Due to the tight information blockade and the denial of any form of independent investigation, it is hard to know the truth surrounding the purported mass suicide of the 15 female Falun Gong practitioners at the Wanjia Labor Camp. Based on Chinese reports and information leaked out by family members of victims, we would like to raise the following questionable points regarding this tragedy:

  1. What are they trying to hide with the information blockage?

    2. The labor camp threw up a tight information blockade when the mass deaths came to light. They confiscated phones and pagers of employees, stopped all visits, and kept staff from leaving the facility. Yet the news leaked out as family members were notified. Although the "suicide" happened on 20 June 2001, it was not until the Minghui Net (www.minghui.org), a Falun Dafa website, announced the news of the incident on 2 July 2001 that the official Chinese version appeared subsequently on 4 July 2001. What are they trying to hide with the information blockage? Why did the Chinese version appear more than two weeks after the incident?

  2. Why weren't the families of the deceased notified immediately?

    3. The Wanjia Labor Camp did not release the news of the deaths to the deceased's families immediately. Instead, it faulted the local public security office for leaking the news to the families. Are they attempting to cover up something by not informing the families? What are they trying to cover up?

  3. What is the reason behind the coercion of declaration?

    4. One of the family members of the victims said that the labor camp has appointed a "fully authorized representative" of unknown identity who wants the families to sign a document saying that the deaths have nothing to do with the labor camp. Why did the labor camp send a "representative" whose identity cannot be revealed? Is it avoiding any form of accountability for the incident? Why are the families coerced to sign such a document?

  4. Why were the bodies cremated without any prior consultation or consent of the deceased's family?

    5. The families of the deceased were shocked when they were informed to collect the ashes of their family members. This is the only notification they received. One family member of Li Xiuqin repeated what a camp warden told him, "We have orders from the top. Any death resulting from beating can be considered a suicide. We have been ordered to cremate without the need for any autopsy." Is this a standard procedure for the treatment of deaths arising in the labor camp? What is the rush in cremating the bodies without any prior consultation or consent of the deceased's family? Are they trying to bury all of the evidence?

  5. Is it possible to hang oneself with strips of linen from bed sheets in five minutes?

    6. It has been reported that Falun Gong practitioners are under 24-hour surveillance in the labor camp and checks are made every five minutes. It is understood that camp cells are devoid of any objects that could be used to inflict harm on the inmates, intentionally or unintentionally. Is it possible for all 15 practitioners to prepare the linen strips, hang them over the ceiling, and then hang themselves, all within a span of 5 minutes? Is it not likely that the wardens would have noticed anything unusual in their constant close surveillance? How could people die within a span of possibly one or two minutes, given that it takes time for some preparatory work?

  6. Why is there an inconsistency in the reporting?

    7. According to the Washington Post (3 July 2001), Mr. Lan Jingli, a provincial judicial official said 11 female Falun Gong practitioners attempted suicide and 3 died. However, the same official told the Associated Press earlier that 25 practitioners attempted suicide and 11 died, and the guards were not watching the women when they attempted to kill themselves. Yet, according to Lianhe Zaobao (5 July 2001), Mr. Lan said the women were under 24-hour surveillance and checks were made every 5 minutes. Why is this judicial official making inconsistent reports regarding the incident? Is he basing his statements on true facts, or adjusting them according to higher orders?

  7. Would Falun Gong practitioners commit suicide?

The teachings of Falun Gong strictly prohibit the taking of lives, including suicide. On the "Issue of Killing", in Chapter 7 of the book Zhuan Falun, Mr. Li Hongzhi, founder and leader of Falun Gong, writes:

"The issue of killing is very sensitive. For practitioners, we have set the strict requirement that they cannot kill lives. Whether it is of the Buddha School, the Tao School, or the Qimen School, regardless of which school or practice it is, as long as it is an upright cultivation practice, it will consider this issue very absolute and prohibit killing--this is for sure."

The various points that we raised above cast serious doubts on what has been reported in the local press. It all boils down to this critical question: Did the 15 female Falun Gong practitioners commit suicide or were they tortured to death?

We wish to conclude by giving you the following thoughts to ponder: The practice of Falun Gong started in May 1992 in China. From May 1992 to July 1999, the world never saw a single report about any form of human disaster arising from the practice of Falun Gong. On the contrary, positive reports ranging from official government health surveys, commendations, and other forms of recognition were accorded to Falun Gong and its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi. Since the ban of Falun Gong in July 1999, a sudden spate of disasters purportedly befell Falun Gong practitioners, one after another, but only in China. Elsewhere in the world, Falun Gong practitioners continued to enjoy the inner peace and good health that come from this practice. What makes China so special? Who has made China so special?

Category: Perspective