On
October 25, representatives from the Falun Dafa Information Center held a press
briefing in New York City to deliver a statement regarding recent findings about
how Jiang Zemin’s policy to “eradicate” Falun Gong has been forced upon American
companies.
PRESS
STATEMENT
|
Two
weeks ago, the Falun Dafa Information Center confirmed specific information
about how the Mary Kay Corporation’s operations in China have been pressured by
Chinese authorities to force employees and sales consultants to sign a statement
guaranteeing they will neither practice nor advocate for Falun Gong – a
traditional Chinese spiritual practice. Those who do not sign the statement are
fired and potentially reported to local authorities.
The
Center has confirmed with sources in China that several Mary Kay employees
and/or sales consultants have already lost their jobs for refusing to sign such
a statement.
In
a related, unconfirmed report, an individual who spoke in favor of Falun Gong
during a recent Mary Kay meeting in China was detained by Chinese authorities.
The individual’s whereabouts remain unknown.
The
Center also has unconfirmed information that other companies doing business in
China have fallen under similar pressures to take such actions against Falun
Gong – all under the pretense of obeying Chinese “laws.”
For
more than four years, former Chinese Communist leader, Jiang Zemin, has used his
power in an attempt to “eradicate” Falun Gong. Through
state-sanctioned brainwashing sessions, wanton torture and killing, Jiang has
tried to force the 70-100 million Falun Gong practitioners in China to renounce
their beliefs. Categorized as a “genocide” as defined by Article 2 of
the United Nations’ Convention on Genocide (website),
Jiang’s persecution of Falun Gong is now the target of more than a dozen
lawsuits around the world. (news)
The
persecution of Falun Gong is illegal and violates both China’s own constitution
as well as international law.
In
fact, in China there are no laws making Falun Gong illegal. Directives from
administrative branches under Jiang Zemin’s control alone constitute the
authority under which Falun Gong was declared “illegal.” Furthermore,
Jiang forced this position upon all levels of the government, going against the
decision of Politburo Standing Committee members as well as the Premier. In
doing so, Jiang overstepped the power granted to him by China’s constitution.
According
to sources in China and thousands of testimonies from victims, Jiang implemented
the persecution through a three-prong directive to all levels of government:
1)
Destroy Falun Gong practitioners mentally and physically through systematic,
state-sanctioned forced-labor, brainwashing sessions, torture and killings.
2)
Destroy Falun Gong practitioners’ reputations through a worldwide media
campaign to demonize Falun Gong and falsely depict its practitioners as
dangerous ‘cult’ members and a menace to society.
3)
Destroy Falun Gong practitioners financially, which, in a Communist nation
where the government can exercise significant control over employment and
housing, allowed Jiang to deny Falun Gong practitioners the basic necessities
for living. Practitioners lost their salaries or pensions, were fired from
their jobs, kicked out of their housing in addition to suffering widespread
extortion, confiscation of property and state-enforced fines when detained by
police.
Now,
Mary Kay and reportedly other foreign companies in China are being coerced to
assist Jiang’s persecution with respect to implementing the “destroy Falun
Gong practitioners financially” aspect of the three-prong directive – all
under the pretense of obeying Chinese “laws.”
Let
us remember that according to the Chinese Communist regime, practicing Roman
Catholicism or Christianity that is not associated with the atheist Communist
Party qualifies one as a member of a “cult” and is also considered
“illegal” in China.
If
the Chinese Communist Party asked foreign corporations to fire their Catholic
and Christian workers, would these corporations comply? Do these companies
recognize the South African “laws” against blacks under the Apartheid
system or the “laws” enacted to persecute Jews under the Nazi system?
Ironically,
in coercing the Mary Kay Corporation to implement this policy of forcing Falun
Gong practitioners to renounce their beliefs, the Chinese regime is, in turn,
forcing Mary Kay to abandon its founding principles.
The
Mary Kay Corporation is a U.S.-based company with headquarters in Dallas, Texas
and is widely known for its upright principles and values, especially with
regards to enriching the lives of women.
But
now in China where Mary Kay has worked to establish what we understand to be a
flourishing business that employs more than 120,000 Chinese women, Mary Kay is
forced into a position of choosing between losing such a plentiful business or
becoming an accomplice to Jiang Zemin’s regime to violate international laws as
well as its own mission statement.
Indeed,
the Mary Kay Corporation – like other companies that are subjected to similar
demands in China – has been made a victim in the persecution of Falun Gong as
well.
The
persecution of Falun Gong is illegal both by international standards and by
China’s constitution. It is immoral and it is deplorable that Jiang Zemin’s
regime is forcing American companies to assist them in this horrific, four-year
persecution.
Furthermore,
Jiang Zemin’s regime has employed a massive propaganda campaign to discredit
Falun Gong in China and overseas. It is the Falun Dafa Information Center’s
intent that this propaganda not be an excuse to allow the regime to force its
own people to renounce their peaceful, spiritual beliefs through brainwashing
sessions, wanton torture and killing.
Posting date: 31/Oct/2003
Original article date: 28/Oct/2003
Category: World News
