Why Persecution?

Why is Falun Dafa persecuted in China?

(Minghui.org)The complex rationale behind the persecution can be broken into four elements: a paranoid dictator's fear of Falun Gong's meteoric growth and soaring popularity; that same dictator's intense jealousy of Falun Dafa's popularity; the inherent conflict between the communist regime's savage political ideology and its polar opposite--Falun Dafa's principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence, Forbearance; and the very nature of communism, which to sustain itself requires periodically labeling a small segment of the population as the "class enemy" to "struggle" against. 

How did the persecution start?

For three years prior to the official launch of the nationwide persecution in July 1999, practitioners were under increasingly intense government oppression. As early as 1996, Falun Gong books were banned from publication, and the first article criticizing Falun Gong was published in a major state-run newspaper. By 1998 and 1999, the police were disrupting group exercise sessions in parks. Propaganda attacks smearing Falun Gong in the state-run media increased. Following a series of events in April 1999 in which the police wrongly arrested and beat practitioners in Tianjin (please refer to Timeline for details), approximately 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered in Beijing to peacefully petition the State Council Appeals office on April 25, 1999, asking for the release of the arrested practitioners, a redress of the ban on Falun Gong books and an end to government harassment of the practice. Although the gathering was exceptionally peaceful, and then-Premier Zhu Rongji met with practitioners and agreed to honor their requests, the official oppression accelerated soon after this event. On June 10, 1999, President Jiang Zemin established the 610 Office, a nationwide police agency with special authority over all local law enforcement bodies, governments and the courts, to spearhead the persecution of Falun Gong. On July 20, 1999, the police conducted sweeping arrests of coordinators of Falun Gong exercise sites. On July 22 an all-out media blitz was launched against Falun Gong and the practice was officially declared banned. Since that time, the persecution has continued unabated, regardless of the fact that no actual law exists that establishes the ban or allows the persecution.

A Letter To All Citizens Of the World

May 06, 2000 | A Canadian Falun Dafa Practitioner

Greetings,

Although I have only practiced the system of Falun Dafa for 6 months, the changes, both physical and mental, have been enormous. Before, I used to drink, smoke and use drugs, lie, cheat, steal, blame others for my misfortunes and conduct myself in a very selfish and inconsiderate manner. After attaining these teachings, free of charge and openly taught, in October 1999, I gradually realized many of my shortcomings and bad behaviors, and started to measure myself according to the principles of Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truth-Compassion-Tolerance), and then adjust my mind and actions accordingly. In addition, my health has been perfect since practicing the five simple exercises, even through one of the worst flu seasons in recent years in Montreal.

There is no worship, firm organization, financial relationships or hierarchies; merely some kind suggestions which can help one to assimilate further with the characteristic of Zhen-Shan-Ren, and volunteers who provide help for group practices of the exercises. I firmly believe that the practice is entirely beneficial for the individual, while also carrying benefits over to the families, workplaces, and even societies the practitioners are a part of. Indeed, we strive to look inwards when encountering problems, putting consideration for others before our personal self-interests; does this not benefit society as a whole? I do not say that I personally am very good, merely that others and I have noticed improvements in my behavior in the past few months. However, I maintain that, on the whole, Falun Dafa practitioners are the kindest, most considerate, and tolerant people I have ever met.

It is thus hard, from my perspective, to understand the repression against Falun Gong in China; but through it all the practitioners have continued to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance, risking loss of their homes, families, jobs, indeed even their lives, for the universal principles that they know in their hearts are good. Of course, they would just as soon not lose all these things; without the ban on the practicing of Falun Gong and the groundless slander of it, they would still be working, taking care of their families, and conforming to the state of the society as upright citizens. Unfortunately, because a great number of them, following their constitutional rights and appealing through the proper channels, have been jailed, sent to labor camps, or otherwise detained, many have been unable to continue their daily lives as usual. Nonetheless, all the way through this ordeal, practitioners worldwide have called for a dialogue with the government in China in order to come to a peaceful resolution.

It seems that the interference to Falun Gong has caused the most disruption in the society, rather than the practice itself. As such, I gladly mention Falun Dafa to friends, strangers, co-workers and family members, and if they are interested, suggest that they browse the freely available materials and check out the exercises themselves. In this way I feel that they will be able to gain an understanding and form their own, informed, intelligent opinions of what Falun Dafa is, what the teachings promote, as well as what practitioners do and how they conduct themselves. In my opinion, this is the only way for one to gain a truly rational understanding, and thereby form a more objective viewpoint, of the practice system. As such, the upcoming World Falun Dafa Day on May 13, with free activities worldwide aimed at demonstrating the practice to the general public as well as providing information, will certainly be very useful in helping the people of the world to understand and form opinions on this great practice system.

Sincerely,

A Canadian Falun Dafa Practitioner

http://en.minghui.org/html/articles/2000/5/6/9053.html#.UBGKTo5gP0e