Saturday, October 26, 2002

A Smyrna man who says his wife sits in a Chinese prison has joined thousands of protestors in Texas remonstrating Chinese President Jiang Zemin's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

"I slept only two hours because we were out protesting the whole night outside of (Jiang Zemin's) hotel," Sam Lu said Thursday night from a Houston hotel.

Lu's wife, Shui Fei, has been held prisoner in a Women's Labor Camp in China since November 2000, Lu said. He said his wife was arrested for passing out pamphlets about Falun Gong, a peaceful meditation practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.

The Chinese government began a [persecution of] the Falun Gong movement in 1999 [...]

"The Chinese leader is not confident about his power, so when he thinks something might be out of control, they try and control it," he said. "I haven't seen my wife in two years because he (Jiang Zemin" is afraid of a practice which promotes physical and spiritual well-being."

Lu, 33, said he received words from Shui's mother that she had been severely tortured and forced to work long hours on China's export products.

"She has nearly lost her eyesight due to torture and malnutrition she is enduring," he said. "It is not fair, but our experience is just a tiny part of the stories behind the Chinese Communist regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong."

Lu said human-rights groups have verified that over 100,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been arbitrarily detained, and at least 20,000 have been sent to labor camp without trial.

According to the human rights organization Amnesty International, more than 400 practitioners have been tortured to death in Chinese labor camps.

"It is hard for people in a free country like the Untied States to understand how bad it is over there," Lu said. "(Jiang Zemin) will send you to prison, a labor camp or a mental hospital even if you wear a Falun Gong T-shirt. And this is a peaceful practice."

Lu said as many as 100 million people practice Falun Gong in China.

"Before the crackdown, people were practicing it everywhere on every corner, but you won't see that now," he said.

A Chicago law firm on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin for the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and it was served to security officers guarding Jiang Zemin.

Lu, once a government tax auditor in China [before] moving to Smyrna, said he feels confident that he and his wife will be reunited.

"I miss her so much, but I think with the help of international support, we can help save many of those locked up in prison and labor camps," he said.

Falun Gong was introduced in 1992 by Li Hongzhi in China as a meditation practice aimed at achieving a higher consciousness and enlightenment. It has been touted by many for promoting healing, stress relief and health improvement.

The United States government has recently come to the aid of Falun Gong practitioners. On July 24, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 188, urging the Chinese government cease its persecution of Falun Gong followers.

Rep. Bob Barr (R-Canton) sent a letter of support to local Falun Gong supporters. "While freedom and democracy continue to flourish around the world, religious persecution continues in many countries," he wrote. "Our founding fathers knew that the freedom to practice one's own religion lies at the heart of a free democracy. Many people around the world are not granted that right, particularly in Communist countries like China."

Lu said he stays busy by volunteering at the Smyrna Community Center, where he teaches Falun Gong.

Fellow Falun Gong practitioner Ping participates in the classes and is also protesting in Texas with Lu.

"Something has to be done," she said. "We have to stop this man from persecuting his own people. It is evil."