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China Crisis News Bulletin #50 - 7/13/2000

July 14, 2000

Editor's note:á

This weekly bulletin is written by an independent media agency that supports Falun Gong and may not always represent Falun Gong's viewpoints. It summarizes news about the persecution of Falun Gong and is sent to worldwide media every week.

"This is, in my judgment, the greatest single spiritual movement in Asia today. There is nothing that begins to compare with it in courage and importance." - Mark Palmer, Vice-Chairman of the Board, Freedom House (quoted from new video 'Falun Gong: The Real Story Part 2)

US FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER - Contacts: Gail Rachlin 212-501-8080, Erping Zhang 917-679-6944, Feng Yuan 917-734-6913, or Levi Browde 914-720-0963. Email: usinfo@falundafa.orgá

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EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS REMINDING CHINESE PREMIER ABOUT VIOLATIONS AGAINST FALUN GONG

BRUSSELS, July 10 (AFP) - Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji kicked off a three-day diplo-trade visit to Belgium and the European Union Monday, the last stop on a six-nation European tour following up on an historic EU-China trade pact signed in Beijing seven weeks agoZhu's European tourhas been dogged by demonstrations against China's human rights record, and there was no let-up in sight in Brussels. Amnesty International was planning a demonstration in central Brussel's Place de la Monnaie near the stock exchange Monday afternoon. China and the EU are currently engaged in an on-going dialogue on human rights but, said the commission spokesman, "This process of dialogue only makes sense if it shows results on the ground. We agree on what they're supposed to do, but we differ on the results."

"We're concerned about rights violations, particularly against Falungong," the outlawed spiritual movement in China, "and we intend to raise this issue on every occasion."á

CHINA CONVICTS FALUN GONG PARTICIPANT, SENTENCE PENDING - AN OMINOUS WARNING TO STILL FREE HONG KONG

BEIJING (AP) - July 13, 2000 - A court in southern China has convicted a participant in the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement of violating the country's law against cults, a rights group reported Thursday. Authorities in Shenzhen, a booming manufacturing center, intend Dai Ying's conviction as a warning to followers of the sect in nearby Hong Kong, the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said. Hong Kong and tiny Macau are the only parts of China where Falun Gong remains legal. Dai's husband, Li Jianhui, a Falun Gong organizer in Shenzhen, was sentenced March 28 to four years in prison, also for violating the law against cults. Dai herself was arrested in March, the Hong Kong-based Information Center said. The Futian District Court convicted her Tuesday and is expected to announce her sentence in the next few days, it said. The center gave no details on Dai's alleged crimes, but the law banning cults lays down varying punishments for Falun Gong members depending on their level of involvement. Leading organizers have been sentenced to up to 18 years in prison. Thousands of others have been detained for brief periods in the crackdown.á

CHINESE GOVERNMENT WARNS AGAINST BELIEF IN RELIGION - CALLS FOR "IDEOLOGICAL PURITY"

(BBC MONTORING) Friday, 7 July, 2000 A year after the spiritual group Falun Gong was banned, the Chinese media are continuing a campaign of propaganda against it and other "dissidents". Since the ban, the authorities have arrested thousands of people in an attempt to crush the Falun Gong. At its height a year ago, it was thought the movement had 70 million members inside China, more than the Chinese communist party itself. But the continued media attacks are a clear indication of the leadership's anxiety over what it sees as a threat to stability and the party posed by a quasi-religious mass movement. The party leadership was particularly alarmed at the extent to which the Falun Gong had penetrated into the upper ranks of the party, government and the army - and much of the recent propaganda reflects this concern, with repeated calls for ideological purity.

President Jiang Zemin personally launched a campaign in February to reindoctrinate party members away from "superstition" to a belief in science and technology. Numerous articles praising Mr. Jiang for launching the campaign - known as the "three representations" - speak of replacing religion with the "spirit of socialism". The campaign appeals for an ideologically pure party to provide clear leadership to stop people seeking it elsewhere in groups such as the Falun Gong. One recent article warned party officials against practising religion in secret or attending underground church services in private homes.á

CHINA ROUND UP

Ma Yanxin is a 52 year-old woman who was forced to stay in a mental institution in China. She was given heavy medication and injections even though she was healthy at the time of detention. As a result of the drugs, she began having trouble with her motor coordination, her tongue became dry and stiff, she could barely open her eyes, and she began experiencing memory loss. She was held for 18 days. It is a common tactic of the Chinese government to place people in mental institutions as a way to discredit them.

In Szechuan province, some local government officials have openly announced that they can torture Falun Gong practitioners at will according to the direction from the provincial and central government. Almost all practitioners have had to pay heavy fines equal to several months' salary. In one village alone, it is estimated that a total of more than US$100,000 has been demanded from practitioners. Most of the village officials have even made a local policy to pay a bonus of 50 Yuan to 200 Yuan for beating practitioners.á

US EVENTS TO COMMEMORATE THE UP-COMING ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF CHINA'S CRACKDOWN ON FALUN DAFA

WASHINGTON, D.C. ACTIVITIES

July 20PRESS CONFERENCE & SCREENING

Falun Gong: The Real Story, Part 2.á

Starts at 4pm.

This new video contains original footage documenting the quiet forbearance of Falun Gong practitioners under the persecution of the Chinese authorities.

Media please contact: 703-725-4168 or usinfo@falundafa.org to RSVP and for location.

July 20 and 21

9am-3pm Lincoln Memorial: Group practice. Hundreds of people from all over the country expected. Everyone welcome.

4pm-10pm In front of Chinese Embassy: Candlelight vigil for those who have died due to belief in Falun Gong. Everyone welcome.á

NEW YORK CITY ACTIVITIES

Group practice and candlelight vigils

Tri-state practitioners will be gathering in front of the Chinese Consulate on 42nd St. next to the West Side Highway all day on July 19th, 20th and 21st.

Private Press Screening

Falun Gong: The Real Story, Part 2. July 24th. Time and location to be announced.

Please direct all media inquiries to Falun Dafa Information Center: usinfo@falundafa.orgá

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VIDEO AVAILABLE

Falun Gong: The Real Story Part 2, containing rare footage of interviews from inside China and commentary from top scholars and human rights experts. To obtain copies of the new docu-video, please contact cathywangny@hotmail.comá

US FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER - Contacts: Gail Rachlin 212-501-8080, Erping Zhang 917-679-6944, Feng Yuan 917-734-6913, or Levi Browde 914-720-0963. Email: usinfo@falundafa.orgá
Category: Accounts of Persecution