To: President George W. Bush
REF: American citizen’s life in danger
Dear Mr President,
I am writing in regards to Dr. Charles Li, a US citizen who is currently imprisoned in China and now on the sixth day of a hunger strike. I urge you to use whatever means available to return Charles to the safety of the United States as his situation is precarious and his incarceration is illegal, immoral and unjust.
Charles practices Falun Gong, a peaceful, non-political practice of meditation and self-improvement. Like many other Falun Gong practitioners, he aspires to the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. And as a Falun Gong practitioner, he has been targeted by Chairman Jiang Zemin’s campaign of brutality against this spiritual group.
In July 1999 Jiang set up a powerful organisation in the Chinese government known as the
“6-10 Office”, not unlike Hitler’s Gestapo, with the specific goal of eradicating the Falun Gong practice. The office was given orders to “defame them, destroy them financially and eliminate them physically”. The office used the state-controlled media to turn public opinion against Falun Gong and began a vicious crackdown, against all rationality – and Chinese Constitutional Law.
Since then more than an estimated 100,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been illegally detained, and over 20,000 have been sentenced to “re-education through labour” camps without due process. Over 700 Falun Gong practitioners have died in custody through torture. Jiang Zemin is currently being sued in the US and Switzerland for Genocide and Crimes against Humanity.
Charles’ actions to expose the lies and persecution in China have placed his life in great peril, and he needs help now more than ever. We’re aware of and greatly appreciate the efforts of the American Government, but we are now hoping for a strong and immediate action to rescue Charles.
Sincerely,
(name omitted)
Australia
Posting date: 3/June/2003
Original article date: 3/June/2003
Category: Open Forum
