The two photos shown to the left are of the same woman. The image above is of Ms. Gao Rongrong before the Chinese government began persecuting, torturing and killing practitioners of Falun Gong. Using electric batons, police officers systematically disfigured Ms. Gao Rongrong. Her only crime was her refusal to renounce her faith.

For those of you who do not know what Falun Gong is, I should begin by explaining what it's not. Falun Gong or Falun Dafa, as it is sometimes referred to, is not a religion. The term religion conjures up images of a divine being, strict adherence to a text and a narrative that ties everything together. Falun Gong lacks all three and is best compared to the Hindu practice of Yoga. Based on my limited understanding, Falun Gong seems to be a spiritual practice and a meditation exercise. Though I have never personally tried it, the practice was so well respected that it was promoted by the Chinese Comunist Party during the early part of the last decade.

The following exerpt was taken from the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group:

Falun Gong - also known as Falun Dafa, the Great Way of Law-Wheel Cultivation- Exercise - is an ancient form of cultivation-exercise.

Mention China, and many people may think of Tai Chi, martial arts, acupuncture, I Ching, Confucius, or Daoism. Few may know that all of these have a common root: xiu-lian, or cultivation-exercise.

From its earliest establishment, the Chinese culture has embraced the concept of the "Oneness of Heaven and Man." The way to achieve the Oneness, or one's true self, is cultivation-exercise. Chinese literature is filled with legends of people achieving the status of deities, becoming enlightened, or obtaining the Tao through cultivation-exercise, and there have existed thousands of different schools of cultivation-exercise throughout the history of China. Cultivation-exercise, therefore, is a generic term for the practice of mind and body transcendence, with cultivation referring to the mental improvement and exercise referring to the physical refinement.

Cultivation-exercise has left its imprint on almost every aspect of Chinese culture. The teachings of Lao Zi and Confucius, for example, were originally for guiding the cultivation-exercises of their respective disciples. A great number of historical figures who contributed to shaping Chinese history were practitioners of cultivation-exercises. In fact, cultivation of moral character was a prerequisite for students of any serious study, and "cultivate oneself, put family in order, govern a state, and pacify the world" had been a motto for intellectuals for generations. As a result, the ethical values derived from teachings of cultivation-exercises have played an essential role in establishing and maintaining social morality.

Cultivation-exercise has also long been recognized for its effects on physical health and supernormal abilities. The health benefits of Tai Chi and martial arts exercises, for example, are known worldwide. All the famous doctors and physicians throughout Chinese history were practitioners of cultivation-exercises and had developed supernormal abilities to detect and cure diseases. In fact, they were entirely responsible for establishing the theory and practice of Chinese medicine.

Why persecute what you promoted? Simple; for control. The lack of freedom to worship is hard for those of us who have grown up in a democratic society to imagine. The Peoples Republic of China is not a democracy. As the largest surviving communist regime since the fall of the Soviet Bloc, the primary goal of those in power in China, is to remain in power. Any perceived threat is eliminated with the full force of law behind it. For the Chinese Communist Party and their leader, the straw that broke the camels back came in the form of a peaceful gathering held outside the State Council Bureau of Appeal in Beijin.

The gathering was in response to an article filled with fabrications and slander published by He Zuoxiu, a member of the Chinese Communist Party. The gathering which saw 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners converge near the vicinity of the Chinese leadership was instantly labled as a "rebellion". And here began the media blitz and subesquent persecution. With the lable of "rebels" and "cult" forced on the peaceful demonstrators, the Chinese Communist Party had more than enough reason to begin detaining, torturing and killing Falun Gong practitioners.

For refusing to renounce her faith in Falun Gong, Ms. Gao Rongrong joined the list of 2000+ people who were killed for being peaceful activists in a brutal sociecty. Though Ms. Gao Rongrong was disfigured due to continuous electrocutions, others suffered for months on end by being starved, forced to sit on a stool of naills, skinned and worse.

In the hope that the world community will intervene, I have written to my government and encourage you to do the same. Our conscience cannot afford for us to be apathetic and ignore this blatant abuse of power. We are for freedom of speech everywhere. We are for freedom to worship everywhere. We are for freedom to learn, for everybody. The time to act is now.

WRITE TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS
Chinese Communist Party and State Organs of the PRC
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments - China
China Provinces, Municipalities and Autonomous Regions

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