Su Rong Escapes from Zambia, Lawsuit to be Filed Against Him at the International Court of Justice in The Hague

According to the most recent information, under an arrest warrant, the Party Secretary of Gansu Province, Mr. Su Rong, crossed the Chirundu border post in Zambia, and hid in Zimbabwe, then escaped to South Africa and flew back to China Monday evening, November 15, 2004. Falun Dafa practitioners expressed that they will not give up and intend to bring Su Rong to justice by taking his case to The International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The Party Secretary of Gansu Province, Su Rong, was served with a summons delivered by a Marshall of the Zambia High Court on the afternoon of November 4, 2004. He was on the way back to his hotel while visiting Zambia with a Chinese delegation led by Central Politburo member Mr. Wu Bangguo. Falun Dafa practitioners filed a civil law suit against Su for his crimes of murder, torture and defamation of Falun Dafa practitioners during his tenure as the Head of the Jilin Provincial "610 Office."

Including Wu Bangguo, fourteen other members of the delegation were present when Su was served. Su had to wait behind to appear in court, leaving the delegation at Lusaka.

On November 8, 2004, Su Rong was charged with "Contempt of Court," because he failed to appear in court as ordered. On November 13, 2004, the Zambia High Court held a special hearing on Su Rong's case, but he failed to appear again. Thus, the Zambia police issued an arrest warrant and dispatched personnel to conduct a manhunt. After an extensive and prolonged search, police found Su's personal clothing and belongings at his hiding place, the Chinese Centre for the Promotion of Investment, Development and Trade (Z) LTD, but he was nowhere to be found. According to Taj Pamodzi Hotel records where the delegation lodged, Su Rong checked out on November 8, at 2 PM.

Since Su Rong is not familiar with Zambia, he probably escaped with help from the Chinese Embassy. According to reliable sources, Su Rong indicated that after this trip, he would not be easily persuaded to travel overseas again. Falun Dafa practitioners expressed that they will not give up on bringing this criminal Provincial Official to justice. They will file a lawsuit in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Su Rong was the Party Deputy Secretary of Jilin Province from April 1998 to October 2001. He was the Party Secretary of Qinghai Province from October 2001 to August 2003 and the Chairman of Qinghai Provincial People's Congress from January 2002 to August 2003. He has been the Party Secretary of Gansu Province since August 2003. During his tenure in Jilin Province, he was the head of the "Jilin Province Leading Group on the Falun Gong Issue," (associated with the "610 Office"), charged with "handling the Falun Gong issue." During Su's tenure in Jilin Province, he actively supported brainwashing Falun Dafa practitioners, and dismissed them from Party and public positions, since the beginning of the persecution.

WOIPFG (World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong) pointed out in its Evidence of How the Party Secretary of Gansu Province, Su Rong, Joined the Persecution of Falun Gong, "Su Rong gave a speech in the National Opposing Falun Gong Touring Lectures Conference, [in which he] slandered Falun Dafa, and encouraged brainwashing and the "eradication" of Falun Gong.

Su Rong is the second high-ranking Chinese official being sued in Africa after former Education Minister Chen Zhili was summoned in Tanzania, and Su is the first to be called by Court order. In July, former Education Minister Chen Zhili was sued while visiting with a delegation in Tanzania for her role in persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners through the education system during her term. Her case is being processed in the Criminal Law section of Tanzania's High Court. Using the power of her position during her tenure as Education Minister, Chen Zhili forced all teachers, employees and students to support the persecution of Falun Gong. She forced them to sign petitions, to slander Falun Gong on tests, in essays, and on college entrance exams. She also directed the education system to include slander of Falun Gong in textbooks.