Comments on Xinhua News Agency's Repeated Fabrications about the TV Tapping

After the period of Anti-rightists campaigns (1957-1958; however, it was not until 1982 that people labelled as "Rightists" were completely exonerated), and the Cultural Revolution, (1966-1976) many scholars who returned to China from overseas, and whose only intention was to serve their country, were labelled as "Spies of Imperial America," and in the end had a tragic life. Even Liu Shaoqi, then Chairman of the State, was labelled as a "spy" and "traitor" and died a dreadful death. His wife suffered endless insults under the label of "an American spy who supplied strategic information."

Recently, Xinhua News Agency, the official publication of the Chinese Communist Party, displayed again its talent for fabricating stories about a TV-tapping incident. This time, instead of calling the responsible person a "Spy for Imperial America" as occurred during the Cultural Revolution, the crime became "conspiring with Taiwan Independence Activists." When you thoroughly read Xinhua News Agency's "report," you find no witnesses or hard evidence, only words designed to provoke hatred by taking advantage of the antagonistic feelings of those Chinese people who do not support Taiwan's independence. This method is just like what was used during the Cultural Revolution.

In articles about those who tapped into the state-TV broadcast to show a fact-revealing Falun Gong video, Xinhua News Agency mentioned again that "International Conventions" were broken. In 1998, the People's Republic of China signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, it is Jiang Zemin and his group that keep violating the articles in the Covenant, such as Article 16: Everyone shall have the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law; Article 18: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; Article 21: The right of peaceful assembly; and Article 22: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

In 1997, China also signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Yet Jiang Zemin and his group violate the police laws and prison laws, and they deny China's citizenry of the basic rights to criminal and civil law suits (including the right of Falun Gong practitioners to fair and legal procedures). Falun Gong practitioners are honest citizens, yet they are persecuted, tortured, and killed for not giving up their beliefs and for clarifying the truth about the defamation and persecution of Falun Gong. So far, at least 1141 people have died as a direct result of the persecution. Many deaths were directly caused by severe physical torture. How does the Xinhua News Agency dare to talk about International Conventions? When a government violates the laws of the country, abuses the rights of its citizens that are guaranteed by the constitution, and violates international conventions, especially those it signed, then the citizens of the country have the right--more specifically, the responsibility--to maintain the laws and justice. In other words, in these instances, civil disobedience is justified.

Television broadcasts should be used to uphold justice and speak the truth, playing the role of supervising the government and revealing the corruption of government officials. In China, however, TV is just another mouthpiece of the government, selling the "Three Representatives" (translator's note: a Jiang Zemin phrase meaning, the CCP represents the people and is an advanced social force), covering up evil actions, defaming good people, and provoking hatred. Under such circumstances, where people have no access to the truth, anyone with a conscience has the right to tap into a TV broadcast to show the truth, and thus force the media to carry out its social responsibilities, all in a non-violent way.

Those who "bring harm to society and damage social stability" are certainly not the brave people who tap into TV broadcasts to show the truth. It is the authorities and their mouthpiece that cover up evil conduct and deceive people. When the SARS epidemic was rampant in China, the authorities, out of their selfish interests, covered up the true situation. Fortunately, an upright doctor, Mr. Jiang Yanyong, risked his own safety and sent letters to overseas media that revealed the truth, so in the end a large number of people were saved from getting the disease. Would you say that this doctor "brings harm to society and damages social stability?" So, when people tap into a TV broadcast so they can tell people that the authorities are defaming good people, it is a deed that upholds people's right to information. Only when people have the right to information, can the crimes of the authorities be revealed and condemned, and people's lives and interests be safeguarded from abuse by authorities.

The Xinhua News Agency has used words such as "at a happy time when our country is celebrating the holiday and experiencing important events..." (referring to the time when the TV broadcast took place) to provoke hatred in people using emotional language. "At a happy time"-- how many Falun Gong practitioner's families are crying for their loved ones who died because of the persecution? How many of them are crying for their loved ones who are being tortured in the prisons and labour camps? How many of them are worrying for their loved ones who are forced to leave home and wander about to avoid further persecution? While the tragedy created by Jiang Zemin and his group is going on, the authorities fabricate a false festive atmosphere to cover up their tyranny. While so many kindhearted Falun Gong practitioners and their families are suffering, people have the right to know how the authorities are persecuting the innocent. Martin Luther King said that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." People's rights and interests can only be kept intact when their rights to information are secured, and only then can they enjoy the happiness of holiday celebrations.

The Xinhua News Agency also claimed that Chen Shuibian's government (Chen Shubian is the President of Taiwan) supports Falun Gong. This was said to provoke hatred in Chinese people by using their dislike of Chen. In fact, it is not only Chen's government who treats Falun Gong with respect. Only Jiang Zemin and his group in China irrationally persecute Falun Gong practitioners. In other parts of the world, Falun Gong has spread to 60 countries and has been given legal status by each government. The practise of Falun Gong has also received over 1200 awards from local governments. Those governments are elected by the people and need to be responsible to the people. If Falun Gong practitioners were anything like the Chinese media portrays them, why would so many awards be issued and why would the practise be legal in those countries? Obviously, the reason for Falun Gong's rapid spread and obtaining legal status in those countries is that they respect the rule of law rather than support a particular political power. In any country run by laws, the government will abide by the laws and recognise the legal status of Falun Gong practitioners. Only the dictatorial regime in China rampantly persecutes a group of honest and kind people, people who dare uphold their faith and speak the truth.

The Xinhua News Agency even groundlessly accused Professor Chang Chinghsi of Taiwan University of manipulating the Taiwan election, because Professor Chang is the spokesman for the Taiwanese Falun Dafa Association. Mr. Li Hongzhi talked about the issue in 2003 in his lecture Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference,

"The last time there was an election in Taiwan, I had a veteran practitioner call the person in charge of the Taiwan Dafa Association and make it clear to the public that Dafa Associations take no stance on elections. If an individual practitioner wants to support someone, that's his personal business and it doesn't represent Dafa. There were Dafa disciples supporting both of the parties. The Falun Dafa Association has no political opinion regarding any party's election, and it doesn't get involved. As individual practitioners you can support whomever you'd like. That's how it works."

Falun Dafa practitioners will follow what Mr. Li teaches in cultivation. How could Professor Chang manipulate the election? The dictatorial regime in China blocks the Internet and does not allow people to read Falun Gong books. Therefore, the Xinhua News Agency dares to tell such huge lies.

However, the Xinhua News Agency had to admit that Falun Gong has spread rapidly in Taiwan. Yet they labelled this as a "crazy act." Taiwan is a society ruled by law and its media operates independently from the government. No organisation (including the government) can act outside of the law and behave crazily. Falun Gong teaches people to be good and brings them physical and mental health, forming a positive influence in society. Many schools in Taiwan hold Falun Gong camps. Even prisons invite Falun Gong practitioners to teach the inmates the practise, which helps the inmates to become better people. Taiwan has the same cultural origin as China. The benefits Falun Gong has brought to society is evident in the increasing number of practitioners throughout Taiwan.

As to "crazy acts," only Jiang's group in China would steal power and rampantly suppress the people while illegally collecting money and relying on corruption to operate. That is truly acting crazy. Only their cohorts in China would turn a deaf ear to the corruption, the cases in which people are wronged, and the mine accidents, while covering up the authorities' crimes and helping frame the innocent. Those are "crazy acts." The crazy acts of the dictatorial regime and its cohorts are the shame of the Chinese people. However, the regime won't have much time to continue its crazy acts much longer, for it will soon be punished in International Courts.

The Xinhua News Agency's fabricated story about Falun Gong practitioners conspiring with Taiwan Independent activists is designed to exploit Chinese people's nationalism. In Taiwan, Falun Gong is not only treated with respect by the people in the Democratic Progressive Party, but also by officials in the Kuomingtang Party. In a democratic country, no matter which party comes into power, its members will respect Falun Gong practitioners' rights to freedom of belief and freedom of speech. Falun Gong does not need to, nor will it, conspire with any political power. In addition, practising Falun Gong is cultivation to transcend the human world, and Falun Gong itself has no interest in influencing politics.

On November 4th of 2004, Falun Gong practitioners filed a civil suit against Su Rong, the Communist Party Secretary of Gansu Province, in the Zambian Supreme Court, accusing him of committing murder and torture, and of defaming Falun Gong practitioners when he was leading 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) in Jilin Province. On November the 5th, the Zambian Supreme Court signed an order disallowing Su Rong to leave the country before the case came before the court. However, Su Rong didn't appear on the scheduled date of November 8th. On November 12th, the Zambian Supreme Court held a hearing to discuss Su Rong's disregard of court orders. Still, Su didn't appear on November 13th either. The police signed an arrest warrant and sent out officers to search for him. According to the Xinhua News Agency's logic, Falun Gong must be conspiring with the Zambian Police. Are Zambian courts and police also "anti-China" forces?

The Xinhua News Agency said that Falun Gong acquires financial and material support from the Taiwanese government, and has received "secret training" from the Taiwanese Intelligence Bureau. Stating such lies is exactly the same method that was used during the Cultural Revolution to label people as "spies of Imperial America." Such words are groundless fabrications. The Taiwan government is elected by the people. They have both separated power and a balance of power. The government is also supervised by the media, unlike the government in Mainland China. The Xinhua News Agency cannot present any witnesses or evidence of their charges. All they can do is broadcast lies.

Throughout its history, China has experienced political persecutions one after another. The lies built upon lies have been repeated again and again. During the five years that Jiang's group has persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, the lies have become bigger and bigger. Time will reveal what has happened as the most disgraceful page in Chinese history.