[Minghui Net] Right after the recent self-immolation incident at Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government's propaganda tool, the Xinhua News Agency, filed an unusual first report, but never followed up with more details.

There was no further mention of this incident until January 30, 2001, when another government propaganda tool, the Chinese Central Television Station, recounted it in a so-called "True Story" program. By this time, after having several days to carefully prepare, the media added two more victims to the five previously reported.

Let's review the video broadcast from CCTV. Very quickly after the fires started, uniformed police carrying portable fire extinguishers rushed to the scene. Uniformed police, however, are usually scarce at Tiananmen Square, as the government relies mainly on plainclothes detectives and hired thugs to beat and arrest Falun Gong practitioners. Even more remarkable, immediately after the flames were extinguished, a CCTV reporter and camera crew appeared. The only way they could have been so well prepared to shoot the scene and conduct interviews was if they had received information beforehand that this was going to happen. The reporter held a microphone in front of one of the dying persons and asked some trick questionsquestions designed to make the victim look bad no matter how he answeredbefore they let the ambulance leave.

One of the two previously unreported persons involved in the self-immolation incident, Liu XX, fabricated charges against Falun Gong in front of the video camera. But anyone who has read Zhuan Falun knows that Falun Gong forbids any form of killing including suicide, and that it teaches people to cherish life. However, Liu XX spoke of things like "ascending to Heaven," "going to such-and-such world," and "being asked to do so by so-and-so." Everything she said was a complete deviation from the teachings of Falun Gong. This being the case, is there any truth at all in the report? Perhaps a little. There were pictures of a forced labor camp where the mother and daughter were being persecuted. In addition, the Director of Jishuitan Hospital said, "There is only limited hope that the remaining victims will survive." From our experience, if they do not cooperate with the government to fabricate information, they may be killed to cover up the evidence.

At this time, people both inside and outside of China have serious doubts about the truth of this incident. Most are of the opinion that the Chinese Government should be condemned, no matter whom these persons really were that set themselves on fire. Furthermore, it was unconscionable for the Chinese government-controlled news media to report this story in a way that was purposely designed to condemn Falun Gong.

Kind-hearted people, please keep a clear mind! Do not let the tragedy of the Cultural Revolution recur. Falun Gong practitioners are striving for the fundamental human rights and the freedom of belief for all Chinese people, including yours and mine.

A conscientious Chinese citizen