AUDIO

Hello, and welcome to the weekly FGMtv news review. I'm Susan Mitchell.

§ Here at FGMtv we focus on programs and news that illuminate the truth of Falun Gong, which is also known as Falun Dafa.

§ Falun Dafa is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline that includes exercise and meditation. Its principles are based on Zhen, Shan, Ren - being true, good, and enduring, which is also translated as Truth, Compassion and Tolerance.

§ The practice began in China in 1992 and quickly spread by word of mouth throughout the country.

§ In 1998, a government survey concluded that the number of practitioners exceeded membership in the communist party.

§ One year later, dictator Jiang Zemin began a brutal persecution that violates not only the Chinese constitution, but also international treaties signed by China.

Our top story this week:

U.S. court ruling upholds former Chinese leader's diplomatic immunity. Falun Dafa Info Center advises that the case charging Jiang Zemin is just beginning.

§ On Friday, September 12, 2003 the U.S. civil lawsuit against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin was dismissed on grounds of diplomatic immunity as head of state. He had been charged with crimes against humanity and genocide of Falun Gong practitioners both inside and outside of China.

§ Attorney for the plaintiffs, Terri Marsh, said in a brief statement: "The judge's ruling is not final. We have presented several very effective legal strategies to the plaintiffs, which include amending the complaint to charge Jiang Zemin with treason against the People's Republic of China, and serious financial crimes, all of which will alter the landscape of this case."

§ Immediately following the ruling, state-run media inside China began to publicize the case for the first time since it was filed last year. Jiang's name was not mentioned. Reports said only that it was a “Chinese leader,” raising sharp questions among the Chinese people.

§ In response to the ruling, the Falun Dafa Information Center in New York released a statement on September 14th which said: “We believe that the moral and legal issues raised by this case are of paramount importance to the future of human rights litigation here in the United States. How we resolve these issues will affect the matter of upholding our tradition for justice and freedoms, as well as determine the place of the United States in the world. . Sitting and former heads of state cannot commit crimes of terrible magnitude against their own citizens and those of other countries with impunity."

§ Since Jiang ordered the persecution of Falun Gong in July of 1999, more than 780 cases of death and several thousand cases of torture against Falun Gong practitioners have been documented.

Chinese torture victim speaks out in New Jersey

§ Mr. Gang Chen is a Falun Gong practitioner who was detained and tortured for eighteen months in the Tuanhe Labor Camp in Beijing. He had committed no crime. He was tortured because he refused to give up his exercise routine, and his belief in living his life by the principles of being true, good and enduring.

§ His parents and sister in South Jersey were able to help Gang and his wife join them in the United States, just a few months after his release from the labor camp.

§ He recently talked about his experience to a reporter from New Jersey's largest newspaper, the Courier Post. He said, "In Tuanhe Labor Camp, police shocked my whole body with 5 to 11 electric batons, each with voltage over 10, 000 volts. Every shock made me feel like being bitten by a snake. Shocking on my head felt like being struck by a hammer. Each time, they shocked me for a long time, which resulted in burning of skin and muscle. I was tortured like this many times."

§ When thinking about the 18 hard months when her husband was jailed, Mrs. Chen choked with tears, "There are hundreds of thousands of practitioners like him being imprisoned and tortured for believing in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance."

§ Mr. Chen said that [Jiang's] "persecution is doomed to fail. Today he is being sued and he must be held responsible for the crimes he has committed."

Moving from New Jersey to the Sacramento, California State Fair. . .

Summer is a time for state fairs and parades.

In Sacramento, California, Falun Gong practitioners used the opportunity to set up a small booth to let people know about the ongoing efforts to rescue American citizen, Dr. Charles Li, who is illegally jailed in Nanjing, China.

Hundreds of people stopped by and were very happy to sign the petition urging the U.S. government to continue their diplomatic dialogue with Chinese officials to gain the release of Dr. Li.

Moving now to Taipei in Taiwan, where

Like city children throughout North America, kids from the Minghui School recently enjoyed a late summer day camp in a country setting.

They had the chance to do several different activities, including some traditional crafts and games and artwork with Chinese characters.

Thanks for watching the FGMtv weekly news review.

I'm Susan Mitchell. See you next week!