Falun Gong Spokesperson Calls for an End to the Persecution at a US Congressional Forum

On the afternoon of September 12, 2008, the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Human Rights held a forum in the Rayburn House Office Building. The topic of the forum was human rights conditions in China and other Asian countries after the Olympic Games. Falun Gong spokesperson Zhang Erping was invited to speak at the forum. He said that Falun Gong is a cultivation group and that what its practitioners are most concerned about is putting an end to the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong cultivators.

Zhang said that a variety of sources confirmed that more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested in the run-up to the Olympics. During that time, the persecution intensified. On the surface, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seems not to be as blatant as before in its persecution of Falun Gong, but, actually, the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong has never stopped and is even more sinister.

He said that seven weeks before the opening of the Olympics, Eutelsat Communications, a Paris-based satellite operator, broke its contract with New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV). As a result, NTDTV has been unable to provide Chinese viewers in mainland China with news uncensored by the CCP. At the same time, in New York and other Chinese communities, the Chinese Consulate instigated mobs to attack Falun Gong practitioners and spread hatred, undermining practitioners' freedom of belief and religion and violating the Constitution.

Zhang called upon the US government to effectively stop the CCP accomplices from spreading hatred and undermining religious belief on US soil and to deport the CCP diplomats who conducted non-diplomatic activities, manipulating the mobs to attack American citizens who practice Falun Gong. He said that the US government is responsible for protecting its citizens and should not turn the US into Beijing's backyard.

He reiterated that Falun Gong practitioners have no opinion on the Olympics or other sports or cultural events. Their concern is for the immediate release of Falun Gong practitioners illegally detained in mainland China, for the persecution of Falun Gong to end, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Congressman Chris Smith said in an interview that he was puzzled as to why the Chinese Communist regime would have such hatred for Falun Gong, that many people have died as a result of the persecution, and that the regime's mobs even attacked practitioners in the US and other regions. From a video of the incident that took place in Flushing, New York, he could see that the CCP is determined in its persecution of Falun Gong. "This is not an act of a mature, steady, and confident government, but just exposes its weakness and cowardice."

Representatives from over a dozen groups and organizations--including Amnesty International, a Tibetan group, and Human Rights Watch--testified at the forum. They voiced their concerns regarding the CCP's human rights abuses prior to and during the Olympic Games and its worsened human rights records after the Games concluded. Participating organizations called upon the international community to continue to exert pressure on China and other totalitarian regimes in Asia, to stop them from continuing to persecute people. Several veteran congressmen expressed their concerns over this issue.

Member of European Parliament Seeks Restoration of NTDTV Broadcasts into China

The first Plenary Session of the European Parliament was convened in Brussels from the 1st to the 4th of September, after its summer recess. Several Members of the European Parliament expressed their concern over French satellite company Eutelsat turning off Chinese language broadcasts into China.

The broadcasts in question come from NTDTV, a New York based Chinese language television station; perhaps the only one in the world not controlled by the CCP. Eutelsat switched off the broadcast signals under pressure from Chinese communist officials. Eutelsat is eager to do more business with China, but was threatened to lose the chance to do so if they didn't shut down NTDTV. The CCP doesn't want NTDTV broadcasts, because NTDTV doesn't play CCP propaganda or filter out news that the CCP doesn't want the Chinese people to hear.

Mr. Bart Staes, a strong supporter of NTDTV since early 2005, has been closely following the Eutelsat shenanigans. He has written special articles of appeal on his website with a letter to the President of Eutelsat demanding restoration of NTDTV television broadcast signals into Asia.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) exerted pressure upon Eutelsat to refuse to broadcast NTDTV signals

Reporter: What do you think about the importance of free flow of information in China?

Mr. Bart Staes: It is necessary to have free and independent media where there is democracy. In this way, people can have free access by themselves every day to what is happening both in the world and in their own country. There will be no democracy if there is no free and independent media.

Reporter: What do you think of the current situation in China?

Mr. Bart Staes: I have been very concerned about the termination of NTDTV television broadcast signals over recent months. I think that it is obvious that the reason for shutting down NTDTV television broadcast signals into China by Eutelsat is political rather than technical. For instance, we can see from the investigation by Reporters without Borders that there is plenty of spare capacity on Eutelsat's Satellite W5, particularly since the US Broadcast Board of Governors (BBG) has withdrawn from it, for instance. Voice of America left Satellite W5 as of August 1, leaving excess capacity available. There is no question that there is the capacity on Satellite W5 to handle NTDTV broadcasts. I think that the management of Eutelsat might fear the Chinese Communist regime and has been forced by its pressure.

Reporter: Being a European statesman, what is your viewpoint on the Chinese Communist regime's pressure upon a European company to exercise its news blockade?

Mr. Bart Staes: This is a very bad signal in terms of democracy. The Chinese Communist regime knows well about this. In the EU, many government officials and the EU organisations all have a very big demand and that is, through the Olympic Games, much freer and more independent reports about what is happening in both China and the world would be realised. However, it is sad to say and I must admit that even the Olympic Games have failed to make the Chinese Communist regime to be democratic and modernised in this respect. When NTDTV television broadcast signals into China were shut down by Eutelsat, I took action immediately through the European media against it.

Eutelsat should ensure its service to its customers.

Reporter: What do you think of Eutelsat's continued insistence on "technical reasons" for its refusal to restore NTDTV signals?

Mr. Bart Staes: The so-called technical reasons are sheer nonsense. A lot of evidence has shown that there are sufficient spare locations in Satellite W5 that can be used for broadcasts. Although it says it was technical reasons, the fact is, they're giving in to pressure from the Chinese Communist regime.

Reporter: What do you expect of Eutelsat in respect of news freedom?

Mr. Bart Staes: Eutelsat should not act upon political reasons but act as a real satellite service provider. A real satellite service provider will offer various possibilities to its customers to ensure what they want to do. NTDTV is a customer of Eutelsat. Eutelsat should do in this way and not yield to the pressure of the Chinese Communist regime as it is now technically possible to broadcast NTDTV television signals into Asia

The EU should take action.

Reporter: You supported NTDTV three years ago when the Eutelsat first tried to drop NTDTV. Now it is happening again. What is your viewpoint on this?

Mr. Bart Staes: We have not seen any progress over the years. I hold that we should further strengthen our stand against the actions of the Chinese Communist regime in this incident. The Members of the European Parliament, European Parliament and EU organisations should help NTDTV with its television broadcasts. Many actions are now being taken within the European Parliament, one of which is a written statement that will be become a resolution of the European Parliament once it is signed by more than half of its Members. I will certainly support this statement.

Mme. Viviane Reding, an EU Commissioner in charge of communications, recently wrote a letter to Eutelsat requesting explanations on the shutdown of NTDTV television broadcasts into Asia. Mr. Bart Staes has expressed his full support for her action and she will also receive support from the European Parliament. The European Parliament delegation to China should take responsibility to put pressure on Beijing authorities to ensure that free and independent media are accessible to the people of China.

Germany: Falun Gong Practitioners Protest During Hamburg Summit

Falun Gong practitioners in Hamburg, Germany protested the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its persecution of Falun Gong. The protest took place in front of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce during the opening of the Hamburg Summit on September 10, 2008. It was reported that Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang attended the opening reception of the summit.

Falun Gong practitioners displayed a banner reading "Bring Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing and Zhou Yongkang to Justice." They distributed fliers and exposed Zhang Dejiang's role in the persecution, and the CCP's crime of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners to passersby, employees of the Chamber of Commerce and reporters.

Zhang was the secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CCP from 2002 to 2007. There were more than sixty verified deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in Guangdong Province by February, 2006. More than thirty death cases happened after Zhang became secretary, and he was sued by Falun Gong practitioners in Australia for tortures during his visit to Australia in 2005.

Persecution Case of Falun Gong Practitioner Mr. Zhang Xingwu and His Wife Ms. Liu Pinjie Submitted to United Nations

The persecution case of Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Xingwu and his wife was recently submitted to the United Nations. The document detailed the involvement of the 610 Office, the local labour camp and public security bureau in the arrest of the couple and listed the responsible individuals.

Zhang Xingwu is a retired associate professor of Jinan Education College. His wife, Liu Pinjie, is a retired worker at the Semiconductor Research Institute. They are both Falun Gong practitioners. At 10 p.m. on July 16, local police ransacked the couple's home and confiscated many valuable belongings as well as cash and debit cards. Moreover, they arrested Zhang and Liu. While in custody, Ms. Liu developed symptoms of an acute disease. After their relatives paid 10,000 yuan, Ms. Liu was released 24 hours after her detention. However, she was arrested again on August 6 and is still in custody. Professor Zhang has been in custody since July 16.

On August 19, practitioner Zhang Shuangying, the couple's daughter, held a press conference in front of the Chinese consulate in New York City to inform media about the plight of her parents and call for help. (see http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/8/21/100013.html) Ms. Zhang also wrote an appeal letter to President Bush. Her appeal has received support from several assembly members.

Falun Gong Human Rights has urged the UN human rights agencies to pay close attention to this case.

The Sixth Israel Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference

On September 21, 2008, the sixth Israel Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference concluded successfully. Since Falun Dafa was introduced in Israel in 1997, more and more people have begun to practice Falun Gong. There are practice sites in cities throughout Israel.

On September 19, practitioners held activities in the capital city of Jerusalem to raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong. It has been the Islamic month of fasting. Hundreds of thousands of Arabs came to Jerusalem to worship. Practitioners distributed Falun Gong flyers and other materials in Arabic.

On the morning of September 20, practitioners went to the old public bus station, a gathering place for Chinese people, to introduce Falun Gong and expose the CCP's persecution. In the past couple years, more and more Chinese people have come to understand the truth about the persecution and have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. In the afternoon, the practitioners went to Haaretz seaside to introduce Falun Gong. They performed lotus dances, played waist drums and demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises.

Introducing Falun Gong at Haaretz seaside

 On September 21, the experience sharing conference was held in Jerusalem. Nineteen practitioners shared their cultivation experiences on the stage of the conference hall.

Mr. Yang started to practice Falun Gong in November 2006. He said that he initially intended to obtain an asylum status by pretending to practice Falun Gong. Later he became a genuine practitioner. He participated in studying the Fa, group exercise practice, sending forth righteous thoughts and telling people the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong. He realized that it was the greatest thing to be a genuine Dafa practitioner.

A new practitioner shared her experience of practicing Falun Gong for four months. She said, "Miracles occurred in my family within less than one month of practicing Falun Gong. My son suddenly no longer needed to wear eyeglasses, which he had worn for a long time. My chronic backache disappeared. My celestial eye was opened. When I entered into tranquillity, a golden circle appeared in front of my eyes, then a purple rotating tunnel appeared. On the other side of the tunnel, I saw Master sitting on a lotus... I stayed calm and did not become attached to it. Friends, take a look at the precious book, Zhuan Falun."