I must respond to the recent reports from the media claiming “five people believed to be members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual group doused themselves with gasoline and set themselves on fire…”, that appeared in the Jan. 24 issue of The New York Times.
My intent is to clarify the fact that the immolators were not practitioners of Falun Gong. I would like to make known some surrounding indications giving suspect that this act was set up or used against Falun Gong by some authorities of the Chinese government.
You may have recently read or heard about this incident on the news. I urge all who read my article to check out: www.clearwisdom.net/eng/weekly_category/immolation.html.
This web site will show the front page Washington Post third party view of this incident and other facts. This Washington Post article suggests the self-immolators were not practitioners of Falun Gong.
Here is my brief summary of nine mysterious points from “The Puzzling Elements Surrounding the `Self Immolation Incident'” that recently occurred in Tianamen square. (http://www.clearwisdom.net/eng/2001/Feb/06/CMU020601_1.html):
1.) In China’s Tianamen Square, police had already been positioned and ready with fire extinguishers when the self-immolation had started.
In reality, by the time police saw the fire start, they would of had to rush for extinguishers located tens of meters away, or even farther away inside the People’s Congress Hall in order to grab the amount of extinguishers they used at the time they extinguished the fire of the immolators.
2.) However, police were all present and around the immolators at the very moment of the scene ready with fire extinguishers, to smother the situation.
3.) A CCTV cameraman was apparently in the right place at the right time to catch some footage of the scene at a 20 meter ground distance, amazingly being able to quickly adjust the camera to capture the fire which lasted only a few seconds from when it ignited until it extinguished
4.) The Xinhua News Agency, that captured the event, released the breaking story very quickly compared to the time it usually takes the News Agency to edit and polish the news before release, indicating suspicion of previous preparation for the event. According to some of my Chinese friends, the government controls all media spread in China.
5.) Statements made by the self-immolators had nothing to do with Falun Gong.
6.) Burnt victims had clearly normal and strong voices after engulfing flames inside and outside their throats, which has astonished some doctors.
7.) Footage of the 12-year-old girl’s burnt left hand was shown in the hospital. Why would her hand not be wrapped so as to be unexposed for infection? Thick bulging gauze was seen from wrist to elbow suggesting a fake hand with the hidden one inside the gauze.
8.) Police confiscated CNN videotapes. Wouldn’t the Xinhua News Agency report be more effective if CNN could confirm it?
9.) According to Xinhua report, Liu Baorong, (one of the self-immolators) started practicing Falun Gong five years ago. However, being a veteran to the practice, she surprisingly did not have an understanding that Falun Gong prohibits killing or suicide, which has been stated very clearly in the teachings.
Although, she had such unwavering faith as to be martyrdom and give up her life through such a severe way, within a week after she set herself on fire, she had surrendered her faith in Falun Gong and decided to side with Jiang Zemin (top leader of China).
The teachings of Falun Gong clearly delineate killing (which includes suicide) as a sinful act. Someone may claim to be practicing Falun Gong, but is he really?
In my opinion, to be a practitioner of Falun Gong, one must always act in accordance with truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, constantly studying the teachings to gain a better grasp.
All acts of protest delivered in China or outside China by practitioners of Falun Gong, have been in accordance with these principles. No cases of violence from the thousands being persecuted have ever occurred! There are 143 Falun Gong practitioners who have been murdered through torture and other means.
They are detained in mental hospitals where they are often subject to drugs used on severe mental patients.
You might have heard that they are also being detained in labor camps. In these labor camps, Falun Gong practitioners are hardly able to escape torture.
These camps are similar to concentration camps of the Nazi’s, with thousands upon thousands of Falun Gong practitioners being detained in them simply for not denouncing their faith in Dafa (The Great Law) and for peacefully appealing toward the government. I will not go into further detail of documented torture cases because the gruesome facts are very painful to read about.
How could a practice of Buddha hood cultivation (a practice which seeks enlightenment), which unconditionally dispels any illness only if one adheres to putting into play truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance from the bottom of the heart, be outlawed?
Falun Gong not only miraculously dispels illness (which has been proven), but also encourages individuals to do their best for society and the benefit of all.
Whatever job or societal position, practitioners strive to do it well. From my perspective, one thing Falun Gong has taught me is that if all people sincerely think of others, this includes working hard to achieve a better world, everyone, including myself, will benefit.
Also, there is an emphasis on actions of altruism, virtues, and respect, which all can be played out naturally when adhering to truthfulness, compassion, forbearance.
Thousands of practitioners have displayed the first ever civil disobedient movement in China. Never before in history has the world seen a group of people being so viciously persecuted on such a large scale for such a longtime without one violent reaction.
On the other hand, Falun Gong does not passively endure. When police try to detain them, most practitioners always try to run away and escape. If police ask them whether they are Falun Gong practitioners they try their best to avoid the question and leave. I’ve read experience stories of practitioners, brought to jail for unfurling Falun Gong banners in Tianamen square. In jail, they refuse to follow police orders, and not give police information such as their names and addresses, this is because they are innocent, without having committed any criminal actions while exercising there Chinese constitutional rights.
Practitioners cherish their lives and always resist the persecution in a peaceful manner. They use rationality and reason with their hearts fueled with compassion and tolerance.
Flyers and pamphlets of factual information, clarifying lies made by propaganda, are spread all throughout. Sometimes they are sprinkled from tall heights, showering upon the public below.
Falun Gong practitioners don’t want a single citizen of their beloved country to be brainwashed by vicious deceptive propaganda that justifies inhuman acts of cruel persecution.
Why would a practitioner of Falun Gong in China risk unimaginable tortures and death just to protest and let the public know the true face of Falun Gong?
You may also ask; why don’t they just practice at home? Why would people from all walks of life risk everything to let people know that Falun Gong is good?
My understanding is that Falun Gong must be looked at with a deep perception. When looked at the surface it looks as if people are acting irrational.
Maybe there brains are under the effect of a sly manipulative cultist leader?
I know many people have this thought, however, what the participants of the Falun Gong movement are doing is peacefully fighting for something similar to what our country was based on, freedom of belief.
The movement has changed the world right under your feet. You’re probably asking yourself; how’s that possible?
Falun Gong represents the uplifting of morality throughout society. It is this emphasis on morality that chain-reacts benefits to everyone and plays a significant role of influence throughout society.
Falun Gong has made me understand that I must be a considerate and virtuous person; it has fed me the strength to pursue the goal of total altruism in minor focuses along with broader focuses. Governments and high officials can have all the peace treaties and meetings they want. However, the essence of peace starts from each individual’s heart.
But instead of rewarding Mr. Li Hongzhi (founder of Falun Gong) for his teachings that arouse over 100 million individual hearts around the world to cherish truth, compassion and tolerance, Jiang Zemin and his followers have inconceivably separated themselves from the rest of the world.
Going from one extreme to the next and always failing to wipe Falun Gong out of existence, Jiang Zemin always finds himself more densely consumed in the flames of his own struggle for power.
This recent accusation, that the self-immolators were Falun Gong practitioners, is a demonstration of a desperate act. Falun Gong practitioners, kindhearted people, human rights groups and governments of the world are all working toward an end to the persecution.
Www.faluninfo.net, is a web site you can visit were you can learn more about the persecution, sign a petition for international appeal and learn of other ways that you can directly help.