Five Years of Persecuting Falun Gong Has Only Brought the Chinese Communist Party More Problems

Radio Free Asia published an article from special commentator Lin Baohua on the 22nd of July. The article said that on the 20th of July, 1999, under Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin's instruction, the Chinese Party (CCP) began to suppress Falun Gong publicly. At that time they thought that Falun Gong could be eradicated within one month. Contrary to their expectations, five full years have now passed. During this time, tens of thousands of people who practise Falun Gong have been sentenced to imprisonment and sent to forced labour camps where they were brutally tortured, and some have died as a result. However, those who practice Falun Gong have not yielded to the despotic power of the CCP. Instead, it has upheld its peaceful resistance in China and continued to grow overseas, and the CCP is in more and more trouble. Jiang Zemin has used up all his tricks and he has transferred the heavy burden to Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. The reason, besides that a belief can't be suppressed by violence, is that the land of China, on which Falun Gong first appeared and developed, has not changed for the better; in fact the situation has become even worse, as reflected in the absence of morality and lack of social security system for the people.

Falun Gong practitioners have made four proud achievements in their resistance against the persecution by the CCP.

Firstly, Falun Gong practitioners have formed a united anti-persecution front line. Since Falun Gong is not a political group, it didn't want to work together with dissidents, and even intentionally avoided any collaboration at the beginning. But under the frenzied suppression by the CCP, if those who suffered from similar persecution didn't unite they would be destroyed one by one. The CCP has never showed any mercy for its dissidents. They would declare that a group has colluded with this one or that one, and would label people with this or that. Once a group is used to the labels and even welcomes these labels, it can press forward with indomitable spirit. (Note: Dafa disciples never have any political agendas, but resolutely oppose the persecution towards Falun Gong practitioners. The persecution itself is against the Chinese Constitution and laws. Those who practice Falun Gong are firmly defending their own lawful rights, and Falun Gong practitioners welcome anyone to join their efforts to end the persecution.)

Secondly, Falun Gong has joined and interacted with local communities. Outside of China, Falun Gong not only has contact with the mainstream society, it has also entered the Chinese communities and takes part in a variety of activities, including hosting large scale galas, participating in Spring Festivals and National Day parades so as to help the public learn more about the persecution in China. As a result, the embassies and consulates of the Chinese government often initiated disruptions behind the scenes. For example, Falun Gong's participation in the Independence Day parade in Chinatown of New York City this year was held back by the pro-CCP Chinese leaders of the Chinese Association General. However, Falun Gong relied upon US laws to protect their own rights and in the end, defeated the conspiracy. Those pro-CCP people also used violence, which only exposed their depravity.

Thirdly, Falun Gong has used legal means and filed charges against the criminal acts of the Jiang regime. Although Jiang's and his cohorts can persecute Falun Gong practitioners in China lawlessly, the members of Jiang's group have received summons from foreign courts many times when they visited other countries. The list includes Jiang Zemin himself, current Political Bureau member and Minister of the Police Department, Zhou Yongkang, and the Minister of the Commercial Affairs Department, Bo Xilai. Recently, former head of the Radio and TV Broadcasting Bureau of Wuhan City and president of Wuhan TV Station, Zhao Zhizhen, also received a civil action summons from the Federal Court of the United States. He was charged with making movies to instigate hatred in the society. This is the first time Falun Gong has taken legal actions against people responsible for promoting propaganda that in turn has led to torture and killing. These incidences caused Jiang's regime to panic. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that Falun Gong practitioners were shot in South Africa when Chinese vice president Zeng Qinghong visited there.

Fourthly, Falun Gong has used the media to expose the lies of the CCP. Since the CCP-controlled propaganda has fooled many Chinese, and its black hands have reached out to influence Chinese language media groups outside of China, some Falun Gong practitioners and their sympathisers have used the media to fight back. For example, inside China, they have managed to tap into TV broadcasts to show the true facts about Falun Gong. Outside of China, TV stations and news websites were set up, and their messages were sent back to China, breaking down the media monopoly of the CCP, just like a clear stream, which directly threatens the CCP's control. (Note: Falun Gong practitioners' appeals and lawsuits are against those individuals who have committed crimes, no matter what position he or she is in, not towards a certain party.)

The key reason for Falun Gong practitioners' ability to make all these achievements is that they uphold their belief. Therefore, even under very difficult circumstances, they can unite as one body, and carry forward the spirit of devotion to do these things well. Some people insisted that their money comes from dubious sources. Some say this out of ignorance but some others say this because they are used to the custom of doing things only when there is money or even doing nothing after receiving money. Of course they can't understand the spirit of devotion of Falun Gong practitioners. In addition, some practitioners are successful in their business and donate their profits.

I hope that the friends of Falun Gong can unite more Chinese countrymen with broader and more tolerant minds, and form an even wider anti-persecution force so as to contribute to the improvement of China.