Massachusetts House of Representatives

Resolution

Condemning the systematic and brutal persecution of
Falun Gong in China

Whereas, This persecution is a violation of China's own constitution as well as the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights which China is party to; and

Whereas, Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese spiritual and personal cultivation practice with the emphasis on improving health and morality based on the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance; and

Whereas, Falun Gong has been targeted for eradication by China's ruling regime simply because it has introduced the renaissance of traditional values and beliefs and its vast popularity is seen by some as a threat to Communist rule; and

Whereas, 366 have been confirmed as fatalities in this persecution as of January 30, 2002; internal governmental sources in China, however, have placed that number well over 1,600 as of October 2001; and

Whereas, China's President Jiang Zemin who has been the chief instigator of this state terrorism against its own people, has also implemented the "610" offices for the express purpose of systematically persecuting Falun Gong practitioners; and

Whereas, the persecution of Falun Gong has mobilized the entire country against practitioners and their families and friends - from the presidency, to the Chinese Communist Party, to all levels of government, to police and security forces,townships and municipality, to the workplaces, even primary schools; this persecution has violated the lives of millions of Chinese citizens; it is an abuse of human rights of an enormous
proportion in the world today; and

Whereas, the Chinese government has turned it's staged "Self-Immolation
incident" of January 2001 into a major propaganda tool to deceive an entire nation and
incite hatred against an innocent spiritual group; and

Whereas, Western Falun Gong practitioners'(including two from Massachusetts)
recent peaceful appeal in Tianamen Square have been for the purpose of
bringing an end to this persecution, and they have met with brutal beating and arrests
by the Chinese police; and

Whereas, the United State of America being a defender of human rights and a
symbol of freedom; and

Whereas, Massachusetts has had the fortune to be one of the earliest state to
have been imparted with this wonderful practice; it has since been practiced
by thousands and benefited hundreds through free instructional classes;
Therefore be it

Resolved, that the Massachusetts House of Representatives hereby condemns
the brutal persecution and the violations of the rights of Falun Gong practitioners in
China, and we hereby urge the Chinese government to stop the persecution immediately,
and release all Falun Gong practitioners currently incarcerated in prisons, labor camps,
police stations, mental hospitals, and all detention centers; and be it further

Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded by the clerk of the
House of Representatives to President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin
Powell, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, and the Governor of
Massachusetts Jane Swift; and be it further

Resolved, that this resolution be sent to Chinese president Jiang Zemin,
Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, Chairman Li Peng of Chinese National People's Congress,
Chairman Li Ruihuan of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Governor Chai Songyue of Zhejing Province, Mayor Qiu Baoxing of Hangzhou City, Ambassador Yang Jiechi of People's Republic of China in the U.S., and General Consul Zhang Hongxi in New York for the purpose of appealing for a peaceful resolution to this human tragedy.

House of Representatives, Adopted, March 27, 2002

Thomas Finneran (signature)
Speaker of the House

Steven James (signature)
Clerk of the House

áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá Offered by
Representative George Rogers (signature)
Representative Thomas Kennedy (signature)
Representative Anne Paulsen (signature)
Representative Edward Connolly (signature)
Representative Kathleen Teahan (signature)

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