[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 100 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H5059-H5064]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT CHINA SHOULD CEASE PERSECUTION OF
FALUN GONG PRACTITIONERS
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 188) expressing the sense of
Congress that the Government of the People's Republic of China should
cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 188
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Government of the People's Republic of China should
cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and its
representatives in the United States should cease their
harassment of citizens and residents of the United States who
practice Falun Gong and cease their attempts to put pressure
on officials of State and local governments in the United
States to refuse or withdraw support for the Falun Gong and
its practitioners;
(2) the United States Government should use every
appropriate public and private forum to urge the Government
of the People's Republic of China--
(A) to release from detention all Falun Gong practitioners
and put an end to the practices of torture and other cruel,
inhumane, and degrading treatment against them and other
prisoners of conscience; and
(B) to abide by the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights by allowing Falun Gong practitioners to pursue their
personal beliefs; and
(3) the United States Government should investigate
allegations of illegal activities in the United States of the
Government of the People's Republic of China and its
representatives and agents, including allegations of unlawful
harassment of United States citizens and residents who
practice Falun Gong and of officials of State and local
governments in the United States who support Falun Gong, and
should take appropriate action, including but not limited to
enforcement of the immigration laws, against any such
representatives or agents who engage in such illegal
activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Watson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
In the past 3 years there has been a systematic escalation of
horrific attacks launched by Chinese authorities against Falun Gong
practitioners. The deplorable action by the Chinese authorities has
included the brutal torture of followers, particularly women, who have
been arrested, gang-raped and brutally beaten.
In one instance, a 19-year-old woman who was arrested in Tiananmen
Square died 13 days later while still in police custody. Her face and
lips were severely swollen, both ears were plugged with blood-soaked
cotton, and her nose had collapsed as a result of repeated beatings.
Another woman and her 8-month-old son were tortured to death while in
police custody. Her neck and knuckle bones were broken, and her skull
was sunken in. Her infant son's ankles had deep bruises from being hung
upside down by handcuffs. There were bruises on the baby's head and
blood in his nose.
Since the crackdown officially began on July 21, 1999, many Falun
Gong followers have been suspended or expelled from school. They have
been demoted or dismissed from their employment. They have been held in
prison. They have been sent to labor camps and psychiatric hospitals,
all because they chose to live by the strength of their convictions and
refused to renounce their religious beliefs.
Thus, as a human being and a refugee of another Communist regime who
oppresses its people and also has a policy of intolerance, I was
compelled to act. I filed House Concurrent Resolution 188, which is
supported by over 100 of our colleagues in this House. This resolution
calls on the Chinese leadership to stop its persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners. It further directs the agencies of our United States
Government to use every appropriate public and private forum to press
the Chinese authorities to release all Falun Gong religious prisoners
and to immediately stop the use of torture against the Falun Gong and
other prisoners of conscience.
Since the resolution was passed by our Committee on International
Relations last July, this situation for the Falun Gong has worsened,
and the determination of the PRC to suppress the Falun Gong at all
costs has become increasingly evident. Secret documents issued by the
PRC and unveiled by human rights organizations in May of this year
underscored that Falun Gong practitioners and instigators should be
cracked down to a greater degree, and this is their exact quote, ``As
soon as they are discovered, they should first be arrested and then the
formalities be dealt with.''
The PRC's persecution of the Falun Gong in China constitutes the most
deplorable and inhumane behavior. Disturbingly, these practices are now
being employed in the United States against the Falun Gong. Falun Gong
practitioners here in the United States are the victims of death
threats, of car bombs, of vandalism against their homes, of cyber
attacks and harassment.
Given the increased evidence linking Chinese officials to this wave
of persecution, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that we in the United
States act swiftly and decisively to address this serious matter. We
must send a clear message to the PRC that such behavior
[[Page H5060]]
will not be tolerated in this country and that violators will be held
accountable for their actions, and that is what the manager's amendment
seeks to accomplish.
In addition to technical changes, the manager's amendment includes
two substantive changes to the bill introduced. The new whereas clause
underscores the victimization of U.S. citizens and permanent residents
who are subjected to arbitrary detention, imprisonment and torture by
the PRC, and the new resolve clause calls on the United States
Government to investigate reports of persecution of American citizens
and residents by PRC officials and agents in the U.S.
{time} 2030
It calls on the U.S. Government to investigate harassment of U.S.
State and local officials in an attempt to intimidate the State and
local officials into withdrawing support for the Falun Gong; and it
further calls on the United States Government to take appropriate
action to address this illegal and unacceptable behavior.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said that the only thing necessary for the
triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing. Therefore, I
call on my colleagues to render their support to the Falun Gong and
other victims of oppression in China, and to vote for the manager's
amendment to House Concurrent Resolution 188.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume, and I rise in strong support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms.
Ros-Lehtinen), the distinguished Chair of the House Subcommittee on
International Operations and Human Rights, for bringing this important
resolution to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, since the Chinese Government launched its brutal
campaign against Falun Gong practitioners over 3 years ago, the U.S.
Congress has been joined by human rights' groups and the State
Department in condemning this campaign of terror and intimidation. I
have been visited at my district office by the distinguished Chinese
ambassador who feels that the Falun Gong is a threat to the orderly
process of government in China. I had questions at the time that they
came; but I listened diplomatically, I responded in a very diplomatic
way, but I disagreed.
Unfortunately, these calls for fair and decent treatment of the Falun
Gong has fallen on deaf ears in Beijing. Since 1999, over 250 Falun
Gong practitioners have been killed by the Chinese Government. Many of
those killed refused to break their links to the Falun Gong and have
paid the ultimate price as a result. Thousands more Falun Gong
adherents arrested in cities and villages throughout China have been
subjected to brutal mistreatment, rape, and torture by their jailers.
As we speak today, thousands of Chinese citizens remain behind bars or
locked away in mental hospitals because they refuse to break from the
Falun Gong.
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to fathom the reasons for the Chinese
Government's decision to declare Falun Gong an evil cult and to launch
a brutal crackdown on its adherents. And maybe there is good reason.
However, as I can see it, Falun Gong's only apparent crime is its
ability to organize and attract followers in a country in which the
government wishes to have a monopoly on organization and ideology.
Prior to the Chinese Government's edict of July 21, 1999, to smash
the Falun Gong, its adherents organized the largest peaceful public
demonstration in China since the democracy movement in 1989. These
peaceful protests have continued to today, despite the repression. We
often see a few lone Falun Gong practitioners on the nightly news,
bravely unfurling banners in Tiananmen Square, only to be hauled off
into police vans a few seconds later.
To counteract these brave acts, the Chinese Government has embarked
on an intense media campaign both in China and abroad to defame Falun
Gong as a cult, thereby designating Falun Gong for particularly harsh
treatment under the PRC's anticult agenda. Falun Gong supporters,
largely silent and intimidated in China, have sought legal refuge
abroad and in any place they can from these human rights' violations.
There have been numerous civil complaints filed in U.S. Federal courts
for the violations of the Torture Victim Protection Act, the Alien Tort
Claims Act, and other crimes against humanity. Lawsuits have also been
filed claiming that PRC embassies and consulates have been responsible
for harassment here in the United States.
The Congressional Human Rights Caucus recently heard testimony from
local government officials, including some from my own home State of
California, that they have been subject to pressure from Chinese
diplomats to renounce proclamations of support for Falun Gong by local
city councils. I, myself, as I said, have been pressured. Mr. Speaker,
it is important that the United States Congress strongly condemn such
outrageous behavior and stand with local officials in the United States
who wish to speak out for human rights in China.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield such time
as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to join with my
colleagues tonight on a matter of principle. And my colleague who just
spoke certainly has spoken for all of us in the points that she has
made, and I hope that the words that I am going to utter now also
maintain what one would say is bipartisan. But it is not actually a
bipartisan spirit; it is an American spirit. It has nothing to do with
politics and nothing to do with anything but a belief in human beings
and a belief that we care and a demonstration that we care about
people.
Mr. Speaker, the Falun Gong, if anyone has ever met anybody in the
Falun Gong, they know how easy it is to really care about these people,
because they have such wonderful hearts. Here we have people who
practice meditation and yoga, and they have committed themselves to
treating other people with kindness and trying to be honest. For that,
they have made themselves a target of one of the most brutal regimes on
this planet.
How could anyone do anything other than sympathize with people like
the Falun Gong? They are so demonstrative, and they are so exemplary of
the oppressed people of the world. Not all oppressed people in the
world have such good hearts and are kind and practice yoga and
meditation, but they are all oppressed. And the fact that we have a
regime that can be so brutal with these pacifists indicates just how
immoral and horrifying the Communist regime in Beijing actually is.
As we have heard, tens of thousands of these pacifistic people, these
spiritual people, have been arrested. Thousands of them have been
tortured. Hundreds have died in captivity. Let us think about it:
hundreds of these people, people with good souls, kindhearted people
who are dedicated pacifists have died in captivity, thousands have been
tortured; and tens of thousands have been thrown into jail.
This is not, however, unique for Communist China. Let us remember
what has been going on in Tibet for these last few decades. In fact,
one of the Dalai Lama's religious followers was just let out, I think
after 19 years in prison. Again, tens of thousands of people in Tibet
have been thrown into prison and tortured, if not hundreds of
thousands. These are horrendous crimes against civilization that have
been committed against the people of Tibet, like the Falun Gong.
And how about Christian churches in China? The People's Republic of
China says if you do not register, if you are a religious organization,
you must register and let us know exactly the names of everyone
involved in your organization. Sounds like what the Nazis did to the
Jews prior to World War II. And guess what? If you refuse to register,
then those people, in what they call underground churches, are rounded
up and they too are put into the laogai prison system along with the
Tibetans, along with the Falun Gong representatives.
And what happens in the laogai prison system? What happens in the
laogai prison system is that people are used as slave labor, and we end
up having products sent to the United States
[[Page H5061]]
that, oh yes, we can be guaranteed that none of them come from that
prison camp; but what we cannot be guaranteed of is that the parts that
are made in the laogai prison system do not end up in the factories
that make the products that give us such a great deal at the
supermarket and at the Wal-Mart stores throughout our country.
No. What has happened, unfortunately, while all this repression and
bloodshed and brutality, and I might add a massive build up in their
military has been going on, America has been conducting business as
usual with the Communist regime in Beijing. Business as usual. And that
is the United States Congress has passed time and time again bills
providing Most Favored Nation Status, or as they call it, normal trade
relations, for the same Communist China that is committing these
violent crimes, these ugly crimes against humanity.
I do not think we should have business as usual with any thug regime,
whether it be Fidel Castro, which our colleague, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), knows the brutality of that regime
firsthand, or whether it be Communist China or whether it be
Kazakhstan, which I read in the paper today that we have developed a
close relationship with the gangster thug that runs that country. Let
us not have business as usual with countries that are run by gangsters.
Yes, let us have free trade, but let us have free trade between free
people. What happens instead, what controls the agenda here in our
relationships with these regimes around the world? Instead, it is our
big business community, with their dreams of huge profits in dealing
with someone who has a monopoly control of a country, like these
gangster regimes have; cutting one deal, and thus they can have all the
profit they want because they have no labor problems and they have no
competition.
No, that dream is not the dream of the American people. The American
people's dreams come on July 4, when we talk about individual rights
being granted by God to all of God's children throughout the world. We,
as free people, should be siding with the oppressed people of the world
and not those gangster regimes that stand for everything that America
is supposed to be against. But, of course, our big businessmen are over
there making a huge profit.
They are making a big profit by setting up companies over there, I
might add, manufacturing units. What is ironic about all of this is
that I talked to a big business company the other day, a pharmaceutical
industry; and I said, by the way, I remember when you built your plant
over in China 10 years ago. How are you doing over there? And he said,
well, we are not doing too good; but we are not losing as much money as
the rest of those people who invested over there.
The irony of this is that we have big business, with their dreams of
huge profits, directing our policy, while they themselves are getting
taken to the cleaners for investing in a regime that has no respect for
the rule of law. And they also know that without the IMF loan
guarantees and subsidies that we provide them by granting Most Favored
Nation Status, without that they would not have invested over there in
the first place. Now we see a Frankenstein monster that has been
created by the actions of our own government, by kowtowing to business
interests that are being totally unrealistic about the threat of
Communist China and a business community that has no respect for our
traditions of liberty and justice.
Unfortunately, this administration, as I read today, to top it all
off, as we are talking about the Falun Gong, this administration is
considering closer military ties to the People's Republic of China.
What a disgrace that is. When we talk about bipartisanship here in
Congress, let us note that I attacked the last administration for
trying to do that. Not trying to, but implementing a policy of closer
military ties, and I cannot stand silently while this administration
goes down that same path.
{time} 2045
Mr. Speaker, America should side with those in China who long for
freedom. We should side with the good-hearted people of China who want
to have yoga and meditation and treat people kindly. Those are our
allies, not those who carry guns and building the weapons systems, and
putting their boots in the face of their fellow Chinese.
We need to let the people of the world know that the United States is
not the friend of totalitarian regimes, of gangsters who beat people up
and slaughter them and refuse to allow the people of their country to
control their destiny through the ballot box. Many people of the world
think that is what they think the United States is all about, because
that is what they see in their own country. Our only hope is that the
young people of China, Burma, Kazakhstan or Cuba, that they understand
that we are on their side and that the United States of America is a
country that believes in treating people decently, and those people who
are treating them in such a harsh manner and destroying their families
and torturing them, that has nothing to do with the United States of
America. When they see our flag, they should think this is not for
repression. Those people who see our flag should think, they are on our
side.
Mr. Speaker, let us pass this resolution siding with the Falun Gong,
and help those who are suffering so much in China and throughout the
world. We should let them know that our world stands for freedom and
liberty and justice, and that we have made mistakes. We have not gone
so far and it is not past time for us to reclaim our proper role in
this world, which is the role of the champion of the oppressed and the
hope for all mankind.
We can make it real when we talk about the Falun Gong and the
oppression in Tibet, the repression in Cuba and Kazakhstan and
elsewhere, by making sure that the business community does not dictate
to us the short term profit goals as being the goals of the United
States of America. Our goals are much, much higher than that. Our goals
are a united humanity, united behind the principles that were laid down
in 1776.
We fell short of those goals for a long time, but now we must stand
together on both sides of the aisle to see that we stand for those
higher values.
Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 188, the
resolution sponsored by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), and I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) for
yielding me time to express my concerns regarding the persecution of
Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government. Three years ago,
the Chinese government began its brutal crackdown against Falun Gong
practitioners in China. People have been killed, imprisoned, and beaten
for expressing their peaceful beliefs, and we know this is absolutely
unacceptable.
Across America, many local United States officials have responded by
sponsoring resolutions affirming the right of Falun Gong practitioners
to enjoy freedom of speech. They have done this in their particular
community across America. And much to our outrage, these local
officials have been pressured by Chinese officials demanding that they
recant their support for Falun Gong practitioners. In a Democratic
Nation, the value of free speech and freedom of religion means that
this is absolutely unacceptable to us. The gentlewoman from Florida
(Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) touches briefly in this issue in H. Con. Res. 188,
and later this week, I will be introducing a resolution which focuses
solely on Chinese efforts to interfere with local American officials.
Mr. Speaker, I ask Members to ask themselves how do they feel about
the Chinese governments telling the mayors and city councils in their
districts who to support, who to allow to demonstrate and speak and,
what to do in general? I urge all Members to support H. Con. Res. 188,
and to cosponsor my resolution that directly addresses China's attempts
to stifle democracy right here in America.
Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Watson) for yielding me this time, and for her
leadership
[[Page H5062]]
on this issue, and thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) for this legislation, H. Con. Res. 188, and ask my colleagues
to support it.
I begin my remarks by asking the question, How long? How long, and
when will this persecution end? That is the underlying underpinnings of
this resolution. How long can the world stand by when those who are
part of the Falun Gong are persecuted and beaten every day in China? It
is interesting when we begin to debate issues of human rights as
relates to China. There is always a dilemma. China our friend, China
our business and trading partner. But I believe it is imperative that
the United States looks internally on its own history and assesses
times when it needs to be corrected and its treatment of individuals
remedied, such as passing the hates crime legislation and civil rights
legislation, and to ask our friends as well to address the terrible and
violent acts that are going on against those who simply want to be
peaceful practitioners, who want to be in peace.
In Houston as I pass the Chinese council office, I have worked with
them. I have been able to support issues that they are concerned about.
But every time I pass, there are those who are there protesting quietly
and silently, but in pain over the treatment of those who practice
Falun Gong. They are there every day. They are there so Americans can
see that they are in pain and they need help.
This resolution will be both instructive, and it helps to craft
America's foreign policy, that we cannot leave our human rights at
home. It is imperative that we stand for what we believe in this
country's right and as we look at our friends overseas, that we do not
step away from our values. It is important to allow those to practice
their faith, and to acknowledge that we have the right to free
expression.
I realize that China is not governed by our Bill of Rights or our
Constitution. I also realize that China has represented over and over
again that they are fearful of the Falun Gong because they may be
distracting people away from the government policies that China
operates under the particular structure of government, the communist
system of government, but China wants us to applaud and encourage its
participation in the World Trade Organization and to be an equal
partner in trade.
China welcomes our university professors and exchange programs. There
is one in my own community with the University of Houston, and I
applaud those cultural exchanges. But it warrants that we speak loudly
about the abuse, and this community of people who simply ask to be left
alone to practice their particular beliefs, have not been left alone in
peace. Their human rights are violated, have been violated, are being
violated, and will continue to be violated.
H. Con. Res. 188 puts on record this body's opposition to this
violent treatment. It stands for what we believe in. It crafts and
states that we are believers in human rights and that we will seek to
promote human rights all over the world, even in place of having a
trading partner that does not look askance at us for speaking our
values and from our heart.
I applaud the strong people who are part of the Falun Gong and ask
them to remain strong so we will be able to answer the question how
long. Now is the time to change the ways and the attitudes. We must
preserve their dignity and their life. I ask my colleagues to
enthusiastically support this resolution; but as I do so, I ask the
administration to enthusiastically embrace this legislation and to ask
the leaders of the Chinese government to cease and desist, or else
suffer penalties that we in America will stand by because we stand by
human rights.
Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Falun Gong is based on the principles of truthfulness, of compassion
and forbearance. It is about spirituality and peace. Yet for this, as
we have heard tonight, practitioners are subjected to the most cruel,
inhumane and degrading treatment imaginable at the hands of the Chinese
authorities. Young or old, male or female, adult or child, the Chinese
authorities show no regard for human life, no mercy, and no remorse.
And now the PRC is seeking to extend its rein of terror over the Falun
Gong to the United States. The persecution of the Falun Gong must end,
and it must end now. I ask my colleagues to vote yes on the manager's
amendment to H. Con. Res. 188.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this resolution that
calls on the People's Republic of China to cease its persecution of
Falun Gong practitioners, and I want to thank Rep. Ros-Lehtinen for
introducing this legislation.
Falun Gong practitioners in China continue to suffer at the hands of
China's officials. The State Department's most recent annual human
rights report cited that thousands of organizers and adherents of the
banned Falun Gong movement continue to be held in reeducation-through-
labor camps or in prison.
The report says that over 200 Falun Gong practitioners died in
detention as a result of torture or mistreatment. It is incredible to
think that the Chinese Government tortured and killed over 200 Falun
Gong practitioners--200 men and women--for practicing their religious
belief.
As evidenced by the $83 billion trade deficit the U.S. has with
China, the Chinese government has not been afraid to manufacture more
products for sale overseas. The Chinese authorities are not afraid of
making money or of selling products, but they seem to fear any
organized religion in their country.
According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, there are at least 12
Roman Catholic bishops in Chinese prisons under house arrest or in
hiding.
Numerous Protestant House Church leaders and worshipers in China have
been imprisoned and detained.
Large numbers of Muslims from the Uighur people group in China are in
prison because of their faith. Young Muslim Uighur boys and girls are
not even allowed to enter a mosque until they are 18-years-old.
The Chinese government has imprisoned hundreds of Tibetan Bhuddist
monks and nuns because of their faith.
It is time for the state-sponsored and state-led persecution of
believers in China to stop. It is time for the innocent to stop
suffering and for believers in China to be allowed to worship freely,
without fear of imprisonment.
I support this legislation that calls on the people's Republic of
China to stop its persecution and urges the U.S. government to use
every appropriate forum, public and private, to speak out against these
human rights abuses.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to the
persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Falun Gong is based
on three principles: Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong
practitioners participate in five simple yet powerful exercises that
they believe refines their inner strength by reaching for excellent
health and higher spirituality. That is why I am baffled as to why the
Chinese Government, which supported the spread of Falun Gong in the
early 1990s, is so against such a peaceful and humble religion. I was
shocked when I read reports of Falun Gong practitioners being beaten,
imprisoned, and even tortured. This abuse is not isolated within the
borders of China. There have been recent reports of Falun Gong
practitioners in the United States being attacked. These incidents have
even affected constituents in my district and these abuses must come to
an end across the globe.
It pains me to see innocent people being attacked for their beliefs.
As we enter this new century, we have so much opportunity to make this
world a better place to live for all and it is our responsibility to
work toward that goal. I ask my colleagues to support House Concurrent
Resolution 188, which strongly urges the Government of the People's
Republic of China to cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners
because supporting this resolution is supporting the true essence of
freedom.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentlelady from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for bringing this important resolution
before us today.
China's continued persecution of Falun Gong practitioners for merely
practicing their religion is deeply appalling. After 3 years of intense
repression marked by propaganda campaigns, beatings, and imprisonment,
thousands of Falun Gong practitioners remain in ``reeducation-through-
labor camps'' or in prison without the benefit of formal judicial
process. Furthermore, since October 2000, when China's President Jiang
Zemin declared that Falun Gong was bent on ``overthrowing the Chinese
government, and undermining socialism'' and vowed to crush the
spiritual practice, over 400 Falun Gong practitioners died in detention
as a result of torture or mistreatment.
China's suppression of Falun Gong is systematic and thorough. The are
seeking to destroy the religion and the practitioners. Just as
[[Page H5063]]
the British felt threatened by the peaceful non-violent protests of
Mahatma Ghandi, the Chinese regime fears the popular appeal of this
movement and views it as a threat to its domination over Chinese
society at large.
Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 188
expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the People's
Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners.
If the regime in Beijing wants to take its place among civilized
nations, it must end its repression and persecution of the Falun Gong
and other religions, and end it now.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.
Con. Res. 188, expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of
the People's Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun
Gong practitioners. Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, I commend you for introducing
this legislation and for the leadership you have shown as Chair of the
Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights in speaking
out against human rights abuses throughout the world.
Members of Congress need to be aware of the brutal suppression of
human rights and religious freedoms being carried out by the People's
Republic of China. From forced abortion and labor camps, to the
imprisonment and sometimes even execution of brave Chinese who dare to
stand up for their faith or political beliefs, Jiang Zemin's regime is
one of the worst violators of human rights in the world.
While Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Muslim Uighurs are all being
persecuted for their faith, the suffering of peaceful Falun Gong
practitioners has been especially intense. In 1999, China's dictators
launched a brutal campaign to completely eradicate Falun Gong from
their country through whatever means necessary, claiming that Falun
Gong was a threat to ``social order'' in China. The reason behind this
campaign of brutality is clear: by the mid to late 1990s, the number of
Falun Gong practitioners began to exceed the number of members of the
Communist Party. Like all dictators and totalitarian terror systems,
the PRC fears and hates what it cannot control. So it sought to destroy
and intimidate those who practice Falun Gong.
Falun Gong is not a religion, per se, but rather more like a
philosophy. Based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and
Tolerance, Falun Gong uses a series of five physical and mental
exercises to assist its members purify themselves spiritually and
peacefully resolve conflicts. Whatever one may say about the merits of
their beliefs, the evidence is very clear that Falun Gong practitioners
are peaceful individuals who want to be left alone to practice their
beliefs as they see fit.
To carry out the task of smashing those who practice Falun Gong, the
Beijing dictatorship created ``610'' offices throughout China to
oversee and direct the persecution of Falun Gong through brainwashing,
torture, and murder.
The State Department Human Rights Report for 2001 has several pages
detailing and documenting the plight of the Falun Gong. We know at
least 250 Falun Gong have died as a result of torture thus far. Other
estimates place the true body count much higher. Bodies of the tortured
victims are often cremated immediately to conceal evidence of torture.
The report indicated that Falun Gong adherents sent to mental health
institutions have been administered psychiatric drugs and electric
shock treatments by Chinese authorities.
Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are held in labor
camps, prisons, and mental hospitals, where they are forced to endure
torture brainwashing sessions. Chinese-American permanent residents are
not spared in the PRC's disgusting torture and brainwashing campaign.
One American permanent resident, Ms. Teng Chunyan, was arrested in
May 2000 and sent to prison for three years solely on account of her
beliefs. She was sent to Beijing ``re-education center'' in June 2000.
The PRC--in a move that most American POWs from Korea and Vietnam would
immediately see through and recognize--put Ms. Teng on public display
on November 20, 2001 after its ``re-education'' center had thoroughly
broken and brainwashed this poor woman.
In the macabre display gleefully published by the Chinese embassy--
which I will include for the public record--Ms. Teng disavowed her
affiliation to the Falun Gong and stated that ``I have never been
abused since my detention and have not seen any sign of beating or
admonishment here. Police in the center are very polite and kind. . . .
The re-education center is more comfortable than my home and I am
gaining weight here.'' American POWs who endured horrible torture at
the hands of Communists would recognize these kinds of forced
statements immediately as a pathetic farce. We might never know what
kinds of terrible things were done to Ms. Teng and her family to get
her to make these kinds of statements under duress. This is just one
example of how China uses its state controlled media to inundate the
public with anti-Falun Gong propaganda.
As my colleagues know, a sizable number of Falun Gong practitioners
reside here in the United States. They attempt to raise awareness about
the horrors their fellow believers are subject to through meeting with
government officials and through holding peaceful protests. Just this
past weekend Falun Gong members gathered on the Mall to pass out
literature and inform Americans of the great suffering those in their
faith are enduring. When Jiang Zemin and other state leaders
responsible for this purge are visiting foreign countries, Falun Gong
members travel overseas to protest and raise awareness of the brutal
persecution.
In response, China's persecution against the Falun Gong has moved
outside of China's own borders. A few weeks ago, Falun Gong
practitioners--U.S. citizens--were denied visas to travel to Iceland
during Jiang Zemin's visit to that country. An Icelandic newspaper
known as ``The Morgunblad'' wrote that it ``has reliable sources that
Chinese authorities have demanded from the Icelanders that Falun Gong
members not be in the country during the visit.'' They even reportedly
demanded that no Falun Gong protesters be seen from the Saga Hotel
where Jiang Zemin was staying.
Persecution of Falun Gong in China is horrific enough itself. The
fact that China is now exporting its repression to weaker foreign
nations under the guise of ``safety'' and ``public order'' is even
worse. We must not forget that Iceland has been a strong democratic
ally of the United States and a founding member of NATO. The fact that
peaceful American citizens attempting to travel to a fellow NATO nation
were detained and harassed, had their names placed on an Icelandic
government ``blacklist'' and their tickets revoked, presumably at the
behest of thugs in Beijing, is an outrage and must not be tolerated.
The cancer of China's repression is spreading all over the world. The
PRC is not content to beat and torture and silence those inside its own
borders. Now it is seeking to bully other nations into doing its
bidding. When will this country wake up and stand up to this kind of
nonsense?
I call upon all members of this body to support H. Con. Res. 188. I
call on the administration to step up its efforts to speak up for the
Falun Gong and out against the actions of the Chinese government
immediately.
Teng Chunyan: I Am Pleased to Shake off the Spiritual Shackle of the
Falun Gong Cult (11/20/01)
``I hope that my experience help transform those obsessed
Falun Gong followers,'' said Teng Chunyan on November 20
surrounded by media at a Beijing-based re-education center.
With her short hair neatly combed and eyebrows noticeably
trimmed, the confident 38-year-old woman looked at least ten
years younger than her age.
``The reeducation center is more comfortable than my home
and I am gaining weight here,'' said Teng smiling shyly. The
beaming Teng, who has received systematic training in Chinese
herbal medicine, cannot be compared with the Falun Gong
devotee she once was.
Teng came to China from the U.S. many times between
February and May of last year to collect information on the
Chinese Government's handling of Falun Gong issues for
Beijing branches of foreign news agencies and introduced
Falun Gong followers to foreign reporters. Teng was born in
Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province
and went to the United States in 1990. She was detained by
police when she tried to enter China via the Luohu Port in
Shenzhen in May 2000 and was sentenced to a 3-year term of
imprisonment according to Chinese law.
Her belief in the Falun Gong cult began to waver after she
was sent to a Beijing-based re-education center in June 2000.
Recalling her former devotion to Falun Gong, Teng said that
persuasion from family members and friends could not lessen
her blind enthusiasm for the cult. ``I completely rejected
contacts with the outside world and only believed in the
Falun Gong cult and its propaganda which is flooded on the
cult web site,'' Teng said.
Teng started to doubt the credibility and motives of the
cult web site when she found that her re-education center
roommate Yao Jie, who was reported dead by the web site
because of her conversion, was actually living a normal life.
``What helped to change your belief in Falun Gong?'' asked a
reporter. ``Truth can never be concealed for long. I saw with
my own eyes police patiently helping educate Falun Gong
followers and trying their best to save lives of believers
who tried to commit suicide,'' said Teng.
Teng has also talked with many former Falun Gong followers
and was deeply impressed with their experiences. ``My
personal experiences made me reconsider the so-called facts
published by the cult and I completely changed my mind,''
said Teng. When asked about her conversion process, Teng
said: ``true belief conversion can never be forced.'' ``I am
pleased to shake off the spiritual shackle of the Falun Gong
cult and return to a normal life.''
Teng Chunyan is now an active member of the re-education
center dancing troupe and
[[Page H5064]]
is busy preparing for an upcoming art performance organized
by the center. ``I have never been abused since my detention
and have not seen any sign of beating or admonishment here.
Police in the center are very polite and kind,'' said Teng.
Jin Hua, vice director of the re-education center, said
that police in the center are required to treat every Falun
Gong follower in the center equally, and discrimination is
absolutely forbidden. Jin said: ``We encourage Falun Gong
followers to communicate with their family members. ``They
can write to or call their family members as well as meet
with relatives once a month.''
The 75-year-old father of Teng Chunyan came from
Heilongjiang Province last week to visit her and was relieved
to see his daughter regaining energy and vigor. ``I am happy
now,'' Teng said. ``Justice will finally defeat evil.''
____
Statement of Tracy Zhao Falun Gong practitioner and Former Detainee in
China March 2, 2000
Hearing on ``Human Rights in China and Tibet''
Good afternoon everyone. I would like to thank the members
of this committee for the opportunity to speak at this
hearing today. I hope that my testimony will help shed some
light on what is happening right now in China regarding the
suppression of Falun Gong and the persecution of innocent
Chinese citizens.
Before I begin, I would like to briefly introduce myself.
My name is Tracy Zhao. I was born and raised in Beijing,
China. Currently, I am an American citizen residing in
Queens, New York. I am 30 years old and work as a flight
attendant. I am also a Falun Gong practitioner.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual
practice based on ancient Chinese principles. It has five
sets of traditional exercises and teaches practitioners to
follow the universal virtues of ``Truth, Compassion, and
Tolerance.'' It has attracted millions of people all over the
world, because of the positive effects it has on people's
overall health and well-being.
In early February of this year, I traveled to Beijing with
a number of other practitioners. I was interested to see what
it was like for Falun Gong practitioners in China. I had
heard stories through news reports and friends, but I wanted
to get a first-hand look at what was really going on. I had
no intention of participating in any protests, nor was I
there to cause trouble. I simply wished to observe the
situation first-hand.
Shortly before midnight on February 4th, which was the
night before the Chinese New Year, I arrived at Tiananmen
Square. I saw many policemen beating and kicking Falun Dafa
practitioners, and dragging them into police vans. Many
policemen were without coats and were sweating profusely from
beating people. The practitioners were trying to peacefully
practice their meditative exercises as a way to appeal to the
government to allow them their constitutional right to
freedom of belief, assembly, and speech.
I quickly took out a camera to take a picture. The flash
caught the attention of the police and three of them
immediately pushed me into the police van without asking me
any questions. We were all taken to the nearby police
station. There were hundreds of practitioners being held
there. Some were bleeding in the face; others had bruises or
black eyes. There were children in detention, too.
These Falun Gong practitioners had not committed any
criminal acts but had only been exercising their
constitutional rights. The Chinese government claims it is a
country ruled by law, but it often violates its own laws. In
the early hours of February 5th, around 1,200 practitioners,
including myself, were taken to the Dong Cheng detention
center on the outskirts of Beijing. For 24 hours there was no
water or heat. Each of us received only two pieces of Chinese
bread for food. And we were not allowed to use the bathroom.
After 24 hours, the police questioned me and I told them I
was an American citizen. They did not believe me and sent me
to a prison cell. There were 15 other people there. Six of
them were practitioners and they told me they had been
secretly tried and had been sentenced for up a year. All they
had done was go to the government office of appeals to offer
their personal testimony to the government on how Falun Gong
had improved their health and made them better people. They
were arrested the moment they got there.
The Premier of China has recently urged the Government
Offices of Appeals to improve their operating procedures, so
that the offices would become better places for citizens to
voice their concerns without fear of retribution. But for
Falun Gong practitioners, walking into these offices is more
like walking directly into prison.
Every practitioner in my cell had been abused at some point
by the prison guards and policemen. In prison, we were given
two meals a day, and it was always two pieces of Chinese
bread with cabbage soup. At night all of us slept on one big
wooden platform, with one blanket for two people and no
pillows. It was very crowded. In the entire time I was there,
we weren't allowed to take any showers. None of the
practitioners were allowed any contact with the outside, nor
were family or relatives allowed to visit. And the families
usually also faced huge fines.
In one instance a female practitioner was trying to do the
meditative exercises. But each time she started, a prison
guard kicked her to the ground. This scene repeated itself
many times until she had been kicked into a corner. The guard
finally left her alone, and she finished her exercises.
While I was in prison, the police interrogated me and
threatened that if I didn't answer all their questions I
would be kept in prison forever. Finally, with the assistance
of the U.S. Embassy and reports made by the international
media, I was released and deported on February 12th, the
eighth day of my detainment. I was not allowed to make any
contact with anyone the entire time.
Since the ban on Falun Gong was announced on July 20th,
1999, the brutality with which this ``ban'' has been enforced
has continued to escalate. It is reported that more than
5,000 practitioners, including the elderly, pregnant women,
and young children have been sent to labor camps without
proper legal procedures--without trial, legal representation,
or due process.
In addition, more than 300 practitioners have been tried in
secret and jailed with sentences of up to 18 years. In
November, an internal government report stated that in
Beijing alone, more than 35,000 practitioners have been
detained, with many being under extremely inhumane
conditions. So far, 11 people are know to have died while in
police custody, while countless others remain unaccounted
for.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, the scope and
severity of this persecution continues to escalate. For
example, in January of this year the Hong Kong-based
Information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in
China discovered that some Falun Gong practitioners were now
being held in mental hospitals where they were being injected
with various drugs and were subject to other tortures. This
situation has been reported in the world news by CNN, AP, and
Agency France Press, to name a few. All this is ironic in
light of the fact that The People's Daily, the state-owned
paper, published a report just last May stating that Falun
Gong is a `beneficial practice' with no political motives
that can help people improve their health. This was prior to
the current crackdown.
Other television programs drew similar conclusions back
then as well. Despite the overwhelming brutality currently
happening in China, I would like to make it clear that Falun
Gong practitioners are not against the Chinese government,
nor do they seek any particular political change or reform.
What they ask is that they regain the basic human rights to
freedom of assembly and freedom of belief, which are
protected under China's own constitution as well as under the
UN Declaration of Human Rights that China has signed.
In short, we seek your help to open a dialogue with the
Chinese government so as to peacefully resolve this crisis.
On behalf of tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners
around the world, we want to thank Congressman Chris Smith
for introducing House Resolution 218 that condemns China's
brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. This
House Resolution 218 was unanimously passed on November 18,
1999. I would like to personally thank the United States
government for the many steps it has taken thus far to
encourage the Chinese government to end this persecution, and
I hope you will continue to support a peaceful resolution.
Thank you.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Platts). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con.
Res. 188, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________