Host: In the past few years, China’s economic liberation has been dramatically opposed to its political trend. The more liberal its economy is, the stricter and tougher its politics becomes, which is illustrated by its escalating crackdown on dissidents and unlimited death penalty.
In particular, I want to highlight China’s crackdown on Falun Gong, which was launched by the Chinese Leader, Jing Zeming, in 1999. From then on, thousands had been arrested, many of them sent to mental hospitals or laid off. Based on the incomplete statistics of Falun Gong, 429 practitioners were persecuted to death.
Eva Sueraise Arnose, the chairperson of Spain-based Amnesty International, thinks that it is very difficult to thoroughly understand and investigate the persecution in China, because independent investigation is not allowed by the Beijing government.
Eva: Yes, we can hardly know the exact number of those being arrested and persecuted by the Chinese government, because China would never allow an independent investigation like this. However, undoubtedly, hundreds or even thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been subjected to suppression, persecution, torture or deprivation of basic human rights.
Hostess: Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a cultivation method related to Buddhism and Taoism. According to Falun Gong followers, Falun Gong is not a religion because there are no hierarchic ranking, administration, churches nor temples. Its exercising is more like meditation, yoga, or t’ai chi. It is based on the principle of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
In 1992, its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, started teaching Falun Gong in China. In a very short period of time, there had been millions of people practicing Falun Gong, which made the Chinese communist party feel threatened.
Recently, one of their followers, Zhao Ming, came to Spain. He is 31 years old, a post-graduate computer science student at Trinity College Dublin. When going back to China on vacation, Zhao Ming was arrested and sent to labour camps. Finally, due to the efforts of Amnesty International and the Ireland government, he was released.
The following is Zhao Ming’s description of the torture inflicted on him in the prison.
Zhao Ming: In the labour camps, I had been subjected to corporal punishment. Five police officers strapped me to the bed and administrated electric shocks to me. I was forced to stand up for over ten hours per day in a squatting position. I also suffered from sleep deprivation and the police even encouraged other inmates in the labour camp to beat me.
Host: Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, thinks that the self-immolation incident in the Tiananmen Square broadcast in the Chinese state-run TV station is not real. They think that the film was directed by the Chinese government.
Amnesty International has taken over one thousand Falun Gong practitioners in its care and regards them as prisoners of conscience.
Eva: Amnesty International consider all those detained in violation of the rights of freedom of belief, expression and association, and who have not used or advocated violence, to be prisoners of conscience. As far as I am concerned, Falun Gong practitioners could be regarded as prisoners of conscience. We don’t understand why the Chinese government would crack down on them, but the Chinese government has become used to cracking down on peaceful appeals and demonstrations.
Host: In the spring of 1989, Beijing government cracked down on college students in broad daylight. However, Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted in private. This persecution which appears more cruel, terrible and harsh, has been extended to every corner of China with much more victims.
Translated from
http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200211/14364.html
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