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Summary of Other Articles and News - 08/19/2002

Aug. 22, 2002

(Clearwisdom.net)

Voice of Justice

Before China's foreign affairs officials met with Australia's officials for their 6th annual mutual human rights dialogue in Canberra, Amnesty International's representative Mr. John Greenwell spoke at the Australia Falun Dafa public hearing on August 12, 2002. He appealed to the Australian government, proposing that they improve their efficiency during this week's human rights dialogue. He also pointed out clearly that the persecution of Falun Gong in China is a fact. Otherwise this kind of dialogue, with no essential purpose or results should be discontinued.

Comprehensive News from China

Falun Dafa practitioners' family members from Hegang city condemn unjust government officials: The country has always emphasized the importance of "Governing the country with law and virtue". Our family members have been arrested, beaten and detained without reason. They have been sentenced to forced labor camp and imprisonment with no legal procedures. You are going against facts, against the will of the people, against civil law and against the heavenly law. We strongly demand that the government immediately and unconditionally release our family members.

Truth and People's Heart

One year after my immigration to Argentina, my eyes began to feel irritated. I went to almost all the hospitals in Argentina, France, Spain, Germany and some other countries, but the cause of my illness could not be detected. On the seventh year, I moved to Taiwan and visited all the famous doctors, all of whom failed to improve my eye condition. The only thing I knew was that I was afflicted with "Dry Eye Disease," which currently has no cure. Every time it broke out, it made me feel so terrible I just wanted to dig my eyes out to end my pain. Three years ago, I began practicing Falun Dafa. Three months after I studied the Fa, my eyes became better and the disease was completely gone after only half a year.

Central News Agency August 17th report: During a Taiwan human rights improvement meeting, many Taiwan government officials appealed to the Taiwan society to pay attention to the human rights issue in Mainland China. They emphasized that if the human rights condition improved in China, Taiwan, as well as East and South Asia will also be safe. The Taiwan Human Rights Improvement Association said that Taiwan shouldn't keep silent on China's human rights condition. Since both sides have frequent exchanges, the human rights condition in China is actually tightly connected to the welfare of the Taiwanese people.

Warnings of Natural and Man-made Disasters

(Hangzhou, August 17, 2002, Xinhua News Net) -- Starting on August 15th, some areas in Zhejiang Province including Jinhua, Xuzhou and Lishui were successively hit by extremely severe mountain torrents. As of the date when the report was sent out, the torrent had killed 21 people and 8 people were missing, 4210 buildings had collapsed, and 970,000 acres of good cropland had been flooded. Eight hundred and ninety thousand people were affected by the disaster.

(August 8, 2002, Central News Agency) -- A heavy rainstorm that lasted the entire night of August 7, hit Chenzhou City in Hunan Province . It induced a large-scale landslide and an eruption of mountain torrents in Yuefeng, Nanxi, and the Lutang areas. It is reported that 21 people were killed by the disaster. This is the most severe rainstorm that Chenzhou has encountered in recent years. According to Mainland media reports, there are many small coal mines and graphite mines in the Lutang area. When the heavy rainstorm hit the area on the evening of August 7, many workers were still working in the mines. The actual death toll and damages are still under investigation. The Chinese authorities are currently expediting rescue operations .

According to a report from Zhongxin News Agency on August 17, the climate has been quite abnormal in Yunnan Province this year; in some areas there have been many occurrences of mountain torrents, landslides, mud-rock flows and other mountainous region disasters, which caused serious casualties and property damage. On August 17, a mud-rock flow disaster occurred in the Xiaowan Power Plant construction site. As a result, 5 people died, 10 people were missing and 11 people were injured. On August 14, a huge mud-rock flow disaster occurred at Shuitang, Gasa and Zhelong and other towns in the autonomous county of Xinping, resulting in 33 casualties, 24 injured people and 30 missing people. On August 12, a heavy landslide consisting of a large portion of the mountain occurred at Miaoba Township, Yanjin County, Zhaotong City, causing enormous loss with 13 private residences and 31 people buried. On August 10, a landslide disaster occurred at Enpu highway, Puer County, Simao Area. 6 people died and 2 people were injured. On the same day, a mud-rock flow disaster occurred at Zilijia town, Fugong County, Nujiang Autonomous Region. 4 people were missing and 270 people were affected.