising Falun Gong.
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (about), is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.” It is a practise that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practises such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practised in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practising Falun Gong, China’s President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practise in July 1999 (report), fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang’s regime has intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practise while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practise it.
The European Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of 654 deaths (reports / sources) since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600, while expert sources estimate that figure to be much higher. Hundreds of thousands have been detained, with more than 100,000 being sentenced to forced labour camps, typically without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG INFORMATION CENTRE
Peter Jauhal 44 (0) 7739 172 452. Nicolas Schols 32 (0) 479875734
More contacts: http://www.falungonginfo.net/europe.htm
Email: [email protected]
* * *
You are welcome to print and circulate all articles published on Clearharmony and their content, but please quote the source.
more ...