I’m happy to present here a piece at the request of my mother, Ann Douglas, although unfortunately I didn’t get it up in time for the Power of One campaign, as she had hoped (although you can still take action!).
In any case, she writes about an important issue here, and I hope you enjoy it.
-kd-
Intricate Balance Between Détente and American Complicity in Asian Atrocity:
A Report for Concerned Citizens of America and The World
8/13/2010
Ann Douglas
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………. 3
INTRODUCTION………………………………… 4
HIDDEN ATROCITIES…………………………. 5
FAMOUS FIGHTERS…………………………… 6
RENOWNED PERFORMERS COMPLAIN……. 7
TROUBLES BREWING………………………… 8
AMERICA and CHINA:
DIFFERENT BELIEFS SWALLOWED BY MONEY…. 9
AMERICAN SHORES HARBOR REGIME………. 10
AMERICA’S CITIZENS GATHERING THEIR COLLECTIVE
VOICES……………….. 11-14
APPENDIX A: WORKS CITED………………. 15-16
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Executive Summary
One of the most basic needs of a person is to be able to think freely. Not only about whom we are and our place on the earth but why we are here- generally coming under the heading of Spirituality or Religion. America has had a long history of believing in choosing freely what higher power to believe in or not to believe in. On the other hand, one of the most powerful countries in the world today does not believe in this. China’s ruling governmental party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is participating in the brutal repression of the 26 year old spiritual practice, in this country and others, known as Falun Gong or Falun Dafa.
Illustrious supporters of human rights, former Parliamentarian David Kilgour and Canadian human rights attorney David Matas, have produced a damning Report shedding light on continued human rights abuses by the CCP. Bloody Harvest exposes the horrific practice of human organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners, and Europe as well as the United States has issued resolutions on these abuses. China’s famous civil rights attorney and author of A China More Just, Gao Zhisheng, has been tortured, released, and re-abducted by the CCP. Zhisheng’s wife, who recently fled to the U.S., was also tortured and can’t say if her husband is still alive.
Testimony was given by a member of the renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts, Mei Xuan, to the U.S. congress about the CCP harassment of the production and the abduction of her spouse. During the 2008 attacks on Falun Gong members on the streets of Flushing, New York, arrests were made as well as allegations and charges filed against the then city council member, who is now NYC’s comptroller, John Liu, for his involvement with the incidents. Liu has been implicated in associating with organizations which are said to be a front for the CCP and it is believed that he supported the Falun Gong attacks.
Given the support and monitoring by the esteemed Amnesty International on these human rights abuses it is not a matter of whether they are happening, but of the needed will of the American people and its global partners in the support of human rights that must continue to stand up and resist these atrocities. The conclusion of this report will offer many ways for individuals to enact their own Power of One to ignite the flame of resistance against the oppression of innocent citizens. We can begin with College Campuses and the Polls. Namaste.
Introduction
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice that was founded in 1984 by Mr. Hongzhi Li who lived in China at the time. Li created this practice which was fashioned after, Falun Xiufo Dafa , a set of strict physical, mental, and spiritual practices which were taught to him since he was a child by a Buddhist mentor. Li felt that these practices although normal needed to be adjusted to the needs and limitations of the everyday common man that had time constraints for work and other so he adapted these high spiritual practices for the masses. An associated practice known as Qi gong, which involves physical and breathing exercises, are akin to yoga- bringing about inner peace as well as a well-stretched body. Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance represent Falun Gong’s main tenets.
Up into the early 90’s these practices were acclaimed and written about in America and Mr. Li experienced support in China by those in power. In 1995 Li was approached by the Chinese National Sports committee about creating an “association” with a specified dogma attached to Li’s practice and Li declined. Mr. Li continued to travel and teach his methods until in the spring and summer of 1999 brought acclaim and backlash to Li and Falun Gong adherents. A New York Times article quoted the CCP as saying there were more members to Falun Gong than the party; seventy million. In June 1999 an office was established by the CCP called “6-10” which was established specifically to: “plan, orchestrate, and carry out a comprehensive suppression of the Falun Gong”. (faluninfo.net, timeline)
Hidden Atrocities
Aside from forced imprisonments, torture, and harassment of Falun Gong followers in China, one of the most glaring abuses that are alleged to be perpetrated by the current ruling regime (CCP) is the harvesting of human organs for sale to those with enough big bucks who want their surgical health concerns addressed immediately. This topic has become a subject of National headlines, protests within and without the U.S., and investigations by foreign and American governments. There are so many websites and firsthand accounts of this vicious abuse of innocent citizens it is a wonder by this time why there has not been further action but momentum is growing.
At an impromptu press conference held in D.C. at the National Press Club on April 18, 2006 by Dr. Zhiyuan Wang, co-founder of World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), played back a conversation with a Shanghai hospital trying to solicit an organ. A transcript is displayed below. (theepochtimes.com 4/23/06)
R: Hi Greetings.
I: Hi Greetings. Is this Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital?
R: Yes.
I: I want to inquire…
R: Please wait.
I: OK.
D: Hi Greetings.
I: Hi Greetings. Are you a doctor? Can you do surgery?
D: Yes…
I: So how long do I have to wait?
D: About a week, about a week it’d be okay.
I: Is there the kind of organs that come from Falun Gong? I heard that they’re very good.
D: All of ours are those types.
I: I see. All of them are Falun Gong.
D:….Kidneys can be used within 24 hours, but we control it within 10 hours.
I: Do you get them from out of town? Or do you get them locally?
D: We have both.
I: I see. So you have both out of town and local.
D: Yes
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In the well known Report Bloody Harvest by David Kilgour and David Matas, extensive research has been done which includes testimony by those alleging severe abuse by the CCP.
Famous Fighters
As mentioned above there have been numerous internationally known supporters of the heroic struggle of Falun Gong believers and the co-authors of Bloody Harvest have had distinguished careers. David Matas is an International human rights lawyer and a Nobel Peace Prize nominee for his work on organ harvesting. Matas, who has tracked Nazi regimes and fought South African Apartheid, calls Falun Gong “the real China” and says ending this persecution will have a significant impact on other groups oppressed in China and stated: “My view is if you stop that, you stop everything”. (Epoch Times, Little & Philipp, 7/21/10)
David Kilgour, retired from Canadian Parliament, said he was introduced to the horrific topic of organ harvesting when; “he would walk by demonstrations on Parliament Hill”. Kilgour, also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on organ harvesting, has visited over 60 countries speaking to heads of state on the matter. Matas and Kilgour do this on a volunteer basis and Kilgour says; “we will stop this traveling and speaking the minute the persecution stops…we want to embarrass Beijing to stop this hideous practice of killing people for profit”. (ibid, 7/21/10)
Gao Zhisheng is an acclaimed Chinese human rights attorney who has been written about in major newspapers and was the subject of U.S. congressional and European Parliament resolutions. Zhisheng has been imprisoned and tortured, released and since the last time he was again picked up by the CCP the International community is not sure that he is still alive. Zhisheng, author of A China More Just, is a Falun Gong follower and has fought to stay and defend innocent Chinese citizens who have been abducted and abused over time and was determined to force his country’s government to adhere to human rights and Chinese law. Gao, born and raised in a cave, and with only a middle school education, taught himself law and passed the National Bar examination in 1995.
World Renowned Performers Complain
The CCP’s attempts to discredit Shen Yun Performing Arts (priorly named Divine Performing Arts), the famous Chinese artistic dance extravaganza that has been traveling the world to acclaimed audiences, has been met with a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill in July 2010. Impersonating Falun Gong practitioners, emails were sent to theatres presenting Shen Yun as fanatics and inferring that they would require full support of the theater for their shows if the theatre wanted to remain free of “punishment and misfortune”. This perpetration by imposters was meant to confuse managers and have the shows cancelled.
Theatres in many U.S. states have received similar emails. The tires of the tour bus have been slashed and the family members of the Performers living in China have been detained and harassed. “The most common form of interference involves letters and phone calls from Chinese consular officials asking local government officials not to support, or see the show, and asking theaters not to host the show”. (Epoch Times, Gary Feuerberg, 7/7/10)
Audience members who traveled thirty hours by train to Moldova to see this Production were angry when they found out that China had forced, after daily visits from the Chinese embassy among other tactics, the theatre to cancel the shows of Shen Yun. Mei Xuan, a Performance member testified on the Hill that after years of separation from her husband, Jiang Feng, due to forced imprisonment and torture, which she had also endured by the CCP, that she was joyously awaiting a meeting with him but he never arrived in New Jersey to meet her as he was abducted even though he had passed through an airport security checkpoint.
Mei stated that the European Parliament found out, upon inquiry to the Chinese ambassador, that her husband was again abducted and sentenced to 18 months in a labor camp. Mei’s brother and sister have also been harassed many times being pressured into convincing Mei to leave the Performance. Feng is slave labor for a coal mine. While in Europe Mei states; ‘people were always asking her, “what is the United States government doing about this?”’ (Epoch Times, ibid)
Troubles Brewing
A series of incidents has been drawing the plight of Falun Gong Practitioners to a head and like the aforementioned Shen Yun Performance, media attention is growing over a series of incidents that are further exposing the CCP’s atrocities on innocent citizens.
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IN THE NEWS
Epoch Times, New York Edition, July 28, 2010
“Thousands of Falun Gong supporters from all quarters of the globe descended on Washington for a week of activities surrounding July 20, (2010) the anniversary of the day the persecution started, in 1999”
“Li Shuqiang, who traveled from Italy, said…it was not only for Chinese people that he was concerned. I am worried that if people keep silent the persecution may spread beyond China and be directed, not only at Falun Gong practitioners, but the rest of the world.”
Epoch Times, New York Edition, July 24, 2008
“Complaint was filed by Zhenyu Sun, who says that on June 2, (2008) Lucky Joy Restaurant refuse to serve her, a friend, and her eight year old daughter because they practice Falun Gong…Sun says the three were kicked out of the restaurant…servers came over…and said ‘oh you, are Falun Gong-we don’t want to sell anything to Falun Gong”
Epoch Times, New York Edition, June 19, 2008
“The Israeli Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party was formally launched on June 14, (2008) joining over 100 such service centers in over 30 countries.”
Epoch Times.com, May 28, 2008
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America and China: Different Beliefs Swallowed by Money
Since 1791, when the U.S. ratified the Bill of Rights, Americans have held in great esteem the ability to select the type of religious beliefs we want to practice or not to practice any at all. This is the great right of Americans in the First Amendment of the Bill of rights that is one of our most revered tenets of American law.
The Chinese Communist Party recognizes only five “official religions”; Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. One must be registered or affiliated with SARA- the State Administration for Religious Affairs. Certain religions and groups considered to be “cults” are persecuted and considered illegal. These include Muslim Uighurs, Buddhist Tibetans, and Falun Gong. (cfr.org, Bhattacharji, Religion in China)
Despite much American, as well as International outrage, there is burgeoning trade and credit issues between these two powerful countries that seem more interested in financial growth than alleviating the oppression of Falun Gong followers. Despite governmental resolutions, press conferences, and demonstrations being held regarding the persecution of Falun Gong followers, the United States is more indebted than ever to this growing despotic Nation.
Even though an article by William Schneider in the Atlantic has Goldman Sachs global economic analyst Dominic Wilson stating that the Chinese; “have no great interest in destabilizing either the U.S. bond market or the U.S. economy. This is a major export market. For China, it is the largest” – it is his added response that gives one cause for thought:
Isn’t there something worrisome about Communist China financing the U.S. government? Wilson acknowledged some concern. “It is a situation that makes the U.S. more vulnerable to decisions of overseas governments and the decisions of overseas investors”…That is not a situation that, over the long run, you want to be in. (theatlantic.com, Schneider, Oct. 2005)
American Shores Harbor Regime Apparatus
Hundreds of schools funded by China are quietly being established, in the U.S., Canada, and in many other countries, that are called Confucius Institutes and are touted as being created for learning Chinese language and culture but other; “Critics of these institutes allege they are propaganda entities that can interfere with the academic independence of the universities they are often attached to”. (Epochtimes.com, Little, 7/15/10)
Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director Richard Fadden said these “institutes are controlled by Chinese embassies and consulates. He lumped them together with some of Beijing’s other efforts to steer Canadian China Policy.” The University of Pennsylvania declined any involvement with having one of the Confucius Institutes to head off any curriculum control attempts while Texas A&M University has had one since 2008. (ibid, confucius.tamu.edu)
By 2020 China plans to have one thousand institutes around the world. A Report said the regime plans to spend six billion dollars to open an English-language news network to compete with CNN and BBC but it will have the regimes “spin” on the news events. This multi-billion dollar propaganda industry will only further diminish the plight on those persecuted beyond borders of freedom loving citizens.
America’s Citizens Gathering Their Collective Voice
When related groups of different people who have a unified belief in certain basic principles reach out to others with those same values and share their actions and thoughts, a term known as “critical mass” often occurs. Caring American individuals, as well as a multitude of citizens around the world, can cause a chain reaction simply by putting their “two cents” forward. The renowned books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools show us one person (author Greg Mortenson) can create a massive impact on social change for good.
An example of this is an outgrowth of Mortensen’s work that is called Pennies for Peace- a children’s humanitarian initiative born in Wisconsin- in which they collected 62,340 pennies to assist Mortensen in building one of many schools to come in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
College Participation
Student advisory bodies would be very productive if they were to facilitate the visit of Gao Zhisheng’s wife to speak or Falun Gong practitioners to stir campus awareness campaigns once or twice a year. Administrative officials could pursue the implementation of new curriculum and programs which teach about Falun Gong and how it impacts U.S. and world politics.
Voting Public
Pay strict adherence to the Voter’s Self-Defense Guide by Project Vote Smart and closely follow your elected leaders’ views and votes on any human rights legislation and vote your conscience according to their record and ask Vote Smart about any Falun Gong resolutions.
Bloggers
Someone who has their own spot online can create a powerful connection with others by adding Epoch Times and Bloody Harvest links to their page. For instance the graceful blog of a young woman named Kristin called Insights & More does a nice job of sharing the plight of Falun Dafa followers. (www.kristinasaid.wordpress.com)
Houses of Worship
Any religious group can invite Falun Dafa practitioners to their churches, synagogues, and mosques for social events and communication. True believers in the brotherhood of mankind will be able to put their networking abilities to good use.
Office workers
When the annual drive for in-house designations for employees to choose a forum for donations rolls around, a good choice would be the Epoch Public Foundation, which is registered in the US and sponsored by the Epoch Times Newsgroup. It strives to support those who oppose oppression in China and to abolish the Chinese Communist Party regime.
Writers
If you send just one (1) letter to Epoch Times, your Senator, The President, The Chinese Embassy, City Hall or Library requesting a public meeting you will have done a lot. The key is in the power of each one of us doing just one thing.
The Power of One
On October 10, 2010 (10.10.10.) led by the Power of One organization there will be a global effort to perform earth and life sustaining behaviors and according to its website its main objective is to; “stimulate people and organizations to step into their own Power of One to become the change and transform the world”. www.powerofone.org, Co-create 10.10.10.)
Pocketbook power
America and the world’s citizens could develop its own network strategy of buying from corporations who have exhibited civil behavior toward its purchasers as well as employees. For example Publix, a Florida grocery chain has been applauded twelve years in a row by American shoppers and it was also recognized for its social responsibility and charitable giving. (nocards.org)
Corporate supporters of Human Rights initiatives will do better than those who continue to participate in oppressive business tactics such as utilizing cheap offshore labor without fair trade practices or those who persist in trying to imbed tracking devices upon peoples personal space such as Wal-Mart’s latest fiasco with clothing tracking devices in purchases. (finance.yahoo.com, Bustillo, 7/23/10)
Where it there are many NGO’s such as Physicians for Human Rights supporting Falun Dafa’s struggle, it is not the easiest thing to find a corporate supporter to say these same things. That is why consumers can follow and even direct with their purchasing power what their stores do for or against this human rights struggle. Write to the stores and ask for public support! Consumers have the ability to force giant oppressors to change their financial game plan which is the behind the scenes story of what fuels most oppression to begin with.

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