We write to call your attention to a situation of grave peril for university students in China who are Falun Gong practitioners.
Falun Gong is an ancient meditation practice of mind and body guided by the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. It gained wide popularity in China in the 1990s. Out of personal insecurity and fear of losing control over people’s minds, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, launched a brutal persecution of Falun Gong in July of 1999. Since then, students all over China who refuse to give up their practice of Falun Gong will be subjected to any or all of the following by the Chinese authorities: (1) dismissal from school (2) various types of mental harassment (3) illegal imprisonment (4) torture (5) and murder.
In particular, the case of Wei Xingyan, a 28-year old female graduate student pursuing studies in high voltage power transmission at Chongqing University in Chongqing City, needs urgent attention. Wei Xingyan was arrested on May 11 on suspicion of displaying a Falun Gong banner and had been brutally raped by a policeman in front of witnesses at Baihelin Detention Center. After she went on a hunger strike to protest her illegal treatment, she was then force-fed in a vicious manner which injured her throat and left her unable to speak.
When the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) launched an investigation of this case, officials at Chongqing University tried to cover up the situation and denied that Wei Xingyan had even attended their University. However, subsequent investigation confirmed the details of this incident. The investigation included Chongqing University archives, Wei’s undergraduate study university, her former work place and various departments at Southwestern Hospital, where she had been sent after her injuries by the staff at the Baihelin Dentention Center. The code for her Chongqing University major was found to be 080800-12 and her mentor is Dr. Mu Daokui. In order to cover up their own criminal actions, the Chongqing police arrested several people from Chongqing University who made inquires about Wei Xingyan, including professors and students.
At this moment, Wei Xingyan’s life is in serious danger. Unless people of conscience from around the world quickly rally to intervene on her behalf, she may be murdered by the police to cover up their crimes.
These intervention efforts can be effective, as was demonstrated in the case of Zhao Ming, a Chinese student in Ireland, who is also a Falun Gong practitioner. Zhao Ming graduated from Qinhua University in China and then went to study at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. He was arrested, imprisoned, and brutally tortured when he went back to China to appeal for an end to the persecution by the Chinese government. Thanks to a very vigorous campaign mounted by the Irish people, he was rescued from the Chinese prison. However, far too many have suffered the fate of Yuan Jiang, another student from Qinhua University who died as a result of torture while in custody for refusing to denounce his practice of Falun Gong.
Wei Xingyan does not have the freedom to speak for herself – so we must speak out for her. It is urgent that we act immediately. Please call or write to the following contact number and addresses to express your concern over the torture that Wei Xingyan has suffered. Your kind help could make the difference between life and death for this young woman who is being persecuted only because she chooses to live by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.
Telephone Contact:
The Receptionist of the Chinese Communist Central Office: 011- 86-1-83101987
The Receptionist of the Appeal Office in the National Congress Regular Affairs Committee:
011-86-1-83102103
The address of the Department of Education:
#37 Da Mu Cang Hu Tong, Xi Dan, Beijing, 100816.
Tel: 011-86-1-66096114
Posting date: 26/Sep/2003
Original article date: 24/Sep/2003
Category: News from China
