A Commentary Written on the Fifth Anniversary of the March 5th, 2002, Video Broadcast in Changchun

It has been nearly five years since a group of Falun Dafa practitioners courageously broadcast videos detailing the true facts behind the persecution of Falun Gong via a local TV network in Changchun City of China on March 5th, 2002. Three of the practitioners involved, Liu Chengjun, Hou Mingkai and Lei Ming, who for their brave acts were tortured to death. Zhou Runjun, Chen Yanmei, Zhao Jian, Yun Qingbin, Liang Zhenxing, and others are still being held.

Numerous people in Changchun learnt the truth through this magnificent deed of broadcasting those videos while the wicked Communist Party feared, and indeed still fears the truth. The Party launched military forces to search door-to-door within less than one hour after the incident. According to one incomplete estimate, more than 5,000 people were arrested, and almost all of them were brutally tortured. The tortures suffered by the practitioners who participated in the broadcast were barbaric beyond words. We do not know how many practitioners died in police custody. The Party officials lied that Falun Gong practitioners destroyed the TV network and were backed by foreign forces. They spread lies to deceive people who didn't know the truth, which is why I want to explain some of the facts.

First I want to explain why and how, as a Falun Gong practitioner, we clarify the truth.

The Party had produced vicious lies, attacking the founder of Falun Gong and Falun Gong itself 24/7 through TV, radio, newspapers, and all other media since July 20, 1999. These lies also poisoned the minds of people all over the world. All practitioners benefited from the practise of Falun Gong, and we wanted to clarify the facts to the regime. Because many volunteer assistants and practitioners were arrested, many kind and trusting Falun Gong practitioners believed the regime started the persecution based on a few people's fabricated lies. At first we went to the State Appeals Office, but the bureau turned into an arrest venue. The official sign, "Appeals Office," was later removed.

Falun Gong practitioners have created [numerous] opportunities for the communist regime to learn the truth, but it has refused to accept them. From the beginning of the persecution, we heard about Falun Gong practitioners from all over the country being constantly arrested, beaten, and killed. Our hearts were bleeding. We had no way to appeal, so we went to Tiananmen Square and unfurled banners that read, "Falun Dafa Is Good." We wanted to tell all Chinese people and people worldwide that "Falun Dafa is good" and about the persecution we were suffering in China.

We later realised that the Communist Party employed, and is still employing, nothing more than lies and deception throughout all of its political movements and persecution. One day I stared out the window and thought, "If one Dafa practitioner could write a good article exposing the Party's lies and the truth, people would no longer believe the lies on TV." Soon afterwards another practitioner came to my home and asked, "Do you want to hand out flyers?" I asked, "What is it?" He showed me a sheet of paper titled "Q & A on the Facts of Falun Gong."

I was truly touched because it was exactly what I had wanted to do. Many times Falun Gong practitioners understand each other because our common wish is to help all Chinese people know the truth about this persecution and to end it. The flyers initially displayed only words but later evolved into picture pamphlets. We also made VCDs, using our own money to cover all production expenses.

The Communist regime staged the Self-immolation Incident in Tiananmen Square on January 23rd, 2001, in an attempt to frame Falun Gong. This vicious ploy deceived quite a few Chinese people. Some people who previously believed us were once again confused. We clarified the truth all over again, specifically regarding this incident, and handed out lots of VCDs that analysed this incident.

Which brings us to the March 5th, 2002, video broadcast.

In September or October of 2001, I visited a practitioner who had come to Changchun to avoid the police. He was doing research to find a cheap loudspeaker that would broadcast for more than one hour if placed on the street. He said he had studied electronics in his younger days but didn't work in the field, although he believed it wouldn't pose a problem for him to make a speaker. When I visited him again a few days later he was ready with the speaker. I had by then read an article on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website that said several thousand people in one area had learnt the truth about Falun Gong at one time through a local TV broadcast. I was pleased to read that and thought about how practitioners are full of wisdom when clarifying the truth and rescuing sentient beings! I went back to this practitioner who also mentioned the article. He said he would study the mechanism [of that specific broadcasting equipment]. I encouraged him.

Several days later another practitioner asked me, "An article on the Minghui website says several thousand people watched videos on the truth about Falun Dafa on TV. Do you know any practitioner with this type of skill?" I said I knew one practitioner, but he needed to figure out the technical issues. I didn't get involved any further but knew one of the issues we encountered was how to find the main transport channel for the cable TV signals.

At the time many Changchun practitioners were employed to collect fees for the Changchun cable TV network company. We were able to quickly find the main broadcasting channel. It seemed like a coincidence, but maybe it was heaven's will! Some practitioners learnt the technology involved, but I do not know the details. Some practitioners bought the equipment with their own money. The broadcast was successfully carried out on the evening of March 5th, 2002.

When videos revealing the truth about Falun Dafa appeared on the TV screen, everyone was shocked. Many practitioners' relatives called them asking, "Is the regime restoring justice to Falun Gong?" After a short time, no less than one million people in Changchun had learnt the truth about the self-immolation and about Falun Dafa being embraced around the world. Many people called their family and friends and asked them to watch TV. When I went to a small shop the next day I asked someone whether he had watched the Falun Gong videos. I felt bad about missing the videos myself.

One hour after the broadcast some practitioners said, "According to a reliable source, they [the Communist Party] have dispatched the military and are searching for practitioners from house to house." They [practitioners in the know] warned all practitioners to immediately leave home. I didn't think much of it but I informed practitioners whom I knew. They were just as nonchalant as I was, because we severely underestimated the extent of the malevolence of the Chinese Communist Party who's greatest fear is the exposure of its lies!

The next day I could not get in touch with anyone I knew. Then I heard that many, many people had been arrested during a large-scale arrest sweep throughout the province. Shortly afterwards, we learnt that some people were tortured to death. During those days, a windstorm howled across the city. The air was filled with dust and sand. It was exactly like the scene from the film Sandstorm, the evil had come on-force! Uniformed and plainclothes police officers filled every street; pedestrians were constantly interrogated or searched. People stood next to every electricity pole in Changchun City. There was a shortage of manpower to watch all the poles, so the regime called on work places to send people, and local districts took responsibility for their own precincts.

State-run newspapers started spreading rumours saying, "Falun Gong practitioners destroyed the TV network." Think about it: Who is in charge of all the media, including the TV, radio, and newspapers. Who spins countless lies that deceive all the Chinese people? Who incites those kind-hearted people to hate Falun Gong, and who staged the self-immolation and again duped people through its media network? When fearless Falun Gong practitioners who transcend life and death for the sake of upholding the truth exposed their lies on TV, the communist regime started waving the butcher knife.

Liu Chengjun, Lei Ming, Zhou Runjun, Chen Yanmei, Zhao Jian, Yun Qingbin, Liang Zhenxing and other practitioners were arrested and endured tortures beyond imagination. They were handed heavy prison sentences. Liu Chengjun and Lei Ming were tortured to death. Several thousand Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and sentenced to prison or forced labour. Some have since disappeared.

I have been meaning to reveal the truth for a long time, because I hope all kindhearted people will get to know the truth about Falun Gong. I have the same hope as other practitioners: we only want to help people learn the truth.

Changchun people are fortunate because the teachings of the Falun Gong was first spread in Changchun and eventually all of China. During the past seven years of persecution, Falun Dafa has not only not been extinguished but is now being practised in more than 80 countries worldwide. The whole world knows Falun Dafa is good.

It may seem like the video broadcast in Changchun was the idea of a few practitioners, but I know it's heaven's will. Falun Gong practitioners were simply safeguarding the truth, following heaven's will.