How the Chinese Government Suppresses Human Rights in Other Countries around the World

Suppression of Falun Gong in China is a suppression of worldwide freedom of expression

By a Practitioner from Germany

One has to correct the assumption that the suppression of Falun Gong in China is merely a local matter of damaging human rights and infringement on one’s freedom of thought. That is not so, however! Meanwhile the Chinese government is involved in worldwide efforts to influence freedom of thought around the globe. Freedom of expression is a precious treasure in the West. That’s why we react with special indignation.

In the case of Falun Gong, in light of leading one’s life according to the principles of “Truth, Compassion and Tolerance,” it becomes obvious how the Chinese power brokers are attempting to sway and influence the foreign media and governments’ positive attitudes toward Falun Gong.

It has happened when practitioners’ attempts to clarify the truth about Falun Gong in Moscow, for instance, or Australia and the United States of America, is hampered or interfered with or blocked by trumped-up charges, Chinese embassy employees will badger the police forces in those countries and cities to order dispersal of the practitioners, as has happened in Czechoslovakia, England, the Ukraine, Italy and other localities. In all those instances, the Chinese government has infringed upon the laws and freedom of expression of those countries. In none of those instances did practitioners ever act outside the law. What is unbelievable, though and at the same time menacing is this: in many instances, people from these Chinese embassies succeeded to work AGAINST rights of freedom of expression and against local laws! By doing so they have influenced the legal codes in those countries and thereby have attempted to curtail freedom of expression not only in China but also abroad.

Practitioners’ activities abroad are at present under surveillance by Chinese secret agents.

Chinese who have lived abroad for a long time and are subject to local laws and regulations are forbidden to avail themselves of these rights and privileges and protections, because the Chinese embassy representatives forbid it. For instance, if people in Russia want to involve themselves in Falun Gong, this privilege can only be exercised by Russian citizens and not by Chinese nationals who live in Russia, although they have the same knowledge of the matter at hand and would use the same wording as their Russian colleagues. Why are they not permitted to do that? Because the Chinese government entities pestered the Russian government long enough, reminding them of their “privileged status and good relations” [that Russia surely does not want to lose], so that the Russians agreed in the end to the Chinese demands. Strangely enough this curtailing of activities applies only to Falun Gong. Should Chinese citizens living in Russia apply for a permit to work for UNICEF or to establish a gymnastics club, they have not problem receiving permits. Considering this it becomes obvious then that this infringement of freedom of thought abroad applies only to Falun Gong. And we must not forget that Chinese are foisting their own brand of jurisdiction on foreign countries!

Another variant of this infringement of expression exists in the economic sector. Contracts involving huge sums of capital are only offered to those enterprises that declare their opposition to Falun Gong or at least remain neutral or quiet about it, the latter only involving lesser amounts of capital. For instance: the Chinese TV broadcasting system will only award contracts rights for airing the Olympic Games in 2008 to those stations who in the past had never aired any positive news about Falun Gong. Renowned worldwide channels such as CNN that are interested in genuine news situations around the world and also in the true facts about the persecution of Falun Gong will go away empty-handed. Those who publicly support Falun Gong will experience a curtailing of business contract offers. To state it briefly: through its infringement on freedom of expression abroad, the Chinese government subtly guides business development around the world. This becomes even more obvious when one considers that Third World Nations did not participate in nor ratify the resolution to condemn China’s human rights records at the UN Human Rights Conference in Geneva in 2001. Those countries that did not speak out against China and her human rights abuses received many business contracts and orders. China’s own state system calls this corruption. Behind corruption is the hidden manipulation of freedom of expression. This is not only happening in China, but regarding Falun Gong, is also being perpetrated worldwide.

The suppression of Falun Gong in China might develop into a suppression of freedom of expression for Falun Gong worldwide. Some countries have already fallen victim to this China-originated suppression of Falun Gong, especially in those countries where Chinese embassy representatives make it difficult or dangerous to openly and peacefully speak out for Falun Gong. One could therefore say that the suppression of Falun Gong is not only happening in China alone but mirrors the influence of efforts to curtail freedom of expression abroad.

This worldwide effort against the suppression of Falun Gong in China is at the same times an intervention for a worldwide stance for freedom of expression and freedom of belief. Because this manner of truth clarification is completely selfless and directed at all beings, it is compassionate.

Practitioner in Germany

January 15th, 2002

(Original text in German)