Over A Dozen Older Practitioners Die as a Result of Persecution in Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province (Photos)

Mr. Du Jinhai was 84 years old. He lived in Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province. He started practising Falun Gong in November 1998. In November 2001, he went to Beijing and held a banner to speak out for justice for Falun Gong, yet he was arrested by lawless personnel from Huachuan County and sent back. His family was extorted of 3000 yuan¹, which was withheld from his son's paycheck. In addition, his residence was ransacked, and his son was arrested. His son was sentenced to forced labour for a second time. During this time, the local Songjiang Township 610 Office² frequently threatened, compelled and harassed him. In addition, in the labour camp, his son was tortured to unconsciousness. His 78-year-old wife could no longer endure the pressure and harassment, and died on December 30th, 2003. Subsequently, Du Jinhai also passed away on February 20th, 2004.

Ms. Li Zhifang was 72 years old. She was a Falun Gong practitioner from Jiamusi City. After practising Falun Gong, the tracheitis that she previously struggled with was almost healed. However, after July 20th, 1999, officers from the Nangang Local Police Station, Qianjin District, Jiamusi City often went to her home to harass her family. Her youngest son persisted in practising Falun Gong, hence was sentenced to forced labour. Li Zhifang's health deteriorated due to the persecution, and she was once hospitalised. In April 2002, Jiamusi City carried out an entire city search to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. The lawless people went to her home again to threaten and harass her family. Under such huge pressure, Li Zhifang passed away in May 2002.

Mr. Yu Xuewang was about 60 years old. He was a Falun Gong practitioner from Baoquanling County, Jiamusi City. He was arrested twice and detained in Baoquanling Detention Centre. He was extorted of 3000 yuan. After he was released, the local police frequently harassed, threatened and closely watched him. Now he's been persecuted to death, but the police claim that he killed himself.

Dong Yucai

Dong Yucai was 63 years old. He was from Wanfa Village, Changqing Township, Jiamusi City. He started practising Falun Gong in 1996. Afterwards, all his illnesses were healed. Since 1999, he has been frequently harassed by the authorities from the village and township. On July 21st, 2000, while working in his own farm field, he was arrested. He was only released after being extorted of 1,000 yuan by Li Wanyi from the Suburban Local Police Station of Jiamusi City.

In December 2001, Dong Yucai went to Beijing to speak out for justice for Falun Gong. He opened a banner (with Falun Gong information on it), and safely returned home. After the village authorities learned about it, they reported him. A few days before the Chinese New Year of 2001, Dong was arrested by the Suburban Local Police, and Li Chunming and another policeman from the Changhong Local Police Station. He was detained in the detention centre. His family spent their holidays in tears.

In April 2002, comprehensive arrests of Falun Gong practitioners were carried out across the entire city, so he was forced to leave his home and become destitute and homeless. Under the long-term psychological pressure, on June 10th, 2006, he felt unwell. The hospital diagnosed him as having lung cancer and liver cancer. In addition, it had spread. When the hospital did not have any other means to treat him, he was released. Even under that situation, he dared not go home. On the morning of November 10th, 2006, he passed away.

Mr. Zhao Wenxi was 56 years old. He was employed by the Fourth Squad of Jianan Farm in Jiamusi City. He started practising Falun Gong in 1998. In 2001, he was reported while distributing Falun Gong fliers, and was arrested by Jianan Local police. On the next day, he was released on medical bail. However, only three days after that, he was once again arrested and detained in Jiamusi Detention Centre. He suffered from two months of torture. In April 2001, he was released, but had experienced severe mental and physical trauma. In October 2001, he passed away.

Ms. Fu Xiulan was 60 years old. She used to teach at No. 6 Elementary School of Jiamusi City. After practising Falun Gong, all her illnesses were healed. Since the persecution of Falun Gong started, Yan Weidong from Nangang Local Police Station of Qianjin District in Jiamusi City went to her home to harass her. Ms. Fu was forced to leave her home and become destitute and homeless for over two years. Later, she developed liver cancer. On May 3rd, 2005, she passed away.

Ms. Lu Xiaolan was 77 years old. She lived with her daughter at the Forty-Ninth Association, Qianjin District, Jiamusi City. She started practising Falun Gong in 1997 and all her illnesses were healed. Her daughter started the practice as well. Since the persecution started in July 1999, policemen often went to her home to harass them, ransack their residence and arrest her daughter. When her daughter went to Beijing to clarify the truth of Falun Gong, the police from Zhongshan Local Police Station deceived Lu Xiaolan and took away the only 700 yuan that she had for living expenses. Her daughter was repeatedly arrested, and consequently Lu was traumatised. In September 2002, her daughter was sentenced to two years in prison. Lu was left helpless, and was sent to the nursing home. In July 2003, she passed away.

Liang Weiqi

Ms. Liang Weiqi was 67 years old. She was from Jiamusi City. She started practising Falun Gong in 1996. After practising, many of her diseases were healed.

In 1999, Jiang's Communist regime started to persecute Falun Gong. From her personal experience, she knew that Falun Gong was good, and she went to Beijing and opened up a "Falun Dafa is good!" banner.

During the past few years, due to the pressure of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, her physical condition deteriorated. On October 26th, 2006, she passed away.

Mr. Liu Yuchen was 64 years old. He was from Xiangyang District, Jiamusi City. Soon after he started to practise Falun Gong, many of the illnesses he had before were cured. On July 20th, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party and Jiang started to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, but Liu Yucheng's wife and daughter persisted in practising Falun Gong and explaining the facts about Falun Dafa to people. The vicious police harassed them, ransacked their home, detained them and extorted money from them. His nephew was tortured to death by Daqing Forced Labour Camp because he spoke out for justice. During the past few years, Liu and his family suffered from huge spiritual, economical and physical persecution. The long-term persecution, especially Heilongjiang Province's barbaric arrests and torture of Falun Gong practitioners, put heavy mental and physical pressure on him. On November 21st, 2005, he passed away.

Ms. Sun Liru was 56 years old. She was employed by the former Jiamusi Sugar Plant in Heilongjiang Province. After she started practising Falun Gong in 1999, she became very healthy. After the persecution started, the Jiaxi Local Police in Jiamusi City often went to harass her. In 2001, she went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. Because of that, she was detained in Jiamusi Detention Centre. A month later, Yonghong Local Police extorted money and items from her family before they released her. In May 2002, they started a city wide search for Falun Gong practitioners. The Jiaxi local police had someone go to Ms. Sun's home to arrest her, so she was forced to leave home and become destitute and homeless. For over two years, she was not in touch with any fellow practitioners for updated information on Falun Gong. She suffered from extreme trauma. In 2005, she went home. From weighing over 150 pounds, she had become so thin that she could barely walk. On February 24th, 2006, she passed away.

Ms. Zhou Guiqing was 60 years old. She was from Jiamusi City. She started practising Falun Gong in 1995, and benefited both mentally and physically from the practice. She understood deeply the goodness of Falun Gong. Since the persecution started on July 20th,1999, she developed a strong attachment to fear, and therefore isolated herself from the outside. Plus her work unit and neighbourhood association often went to her home to harass her. Afterwards, she moved. But she knew how precious Falun Gong was. She continued asking for Falun Gong materials from fellow practitioners, but she would not let fellow practitioners go to her home. They could only contact each other on the phone or meet on the road. In 2006, she started having illnesses. Her family members sent her to the hospital. After about twenty days, she passed away.

Ms. Liang Yuqin was 66 years old. She was from Jiamusi. Before practising Falun Gong, her whole body was swollen, and she was unable to walk normally. The lower parts of her legs were dark and purple. They oozed pus constantly and were very painful. She went to different doctors and spent huge amounts of money, but did not see any improvement. Her family members (all five sons were married) frequently got sick, and lost consciousness. Sometimes, the whole family would have the same symptoms. In 1995, Ms. Liang started to practise Falun Gong. She practised and studied Falun Gong constantly, and she became healthy. Her family also became harmonious. Since the persecution started, she lost her former environment where she could join the group study and practice. Under the pressure, her earlier illnesses all came back, and on January 27th, 2005, she passed away.

Ms. Liu Runzhi was 70 years old. She retired from the Grocery Store of Jiamusi City. In May 1999, she started to practise Falun Gong, and all of the illnesses that she suffered from before were cured. After the persecution started, she lost the group study environment. Her former illnesses recurred and she passed away in May 2001.

Ms. Wu Shuyun was 53 years old. She was a Falun Gong practitioner from Jiamusi City. After practising Falun Gong in 1996, all of her illnesses were cured. She also helped her family members and many other people to learn Falun Gong. Since the persecution started, the neighbourhood association and local police station frequently sent people to Wu Shuyun's home to harass her and prevent her from practising Falun Gong. She suffered from huge mental pressure, hence her physical condition deteriorated. Eventually, she developed pulmonary tuberculosis and diabetes. She passed away on April 5th, 2005.

Ms. Cai Guiqin was 63 years old. She was from Jiamusi. Before practising Falun Gong, she suffered from several kinds of illnesses. With her practice however, the illnesses went away. After the persecution started, the local police often went to her home to harass and threaten her. She was thus forced to leave her home, and became destitute and homeless for over a year. Consequently, her former illnesses resumed, and on August 10th, 2003, she passed away.

Ms. Xu Xiuzhen was 82 years old. She was from Jiamusi City. She started practising Falun Gong in 1996. After practising, all the illnesses she had were healed. After the persecution started, Xu and her daughter (also a practitioner) went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. She was arrested twice. In addition, the police often called her home to harass her. Sometimes the police went to her home to bother the family. As a result, Xu Xiuzhen had to move. But the police still would not let her live in peace. Ms. Xu's daughter had to leave home and become destitute and homeless. At the end of 2002, she was deceived by the police into giving them 2000 yuan. After suffering from several years of persecution, Ms. Xu experienced both mental and physical trauma, and passed away on April 17th, 2006.

Note

1. "Yuan" is the Chinese currency; 500 yuan is equal to the average monthly income of an urban worker in China.

2. "The 610 office" is 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.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2006/12/3/143740.html