(Clearwisdom.net) In the beginning of 2004, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, accepted an exclusive interview with North America's NTD TV (New Tang Dynasty TV). This was the first time that Mr. Li had appeared publicly in the media in the past four years, since the end of 1999. This event was broadcast around the globe via four satellites. Several dozen TV stations, newspapers and websites around the world reported the news.
Regarding the persecution of Falun Gong in China, Mr. Li pointed out that "jealousy" on the part of "the most evil person in China," who cannot tolerate so many people practicing Falun Gong, caused this terrible persecution.
On January 20, 2004, Canada announced that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has collected names on a monitoring list that includes 15 Chinese officials. Some of them are Jiang Zemin, Li Lanqing, Luo Gan and Liu Qi and others who are accused of being involved in the persecution of Falun Gong. If any one of them enters Canada, the RCMP will start an investigation of the crimes for which these individuals stand accused. Falun Gong practitioners stated that they would continue to provide more names, perhaps even ten thousand people who are or have been involved in such persecution.
It is obvious that Falun Gong's current situation is quite different from what it was four year ago: it has gained support from the international community, has spread all over the world, has attracted wide attention, and the status of Falun Gong in China has also changed dramatically. The assumption that Jiang's regime could eliminate Falun Gong has by now been completely shattered.
Viewing China:
On July 20, 1999, Jiang went against the decision by other high-ranking officials, and by use of his dictatorial authority and as the highest-placed holder of power, launched the savage and deadly persecution of Falun Gong.
A more than four-year, continuous effort from Falun Gong practitioners has widely publicized the truth of Falun Gong, has exposed the Jiang regime's lies. People looking at the facts of the persecution started to realize just how much money, manpower and other resources have been thrown into this persecution. They realize the damage to human nature, and they have become aware of the international condemnation of China regarding the persecution. Due to deeply entrenched worries about China's domestic problems, and being faced with tremendous pressures from the outside world, differing opinions within the Chinese government about continuing the persecution can no longer be denied or kept hidden.
On the first day of the New Year 2004, news reported on Clearwisdom Net stated, "Several national security agents and police officers from Mainland China and overseas sent their regards to Mr. Li Hongzhi to express their respect and send New Year's greetings." It said, "On New Year's Day of 2004, some national security agents and police officials (non-practitioners) from Beijing, Liaoning Province, Shandong Province, Jiangxi Province, Hubei Province, Hunan Province, Sichuan Province, Chongqing City and some agents working overseas sent their New Year's greetings to and expressed their respect to Mr. Li Hongzhi! In their letters they said that more and more agents and police officers are awakening to the truth about Falun Dafa and they will use their abilities to protect Dafa practitioners, compensate for their past wrong-doings and resist the Jiang regime's persecution.
A news report published in November 2003 on Clearwisdom Net had this to say, "Recently, big changes have been noticed in some areas in China where the facts of Falun Gong are known widely. For example, all of the detained Dafa disciples in Xiangcheng City, Henan Province have been released."
It has been stated in some news reports that Jiang had covered up the true situation about the persecution in various places. What was not mentioned previously were ruthless acts including torture, shootings and especially the resistance and dissenting opinions from local officials. Many top Chinese governing officials and even high-ranking persons such as those at the Politburo do not even know clearly that Jiang commanded the "610 Office" to use brutal torture. They also do not know the actual amounts of money used for such purposes.
But, through various channels, the crimes committed in this persecution against Falun Gong are gradually being exposed to the people. This is especially true of the national security agents and policemen who are on the front lines of executing persecution orders, as are those groups of government staff who have most direct information regarding the truth of the Falun Gong persecution. The initial reactions and responses from these people have substantial significance.
Mr. Li mentioned in his special interview that Falun Gong has never considered wresting power from the Chinese Communist Party. We just would like to practice and cultivate according to our spiritual belief. In fact, we are just focusing on the persecution and we are just against the persecution. We are only targeting those who participated in the persecution.
New information tells us that top Chinese governing officials had a meeting recently, discussing the Falun Gong issue. There are very differing internal opinions as to whether or not to continue the persecution. The new government is facing difficulties maintaining the current persecution at various levels, in the face of economic problems, the stability of the society, political issues and so on.
Viewing the world:
In the beginning, when Jiang's regime suddenly started to persecute and kill a group of people with numerous members, the overseas media did not know what was going on and repeated those fabricated, slanderous news releases from the Chinese media, the mouthpiece for Jiang's regime. Jiang himself advocated his lies to the international community, capitalizing on his visits abroad and using every opportunity to spread the lies. Regarding the Falun Gong issue, Jiang had deceived people all over the world.
Faced with these difficulties under the persecution for the past four plus years, though, Falun Gong practitioners have persistently stood up against the persecution, using peaceful and rational means. They have clarified the truth worldwide and as a result, people around the world now have a good understanding about Falun Gong and the persecution in China. The honesty, kindness, persistence, tolerance and wisdom of Falun Gong practitioners have won respect and support from governments of various countries and people around the world.
One additional comment from Mr. Li in his TV interview regarding the "evil ringleader" Jiang: "The whole world has seen his cruelty and stupidity."
Beginning in October 2002, Jiang Zemin was first sued in the United States for his "crimes of genocide," "crimes against humanity" and "torture." Similar charges against Jiang for these crimes have subsequently been levied in many countries, such as Belgium, Spain, Germany, Taiwan, Korea and other nations. The main persecutors of Falun Gong, including Jiang, the people from the "610 Office" and other Chinese top government officials are facing several lawsuits around the world.
Organizations that aim to widely and systematically investigate crimes of persecution against Falun Gong have been established in several countries around the world.
On January 20, 2003, the Worldwide Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong was formally established. This organization is vigorously working and reporting their investigational results and are documenting evidence for important events such as the "Tiananmen Self-immolation incident" as well as tallying the amount of Chinese financial resources that Jiang's regime has expended on the Falun Gong persecution. Another organization that aims to bring the persecutors of Falun Gong to justice is called the Global Association to Bring Jiang to Justice. It's formation was announced in Washington D.C., on September 30, 2003. Almost one hundred organizations and individual supporters from four continents including Europe, Asia, America and Australia joined the association. On October 6, 2003, the association handed over a public letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, requesting the UN and all countries to help stop Jiang's damage to human society and form a special tribunal for him to face his crimes that he has committed against humanity.
Mr. Li Hongzhi pointed out the power of righteous belief, using the historical example of the Christian persecution, which lasted three hundred years, and yet the Christians in the end were not destroyed but instead flourished. Falun Gong has experienced four years of persecution, yet it has not disappeared within three months, as Jiang claimed that it would. Instead, Falun Gong has endured successfully, peacefully and rationally through the vicious and extremely insidious persecution.
Falun Gong now stands openly and nobly on the world's stage and has become the glorious key player in this historical drama, where truth and compassion will overcome the evil.
(Drafted by Lu Hua, a Minghui reporter)
January 28, 2004
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Category: Perspectives
