Script:

• Falun Gong is freely practiced in more than 50 countries, but relentlessly persecuted in China.
• The peaceful courage of practitioners there has shocked their oppressors and moved the people of the world.
• While China continues to block information about the persecution, FGM TV brings you the stories you may not hear anywhere else.

Hello, and welcome to the FGM TV weekly news review on November 5, 2002

I'm David Tompkins

In this week's update from China...

• The number of Falun Gong practitioners verified to have died while in detention is 510, with confirmation of 5 more deaths received in the past week. Sources inside China, however, put the actual death count in the thousands.
• In the last 7 days, reports of persecution have come in from 16 provinces and from the city of Beijing.
• 389 people declared as void all statements they had made under torture and at times when their minds were not clear. They said they intend to continue to practice Falun Gong.

Our top story this week:

• A man disappears in China after his wife in Australia participates in a lawsuit to the International Criminal Court and two UN bodies, alleging Jiang Zemin conducted "State Terrorism" against Falun Gong practitioners.

And some of our other stories:

• The New York Times publishes a report on the growing concern in Hong Kong over the proposed legislation for Article 23
• A Japanese man appeals for the release of his brother who has been illegally sentenced to 10 years in prison in China
• Practitioners attend the Montreal International Forum
• In Hong Kong, Falun Gong Practitioners Held a Music and Dance Performance for Over 800 People
• And finally, a letter from a practitioner in China
• On October 25, Mr Jianwei Cao was arrested by Beijing police four days after his wife, who lives in Australia, filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, the head of the PRC, for implementing "State Terrorism" to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.
• Mrs. Jennifer Zheng Zeng was part of the legal case that was submitted to the International Criminal Court and two Committees in the United Nations.
• In May 2000, Mrs. Zeng was sentenced without trial to 1 year in a forced labour camp for writing a letter to her in-laws explaining why she chose to practice Falun Gong.
• She was forced to work over 21 hours per day, and according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald on December 28, 2001, this included making toy rabbits for export under the Nestle brand.
• During the period of her illegal detention she was brainwashed, shocked with electric batons, and forced to squat for up to 15 hours in the burning sun.
• A group statement from the plaintiffs in the UN case reads: "What is so shocking about this recent event is that Mr. Jianwei Cao is not a Falun Dafa practitioner and is still being victimized." Previously, only Falun Gong practitioners have been detained for bringing legal action against Jiang.
• Mrs. Zeng said: "Given that my husband is not a Falun Gong practitioner, I can imagine no other reason for his arrest except for the purpose to keep him as a hostage to threaten me. I would like to ask: if this is not terrorism, what is?"
• The day after this lawsuit was filed against Jiang Zemin, the head of the PRC was served with another lawsuit while visiting Chicago, charging genocide for the persecution of Falun Gong under United States Human Rights Statutes.

The New York Times Published a Report Recently on the Growing Dissent in Hong Kong to the Proposed Legislation on Article 23

• The report said that a fierce debate has erupted over a government proposal to lengthen jail terms and increase fines for people who make "seditious" statements, even over the Internet, and to allow some police searches and seizures without a warrant.
• China's deputy prime minister, Qian Qichen, in a recent television interview said that opponents of the new rules must have something to hide.
• Regina Ip, Hong Kong's powerful secretary for security and a top aide to Tung Chee-hwa, the chief executive, increased the controversy when she spoke to students at a local university recently.
• She questioned the value of democracy in protecting civil liberties and contended that democracy in Germany in the 1930's led to the rise of Hitler and to the Holocaust.
• Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997, when it was returned to China. The territory enjoys some autonomy under its Basic Law, which provides for a separate legal system and considerable autonomy in running its own affairs.
• In September the government put out a "consultation paper" that outlines in general the legislation it plans to introduce in February, with the goal of winning final passage by the legislature next summer.
• The consultation paper calls for harsher penalties against people who engage in sedition, as newly defined. Instead of two years in prison and a fine of up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars, violators will face up to seven years in prison and fines up to 500,000 Hong Kong dollars.
• One section of the proposed legislation would outlaw groups that are banned in Mainland China, which is clearly aimed at Falun Gong. The period of public consultation on this legislation closes in late December.
• A Japanese man appeals for the rescue of his brother, Xie Yunhuan, who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in an illegal trial in China.
• He said, "Yunhuan, has been a practitioner for 6 years and in February 2000 he returned to China from Japan to appeal for Falun Dafa....He was in Beijing several times risking his life to spread the truth and expose the evil."
• In August 2002, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with no witnesses, no evidence and no lawyer.
• The police used entirely fabricated evidence.
• Before the trial the police tortured and tried to trap Yunhuan into making a confession. He was deprived of sleep for a dozen days.
• From the time Yunhuan was arrested till he was sentenced, no legal procedures were followed. No family members were allowed to see him.
• Family members have sent him food which he has never received.
• Recently, his sister Xie Mingjuan bought her way in to see him. He had been held for more than 18 months, and had been tortured continuously for 42 days.
• He was deprived of sleep and food except for a bowl of broth in the morning and in the afternoon. When he closed his eyes, he was shocked by electric batons.
• Yunhuan said that some practitioners have suffered even more than him.
• He also regretted what he signed and said under torture and he asked that a statement be issued on his behalf.
• It reads, "I solemnly declare my words and deeds under high pressure...while in jail are null and void. I maintain my firm belief in Falun Dafa and will follow the Teacher. There is nothing wrong in being a good person, nor was it wrong to follow "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance"".

Transition back to front camera

• From October 14 to October 16, two practitioners spoke about the persecution of Falun Gong with other participants at the "Montreal International Forum".
• The conference was entitled "2002: Global Administration - Civilized Society and Democracy," and was attended by about 600 representatives from non-governmental organizations from all over the world, as well as the Canadian government, various media and the local government of Quebec.
• Practitioners explained about the peaceful nature of Falun Dafa and addressed the persecution practitioners by the Jiang regime.
• They also pointed out that under pressure from the Jiang regime, Cambodia had repatriated Falun Gong practitioners with UN Refugee Status to China, thereby seriously violating International Law.
• During breaks and group discussions, several Falun Gong practitioners spoke with representatives from non-governmental organizations in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa.
• Many representatives signed the "Call for Help" mailing lists and hoped to keep in touch with the practitioners.
• Some even assured the practitioners that they would take Falun Gong materials back to their own countries.
• On October 24 and 25, the Hong Kong Falun Gong Association held two non-profit evening shows entitled "An Old Friend Is Coming with Music and Dances".
• The shows were to express appreciation to all kind-hearted people for their kindness and help in the face of the severe persecution.
• Over 800 local residents attended.
• The performers were Falun Gong practitioners from around the world.
• The programs included a piano solo, a Guzheng musical performance, a choir, an Erhu musical performance, a trio of musical instruments, folk dances and another soprano solo.
• Mr. Kan Hung-cheung, spokesman of Hong Kong Falun Gong Association, said they had applied for the use of the location for this activity as early as June of last year, but Hong Kong authorities did not approve the application until recently.
• One stipulation on the use of the facilities was that the association was not allowed to sell Falun Gong books including Zhuan Falun and The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa, or distribute badges with "Falun Dafa is good", "Life needs Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance", or "I support Falun Dafa".
• Mr. Kan expressed regret over this decision by the authorities.

The following is a letter written by a practitioner in China

• I was born and raised in a very traditional family.
• During the school years, I was always a model student.
• After I got married, I encountered many tribulations that were unbearable.
• My body showed many signs of illness, and there was not even one place that was free of illness.
• Losing hope, I even thought of ending my own life.
• Fortunately, my husband has been very good to me.
• For eighteen years, he did not give up on my treatments.
• We visited every hospital in the province.
• I tried western medicine, Chinese medicine, and psychiatric treatments.
• I even tried quite a few folk remedies.
• However, there was little result.
• Each day, after filling my stomach with medicine and the water to wash it down, I didn't even have any appetite to eat.
• On April 26th of 1998, I was fortunate to come across the book Zhuan Falun at a friend's place.
• I borrowed it and read it through the night.
• It was like a rainstorm to crops in a severe drought.
• From then on, I read the book over and over, and I could not put it down.
• Through the book, Teacher tells us how to become better people with higher moral values.
• The standard is "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."
• When I understood the principles of human conduct, my body went through miraculous changes.
• All of the illnesses left me.
• As time went by, I was transformed into a new person.
• Life's energy returned to my body again.
• I can carry a bag of flour from the storage room on the ground floor to the fifth floor, and I don't need to catch my breath afterwards.
• My life is full of hope.
• I speak to every kindhearted person from the bottom of my heart -- Falun Dafa is good! Falun Dafa is the righteous way!
• I will not give up practicing Falun Dafa even if someone were to give me a mountain of gold and silver.
• Asking me to give up Falun Dafa is like asking me to die, because Zhuan Falun gave back my life.

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• dedicated to breaking through China's information blockade, revealing propaganda, and bringing you the truth of Falun Gong.