The Suffering and Hopes of a Four-Year-Old Girl and Her Mother

A four year old girl named Fadu, who is an Australian of Chinese decent, has travelled to 38 countries with her mother. They want the world's people to know that because of practising Falun Gong, her father was tortured to death 3 years ago in China. On July 29, 2004, Fadu and her mother visited the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. This was their first visit to this place. They told people about their grief and about the protests they have undertaken concerning the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Fadu and her mother Dai Zhizhen

Immediately after arriving by bus from New York, in Philadelphia, Fadu and her mother called the biggest local newspaper, the Metro, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, another local newspaper. The editor of the Metro news department agreed to talk to them. The next day, their picture was shown in the newspaper. Also, on July 29, 2004, a local radio station reporter from KYW Newsradio 1060 interviewed the little girl and her mother at Independence Mall. He said, "A little girl has joined with local protesters to campaign against the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners."

When Fadu was only 15 months old, her mother Dai Zhizhen found news on the Internet about her husband's death. It was difficult for her to hear that his body was already decomposing. She recalled, "After I read this news, I was in shock. I trembled and was unable to speak a word. My heart was broken. I shut myself inside a room, refusing to see anyone. By the next morning my hair had turned gray. I can't describe the pain I felt." Soon after Chen's death, Chen's sister, who went to pick up her brother's body, was also sent to a forced labour camp. Unable to bear the sorrow, Chen's elderly father passed away. With her daughter in her arms, Dai Zhizhen travelled from place to place, asking many people for help. Finally, after 8 months, due to intervention by the Australian government, she obtained her husband's ashes.

Clearwisdom.net reported that Jiang Zemin began to persecute Falun Gong 5 years ago. Since then, at least 1,000 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of the persecution. At present, Jiang and the head of the "610 Office" have been sued in many countries, including in the US, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Finland. Dai Zhizhen is one of plaintiffs.

On the evening of July 29, 2004, Dai and her daughter boarded another plane. This time they are on their way to Spain, continuing their trip around the world.

Below is a portion of an interview with Dai Zhizhen:

Reporter: Can you tell us your feelings about coming to the Liberty Bell?

Dai: The Liberty Bell represents freedom and democracy. My entire family practises Falun Gong and believes in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance." Because of our belief, my husband was tortured to death. Right now, millions of Falun Gong practitioners in China are still suffering under the persecution. They lost their freedom of speech. My daughter and I survived because we have Australian passports; I cherish this freedom very much.

Reporter: You are one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Jiang. Some people think the lawsuit won't help the situation. What do you think?

Dai: I think the lawsuit is very helpful. Many famous lawyers are participating in the lawsuit. The Jiang regime is very much afraid now. Last month, my good friend David Liang was shot in the feet in South Africa, resulting in serious injuries. David helped me when I was suffering the most. He was an invaluable help when we were trying to obtain my husband's ashes. The Chinese consulate in Australia refused to grant me a visa. David drove us from Sydney to Canberra so that I could talk with Australian government officials. We spent 6 hours on the road. Eight months later, the Australian government brought my husband's ashes to me. After I heard the news that David was shot in the feet, I went to South Africa with my daughter to help stop the terrorism. The "State Terrorism" of Jiang's regime has extended overseas. If no one tries to stop it, who knows what will happen next? I hope no one else has to bear the pain of losing his or her loved ones. Why did the Jiang regime commit such a crime? They are afraid of the lawsuit. We have filed lawsuits against Jiang and his followers in many countries, including the US, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Finland. Zeng Qinghong is the Vice President of China. We wanted to sue him during his visit to South Africa. We believe he hired the gunman and tried to kill the practitioners. These actions indicate clearly that they are scared of such lawsuits. I think the lawsuit is very important.

Reporter: Some people think that by filing such lawsuits, you have yourself involved in politics. Can you please share your thoughts about such assumptions?

Dai: Politicians all have political goals, but we don't. As long as we can read Dafa books at home and practise in the park, we will not need to be involved in such activities. These are basic human rights, yet in China, one will be arrested and taken to brainwashing cents, forced labour camps, or even mental hospitals for reading Dafa books and practising the exercises. The persecutors use brutal torture methods to stop people from practising Falun Gong. They try very hard, as they want practitioners to renounce their belief. The purpose of brainwashing is to kill someone spiritually. Why did my husband refuse to give up his belief, even at the last moment of life? "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" is in our blood, and it cannot be taken away from us through external means. Although my husband left this world, his spirit will live on. My daughter and I travel to every corner of the world, telling people that "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" cannot be abolished. Christians were persecuted for 300 years, yet the belief still exists today.

Reporter: Are there families with similar experiences in China?

Dai: Many families experienced a lot more sufferings than we did. I often tell my daughter: you are very lucky to have a mother who lives in Australia. In China, many children lost their parents. No one takes care of them; many people don't know about their tragic situation.

Reporter: It is very difficult for you to travel around the world with your young daughter. What do you find most difficult?

Dai: The most difficult thing in my travels is the interference by the special agents in China. They have tried all kinds of methods to stop me. In March 2004, my mother died. She had suffered a lot. The special agents tapped into her phone, and agents from the "610 Office" harassed her constantly. They tried to stop me from telling people the truth by harassing my mother. My mother's biggest suffering was to live through my husband's death. She could feel my suffering, too. Her last wish was to see my daughter one more time -- she had seen my daughter only once. All the letters I had sent her were confiscated before they could reach her, so she could not even see our pictures. Because she wanted to see us for a last time, we tried to get visas from the Chinese Consulate. Yet the Chinese consulate refused our application, using that as a punishment for our speaking the truth. At the time, my daughter asked me: "Why can't we go back to China?" I said, "Because we don't have a visa." "Why can't we obtain the visa?" "Because we practise Falun Gong." "How come Falun Gong practitioners cannot get visa?" I started to cry, I don't know how to explain this to her. This is where I suffer most. I don't know how the terrorism will affect her whole life. Millions of children in China are suffering from the pain of losing their loved ones and there are so many broken families.

Reporter: In China, those who persecute Falun Gong practitioners are now poisoning the minds of children. They are visiting middle and primary schools and give speeches there slandering Falun Gong. What are your thoughts regarding that?

Dai: I want to tell the children in China that I love China and that I love the Chinese culture, the Chinese people, as well as the mountains and rivers. My greatest hope is that you don't believe those lies. Falun Gong is legal in over 60 countries, and Dafa's goodness has spread to every corner of the world. One day, we will come back to China.

Reporter: You have travelled to so many countries, and you have to face many difficulties and pressure. What has helped you to persist in this cause?

Dai: Falun Dafa! I travelled many places until I finally found the book Zhuan Falun. I grew up during the Cultural Revolution. My mother was suffering a lot at that time, she always wept at home. So I was determined not to repeat my mother's life. I tried very hard in pursuing my goals, and I have succeeded: I went to college when I was 17. During my 4 years in college I read many books, yet I could not find what I was looking for. After college, I worked in a hotel in Guangzhou City. In 1987, I went to Australia, where I continued my search for another 6 years. I searched in western cultures for the truth. Between 1992 and 1997, I travelled throughout the world searching and seeking. I visited many museums and art exhibitions. One day when I arrived in Hawaii, I looked at the beautiful beach and began to cry. That is when I realised that my western life style had come to an end. I decided to go back to China. On April 18, 1997, my mother and I visited a relative in China, and I saw at her house the book Zhuan Falun. My searched had ended. I found all the answers I was trying so hard to find inside this book. The book changed my life. Before, I was a very selfish person: I focused solely on my dreams and my career. I did not think about other people and did not trust other people. I held no thoughts of being a mother. I told myself "why do I want to bring a life into this meaningless place?" After I started to cultivate Dafa, I became a mother, and now I want to help all children of the world.

Reporter: What is your biggest wish now?

Dai: To stop the torture and killing, and stop the Jiang regime's state terrorism from spreading overseas.