Former Chinese Consulate Official Speaks Out on the CCP's Persecution of Falun Gong

Diplomat Chen Yonglin was in charge of monitoring Falun Gong while based in the Sydney Australia Consulate. He quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) because he is no longer willing to work for the persecution, which is against his conscience. He revealed the reason for his escaping the CCP during the June 4th Memorial Rally held in Sydney. He further exposed details of how the CCP spies on Falun Gong and other overseas groups. His revelations have caused a major shockwave, rippling through Australia and the rest of the world. On June 9th, 2005, a Clearwisdom.net (a Falun Dafa related website) journalist interviewed Mr. Chen Yonglin, and the following is part of that interview.

Mr. Chen Yonglin graduated from the Beijing Foreign Affairs College and was assigned a job as First Secretary in the Sydney Consulate in 2001. He was placed in charge of political affairs, focusing on Falun Gong and democratic groups. Mr. Chen described how he changed from a consulate official dealing with Falun Dafa practitioners to a human being who finally found his conscience, escaped the consulate, refused to be involved in the evil persecution, and sought freedom for his conscience.

Journalist: How do you do, Mr. Chen! Thanks for accepting this interview with your busy schedule. How did you first hear about Falun Gong?

Chen: I heard about Falun Gong on April 25th, 1999. I was shocked to see how peaceful Falun Gong practitioners were when they sat next to the Zhongnanhai Compound. When the CCP banned Falun Gong in July 1999, the media were attacking Falun Gong, digging up some suicide, self-immolation incidents. I felt Falun Gong had nothing to do with me, since I did not know much about it. After I took the job in the Sydney Consulate in 2001, I was put in charge of political affairs and had more opportunities to come into contact with Falun Gong practitioners. I was resolutely following the CCP's policy of banning Falun Gong, "totally opposing and firmly fighting" it at that time.

Journalist: What made you change your opinion on Falun Gong later?

Chen: Through interaction with Falun Gong practitioners in Australia, I felt they are not that bad, like the CCP media propaganda described. In fact some young practitioners are quite knowledgeable. Since I was in charge of this issue, I had to study more on the topic. I read some Falun Gong books and visited their websites. I found Falun Gong has a systematic theory and belongs to a special group.

There is very little religious freedom in China. I know many people like to keep fit with qigong exercise or seek beliefs for spiritual support. As for those so-called suicide or self-immolation incidents, such as the propaganda reported as "Falun Gong 1700 Deaths," I can tell you most of these 1700 people probably had mental diseases or were suicidal to begin with. We should see the true facts, that many practitioners obtained spiritual hope due to practising Falun Gong, felt peace, and would not want to commit suicide any longer. For instance, someone who was coming off a broken relationship or who had a family problem would not want to commit suicide after practising Falun Gong. I found that compared with the more than 200,000 suicides per year in China, "1700" is a very small number. It is possible Falun Gong has saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

Journalist: There are still many employees in each consulate following the CCP policy of persecuting Falun Gong. Do you have something to say to these officials?

Chen: I think many of them do not know Falun Gong, as I did not when I first arrived at the Sydney Consulate. They deserve some time to know the truth. They should follow my lesson and not continue the persecution against their conscience.

Journalist: If one continues to follow the CCP's persecution, one would have a good career and enjoy an easy life. What made you withdraw from the CCP, risking danger to yourself?

Chen: Yes, if I continued to work for the CCP, I would be treated very well, but I have to live against my own conscience, and I cannot even keep basic moral values. Now I choose to escape the CCP, exposing these persecution facts, hoping to awaken Chinese people who still have some conscience. I feel my conscience is saved, and I feel at ease with myself.

Journalist: Due to your familiarity with the CCP's cruel persecution of Falun Gong and people of differing opinions, do you feel safe to live in Australia as long as the CCP is still in business?

Chen: You are right. The CCP rules by their will, they will stop at nothing to control others.

Journalist: Many readers of Minghui/Clearwisdom have expressed support and understanding for your righteous action, and are willing to help you. I heard many people have written to the Australian government or their local Australian Embassy/Consulates, calling on them to provide you immediate political asylum. What kind of help might you want to ask of our readers and the general public?

Chen: Many Falun Gong practitioners and kind-hearted people have already provided my family and me with lots of help. Here I want to thank them.

Journalist: I understand you must be very tired lately. Thanks for accepting my interview today, and I hope I can interview you later when time allows. I hope we can discuss with you other issues of interest to our readers, and we sincerely wish you and your family a safe, peaceful life in Australia!

Chen: Sure, Thanks!

In addition, according to an Epoch Times report, Mr. Chen Yonglin talked about details behind the scenes regarding the persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. Chen said that specific people coordinate the persecution of Falun Gong. From the Central Government to local agencies, specific individuals are responsible for the brainwashing programs. In order to keep their positions or to get promotions, local officials vigorously act to prevent local Falun Dafa practitioners from going to other regions to carry out their faith-related activities or even normal life activities, such as visiting family or friends. In cases where Falun Dafa practitioners escaped local control, the local officials were punished by the Central Government level of the CCP. Consequently, local officials try very hard to control local practitioners, frequently using methods such as brainwashing classes.

Mr. Chen said, "The CCP established the 610 Office on June 10th, 1999, to deal with Falun Gong. Later on, each province, city, and region also established 610 Offices, forming a system for persecuting Falun Gong. The 610 Office uses irregular means to deal with the Falun Gong issue in carrying out detention, forced-brainwashing, and so on. If a Falun Dafa practitioner refuses to cooperate in brainwashing, he would be detained by force."

Mr. Chen also pointed out, "By interacting with Falun Dafa practitioners gradually, I found that if I continue to do my job, I am disobeying my conscience, and I could not bear to help the evil any longer. I thought that these Falun Dafa practitioners need my help, not persecution. I hope that the Chinese Government will quickly correct its policies on religious freedom."