I am writing in hopes of bringing attention to the ongoing, large-scale persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Falun Gong, or Falun Dafa, is a self-cultivation practice that consists of slow-moving “qigong” exercises, meditation and spiritual guidance centered around the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. My mother started to practice Falun Gong in 1996. A few months after that, she fully recovered from severe hepatitis-B that had troubled her for eight years. Overjoyed and amazed with her quick recovery, my father and I soon started practicing, too.

As we were celebrating my mother’s regained health and were exploring the peaceful and profound teachings of Falun Gong, then Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin banned the practice on July 20, 1999, for no other reason than its great popularity. Falun Gong attracted 100 million people since it was first introduced to the public in 1992. Our life went from the peak to the abyss almost overnight. The media were filled with hate propaganda against Falun Gong. Many practitioners were arrested, forced to sign papers denouncing Falun Gong, and those who refused to sign were tortured, even put to death in many cases.

My mother was arrested in 2000, or rather, kidnapped by the police, as there was no legal procedure whatsoever. She was 50 that year. The prison refused to let us visit her, because “she was Falun Gong.” While imprisoned, she went on a hunger strike in protest and was eventually released. Although she was injured due to maltreatment, we consider ourselves lucky. Many others did not survive.

Years following her arrest, she was under the government’s close surveillance. She was followed around even when she went grocery shopping. Our home phone was bugged. Her visitors were questioned by the security guard of the building. We never stopped fearing that one of us would be taken again.

I am fortunate to now live in the United States, but my parents chose to stay in China to tell more people about their experience. We believe the persecution will stop only when people see through the party’s propaganda.

Too many people I personally know have been illegally detained, tortured or have gone missing after being arrested. Multiple investigative reports also show that the regime has been harvesting and selling organs from Falun Gong practitioners.

Supporting evidence can be found at “Doctors against Forced Organ Harvesting.” The American Journal of Transplantation covered this issue in a 2014 edition as well.

There is currently a resolution in the U.S House of representatives, HR 281, regarding the issue of state-sponsored forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China. To date, 245 House members have co-sponsored this. Please contact Congressman Tim Walz and encourage him to co-sponsor this resolution as well.

Every person who’s aware of the truth is a new hope that the brutal persecution of innocent people can stop. Each individual can help create many such hopes. You can help save lives!

Thank you.

 

Pingping Yu

Maple Grove