FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 3/7/2002 [ http://www.faluninfo.net/ ]
NEW YORK, March 7, 2002 (Falun Dafa Information Center)-Following a March 5, evening broadcast of programs supportive of Falun Gong in northeastern China, a furious president Jiang Zemin has ordered a series of executions targeting all persons involved and other practitioners of Falun Gong throughout China. Jiang is said to have ordered, "Kill them without mercy," immediately following the event. Other cities and provinces across China have now reportedly compiled, following the president's command, lists of specific Falun Gong practitioners to execute.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has learned that among those arrested in Changchun are three Falun Gong practitioners who were kidnapped immediately after the event. Neither the identities of those involved in the actual broadcast, nor their relation to Falun Gong are known at this time. Sources in China report, however, that the "6-10" offices of Jilin Province and Changchun City, where the broadcast took place on Tuesday, are acting on orders to compile lists of Falun Gong practitioners to be executed; several practitioners who were taken into custody before the broadcast are said to be on the list. Some others involved in the broadcast will allegedly be sentenced to heavy prison terms.
The surprise Changchun broadcast lasted between 40 and 50 minutes, sources in China say, and reached hundreds of thousands of viewers. The contents of the programs are said to have documented the unlawful, violent nature of the persecution against Falun Gong, and clarified the true, positive nature of the practice. One of the key features was a segment entitled, "Self-immolation or Deception?" which presented evidence that the January 2001 immolations in Beijing were staged by the government.
"Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong survives on an arsenal of lies and deceit, and the biggest weapon is the propaganda surrounding the self-immolation incident; it's the most potent and demonizing of the lies" said Levi Browde, spokesman for the Falun Dafa Information Center. "And this demonstrates exactly why Jiang has reacted with such fury: he's scared because the most terrifying thing for him is that people will find out the truth about the self-immolation, which the broadcasts revealed, as well as the truth about Falun Gong. He'll do anything to stop this-even if it means murdering his own people."
The programs about Falun Gong were broadcast on eight cable channels in Changchun City, all run by the Changchun Cable TV Network, a government-owned company. The network's viewership is calculated at over one million. Unconfirmed reports indicate that similar broadcasts have recently taken place in other Chinese provinces.
The Changchun broadcast is completely without precedent in China, where only the State's voice may be heard in the media. For over two years Chinese authorities have waged a propaganda war against Falun Gong and its practitioners. All Falun Gong publications are banned; tens of millions of its books have been confiscated and destroyed; its Websites are banned; and the practice cannot even be mentioned in emails or in chatrooms. State media have run thousands of reports attacking Falun Gong; several million comic books that demonize Falun Gong have been printed; and even children in elementary schools must recite poems denouncing Falun Gong.
The violence and torture of the persecution has led to 375 confirmed deaths in custody. Chinese government sources, however, say the actual number of deaths is well over 1,600.
The Falun Dafa Information Center calls for the immediate release of all who are detained in connection with the Changchun broadcast, and for help from all international organizations to prevent the execution and extra-judicial sentencing of participants in the broadcast and Falun Gong practitioners across China.
An English version of the video "Self-immolation or Deceit?" which was part of the Changchun broadcast, is available online at http://www.faluninfo.net/devstories/tiananmen/immolation.asp
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It is a practice that was taught in private for thousands of years before being made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture, but it is distinct and separate from other practices in China, such as the religions of Buddhism and Taoism. Since its introduction in 1992, it quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over 50 countries.
With government estimates of as many as 100 million practicing Falun Gong, China's President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999, fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist Party. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, Jiang's regime has intensified it's propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of over 375 deaths since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began in 1999. Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being sentenced to forced labor camps without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Gail Rachlin 212-706-7026, Adam Montanaro 917-405-4507, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Feng Yuan 646-523-5676. Email: faluninfoctr@nycmail.com, Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
Category: Grassroots Resistance in China
