People Around the World Condemn the CCP’s Persecution of Falun Gong

(Clearwisdom.net) The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong continues after over 10 years. The Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group has received many comments from people from around the world. They condemned CCP’s persecution and expressed their sympathy towards Falun Gong practitioners. The following are some selected comments.

Ramachandran Vaidyanath

From: Ottawa, Ontario. Canada

“It is most painful, poignant and tragic to read these true to life stories of torture and murder of men and women of conscience for wanting to follow a spiritual practice of elevating their mind nature, moral character. Compared to 9/11 which is termed “Terrorism” where the governing State apparatus can monitor the safety of the citizens and punish the terrorists, this is the worst kind of Terrorism. It is committed by an autocratic state against its own most vulnerable people, because they are peaceful and spiritual.

When an authoritarian State perpetrates this on its own people, by holding itself above the rule of law and the State-controlled media bad-mouths and ostracizes a ring-fenced group of prisoners of conscience, it is no different than genocide.

I applaud the courage of conviction of these vulnerable spiritual practitioners.”

Robert W. Dudek

From: USA

“The crimes of the Chinese communist government against peaceful followers of Falun Gong are crimes against humanity and as such deserve our strongest condemnation and action. Nobody should conduct any business with the perpetrators of such crimes and they should stand trial for their actions. I hope and pray that all Falun Gong followers in China will be free soon.”

Steve McLean

From: New Zealand

“Stop the persecution of this very good and peaceful practice. Stop the violation of human rights of all groups. We can not keep silence! We should tell the truth as it is and not as it is shown by China oriented mass media. They misinform the world on a large scale.”

William Sheridan

From: United Kingdom

“Stop the persecution of peaceful practice. This crime of the Chinese Communist Party against humanity must be punished.”

Dijana Kotarac

From: Zagreb – Croatia

“This is really sad. The Chinese government is cruel. This attitude is truly unacceptable. they should be stopped – through severe economic measures, as they are only sensitive to their financial reports.”

Imo Beck

From: Germany

“I will boycott products made in the PRC. So sick of it.”

Alex

From: Melbourne, Australia

“Stop torturing people, STOP this CRIME against humanity!”

Binghamton University

From: USA

“Unless China starts respecting the inalienable fundamental rights of human beings it will never be able to achieve the place in global society that it thinks it should occupy.”

Jessica W. Weldon

From: Ireland

“This is a tragedy. Something must be done to stop this!!!!!!”

Julia Quantrill

From: Australia

“Speechless, terrible atrocities, China is portrayed as a forward moving nation, this is more backward than I ever thought possible!!!!”

Stephen Lewis

From: USA

“Persecution of religious minority groups in China cannot go on if America is to deal with China as a cooperative partner.”

Merlin B. Brinkerhoff

From: Canada

“China has become a world power and needs to show leadership in matters of human rights. She must cease from persecuting adherents to the Falun Gong.”

Lori Logan

From: USA

“This has got to STOP – I will not buy any products made in China.”

Margaret Griffiths

From: United Kingdom

“[China:] Please stop the torture immediately and respect human rights.”

Shiran Bershadsky

From: Israel

“Stop this genocide in China.”

Dr R.J. Rowell

From: Highlands of Scotland

“Stop the torture- it solves nothing.We must respect Human Rights.”

Navdeep Singh Sarao

From: India

“Please stop the persecution!”

Alimin Zheung

From: Indonesia

“Stop the persecution of Falun Gong”

Zellhofer Sabine

From: Austria

“I am sad that humans can do this!Stop this immediately!”

Kim Tostenson

From: U.S.A.

“The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is another crime against humanity and a form of genocide…for all our sakes this madness must end! China should never have been granted the Olympics and now more than 10,000 innocents have paid the ultimate price for that terrible mistake! When will the world stand up and scream ‘No More’?”

Nikolai Tschudin

From: Switzerland Buchs

“I know that the persecution will come to an end!”

Fionnuala Kelly

From: New Zealand

“The Chinese Government is a brutal, cruel regime when acting against any group or person who stands up for human rights. Its inhuman actions cannot be countenanced and pressure needs to be exerted to stop these barbaric practices.”

Junghie Elky

From: USA

“Please stop the torture and persecution. The Chinese Government must see it as inhumane and not to their benefit.”

John-Charles Carey/Newswriters Network

From: USA

“The World is watching. We must do more.”

Solomon J. Herbert

From: United States

“How can one human being do this to another human being? This and all torture must stop immediately.”

Kate Maybury

From: Australia, Sydney

“The mistreatment of innocent human beings must stop. The Chinese Communist regime is just as bad as the Nazis who killed and persecuted the Jews in WW2 for no reason other than their religion.
This is another genocide which must stop now. May God smite the regime for doing this. This is not about religion but more so of the disgusting treatment that these innocent people endure because they believe and practice Falun Gong.
Stop the persecution now!!”

Arek Rusek

From: Canada

“This crime has gone on for too long , Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong in China!”

Chu

From: USA

“Stop persecuting your own people !!No Human Being can do such thing !!!”

Stop buying “Made in China”.

Daniela Lopez

From: Mexico/Chihuahua

“Please stop the violence. We want a world of peace!”

Holly Kellum

From: Colorado USA

“When in response to genocide we say ‘never again’, we should mean it.”

Mary Rose Gearty

From: Ireland

“Torture solves nothing and fosters hatred and fear. Stop it.”

Posting date: 2/6/2010
Category: From Others

Personal Experiences of a Jewellery Shop Owner

By Zheng Yuyan, a Minghui reporter from Taiwan

(Clearwisdom.net) Holding a banner, You Zhumeng stood on a street in Taiwan from early morning to late in the evening. Like other Falun Gong practitioners around the world, he wanted to share his experience that “Falun Dafa is good” with people all over the world. He wanted to clarify the truth about Falun Gong and to call for support to stop the persecution in China.

You Zhumeng has practiced Falun Gong for more than 9 years. He has moved back to his hometown, Yilan City, where he has been in charge of a jewelry shop for almost 2 years. While doing business, he follows the teaching of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and considers other people’s needs before his own. Because he treats his business partners and customers sincerely, his business gradually grows. Under the current economic crisis, his business is still doing well. There are three generations in his household. Conflicts among the family members were dissolved by his harmonization. All five family members live happily together.

Zhumeng’s father was an office worker and did not like to talk. In addition to Zhumeng, there are two brothers in his family. The only communication between his father and the three brothers was physical punishment when they did something wrong. Zhumeng’s mother was a homemaker. She was very competent and disciplined her sons strictly. As a result, the three brothers developed independent personalities and were very supportive of one another. Zhumeng admitted that his personality was a little eccentric.

You Zhumeng (the second from the left with yellow jacket) called for the CCP to stop persecuting Falun Gong during a meeting between Chen Yunlin (chairman of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)) and Chiang Pin-kung (Chen's Taiwanese counterpart.)

Searching for the true meaning of life, he could not obtain any sensible answer.

Zhumeng had a lot of questions about life while studying in high school. He thought about becoming a monk numerous times. That way, he could roam around the world to find the answers to his questions. However, he was not so sure what he was seeking.

After he graduated from high school, he moved to Taipei and had a laborious job. In the evenings, he studied at a technical college. After graduation, he served the mandatory military service in the Taiwanese Army. Then, he started a new job at his eldest brother’s jewelry shop in Sanchung City, Taipei County. Because Zhumeng was in charge of delivery, he had the opportunity to get to know many owners of other jewelry shops. Later, You Zhumeng suffered a slipped disc in his back. He was in great pain every day. The pain would not subside even if he sat or lied down.

Enlightenment Came from a Sacred Book

In March 2000, another jewelry shop owner with nickname “A-Jiang-Ge” introduced Falun Gong to Zhumeng. A-Jiang-Ge mentioned that he once suffered from stomach ailment that could not be cured by any medical treatment. After practicing Falun Gong for 2 to 3 months, his stomach disease was completely cured and he no longer needed any medicine. He suggested that Zhumeng try Falun Gong. Zhumeng thought that since it was free, he might as well try it out. Around the same time, he saw a TV program, “Falun Dafa in Taiwan,” so he bought the book Zhuan Falun and Master Li’s Lecture CDs. Zhumeng had never liked to read since he was young. However, he finished reading Zhuan Falun without stopping.

Zhumeng said, “It’s a miracle for me to finish a book without stopping, but I really could not put down Zhuan Falun since what was discussed in the book answered many of my questions very clearly. He suddenly enlightened that he could obtain the true meaning of life without becoming a monk. Delighted, Zhumeng started his practice of Falun Dafa and became a determined practitioner.

About 2 to 3 months after he started practicing Falun Gong, Zhumeng suddenly noticed that his back pain was gone and his slipped disc had completely recovered. He and his wife were very surprised. “How could the disease be cured just by practicing Falun Gong?”

Looking past Petty Profits, Business Prospers

After gaining a deeper understanding the Fa, Zhumeng felt that some of the common business practices did not meet the requirements of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, so he moved from Sanchung City back to Yilan City. While staying at home, the words in Zhuan Falun deeply impressed him,

“It doesn’t matter how high your official rank is, and it doesn’t matter how rich you are: the key is whether you can let go of that attachment.”

“whether you’re self-employed or you have your own business, it doesn’t matter what kind of business you do: do things fairly and act with integrity. All the professions out there should exist; it’s only that people are short of integrity. It’s not about what type of profession you are in.”

With the help of his eldest brother’s friend, he started his own jewelry business in Yilan City.

The major income of a jewelry shop comes from the price difference between buying and selling gold. For necklaces, bangles, rings, and ear rings, the prices are decided by the jewelry shop owner based on how complicated the objects are. Zhumeng only charges very little above his cost and sometimes he even sells items without making any profit. In addition, most jewelry shops charge fees for servicing or cleaning their customers’ jewelry. Zhumeng always provides free services for his customers. Because of his honesty and good service, many customers return to his shop to buy more jewelry.

At the end of 2009, an old customer brought her friend to his shop. Zhumeng charged the friend a price very close to his own cost. However, she came back to his shop later and complained that Zhumeng charged more for labor than some other store. Zhumeng explained the charge patiently, but the customer did not want to listen. She insisted that Zhumeng had to lower the labor charge. Zhumeng said, “At that moment, I was very angry and could not maintain my xinxing. I said to the customer, ‘I already gave you a very reasonable price and did not make much money from you. If you are not satisfied, please return the item and I will return your money.’ Suddenly, I found that my behavior was against the requirements of a cultivator, so I decided to give her back the amount that she requested”

Zhumeng understood that this incident occurred because of his attachments to competition and petty benefit, so he let it go and did not mention anything to the old customer.

Could not be so Peaceful and Harmonious without Dafa

When he first started practicing Falun Gong, Zhumeng’s wife felt happy about the miraculous improvement to his health. However, she became unhappy about Zhumeng spending a lot of time studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, and attending Dafa activities, since he didn’t spend as much time shopping and watching TV with her. Zhumeng searched inward and correctly handled the relationship between his family and cultivation. In the past years, his wife not only came to understand that Falun Dafa is good, but also supports Zhumeng’s cultivation. Although she has not started cultivation herself, she sometimes helps with truth-clarification and encourages Zhumeng to attend the activities to spread the Fa and clarify the truth.

Zhumeng’s father passed away the year before last. His mother lives with him. Everything in their daily life introduces conflict between his mother and his wife. For example, his mother is accustomed to doing laundry every day. The dirty laundry could not be left to the second day. She wants the dinner table be cleaned up right after each meal, and all the dishes to be cleaned before taking a rest. However, his wife thinks that it’s OK to do the laundry every other day, since the washer is large, and she thinks it’s fine to put the dirty dishes in the sink, get some rest, and wash up later. Because his mother and wife both have strong personalities, conflicts happened all the time. His mother could not accept the way the family was handled and complained all the time. His wife couldn’t understand the high standards of her mother-in-law and complained about her often. Zhumeng said, “If I didn’t cultivate Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I think I would not have been able to put up with the situation.”

Zhumeng became the bridge between his mother and his wife. Because of his the peaceful attitude and warm language, the conflicts between mother and daughter-in-law gradually faded. In the daytime, when Zhumeng goes to work and both kids go to kindergarten, the mother and daughter-in-law work together at home. There are fewer arguments and family life is becoming happier and more harmonious. Zhumeng stated, “After practicing Dafa, I started to consider other people’s needs. Gradually, my mother and wife were also affected by the same thought. Although they have not taken up cultivation, they both understand that Falun Dafa is good. Because I practice Falun Gong, the entire family has become happy. Without Dafa, we could not be so peaceful and harmonious.”

Posting date: 2/4/2010
Category: Becoming a Better Person
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2010/1/20/216602.html

A Thousand People in Hong Kong Attend Rally and Parade: “Protect Shen Yun; Protect Hong Kong”

By Clearwisdom reporter Xia Jun

(Clearwisdom.net) On January 31, 2010, approximately one thousand people attended a parade and rally with the theme, “Protect Shen Yun; Protect Hong Kong,” to protest the Hong Kong government’s interference with the Shen Yun shows in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government recently denied entry visas to seven key technical staff members of the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts, forcing the cancellation of seven sold-out shows in Hong Kong.

The rally

The parade

A supporter gives a speech at the rally

Ms. Liu Huitsing, Hong Kong senator, speaking at the rally.

Several senators, political leaders, artists and religious leaders spoke at the rally. They pointed out that the government’s wrong decision caused the cancellation of the show, and noted that the government hasn’t given any good reasons for the denials of the visa applications. The rally called attention to the situation that the visa incident reflects how freedom and human rights in Hong Kong have been undermined by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They called upon the Hong Kong government to correct their wrong decision and invite Shen Yun Performing Arts back to Hong Kong.

Ms. Liu Huitsing, a Hong Kong senator and vice president of the Democratic Party, condemned the government for giving in to CCP pressure and interfering with the Shen Yun show. She pointed out that the government’s behavior has damaged key values in Hong Kong: freedom, human rights, and the law.

Mr. Hsu Baidi, a Hong Kong senator, said that people should pay attention to this incident, which is damaging to upright, traditional culture. He stated, “Good culture can prevent politics and society from becoming rotten. Therefore, we should not allow the government to damage traditional culture. We should promote good, traditional culture.

Mr. Hsu advised the people of Hong Kong, “We should be aware of this kind of damage. We should even sue the government, so that traditional culture will be respected. We are shocked by this incident. We need to tell the Hong Kong citizens that we are in a dangerous environment, in which upright, traditional culture is not respected and is being damaged,” Mr. Hsu said.

Szeto Wah, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, could not attend the rally. He sent a videotape, expressing his opinion. In the video, Szeto Wah said, “Hong Kong citizens were excited about the Shen Yun show. But now they are angry, because the government interfered with the performing arts and the shows had to be canceled. They are angry, also because the government gave in to the CCP and ruined the basic law of ‘one country, two systems’ in Hong Kong.”

Vice president of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, Tsai Yaowah, giving a speech.

Several political leaders also stated that the government has deprived Hong Kong citizens of their basic human rights and freedom. They condemned the government for suppressing traditional culture by wielding political power.

The parade

People reading truth-clarifying materials.

Ms. Li Weina, director of Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company, called in and expressed her appreciation to the people of Hong Kong for their support. Ms. Li said, “We are sincerely sorry that we had to cancel the shows this year, but we believe that in the near future Shen Yun will come to Hong Kong, expressing its gratefulness to the Hong Kong citizens with great performances.”

She condemned the Hong Kong government’s behavior and emphasized that Shen Yun tries to promote the original, traditional Chinese culture, which has been ruined in China by the CCP.

Ms. Li said, “Many Chinese people are proud of Shen Yun for promoting Chinese culture throughout the world. We regret that the people of Hong Kong are deprived of their right to see the show. We hope that Hong Kong citizens will stand up and protect their own basic rights.”

Several artists expressed that they were very disappointed and angry at the Hong Kong government’s action, because they were eager to see the show.

Mr. Shen Sihai, a TV show producer, speaking at the rally

Mr. Shen Sihai, a TV show producer, said that Shen Yun would have a great impact on the arts community in Hong Kong. He pointed out that it takes a long time for members of a good performing arts company to practice and work together seamlessly, noting that it is impossible to temporarily substitute key personnel with people who are not familiar with the mechanics of the show.

Dance teacher He Huiying addressing the rally

People reading about incident

Some of the attendees at the rally were from China, who had bought tickets to the show, but were disappointed to hear about the cancellations. They said that they attended the parade to protect freedom in Hong Kong, and also to protect their own rights.

Mr. Liu Tiemin, a Hong Kong citizen, said, “It was a terrible decision. The CCP is afraid of the Shen Yun show, so it suppressed it. This is shameless behavior.”

Mr. Liu continued, “The CCP is undermining freedom in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong people should be aware of it. Standing up to support Shen Yun is actually standing up for ourselves.”

Ms. Zheng bought four tickets for two shows. She said angrily, “It is horrible that the CCP even limits our freedom to watch a performance. We don’t even have the right to watch a high level art show. I am afraid that we will lose more freedoms in the future. That is why I got up so early, joining the parade to express my anger. If we don’t protect our rights, we will lose all of our freedom before we know it.”

Posting date: 2/2/2010
Category: From Others
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2010/2/1/217402.html

People around the World Continue to Condemn the Hong Kong Government’s Interference with Shen Yun Performances

(Clearwisdom.net) New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts’ seven-show run in Hong Kong, scheduled from January 27 through the 31^st, sold out in five days. Then, just a few days before the first performance, on January 21, 2010, the Hong Kong Immigration Department denied entry visas to six of Shen Yun’s production staff. Unable to operate the show’s complex stage setup without these key staff members, Shen Yun was forced to cancel all seven of its shows in Hong Kong on January 23, 2010. Upon hearing how the Hong Kong District Government complied with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime to suppress the Shen Yun shows in Hong Kong, many people from different countries have stepped forward to condemn the Hong Kong government’s succumbing to CCP pressure.

On the afternoon of January 27, 2010, the Japan Falun Dafa Association, The Epoch Times Japan Branch and NTDTV Japan Branch jointly held a press conference in the Foreign Reporters Club to condemn the Hong Kong government’s interference.

Spokesperson for the Japan Falun Dafa Association introduces the forced cancellation of Shen Yun performing Arts’s show in Hong Kong

Mr. Kitajima from The Epoch Times condemned the CCP’s interference in Shen Yun’s tour performances around the world, including the show in Japan. He listed a few CCP’s means of the interference: exerting pressure on theaters to cancel a contract at the last minute, sending letters to local governments to defame Shen Yun, and ordering Chinese student or scholar organizations to send emails to their lists and ask them not watch the show.

At noon on January 27, 2010, a rally was held in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles to protest the interference.

Rally venue in Los Angeles

Mr. Zheng Qu of The Epoch Times LA Branch said, “Shen Yun is a world class performing arts production. In the 2009 season, Shen Yun presented over 300 shows in nearly 100 cities in over 20 countries. Audience reaction to the show has been consistently enthusiastic. I have interviewed more than one hundred audience members. An audience member told me Shen Yun brought peace to the world. Mr. Charles Wadswort, founder of a music association in Lincoln Center in New York, used the word ‘best’ three times to describe the Shen Yun show. Yet surprisingly, the CCP is afraid of the Shen Yun show.”

Mr. Frank Tsai, Director of NTDTV LA Branch said, “The CCP’s interference in the Shen Yun show is actually censorship. Hong Kong, a Special District claims to enjoy a policy of ‘One Country, Two Systems’. But it is not, because the Hong Kong District Government cannot decide key issues, which are determined by the CCP. We regret that the Hong Kong audience cannot view such a good show due to the CCP’s interference.”

On January 27, 2010, a rally was also held in front of the Chinese Consulate in Sydney, Australia to condemn the CCP’s interference.

Rally in Sydney condemning CCP’s interference

Ms. Zhao of the New South Wales Falun Dafa Association expressed her concern to the forced cancellation. She also exposed CCP Consulate officials’ interference in the Shen Yun show in Australia: “They wrote letters and made phone calls to members of parliament, theaters, and sponsors and asked them not to watch the show, support or sponsor the show. But the interference was in vain. The Shen Yun show is becoming more popular in Australia.”

Hong Kong resident Ms. Lin gave a speech at the press conference. She condemned the Hong Kong government for its forceful deprivation of Hong Kong people’s right to watch the show. She said, “I have seen the Shen Yun show. It is truly world class. The Hong Kong’s visa denial means that the CCP’s promise of no policy changes for 50 years in the ‘One country two systems’ is broken. I call on the Hong Kong people to protest the CCP’s violent regime.”

Hong Kong resident Ms. Lin

After the press conference, Ms. Zhao and some other people handed over a petition letter to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Sydney and met with some officials for a short time. They expressed their disappointment and concern over the forced cancellation of the show. They also called on the Hong Kong government to correct its mistake and safeguard Hong Kong’s democracy, so the Hong Kong people can watch the wonderful show. The officials said they would send the message to the Hong Kong government.

Shen Yun Performing Arts will have tour shows in five cities in Australia this coming May for one month.

Posting date: 1/29/2010
Category: Other related articles on Shen Yun
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/28/217147.html,http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/28/217129.html,http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/28/217150.html

Falun Gong Practitioners Participate in Australia Day Parade

(Clearwisdom.net) Jan. 26, 2010 was Australia Day, and the grand parade was the focus of attention among all Australia Day celebrations in Melbourne. People of different ethnic groups and communities dressed in colorful costumes paraded from busy Swanston Street to Alexandra Gardens. Parade spectators were dazzled by the mighty Divine Land Marching Band, and presentations of different culture.

The Divine Land Marching Band led the Falun Gong procession. Following the band were celestial maidens dressed in elegant Tang Dynasty costumes and a fan dance troupe. An outstanding “Falun Dafa” banner led the band. The powerful and majestic music won applause from thousands of spectators.

The Celestial Band led the Falun Gong procession at the Australia Day Parade.

Posting date: 1/29/2010
Category: Community Events
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2010/1/28/217130.html

Internet Freedom: An Unavoidable Battle between Beijing and the Democratic World

By Ai Lin & Yu Yin
Sound of Hope Radio

Created: Jan 24, 2010 Last Updated: Jan 25, 2010

China’s reaction to criticism over accusations of cyber intrusions has escalated. On Jan. 22, the Beijing-funded Global Times referred to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call for “a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas” as “information imperialism.”

Clinton also called on the Chinese government to investigate the cyber attacks that have prompted Google to consider withdrawing from China on Jan. 21. The first response to her remarks came on the same day from He Yafei, China’s vice foreign minister. According to the state-run Xinhua News, Vice Minister He said the incident “should not be linked to relations between the two governments and countries; otherwise, it’s an over-interpretation.”

One day later, a post by spokesman Ma Zhaoxi on China’s Foreign Ministry Web site read, “We urge the U.S. to respect facts and stop attacking China with the excuse of so-called Internet freedom.” The above reference to “information imperialism” appeared the same day.

A Clash is Inevitable

In light of China’s responses, Sound of Hope Radio (SOH) interviewed renowned political commentator Mr. Hu Ping. Hu is also editor-in-chief of the Beijing Spring magazine.

An open Internet is what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) fears most because Internet control is vital for maintaining its dictatorship, Hu said. Thus, the battle over freedom of information is tied to the fate of the CCP.

The clash between the Chinese regime and the international society is inevitable, he added, because freedom of information is vital for the pursuit of democracy and freedom.

Hu believes He Yafei’s response demonstrates guilt on the part of Beijing. “We can see that this is the CCP’s fatal weakness,” he said. As long as the international community continues to insist on the fundamental principle of freedom, they can successfully put pressure on the Chinese regime, he said.

Hu thinks the desire for freedom of information is human nature. He noted that “Even during the Cultural Revolution, under that closed environment in the generation of Red Guards, many people still tried very hard to find books to read, and they listened to Voice of America. They were hungry for information,” he said, adding that he hoped all people would stand on the side of freedom and justice.

A Warning: Beware of Deception

The CCP may be using an old trick of stirring up the Chinese people’s patriotism to blur the focus, Hu warned. The “information imperialism” claim may be a strategy on the part of the regime to ignore the international pressure and continue to block the Internet while trying to convince the Chinese people that the international society is interfering with China’s internal affairs.

Hu hopes the Chinese people will recognize the trick. Restrictions on the Internet actually target the Chinese people themselves, and have nothing to do with patriotic self-esteem, he said.

“Thus, the international pressure on the CCP is actually good for the Chinese people. It can help us get information more freely. So, we should stand on the side of the international society instead of the side of the CCP dictatorship,” he concluded.

Read the original Chinese article.

(Source: Epoch Times)

Shen Yun Performance in Hong Kong Is Canceled as a Result of Visa Denial to Six Production Staff

Elected local officials condemn Hong Kong government for the interference

(Clearwisdom.net) Six key production staff of Shen Yun Performing Arts were denied entry visas into Hong Kong six days before the show is scheduled to debut in the Chinese autonomous region on January 27. Organizers of the performance declared that the show would be canceled as a result of the visa refusals by the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Shen Yun, a New York-based performing arts group, was invited by the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association, and local bureaux of New Tang Dynasty Television and The Epoch Times, to give seven performances from January 27 to January 31 in Hong Kong. According to the presenting organizations, tickets for all seven shows were sold out within the first week of sales. Shen Yun is known for depicting the traditional Chinese culture that was suppressed during the Cultural Revolution, as well as messages of hope about ending the persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that has been suppressed in China since 1999.

On January 22, the Immigration Department denied entry visas for seven of the 96 artists and staff on account of alleged incompatibility with Hong Kong labor laws. After multiple requests from the presenters, the Immigration Department granted a visa for one additional artist, leaving the company short of six production staff.

Albert Ho Chun-yan, a lawyer working with the presenters, speaks at a press conference on January 23, 2010.

Albert Ho Chun-yan, a lawyer working with the presenters to seek visa reevaluations, said that the Immigration Department knew that it would be impossible for Shen Yun to perform without the six production staff. The individuals in question have worked with the group for many years, and handle highly specialized technical duties as well as coordinate the entire company. Ho, also chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, says that it would be impossible to find local replacements that are qualified.

“These production staff have accompanied the performing group to various countries for performances. They are an indispensable part of the performing group,” he said.

Reason for the Visa Denials

Although presenters applied for the visas back on October 13, the denials came only a week before the opening show. Given the late decision, there is no time to file a lawsuit. Ho believes the last minute denials were intentional and politically motivated.

According to Ho, the Immigration Department may be acting under pressure from the Chinese Communist Party to prevent Shen Yun from performing in Hong Kong. Ho suspects that the authorities’ strategy was to stall the visa approval process for as long as possible and then deny the visas of key staff.

“I believe this was a political decision made by the higher ups from the beginning,” Ho said. “It could be interference from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office or Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”

“Any organization related to Falun Gong will encounter many troubles when trying to hold an event, and anything can happen. Hong Kong is catastrophic [in this regard] and the Immigration Department is one of the disaster areas, a complete failure of the one country, two systems,” Ho added.

Hong Kong District Council Member: Indignant to Hong Kong Government’s indecent means

District council member Chui Pak-tai (holding microphone) condemns Hong Kong government’s interference of the Shen Yun performance and suppression of freedom of speech.

Council member Chui Pak-tai of Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin District said, “The government has no reason to deny visas to the Shen Yun production stuff. The visa denial damages the whole show and is suppression of freedom of speech. How can the government use such means to exert pressure on people?”

Former Sai Kung District council member Lam Wing-yin wishes that Hong Kong officials would do things with conscience

Former Sai Kung District council member Lam Wing-yin said, “It has been more than ten years since Hong Kong returned to China’s control. The Hong Kong system remained unchanged for 50 years, including in our freedom, culture, art and life style. Only in this way could we tell if China is moving towards a progressive and open country. Unfortunately, what we see are many forms of suppression, including in the political system, culture, and media. All of these forms of suppression can lead to the backward movement of Hong Kong and make it the same as any city of China.”

Veteran media figure: affecting the free communication between Hong Kong and other countries

Hong Kong veteran media figure Ching Cheong

Hong Kong veteran media figure Ching Cheong said, “This time Shen Yun Performing Arts’ coming to Hong Kong is not smooth. I hope that Hong Kong’s people treasure a free society. I don’t like to see the freedom and international exchange affected by political factors. I hope more people pay attention to the incident and help safeguard freedom.”

Support from the U.S.

U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis

Gus M. Bilirakis, a member of the U.S. Congress, got wind of the visa denial soon after it took place and drafted a letter to the Director of Immigration in Hong Kong and the Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs on the same day, January 21.

Having just seen Shen Yun Performing Arts at Washington DC’s renowned Kennedy Center, he described Shen Yun as “marvelous,” writing, “I feel that Hong Kong too, can benefit from watching a performance of this caliber.”

In the letter, he continued to say that Shen Yun is the “world’s premier Chinese dance and music company” and an “outstanding multicultural example of our country and we are very proud of it.

“I urge you to take action and approve the remaining 6 visas and encourage your government to prevent interference of Shen Yun performances in Hong Kong,” Mr. Bilirakis wrote.

Albert Ho said he could understand the feelings of the local organizers. “Of course they don’t want to give up since they’ve done a lot of work and tickets sold well. The audience would [also] be very disappointed.”

Posting date: 1/24/2010
Category: Reports on Shen Yun

Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group: Readers Voice Support

(Clearwisdom.net) The persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party has lasted over 10 years. In China, practitioners of Falun Gong continue to face spiritual and physical persecution and even death. Recently, the Falun Gong Human Rights website reported a number of recent persecution cases in China. These cases show that practitioners are enduring cruel torture, including beating, electric shock, drug injection, slave labor, etc. The website then received many comments from readers. Below are just a few of them:

Ramachandran Vaidyanath, Ottawa, Ontario. Canada. Signed at: 2009-12-27 14:34

It is most painful, poignant and tragic to read these true to life stories of torture and murder of men and women of conscience for wanting to follow a spiritual practice of elevating their mind nature, moral character. Compared to 9/11 which is termed “Terrorism” where the governing State apparatus can monitor the safety of the citizens and punish the terrorists, this is the worst kind of Terrorism. It is committed by an autocratic state against its own most vulnerable people, because they are peaceful and spiritual.

When an authoritarian State perpetrates this on its own people, by holding itself above the rule of law and the State-controlled media bad-mouths and ostracizes a ring-fenced group of prisoners of conscience, it is no different than genocide.

I applaud the courage of conviction of these vulnerable spiritual practitioners.

Robert W. Dudek, The Rainbow of Hope Foundation at NHF, USA. Signed at: 2009-12-31 13:14

The crimes of the Chinese communist government against peaceful followers of Falun Gong are crimes against humanity and as such deserve our strongest condemnation and action. Nobody should conduct any business with the perpetrators of such crimes and they should stand trial for their actions. I hope and pray that all Falun Gong followers in China will be free soon.

Steve McLean, New Zealand, Signed at: 2009-12-28 13:11

Stop the persecution of this very good and peaceful practice. Stop the violation of human rights of all groups. We can not keep silence! We should tell the truth as it is and not as it is shown by china oriented mass media. They misinform the world on a large scale.

Kate Maybury, Sydney, Australia. Signed at: 2009-12-28 12:55

The mistreatment of innocent human beings must stop. [The Chinese Communist regime] is just as bad as the Nazis who killed and persecuted the Jews in WW2 for no reason other than their religion.

This is another genocide which must stop now. May God smite [the Communist regime] for doing this. This is not about religion but more so of the disgusting treatment that these innocent people endure because they believe and practice Falun Gong.

Stop the persecution now!!

William Sheridan, United Kingdom. Signed at: 2009-12-28 11:56

Stop the persecution of peaceful practice. This crime of the Chinese Communist Party against humanity must be punished.

You can view more comments and write your own by clicking here.

Posting date: 1/25/2010
Category: From Others

A Wonderful Life without Fear

Author:

A Survivor

[PureInsight.org] A friend told
me once that people in America are protected by the law so they can
live life without fear.  A few days ago, I read an article that
stated that people in Taiwan also enjoy life without fear. I have mixed
feelings and believe that it is most fortunate to be able to live a
life without fear.  People are so fortunate to live in a
democratic environment here, compared with people who live in China and
are constantly living in fear.

A person who grew up with fear and is always afraid of not being able
to avoid fear in time will never know about joy. Even though
occasionally there are happy moments, the fear is lurking behind the
smile.

In Mainland China, one is afraid of the infant milk powder killing
babies, of the children being kidnapped and dying in the black brick
kilns, of young school children being punished for failing to wear the
red scarf, of young children being ridiculed for being poor, of being
punished for not completing home work.  Teenagers are afraid of
not being attractive enough to attract attention from the opposite sex
and, on the other hand, grown-ups are afraid of being unemployed. The
elderly are afraid that their children will not support them and the
guarantees for their living are being taken away by the government.

The students are afraid that they will be reproached for having poor
grades by their teachers and parents, that they will be punished for
not maintaining a proper sitting posture, that they will be barred from
entering the classroom for not finishing their assignments, and that
endless extracurricular classes during the summer or winter break will
diminish their own interests.

The teachers are afraid that their classes are not the best and their
students do not have the opportunity to seek higher education.  As
a result, numerous remedial classes are generated for one purpose and
that is to get more money out of the parents.

The farmers are afraid of losing their land and the burden of severe
taxation. They worry about that, in the election of a village chief,
the final outcome will be decided by the town chief alone.  The
workers are afraid of being laid off ,without receiving severance pay
their children will be ashamed of their fathers, and that their wives
tell them someone else is doing well and building a bigger house.

The police are afraid of too many good people and are constantly
finding fault with Falun Gong practitioners. They arrest, fine, and
send people to forced labor camps.  They are afraid of the violent
protesters, but they also like to suppress the Falun Gong practitioners
or people whose houses have been forcibly taken away and prevent them
from going to Beijing to appeal.

In China, Mao Zedong was afraid of not being worshiped, so he had his
old cohorts killed one by one. He was afraid that the citizens were
hard to manage, so he started various political movements and had
millions of innocent people killed.  Thus the fear was deeply
imbedded in the hearts of all Chinese.

Deng Xiaoping was afraid for his position and called out “Killing
200,000, providing 20 years of peace.”  The fear was reinforced
again.  Jiang Zemin tried to be worshipped as Mao and persecuted a
huge spiritual group. To make the matter worse, even their organs have
been harvested for profit and their bodies destroyed. Such cruelty is
unprecedented in the history of mankind.

In China, no matter who you are, a high official or an ordinary
citizen, you have fear in your heart and your soul.  Fear is your
shadow and it follows your everywhere you go.  People have learned
how to protect themselves under fear: it is to always protect oneself
and at the expense of others.  It is quite controversial about
where fear comes from, but most people would agree that it has resulted
from the killing of 80 million Chinese people.

Furthermore, the indoctrination of Party Culture and destruction of
traditional Chinese Culture enables the fear to become an invisible net
which prevents everyone from seeking freedom, democracy, and god-given
rights.

Freedom from fear is the basic god-given right and the most basic
protection of the best way to live. However, people in China live in a
nightmare every minute.  Everyone minds his own business and
tolerates the brutality of the Chinese Communist Party.  At the
same time, it also has facilitated the evil specter that originated
from the West’s destroying the sons and daughters of the Yellow Emperor.

Fortunately, the publication of “Nine Commentaries on the Communist
Party” has not only informed people of the root causes of fear but also
let people know the best way to eliminate the fear: quit the evil party.

This godly book has liberated people from the bondage of their fear. I
firmly believe that, with the rising awareness of the Chinese people
and the surge in people quitting the party, the era of living without
fear is coming quietly.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2007/7/24/44947.html

Ottawa, Canada: Tire Slashed on Shen Yun Performing Arts Bus

By Minghui reporter Zheng Yan

(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company is touring eastern Canada from January 6 to 23. On January 13, in Ottawa, the Shen Yun bus was found damaged. There were two thin knife cuts in one tire. A garage technician said that the cuts could easily lead to a tire explosion at high speeds. Police are investigating the case.

There were two cuts on the front-right tire. One was 4 inches long and the other 2 inches. They are not easy to see, but could easily lead to blown tire at high speeds.

Ms. Zhou Limin, organizer of the Shen Yun show, explained that local police are investigating the incident. Shen Yun shows are warmly welcomed all over the world. Three recent shows in Ottawa were very successful, playing to sold out audiences. Shen Yun celebrates traditional Chinese culture, and many Falun Gong adherents take part in the show. Because of this, the Chinese Communist Party, which brutally persecutes Falun Gong in China, frequently tries to make trouble for Shen Yun in cities around the world.

“This is not the first time that the CCP tried to make trouble for Shen Yun Performing Arts,” said Mr. Liang, the Shen Yun bus driver. “They have tried to damage the bus several times, so I check the bus very carefully every morning.”

“On the morning of January 12, I found a 2 inch long thin cut on the tire, which seemed not very serious. On January 13, I found another one, 4 inches long. This made me worried, so I had the garage technician check the bus,” Mr. Liang said.

According to the technician at Motor Coach International, Montreal, the cuts were purposely made with a thin blade. These kinds of cuts are very dangerous because they are almost invisible but can cause accidents when running at high speed or with a heavy load.

Mr. Liang said that a Shen Yun bus tire was damaged last year when the show was held in Phoenix, U.S.A. The tire exploded when driving. The garage technician checked the tire and concluded that there was a hole on the back tire, which was made with a special drill.

“Obviously, somebody did this damage on purpose,” Mr. Liang said.

The CCP has tried all means to interfere with Shen Yun shows. CCP embassies have sent mail to congressmen, mayors and other VIPs in many countries, asking them not to go to the Shen Yun show. The CCP also exerted pressure on theaters, using threats to convince them not to provide stages to Shen Yun. On January 6, 2009, the CCP consulate in Frankfurt, Germany sent letters to local government officials and other countries’ consulates, attacking the Shen Yun show. The letters were publicized later by the German media. On March 18, 2008, the largest TV station in Denmark, DR, reported that the CCP exerted pressure on a local theatre. In 2008, 25 congressmen from Sweden condemned the CCP for interfering with the show. The CCP also harasses the audience, sponsors and hotlines of the show. But their actions always have the opposite effect–more people learn about show through it.

Posting date: 1/22/2010
Category: More Cases
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2010/1/18/216501.html

The Power of Buddha Law

(Clearwisdom.net) There is a story from Buddhism that goes like this: In ancient India, there was strict separation of the social classes. The lowest and poorest class was the Sudra race, which was looked down upon by others. Most of them were servants or slaves, performed the hardest, most difficult work and were often abused.

In Sravasti City, there was a Sudra (the lowest of the four Hindu castes) named Niti. His job was to carry manure for people – the last job that anyone wanted to do. He was an honest, kind person and rarely spoke more than necessary.

Shakyamuni once observed Niti when he was in meditation. Niti’s karma had almost been paid off, so it was the time for him to break away from the sea of misery. Shakyamuni and Ananda went to the city of Sravasti. They came to the street where Niti lived, and Shakyamuni asked him, “Niti, do you want to become a monk? Do you want to break away from the sea of misery?”

Niti said with shame, “You are so honorable and respectful. Even your disciples are from royal families. I am such a low class person, how can I be compared with them? How do I have the fortune to be a monk and free of pain?”

Shakyamuni said, “Buddha Law is like pure water. It can wash away all the dirt. No matter what is on the earth, once it is washed by the pure water, it becomes brand new. Buddha Law is like a flame. It can burn everything. No matter what it is, once it is touched by the sacred fire, it becomes pure immediately. Buddha Law is most fair. It does not distinguish rich from poor. Any person, as long as he believes in Buddha, wants to escape the pain, and cultivates diligently, can become a monk.”

Niti was deeply moved by Shakyamuni’s words. He followed Shakyamuni to his residence, had his hair cut and became a monk. He listened to Shakyamuni’s teachings and cultivated with a calm mind, and gradually became enlightened. Not only was he able to understand the Law that Shakyamuni taught, but he was also able to act accordingly. Soon he was enlightened to the Arhat level.

Many people with regular everyday thoughts could not accept the fact that Niti had become a monk. How could a low class person become a monk and be materially supported by the people? They could not take it, so they went to ask the king to tell Shakyamuni not to take Niti as his disciple.

The king rode in his carriage to Shakyamuni’s residence, and was surprised to see a monk who walked in and out of a stone. When he saw Shakyamuni, he saluted him, then folded his palms and asked Shakyamuni, “The person who reported to you of my arrival has a lot of supernormal capabilities. May I know his title?”

With a smile, Shakyamuni said to the king, “The King of Prasenajit, you came here for a reason. You wanted to ask me why I will save the person whom you thought was the lowest person. But I don’t care whether a person is rich or poor. They are all the same in my eyes. That monk you asked for was Niti, and he has reached the Arhat level. The person you saw just now is him.”

After Shakyamuni’s explanation, the king praised his mighty virtue, the boundless benevolence of the Buddha Law and his actions to save people.

From this story we can realize that the Buddha Law is the most profound Law in the universe. It has boundless, unlimited wisdom, and infinite power. Buddha Law can transform a humble servant into an Arhat with marvelous miraculous powers. Buddha Law can save people regardless of their nationality, religious beliefs, race, and wealth. The benevolence of Buddha Law is everywhere. For a thousand years, people thought that Shakyamuni taught them the Buddha Law, but Shakyamuni said that he hadn’t taught one bit of Law in his life.

Then, what is Buddha Law? Shakyamuni told his disciples that his Law couldn’t save people at the Dharma ending period. At that time, the Holy King Who Turns the Wheel, the King of all kings of the universe, would come down to earth using Maitreya’s name to spread Dafa and save people. Today, the manifestation of the Udumbara flower, an auspicious and supernatural flower that blossoms once every three thousand years (according to Huilin Phonetics and Interpretation, a Buddhist scripture), indicates that the Holy King Who Turns the Wheel has appeared in the human world to rectify the Fa. The three principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance are the characteristic of the universe, the spirit of the universe, the ultimate truth of the Buddha Law, and the foundation of the Buddha’s Fa.

The spread of the universe’s Buddha Law brings the earth-shaking and immense graciousness of the Buddha to the human world, and great fortune and wonderfulness to human beings. Many Chinese people have begun to understand the preciousness of the Buddha Law, the mighty virtue of righteous belief in the Buddha Law, and the protection that the Buddha Law offers to its believers. People benefit from repeating “Falun Dafa is Good” and “Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance is Good.” Some have had their illnesses healed and regained health, some have had their karma resolved and regained happiness, some have escaped danger or even death, and some have avoided disasters. The Buddhists talk about saving all sentient beings, and helping people to know the Buddha Law is the best way to save them. Clarifying the truth and cultivating benevolence allow the cultivator help the world and save people. This is the real reason why practitioners continually clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to people, even risking their lives with the threat of being arrested, beaten, or persecuted.

Perhaps the collapse of social morals and the deterioration of humans’ righteous thoughts make it difficult to be a good person. Rarely will people understand a good person, believe him, or follow him. Because there are too many false things, the real things are also misunderstood or incorrectly interpreted by people. People even doubt the existence of someone who just wants to help others without asking for anything in return.

Actually, Falun Gong cultivators are truly cultivating benevolence, and are able to give up their lives in order to safeguard the Fa. They will do anything to help sentient beings, without self-interest. True benevolence is natural. Falun Gong practitioners save people with no conditions attached, they do this at any cost, and want no fame for their actions. Their minds are decent and pure, completely different from everyday human notions. If these practitioners ever have any pursuit, it is to help sentient beings become kind and to be saved. They want sentient beings’ hearts to move towards kindness.

A person’s life in the universe is tiny. Human abilities are weak when confronted with disasters. Only when people believe in Buddha Law and rely on the boundless power of the Buddha Law, can they escape disasters and be saved. The Buddha Law is pure water that washes away the dirt. The boundless Buddha Law can save people from difficulties. The purpose of spreading Buddha Law is to save sentient beings. Everyone has his Buddha nature. Sincerely reciting “Falun Dafa is Good” and “Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance is Good” is the manifestation of your belief and respect for Buddha. You will experience the enormous graciousness of Buddha Law. When you truly believe in the Buddha Law, how can Buddha not save you?
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/7/21/182217.html

The Essence of a Gentleman Is to Know Virtue

By Zhizheng

(Clearwisdom.net) Confucius, also called Qiu, was born in the kingdom of Lu (now Qufu City) during the period of Chunqiu. He was a great educator, statesman, and philosopher. He advocated the Ru School of philosophy for saving the people and governing the country, and he dedicated his whole life to promoting moral standards and urging kings to govern their countries with kindness. He never wavered in his determination, in spite of all of the difficulties that he faced. He pursued the truth, ideals, and flawless moral character. He was righteous, kind, modest, and polite. He was loyal to the country and cared about the people. He greatly influenced his students and people of later generations. The following illustrates how Confucius guided his students to be true gentlemen.

Does a gentleman use a sword for self-defense?

When Zilu began following Confucius to study, Zilu was dressed in a fully-armed uniform to greet him. Upon meeting Confucius, Zilu pulled out his sword and exercised in front of him. Zilu asked, “Teacher, didn’t ancient gentlemen use swords for self-defense, too?”

Confucius said, “Ancient gentlemen pursued loyalty and righteousness as their goal in life and used kindness for self-defense. They did not need to step out of their rooms to know about major affairs occurring a thousand miles away. They used loyalty and trust to inspire bad men and used righteousness and kindness to calm evildoers. What did they need to use a sword for?”

Zilu liked what he heard very much and sighed, “Alas, this is the first time I have heard this. I want to be a humble student of yours from now on.”

Confucius planted the seeds of kindness in Zilu right at the outset of his studies. He was careful to ensure a good start. Zilu followed Confucius all the way until the end, and his mental level kept improving all the while.
Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/4/29/177499.html

Yan Shu–A Faithful and Sincere Person

(Clearwisdom.net) There is a story about Yan Shu in The Book of Mencius. When Yan Shu was young, he was recommended to the imperial court by Zhang Zhibai, a prominent person. His majesty summoned Yan to the imperial court while a special exam for officials-to-be was taking place. Upon seeing the topic in the exam, Yan Shu said, “Your majesty, I used this topic for a poem ten days ago–I still have the rough draft with me. I beg for a new topic.” His majesty appreciated his candidness.

While Yan Shu served as a government official, the country was at peace, so all officials were allowed to indulge in entertainment–all restaurants and clubs were equipped with special areas blocked off with heavy curtains, where officials could enjoy themselves. At this period of time, Yan Shu was very poor, financially unable to go out for entertainment. Instead, he stayed home and studied with his brothers. One day when the imperial court was selecting an official for the East Palace where the crown prince resided, a rumor came out of the royal palace that the appointment of Yan Shu had been approved, and the administrative ministers didn’t know why. On the following day when the ministers presented themselves in the royal court, the emperor explained, “Lately, from what I heard, all ministers have been having a lot of fun except for Yan Shu, who stays home studying with his brothers. Such a prudent, cautious person is well qualified to be the official at the East Palace.”

After his official appointment, Yan Shu was granted permission to see the emperor, where he was told the reason for his appointment. With his honest and straight forward habit of talking, Yan Shu replied, “Your majesty, it isn’t that I don’t like entertainment; it is just that I don’t have the money to pursue it.” His majesty appreciated this, for he knew Yan Shu would serve with honesty. With Renzong on the throne, he was finally promoted to an important position.

Because of his sincerity and faithfulness, Yan Shu was promoted to important positions during the Northern Song Dynasty and became a very wealthy man.

In Chinese traditional culture, people who are faithful and sincere are noble and respected.

Confucius said, “People without sincerity and faithfulness cannot be trusted.”

In the book Daxue (The Great Learning), there are phrases like: “Sincerity, Righteous mind, Cultivate the body, regulate the family, rule the state, quiet the world.”

In the book Zhong Yong (The Doctrine of the Mean) there is a phrase: “A man of noble character believes sincerity is most important.”

The scholar Zhuxi wrote: “Sincerity is the basis of the five moral standards as well as the foundation of all business.”

November 16, 2009

Posting date: 12/7/2009
Category: Traditional Culture
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2009/11/19/212766.html

A Few Words to Share During the Autumn Moon Festival

Author:

Jin Zhonggang

[PureInsight.org] I had been busy all day long and forgot the time. Suddenly, the wind started to blow and a chill was in the air. It was dusk. Light clouds filled the sky and only a few stars were visible.

I looked up at the moon; it was full. I then realized that it is already autumn. Autumn once again draws us closer to spring. It is a season of harvest, a time for getting together with family. In the dim twilight, people are happy when they gather together. They are sad when their dear ones are gone. I remember poets from ancient times described the autumn moon with the same feeling.

Some people do not adore emotion or profit and tend to look at things lightly. But although they are detached from the world, they still have difficulty letting go of their personal feelings. They only broaden their vision when facing predicaments in order to attain personal liberation.

There is a group of people; their determination is as strong as diamond, yet they possess boundless benevolence in all they do. They deserve admiration for their beliefs and behavior that is based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, which they adhere to under any difficulty. Their beliefs allow them not only to extricate themselves from predicaments, but also to consider others more.

When I mention Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, some may know that I am referring to Falun Gong practitioners. People who understand Falun Gong have experienced the glory that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance brings to life. Some do not know the meaning of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance but may relate to Falun Gong after being touched by its great benevolence.

Falun Gong is being severely persecuted in China, but Falun Gong practitioners have no fear in facing the huge pressure. They tirelessly persist in telling people about the goodness of Falun Gong and exposing the evilness of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They do this in an attempt to awaken kind people to not be deceived by the CCP. Only by staying away from the CCP will one be saved and have a bright future. Their hearts are filled with selfless and altruistic faith.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is near. How many children are working hard to save their parents who have been illegally detained for practicing Falun Gong? And in the process, these children always remember to clarify the truth to people.

Some people may not understand such behavior. What’s more, some may ask: “Your own relatives are imprisoned. You should just go rescue your own parents. Why talk about saving others? It is ridiculous!” To those who have said these words, do you know that their efforts of telling you the truth have no selfish motives behind them? If they indeed are seeking something, it is only that you will understand the truth. Knowing the truth lays your foundation for the future.

On the other hand, aren’t their dear ones being arrested simply because they tried to tell you the truth about their illegal treatment? I say that their clarifying the facts about this is without the least bit of personal angst or emotion. I would like to make this point clear and hope that you will ponder it deeply.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2009/9/17/61648.html

Google’s First Step is Morally Clear; Others Should Follow

Statement from the Falun Dafa Information Center

13 Jan 2010

The Falun Dafa Information Center applauds Google’s initiative to challenge the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over its Internet censorship and encourages other companies, governments, and individuals to do the same. The Center also questions some media references that this move is “risky” or “surprising,” as the human cost of Internet censorship in China could not be any clearer.

Throughout history, from the Rwandan massacre to the Nazi Holocaust to Khmer Rouge killings in Cambodia, propaganda and censorship have been central to enabling the large-scale persecution of innocent members of a society.

For the past ten years, the Chinese regime has dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to censoring all channels of information inside China concerning Falun Gong, a group that once represented 10 percent of the country’s population and still numbers in the tens of millions. These efforts have restricted public education about the reality of the fabrications, terrible injustice, and crimes against humanity that the Chinese regime has imposed on citizens who practice Falun Gong since 1999.

It is in this context that the Center encourages any peaceful and honorable effort to challenge the CCP’s control over the Internet and more importantly, any work to bring about an open and free Internet environment in China.

We welcome the efforts of Google or any other entity that sees the morally troubling state of the current Chinese Internet and works to make freedom of information a reality in China. With such freedom will come knowledge and greater understanding, and with that, it is our hope, an end to the torture and killing of Falun Gong practitioners.

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WOIPFG Case Report: Witness to a killing during live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioner

December 12, 2009

Case Summary: A special investigator of World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) carried on a conversation lasting almost 30 minutes with one person (“witness”). We have withheld his name out of concern for his safety. With the consent of the witness, the entire conversation was taped. The witness revealed a case of live organ harvesting on a Falun Gong practitioner that he witnessed several years ago.

Please click here to listen to the conversation. (Chinese)

Event Replay: In 2002, the witness was working for the public security (police) system of Liaoning Province, and he participated in illegal arrests and tortures of Falun Gong practitioners. Among them, a female Falun Gong practitioner in her 30s had wounds and scars covering her entire body, after one week of severe torment and forced food intake. On April 9, 2002, a certain office of the Public Security Bureau of Liaoning province sent two military surgeons, one being a military surgeon from the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region of People’s Liberation Army and the other one being a military surgeon graduated from the Second Military Medical University. They transferred this practitioner to another place (Note 1). Under the circumstances that this female practitioner was fully conscious, without using any anesthetics, they harvested her heart, kidneys and other organs. The witness was an armed police guard by that time and witnessed the entire process of live organ harvesting.

The witness also revealed that, during the period, in which he worked for Jinzhou Public Security Bureau, the then-chief Wang Lijun of Jinzhou Public Security Bureau issued the order of “must eradicate all” in regards to the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners. The witness had participated in the illegal arrests of Falun Gong practitioners and many times severely tortured practitioners in the interrogation process to extract information. Liaoning Province is a region where the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is very severe. Just the number of Falun Gong practitioner deaths confirmed and published by Minghui Net has reached 406. Wang Lijun is currently the chief of Chongqing Public Security Bureau, carrying on intensified persecution towards Falun Gong practitioners, under the name of “destroying mafia-like underground societies”, in coordination with Bo Xilai, the Secretary General of Chinese Communist Party’s Chongqing Committee. (Note 2)

Note 1: During the first conversation, in order not to expose himself, the witness didn’t specify the location where the live organ harvesting took place. In the second conversation, the witness clearly indicated that the live organ harvesting took place in an operating room on the 15th floor of the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region. It has been confirmed that the 15th to 17th floors of the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region are used for surgery.

Note 2: Although lacking relevant credentials and academic backgrounds, Wang Lijun serves as an analyst in the Criminal Law Office of Beijing University Law School and as a vice president of the International Forensic Medical Examiner of Heads and Faces Association. Most of his published papers were forensic medical examination of heads and faces. However, in his official resume, there is one paragraph of description that is unrelated to forensic medicine but to organ transplant: “[he] carried out the first ‘analysis of organ transplant experiment after medicinal injection’ in China”.

Partial transcript of the conversation:

Witness: A scalpel, a surgical knife at the chest. When it cut the chest, blood gushed out. It was gushing out, not…

Question: Is the person you saw male or female?

Witness: Female.

Question: Young?

Witness: Maybe in her 30s.

Question: Was she still shouting “Falun Dafa is good”?

Witness: Yes, still, she was still shouting.

Question: Please describe what she was saying at that time.

Witness: At that time, we had been interrogating and severely torturing her for about a week. She already had countless wounds on her body. Also, [we] used electrical batons to beat her. She had already become delirious. She was already beaten to …. Since she refused to eat anything, we forcibly poured milk into her stomach. She didn’t want to drink, so we forced it down. You know, when her nose was pinched, because of her basic human instincts, she had to drink the milk. Therefore, her life was maintained that way, but she lost almost 15 jin [equivalent to 7.5 kilograms] within seven days. However, we didn’t know at this time, it was possibly a certain office in the Public Security Bureau of Liaoning Province [anyway, it was a very secretive office] that sent two people over. One of them was a military surgeon from the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region of People’s Liberation Army [PLA], and the other one was a graduate of the Second Military Medical University. Specifically, one of them was relatively old, and the other one was young. They were doing something to her in an operating room of the mental hospital she was sent to. No anesthetics were used. They cut her chest with a knife without shaking their hands. If it were me, I would be shaking. Although I am an armed police, I held guns, I participated in live ammunition maneuvers, and I had seen many corpses, but when I saw these military surgeons, I was really impressed. Their hands didn’t shake at all; they put on their surgical mask and started cutting immediately. At that time, we [armed policemen] were standing on guard each with a pistol in hand. By then, she had already been opened. Then “Ah!” she shouted loudly once. Then she shouted, saying “Falun Dafa is good”.

Question: She shouted “Falun Dafa is good” when her chest was cut?

Witness: She shouted “Ah” loudly, saying “Falun Dafa is good”. She said “you kill me, one individual.” [I think] it roughly meant “you kill one individual like me. Can you kill several hundred millions of us, people that are being persecuted by you for our true belief?” At that moment, that doctor, that military surgeon hesitated. Then he looked at me, then at our [policemen’s] superior. Then our superior nodded, and he continued to do the vessels… [Her] heart was carved out first, next were the kidneys. When her cardiac vessels were cut by the scissors, she started twitching. It was extremely horrible. I can imitate her scream for you, although I can’t imitate it well. It sounded like something was being ripped apart, and then she continued “ah”. Since then she always had her mouth wide open, with both her eyes wide open. Ah… I don’t want to continue.

(Certain parts omitted.)

Witness: At that time, this person was a teacher, an instructor teaching in a high school. Her son should be almost 12 years old by now. Her husband was quite incapable [didn’t have much power]. Maybe he was a factory worker. Prior to this, she suffered even greater humiliation. Many of our policemen were perverted. They were using pincers and other equipments that I don’t know from where they got them, to molest her. I have witnessed all these with my own eyes, but I regret that I didn’t take any photos. She had some good looks, relatively pretty, [so the policemen]  raped her…this was far too common.

Question: This is what you witnessed in the police station where you stayed…?

Witness: I didn’t stay in a police station. I was in a training center, which was the backyard of a hotel. [The policemen] rented ten rooms in a small building. They would do this in a small mansion.

Question: A black jail?

Witness: More or less so.

Question: As long as they are Falun Gong practitioners, they were sent there?

Witness: Yes.

Question: Even before they were tried, they were sent there?

Witness: Anyway, we [policemen] always change places on a short notice.

(Certain parts are omitted.)

Question: You haven’t told me the specific time.

Witness: It was April 9, 2002.

Question: April 9?

Witness: Yes, the operation started from 5 p.m. on April 9 and lasted three hours. Before that, it continued for a month.

Question: What do you mean by “it continued for a month”?

Witness: Our interrogating and torturing of her lasted for a month.

(Certain parts are omitted.)

Question: Did you torture them once in the interrogation process to extract information or many times?

Witness: Many times. At that time, Wang Lijun, nowadays the chief of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau, ordered us “must eradicate all”.

World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG)

Tel: 347-448-5790；Fax：347-402-1444
Mailing Address：P.O. Box 84，New York, NY,10116, USA
Website：http://upholdjustice.org/, http://zhuichaguoji.org