(Clearwisdom.net) On March 31, 2004, the Student Senate at UC Berkeley passed a resolution to condemn the oppression of Falun Gong in China. The resolution pointed out that there has been daily slander and defamation from the Chinese state media, which enjoys a monopoly on newspapers, television, radio and Web sites; Chinese delegates in the United States are pressuring local elected officials to refuse or withdraw support of Falun Gong; and the Jiang Regime has additionally been using illicit means to harass, intimidate and physically assault Falun Gong practitioners in the United States. The resolution called on local and federal elected officials and university student bodies in California to understand that it is a relevant issue to all California students, with an accompanying recommendation that this Resolution also be adopted as to form a joint action. The Resolution, SB 136, was approved under the Consent Calendar and was authored by Michelle Midkiff and Ms. Hubbert and was co-sponsored by Mr. Gade and Mr. Chen.

WHEREAS, at numerous colleges and universities in California and across the United States, the student body includes Falun Gong practitioners, and student organizations include Falun Gong clubs; and

WHEREAS, Falun Gong is a peaceful self-cultivation practice deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture, with 100 million practitioners in over 60 countries; and

WHEREAS, Falun Gong practitioners aspire to have inner peace and physical health through qigong exercise, meditation, and adherence to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance; and

WHEREAS, on July 20, 1999, former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, in spite of much opposition from within the Chinese regime, officially banned the practice of Falun Gong and initiated a brutal campaign of brainwashing, torture and murder, which continues today; and

WHEREAS, the number of verified deaths from torture has reached 913 as of February 9, 2004; and

WHEREAS, there has been daily slander and defamation from the Chinese state media, which enjoys a monopoly on newspapers, television, radio and Web sites; and

WHEREAS, Chinese delegates in the United States are pressuring local elected officials to refuse or withdraw support of Falun Gong; and

WHEREAS, the Jiang Zemin Regime has additionally been using illicit means to harass, intimidate and physically assault Falun Gong practitioners in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Charles Lee, a United States citizen and Falun Gong practitioner, has reportedly been mentally and physically tortured since being detained by Chinese authorities on January 22, 2003:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we therefore condemn the persecution of Falun Gong in Mainland China and abroad, and hereby resolve that it is the sense of the Associated Students of the University of California at Berkeley that:

(1) Our local congressional representative, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, should co-sign Resolution 304 by contacting Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's office;

(2) Copies of this Resolution should be sent to local elected officials at the city, county, state, and federal levels, including --

(A) U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer;
(B) U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell;
(C) U.S. Ambassador to China Clark T. Randt; and
(D) President George W. Bush;

(3) Copies of this Resolution should also be sent to the student governments of colleges and universities in California, in understanding that it is a relevant issue to all California students, with an accompanying recommendation that this Resolution also be adopted as to form a joint action.