(Clearwisdom.net) Ye Xiaowen, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) director of the Religious Affairs Bureau, visited Taiwan on August 28, 2009 to attend a Buddhist ritual for flood victims. Upon his arrival in Taiwan, Falun Gong practitioners handed him a document announcing an investigation, related to the fact that he has participated in the persecution of Falun Gong over the past ten years. Ye Xiaowen refused to accept the document and left in a hurry.

A reporter asked Ye Xiaowen, "Why are you attending this Buddhist ritual as an atheist communist party member? Why was Ms. Shao Yuhua, a Taiwanese citizen who practices Falun Gong, arrested and detained when she visited relatives in China?" Ye did not answer and quickly left.

Ye Xiaowen, as director of the State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA) since 1995, played and continues to play a vital role in the persecution of Falun Gong. In collaboration with other high-ranking officials in SARA, the 610 Office, and the Chinese Communist Party, Ye designed, produced, and implemented a campaign of propaganda to demonize Falun Gong in order to help legitimize the persecution. Ye, along with other high-ranking officials in SARA and the 610 Office, has also used his office to coordinate and supervise the violent and brutal transformation of Falun Gong practitioners in provinces and cities across China, through brainwashing and other forms of torture. The stated role of SARA is to protect religious freedom, but under Ye's administration, it has become one of the most effective tools used by the regime to carry out the persecution against Falun Gong. With help from SARA, the CCP regime declared Falun Gong practitioners to be "enemies of the state" and then turned around and used that designation to justify the persecution.

Under the CCP's genocidal policy, at least 3,296 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death and millions have been imprisoned in prisons, labor camps and brainwashing facilities.

On June 5, 2006, a US court issued a civil lawsuit subpoena to Director Ye Xiaowen and to Deputy Director Wang Zuoan of China's Religious Affairs Bureau when they visited the US. They are accused of inciting, instigating, conspiring, ordering, planning, and/or aiding and abetting torture, genocide, and other human rights abuses against Falun Gong.

******

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline for mind and body. The practice involves slow, gentle movements and meditation. It is easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, and free of charge. Its principles are based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice began in China in 1992 and quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China and then beyond. Its beneficial effects in uplifting an individual's physical health, spiritual well-being and moral character, not to mention its positive influence in the community and society as a whole, have been undeniable. In fact, Falun Gong is practiced by over 100 million people in more than 100 countries. The main works of Falun Gong are available in over 30 languages.

On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal persecution of Falun Gong. Since the start of the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners throughout the world have been constantly speaking out about the truth of Falun Gong and exposing the CCP's crimes in a tireless effort to end the persecution.