Elderly Practitioner Ms. Huang Yongmei Tortured to Disability in Hubei Province

The Etouwan "610" (1) Brainwashing Centre in Wuhan, Hubei Province, persecuted Falun Gong practitioner Huang Yongmei, who is over fifty years old. As a result of the persecution, she became disabled. In the brainwashing centre, Ms. Huang was restrained to two metal beds for five consecutive days without relief. The perpetrators also made efforts to pull the two beds apart, creating a torture similar to the "dismemberment with five horses." (2)

Below is an open letter Ms. Huang's husband Liu Mengze wrote to the 610 personnel in Qiaokou District, Wuhan City.

To the 610 personnel of the Qiaokou District, Wuhan City:

I am the husband of Huang Yongmei, who is a Falun Gong practitioner from the Qiaokou District. After my wife was illegally kidnapped to the Etouwan brainwashing centre by the Hanzhong Street local police in the Qiaokou District on November 4, 2003, I went to the Hanzhong Street local police station and questioned the station head named Zhang. I said to him, "You casually arrest people. What law are you carrying out?" But Zhang responded by saying, "I am the law of the land!"

I had no choice, so I went to talk to the head of the "610 Office" of the Qiaokou District, whose name is Xie Guanchang and others for a total of three times. The first time I told Xie, "When Huang Yongmei was arrested, she was in good health. You must allow her to come back in good health, because she's the head of my family." Xie said, "Mr. Liu, please be at ease. I'm responsible for Huang Yongmei coming back in good health in one month's time."

The second time was when I went to deliver a heavy blanket to Huang Yongmei. I spoke with Li Wei, who was in charge of the brainwashing centre. I told him, "Huang Yongmei came here in good health. You must release her good health." Li Wei responded saying, "Mr. Liu, please take it easy. She'll be fine."

However, my heart was not at ease. The third time I went was around mid-November of 2003. I told Liu Li of the Civil Administration Section of Hanzhong Street, "Huang Yongmei was arrested by you in good health. You must release her in good health." Liu Li then told me, "I'm responsible for Huang Yongmei coming back in good health."

At the Etouwan brainwashing centre of Qiaokou District, Huang Yongmei was severely tortured. She told Li Wei, "I have worked very hard in the neighbourhood, yet you have tortured me to the point of not being able to use my hands anymore for work. What will people think of a government that has done such a thing?" Li Wei replied, "You are lying!" Huang Yongmei then said, "Since you accuse me of lying, let's go to a hospital for a check up." After two days Li Wei said to Huang Yongmei, "I'm responsible for you going back in good health in one month."

Huang Yongmei was tortured terribly in the brainwashing centre by these so-called "state officials." They did not allow her to sleep for ten days straight, and she was even hung on the metal beds for 5 days straight without relief. They tied each of her hands to a bed and then dragged the two beds apart with force. This method was similar to the "dismemberment with five horses." Because of this she frequently defecated in her pants and nearly passed out.

Observing this scene, however, Hu Shaobin from the "610 Office" in Wuhan said, "If you die, we'll throw you into the crematory, and just say you committed suicide."

Huang Yongmei returned from the brainwashing centre in bad health. She had become disabled from the torture. After she came back on December 5, 2003, I found Xie Guanchang of "610 Office" of the Qiaokou District again and said, "Huang Yongmei has been tortured to the point of not being able to take care of herself." Huang Yongmei and the residents' committee Secretary, Cao Jinbao, went to a hospital for an examination of her injuries. Through the examination, it was found that the main nerves in both her hands were damaged as a result of her being tortured. The people at the hospital were quite upset by what had happened to her.

We have four people in my family at home. Huang Yongmei's mother, who is 83 years old, depends upon us to live. My mother, who is 86 years old, also needs Huang Yongmei to look after her. Seeing that Huang Yongmei could not take care of herself, my mother was very worried. Later on my mother had a stroke because of the stress and passed away. My family has become worse and worse, and one misfortune after another has occurred, leaving my family broken and ruined.

Before being persecuted Huang Yongmei worked doing household management service. She was able to earn 20 Yuan in half a day, from which we got by with for quite a while and were able to maintain our livelihood. But we lost all of this after she stopped working. Consequently, I had to ask Xie Guanchang for Huang Yongmei's salary along with the cost of my nursing expenses. Finally, Xie just paid Huang Yongmei 300 Yuan, and 400 Yuan for my nursing expenses, totaling 700 Yuan. However, after two months the payments stopped. So in order to live, when I looked for Xie Guanchang again to supply us with wages for the third month, Xie said, "How can you ask me for money endlessly!" But who caused Huang Yongmei to be disabled? When she was in good health, did I ever trouble the government?

Afterwards, I thought about it a lot, but just could not understand it. The personnel of a government agency and the nation's cadres spoke so irresponsibly, lied and deceived people. When Huang Yongmei was kidnapped, I was in a state of uneasiness because I was afraid my family would be broken apart and ruined. However, they all told me they would make sure Huang Yongmei would return in good health. Nonetheless Huang Yongmei, a kindhearted woman in her fifties, was tortured to disability.

Each time I think about this, I feel terrible inside! Please think about it: Which one of you does not have a family, a wife, or children? Everyone has a sense of right and wrong! I hope you immediately stop persecuting good people and abolish that brutal brainwashing centre. How wonderful if all of us can lead a normal and happy life! The victim's husband: Liu Mengze

(1) "610" refers to the "610 Office," an agency specifically created to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party and all other political and judiciary systems

(2) "Dismemberment with five horses" is a particular kind of brutal death penalty that was used in ancient China. In this method the person's head as well as four limbs are tied to five vehicles respectively. Then, five horses are used to simultaneously pull the vehicles, resulting in dismemberment of the body.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/5/5/73911.html