Hong Kong Falun Gong Practitioners Call for Rescue of Mr. Chan Wing-Yuen, Who Was Secretly Sentenced to Prison in Myanmar

Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners appealed to the Hong Kong Government on January 23, 2003 to rescue Hong Kong permanent resident and Falun Gong practitioner Chan Wing-yuen who is being illegally imprisoned in Myanmar (Burma).

Mr. Chan, 71 years old, was a Mayanmar-Chinese and graduated from Rangoon University. In 2001, he went back to Myanmar to visit his relatives there and participate in translating the main book of Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun. After learning that Jiang would visit Rangoon at the end of 2001, he decided to hold a peaceful protest and unfurled a small banner that read Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance on the road leading to the airport on December 12, 2001. Myanmar police arrested him before Jiang's arrival. On January 31, 2002, he was secretly sentenced to a heavy term of seven years in prison without the presence of his attorney or family. He is currently imprisoned in a jail in Rangoon.

The illegal imprisonment of Mr. Chan is actually the result of Jiang regime's pressure on Myanmar authorities. The Chinese Consulate in Mayanmar and Myanmar police have frequently demanded that Mr. Chan write a "guarantee statement" [a statement guaranteeing not to practise Falun Gong again. It is a common method used by police in China to obtain propaganda against Falun Gong.] and promise to give up Falun Gong, but Mr. Chan has steadfastly refused. It was learned that Mr. Chan is persisting in his belief even in prison and is still practicing Falun Gong.

Mr. Chan Wing-yuen

In their letter to Hong Kong chief executive Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong practitioners pointed out, "A man in his 70's was shamelessly sentenced to seven years in prison, only because he unfurled a banner that reads 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance', even though he didn't affect any person or thing in any negative way. We are shocked at this complete disregard for justice, and we are also indignant that the Jiang regime in China is perpetrating illegal persecution against overseas Falun Gong practitioners through Chinese Consulates. We hope that the Hong Kong Government can immediately rescue Mr. Chan and reunite him with his family."

After Mr. Chan was arrested, Hong Kong practitioners continuously contacted the Myanmar Consulate in Hong Kong and the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar to ask for Mr. Chan's release. However, Chinese agencies and Myanmar officials exerted pressure on Mr. Chan's family members, which made the rescue difficult. After nearly one year's effort, the practitioners decided to publicise this severe incident of the Jiang's regime's illegal human rights violation overseas and expose it to the international community.

In recent contacts with the Myanmar Consulate in Hong Kong, Falun Gong practitioners asked Myanmar officials to indicate which law would call for a 7-year-term of imprisonment, but the officials failed to give provide it.

Earlier, the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association wrote to the Chinese ambassador in Myanmar and formally demanded that he urge Myanmar to release Mr. Chan unconditionally.