CHINA'S STATE MEDIA USES MURDER CASE TO INCITE HATRED AGAINST FALUN GONG

Amidst Worldwide Support for Falun Gong, China Stands Alone in Persecution

19/12/2001

[ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]

NEW YORK, December 19, 2001 (Falun Dafa Information Center)-In the latest attempt to bend popular opinion among the Chinese people against Falun Gong and counter international criticism regarding the treatment of Falun Gong in China, state-run CCTV and Chinese Xinhua News Agency began extensive reports Sunday about a recent alleged murder case, attempting to pin it on Falun Gong, whose teachings strictly prohibit killing and suicide.

Starting on December 16th, state-run CCTV and Chinese Xinhua News Agency reported the story of Mr. Fu Yibin who allegedly killed several people 20 days earlier. However, on December 15th -- the day before the media blitz began -- the Falun Dafa Information Centre received information from a source inside China that a large-scale plot was underway to frame up Falun Gong in the state-run media. FDI issued a release early Sunday, December 16th (see website), to alert the media and the public of the upcoming propaganda blitz.

This latest media blitz comes just days after the conclusion of a national conference on religion in China, in which, according to the South China Morning Post, President Jiang "tacitly acknowledged international criticism on the issue [of Falun Gong], telling the meeting that China should 'strengthen propaganda'" surrounding Falun Gong.

Falun Dafa Information Centre spokesperson Adam Montanaro pointed out that Falun Gong and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, have received worldwide support ever since the teachings were made public. To date, in North America alone Falun Gong and Mr. Li have received over 600 awards and proclamations from government officials and supportive local communities.

One proclamation issued by the City of New York commended Falun Dafa "for their teachings of peace and spirituality, and for their courage and perseverance in the face of oppression by the People's Republic of China." Another statement from Illinois Governor George H. Ryan states: "it is my pleasure to officially commend you [Mr. Li Hongzhi] for the contributions your teachings of Falun Dafa have so significantly had on our nation and the world society."

Mr. Montanaro added, "There is widespread support for Falun Dafa across all of Europe, Australia, the Asia-Pacific Rim... only in China is Falun Gong routinely demonised and persecuted."

"Falun Dafa teaches people the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance," Mr. Montanaro concluded. "Falun Dafa is against all forms of killing, and teaches people to have compassion for all beings. The persecution of Falun Gong is really a resurrection of the bloody tactics used during the Cultural Revolution. In fact, in many respects it is worse."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTRE- Contact: Mrs Jess Jauhal 07990 541 284