(Minghui.org) The Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, has been based on propaganda and deception since it began in 1999. To debunk the lies perpetuated against their faith, many Falun Dafa practitioners, including those in detention, have used every opportunity possible to raise awareness of this persecution that has no legal basis.
I was arrested on multiple occasions for refusing to renounce Falun Dafa, a mind-body practice based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. No matter where I was detained, be it a detention center or labor camp, I talked to the guards and inmates alike about my beliefs. Many of them have come to see through the CCP's slanderous propaganda against Falun Dafa and even appreciate the goodness of Dafa and the kindness of Dafa practitioners.
This three-part series presents a few such examples.
(Continued from Part 1)
I went to Beijing in 2000 to appeal for the right to practice Falun Dafa. I was arrested and sentenced to a three-year prison term. I met Li (alias) there, who was the captain of the prison guards at the prison section I was assigned to.
Doing the Falun Dafa Exercises in Prison
From day one, I did the Falun Dafa exercises every day regardless of who were the guards on duty that day. Captain Li and guard assistant Wang asked me to not do the exercises, at least not when they were on duty. I explained to them that I began to practice Falun Dafa because I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. I was alive because of it, and I would surely be in a terrible state if I could not do the exercises.
“We know what Falun Dafa is. But we have to follow the order,” Li said to me. I explained to them that that was why I went to Beijing to appeal.
“I don't understand,” I said, “why you would be afraid of me doing the Falun Dafa exercises. How can doing these exercises destroy the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)? Is it possible that this building will collapse because of my doing the Dafa exercises?”
I further clarified the truth about Falun Dafa, and the persecution. In the end, I said, “I understand your position. I don't want to cause any problem for you. Please tell your supervisors what I had said.”
One night just as I started doing the exercises, the two inmates who were assigned to monitor me came to see me and begged, “Please, please stop doing the exercises! We will get our sentences extended, and we won't be able to go home [if you continue doing the exercises.]”
“Alright, I won't do the exercises today. Tomorrow, you can tell whoever gave you this order that I will not eat anymore.” I calmly stated.
The next day, I did not get up from the bed. Around lunchtime, guard assistant Wang came into my cell. He bent over and said quietly, “I am here to apologize on behalf of Captain Li. We all respect you here. Actually, because of your advocating the virtuous Dafa principles, there are fewer problems or conflicts among inmates in our section.”
He continued, “I hope you understand the pressure Captain Li is under, and just treat this as a misunderstanding.” He then told me that I could do the Falun Dafa exercises whenever I wanted.
From then on, whenever any guard saw me doing the exercises, he just closed the curtain on the window and pretended he did not see anything.
One time, Captain Li told me that I was the only person who was still doing the Falun Dafa exercises in the entire prison. He felt a lot of pressure from his superiors and wanted me to stop. I realized that I had become reliant on him.
I said to him, “I am very thankful to you for letting me do the exercises. You are a good person, and will be blessed for your good deeds.” I never stopped doing the exercises, and he did not force me to stop either.
Prison Guard Captain: “Sooner or later, the issue of Falun Dafa will be redressed!”
In prison, we are required to write and submit a weekly report to the guards. I used this opportunity to write about Falun Dafa and my own experiences, as well as some extraordinary incidents I had witnessed. I was told by another inmate that Captain Li read every journal I submitted carefully.
“He does not only have good handwriting, but his reasoning is very logical. There are really some talented people among Falun Dafa practitioners!” he was heard saying about me.
Later on, our section merged with another section. I met with the three Falun Dafa practitioners from the other section. Captain Li said to me, “I am putting them with you so you could watch out for them. But you cannot just do the exercises with them all the time.”
“Whether they want to do the exercises is their own business,” I said. “They are also imprisoned because they refused to give up Dafa. It won't be right if you let me do the exercises, and not them.” I told him. He did not say anything.
The four of us practitioners were able to do exercises without interference by any guard. That was rare in the prison.
Even though the persecution in prison was still very severe at the time, the environment in our particular section was improving. The four of us practitioners were in the same cell when practitioners in other sections were locked up individually. Captain Li even brought us restaurant food, when he had the opportunity to work outside of the prison.
One day, an inmate told me that Captain Li praised Falun Dafa practitioners again. The captain was heard saying, “Sooner or later, the issue of Falun Dafa will be redressed!”
Guard assistant Wang once told all the inmates in our section, “The captain has said those inmates who were assigned to be with Falun Dafa practitioners are not to monitor them, but to take care of them.”
An inmate later lamented, “Falun Dafa practitioners are getting the best treatments in prison now. I should start practicing Falun Dafa too.”
I was given the task of taking care of the bulletin-board periodically. Each time I took out any content that defamed or persecuted Falun Dafa. Nobody ever objected.
After I left prison, I heard that Captain Li was still doing well. I believe that he was rewarded because he had treated Falun Dafa practitioners well.
(To be continued)
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