This article was first published in October 2011.

(Minghui.org)

51. BBC Invited For "Arranged Interview"

In BBC and Chinese official reports, on April 3, 2002, the Chinese government arranged 12 Chinese and international media to interview Wang Jindong and others. BBC's report "Arranged Interview" stated, "The Chinese government had always refused any International media to interview on the self-immolation event, yet all of a sudden, foreign reporters were arranged to interview the self-immolation survivors." BBC's special reporter also said that the Chinese government's intention of this arranged interview was obviously an effort to prove the legitimacy of the government's persecution towards Falun Gong.

Foreign Journalists have never had real freedom to interview practitioners, because all the interviewees are arranged by the CCP. The BBC quoted Reporters Without Borders in its report on December 4, 2001:

"Since the eradication campaign against Falun Gong was launched by the authorities, foreign journalists have systematically been hindered in their work on this topic. Foreign photographers and cameramen are prevented from working on and around Tiananmen Square where hundreds of Falun Gong followers have demonstrated for the passed years. According to Reporters Without Borders' estimations, at least 50 representatives of international media have been questioned. Some of them have been beaten by the police. The correspondents who have tried to cover the banned movement's activities have been harassed by the security services. Finally, many Falun Gong followers have been jailed for being interviewed by foreign journalists."

- From "BBC Monitoring: China - RSF says foreign journalists still persecuted for covering Falun Gong"

52. At Least 10 Eyewitness or Other Accounts All Point to the Self-Immolation Being Staged

• Eyewitness Recalls the "Self-Immolation Incident on Tiananmen Square

• Eyewitness Reports Seeing Tiananmen Self-Immolation Performers in Hospital

• A Non-Practitioner Eyewitness Gives An Account of the Tiananmen Square Self-Immolation

• Self-Immolation In Tiananmen Square: A Staged Event Witnessed By Falun Gong Practitioners

• Two Practitioners Overhear Policemen Discussing the Self-Immolation In Advance

• Witnessing the Truth of the Tiananmen Self-Immolation

• Eyewitness Testimony That the "Tiananmen Self-Immolation" Was a Hoax

• An Account about the Staged Self-Immolation Event in Tiananmen Square by a Neighbor of Victim Ms. Liu Chunling

• Eyewitness Account of Authorities Bandaging a Perfectly Healthy Person

• A Taxi Driver's Anger

53. At Least 6 Insiders Reveal the Self-Immolation Was Staged

• Tiananmen Police Substation Insider Reveals How the "Self-Immolation" Was Staged

• Political and Legal Committee Chief Reveals the Truth Behind the "Self Immolation" Incident...

• A Police Station Division Head Acknowledges the "Tiananmen Self-Immolation Incident" Was Staged...

• China National Security Bureau Involved in Self-Immolation Incident

• The Head of the Dalian City Labor Camp Reveals the Truth Behind the "Self-Immolation" Episode

• Police Knew of the Self-Immolation Two Days Prior

54. Date of Self-Immolation Deliberately Selected

January 23, 2001 might seem like an ordinary date oustide of China. But for Chinese, January 24 was Chinese New Year's Day for 2001. The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important of festivities in China-- it lasts two weeks, has a long history, and is perhaps the happiest time of the year for most Chinese. So by staging the "self-immolation" on New Year's Eve, the CCP was sure to provide the effect of shocking the public during what should have been a time for family and celebration, and instill even further hatred towards Falun Gong.