In News This Week

 

  1. The Number of Falun Gong practitioners that have died while detained is 280 as of Tuesday September 16th, 2001. 

 

  1. American Terrorist Attacks enlighten people to the need of Truthfulness-Compassion and Tolerance in the world. 

 

  1. Falun Gong and founder receive recognition for bringing benefit to the people of the world.

 

  1. Australian city counsellor speaks out against the persecution of Falun Gong in China after seeing it first hand.

 

  1. Chinese men publicly threaten and beat Falun Gong practitioners during peaceful sit in outside Chinese Consulate in Chicago.

 

  1. More news from inside China.

 

  1. Jersey City Council (New Jersey) Passes Resolution Condemning the Violence. and Repression Against Falun Gong Practitioners in China.

 

  1. American efforts  to free permanent resident, Dr. Teng from Detention in China.

 

  1. SOS walks continue around the world.

 

Ever since the tragic attack on the US, the world has been a different place.  People from around the world have held memorial services and some have just gone to their local US embassy to light a candle.  In Toronto a Falun Gong practitioner when to pay her respects.  She brought a board reading the world needs more Truthfulness-Compassion and Tolerance.  It seemed the public also agreed as almost all the candles taken by the pedestrians had been placed surrounding this sign. 

Swiss Hunger Strike Draws Attention of Media

On the evening of Sept. 13, Swiss practitioners held three separate, full day hunger strikes in front of the Chinese Embassy in Zurich, the Chinese Consulate in Berne, and the UN in Geneva.

The hunger strike was held after the terrorist attack and carried special meaning, as expressed by the words a practitioner wrote on a poster, "We understand your sadness. We are with you. The world needs more Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."

Many people came to talk with the practitioners. One Canadian lady said, "If everyone had Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance, this tragedy would never have happened. It seems only Falun Gong can solve this problem."

 

 

In other news in Europe , Over 28 European Parliamentians representing different political groups nominated the founder of Falun Gong Mr. Li Hongzhi for the 2001 Sakharov prize. Many other members also strongly supported the nomination to recognize Mr. Li's outstanding contribution to the improvement of mankind's mental and physical health and freedom of belief.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been presented every year since 1988 to an individual or organization for making significant contributions to the promotion of human rights, basic freedom, and for firmly opposing persecution and injustice.

 

 

"The World is Watching China" says Australian Official, Councillor Jamie Parker.

The Deputy Mayor of Leichhardt--speaks publicly and provides details about the shocking reality of the peaceful group's bloody encounters at Tiananmen Square.

Throughout the whole day there were violent arrests that mainly consisted of people raising yellow flags or throwing leaflets in the air. "The reaction from the authorities was very severe. We were very shocked and it sickened us," said Parker

In his public statement Councillor Parker continues:

 “The obvious concern I raise is if this the type of brutality that is meted out against old women and others in public, what happens behind the scenes?…”

...It's important that our government makes sure the Chinese government will not get away with the human rights abuses against the Falun gong practitioners. As Australian citizens and active people in our community, we can make a difference. “

While brutality continues in China, violence spills over into Chicago USA.

"If you sue us, we will kill you." These chilling words were the conclusion of a violent attack on Falun Gong practitioners that seemed to belong more to the streets of Beijing than to the streets of Chicago.

Carolyn Lu and Bill Fan show the local media their destroyed camera and tell their story at a press conference across the street from their local Chinese Consulate.

Bill Fans was beaten and his camera smashed after he took photos of some Chinese men cursing fellow practitioner Carolyn Lu.    

At around 4:40 p.m. Friday, September 7, three Chinese men drove up in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago. They were angrily cursing the practitioners across the street from the consulate.

Carolyn Lu tried to reason with them and hand them a flier.  They responded saying "Why don't you return to China and die!" They continued "We are going to beat you now. Do you believe us?"

Across the street, Bill Fan began to take pictures.  Immediately, two men sprinted out of the car after Bill.   They caught him, smashed his camera and beat him in the back of his head and body.

All the while Carolyn was calmly writing on her hand the phone numbers that appeared where the rear license plate should have been. The three men then surrounded her and threatened to kill her if they were sued.

Chicago Police detectives are now investigating, and the F.B.I. has been contacted.

 

News from China

In news from China there more reports of Falun Gong family members are being persecuted even if they don’t practice.

When Police in Wei Feng city of Shandong Province can’t find Falun Gong practitioners they capture their family members.   During detention they are beaten with belts, iron bars, and electric batons.

One practitioner who now wanders the streets has sent us a photo of his wife a non-Falun Gong practitioner that was taken after her detention.

From the middle of July to the end of August, Baoqing County's 853 Farm Custodial Centre has illegally detained nine practitioners and forced their families to pay huge fines of 7,000 Yuan (one year's average salary).

One family member who is over 60 years old could not afford the fine. Consequently, this person was thus put into the custodial centre and forced to do hard labour like a common criminal for one and a half months.

However evil deeds don’t go unpunished.

In March 2000, Tang Liguo, head of a transportation unit in the transportation bureau of Fusong County Jilin Province, was on his way to Xianrenqiao to illegally arrest Falun Dafa practitioners.

In the car, he cursed at Falun Dafa and founder. In the middle of his talking, he died. He was just over 40 years of age!

Police Officer Liu Wenya arrested many Falun Gong practitioners on their way to Beijing and put them into a detention center. Afterwards, Liu was missing for over two weeks.  It was later reported that he was killed during a domestic crime and his body was cut into more than 45 pieces. Later, the criminal cremated the remains.

 

 

On Sept. 12, 2001, the City Council of Jersey City, New Jersey held a meeting in City Hall. 9 council members unanimously passed a resolution condemning the violence and repression against Falun Gong practitioners in China and particularly Jersey City's Sister City -- Nantong.  The resolution also commends Falun Gong as a body, mind and spiritual practice that offers great health benefits.

 

 Falun Gong practitioners were invited to hold a press conference at the National Press Club on September 7, 2001.

Falun Gong spokesman, Erping Zhang gave a speech for rescuing detained American permanent resident, Dr. Teng Chunyan from China.

 Teng, was sentenced to a three-year term for passing evidence to foreign journalists of psychiatric abuses of Falun Gong practitioners, including documentation of how China's authorities are illegally detaining and abusing those in mental hospitals and elsewhere.

Falun Gong called on President George Bush to use his trip to China as leverage to demand the release of Dr Teng.

On the following day, on the other side of the continent Falun Gong practitioners in the San Francisco Bay held their own press conference and SOS walks in 6 cities and towns at the same time to call for the urgent rescue of Dr. Teng.

 

 

Although the recent tragedy in New York has taken the world by storm, it seems Falun Gong hasn’t missed a step.  SOS walks are continuing in Canada, US, Europe, Australia and Taiwan. 

 

Their perseverance has touched the hearts of many.  In the face of vicious attacks on humanity everyone can do their part to help.  Just as these two youngsters from Australia are doing what they can by folding flyers for their walk team, on route to Brisbane from Sydney.

 

I am Zenon Donyckyj.  That’s all for this weeks news see you next time on FGMTV.