(Clearwisdom.net) On April 25, 1999, more than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners gathered quietly in front of the Appeals Office at the seat of the State Council near Zhongnanhai to peacefully express their opinions. They had assimilated the principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance into their hearts through cultivation and their enlightenment to the righteous way in the human world, and their peaceful appeal was carried out with with broad-mindedness and tolerance.
However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
that has long been used to "fighting against heaven, earth and people" was extremely fearful of the strength manifested by the pure kindness of Falun Gong. The Party, which has always advocated violence and relied on that to maintain its political power, viewed Falun Gong as its enemy and launched a brutal persecution against Falun Gong.
Ten years have passed, yet the persecution still continues and has become even more rampant as the CCP is moving closer to its demise.
Jiang Xiqing, a 66-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Jingjin, Chongqing, was beaten to unconsciousness on January 28, 2009, in Xishanping Forced Labor Camp. The officials declared that he died due to a heart attack. Jiang Xiqing's children found out that their father still showed signs of life after he had been put into a refrigeration unit for seven hours. His children begged that their father be given emergency treatment, but their pleas were completely ignored. The officials pushed the son out of the room and, against the family's wishes, cremated the father while he was still alive in order to cover up their crimes.
Practitioner Ms. Wang Meiying from Chiping County, Shandong Province, was taken to the Jinan Women's Forced Labor Camp two days after her illegal arrest. Once at the camp, she went on a protest hunger strike and was subjected to cruel force-feeding, which severely and permanently damaged her right lung, which no longer functions. On March 22, 2009, she was running a temperature of 39 0C. Only then did the officials have her sent to Jinan Armed Police Hospital. She died the following day.
On February 8, 2009, practitioner Ms. Liu Guangfeng from Guangshui City, Hubei Province was taken to the Guangshui No. 1 Detention Center. On the afternoon of April 2, detention center officials notified her family to pick her up. By then, Ms. Liu could not speak, nor could she walk or eat. Her skin was black and purple from head to toe, including her fingers. At the back of her neck was an obvious indentation from ten fingers. She was taken home and died two days later, on April 4, 2009.
The above are only a few incidents of practitioners dying as a result of gross abuse and torture.
From July 20, 1999, until today, as many as 254,000 verified and published incidents of persecution have been documented, and at least 3,259 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of persecution. Those who have survived the persecution and those who died suffered endless harassment, threats, humiliation, and torture. These figures are not complete. Many practitioners who have disappeared or whose organs the CCP-sanctioned entities have harvested remain unaccounted for.
For the last ten years, the number of practitioners who have suffered persecution is huge, and the degree of mistreatment, mental torment, and physical torture they have suffered is extreme.
There have been many incidents in history where evil persecuted those who were on the side of justice. However, Falun Gong's founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, said,
"Never in history has someone who persecuted those with upright faiths ever succeeded." ("Coercion Cannot Change People's Hearts" in Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Falun Gong has been suppressed for ten years so far. There are still more than 40 million Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China. People worldwide are practicing Falun Gong in over 80 countries. They peacefully clarify the facts to people. People in China can see the footprints of Falun Gong practitioners everywhere, in the streets or in the countryside. Even under extreme pressure, practitioners still unwaveringly disseminate the truth and encourage people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Once the CCP began to persecute Falun Gong, many people, fearing the Communist regime, took an indifferent attitude toward Falun Gong, and some even assisted with the persecution. This kind of attitude--submitting to the evil regime and giving tacit consent to their tactics--cannot bring the Chinese people peace and serenity. On the contrary, due to the regime's trampling of the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and its destruction of society's values, morality in China quickly crumbled.
We can see in today's China how the evil regime has intensified its crackdown on those that appeal, and those who have suffered gross injustice and persecution for their religious beliefs. Government officials at all levels have widened the persecution of Falun Gong to other groups.The April 25 Appeal was a historic moment and set a precedent for large-scale, peaceful appeals for the Chinese people. Falun Gong practitioners have shown no fear of the autocratic power and violence, and have offered the Chinese people a way to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Ten years have passed. Falun Gong practitioners still stand tall, with an unshakable belief:
"I just don't believe their consciences are irretrievably lost." ("For the good of the world" by Master Li Hongzhi)
Practitioners continue to peacefully clarify the facts to people and expose the CCP's true colors. To date, 52 million people have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
We invite all Chinese people who have a sense of justice to join the many who have already quit the Communist Party, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers. Whether for your current happiness or the freedom of your soul, be brave and quit the evildoing Party. Build a beautiful and happy road for you and your children!
Category: Perspective
