Dear Mr. President:

We write to you regarding your upcoming meeting with the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, at your ranch in Crawford, Texas later this month. We encourage you to use this opportunity to address the terrible persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

We realize that you have a strong desire to work with the Chinese president to advance peace and prosperity for both nations. However, we believe that this is impossible as long as the current Chinese regime continues to terrorize its own citizens and stamp out freedoms of speech, assembly, and personal beliefs.

We know that Jiang Zemin actively works against the citizens of China who work for freedom. At home, since September 11 his regime has used the excuse of fighting terrorism to escalate the persecution of spiritual groups such as Falun Gong while at the same time supporting bonafide terrorist organizations and rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea. Jiang’s campaign of terror against Falun Gong practitioners in China is well documented. The State Department Human Rights’ report for 2001 states:

“After 2 years of intense repression marked by propaganda campaigns, beatings, and imprisonment, thousands of organizers and adherents of the banned Falun Gong (FLG) movement were in reeducation-through-labor camps or in prison, most without benefit of formal judicial process. Various sources reported that over 200 Falun Gong practitioners died in detention as a result of torture or mistreatment.”

Estimates today show that at least 455 innocent people have been tortured to death. Over the past three years, thousands more have been arrested and sent to detention centers, forced labor camps, and mental hospitals for both brainwashing and physical torture. And as we are sure you are aware, it is not just Falun Gong practitioners who are being persecuted in China, Mr. President. Christians, Muslims, Tibetans, labor leaders, advocates for democracy—any individuals or groups that dare to stand up for their fundamental rights as human beings may also be mistreated.

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Concurrent Resolution 188, which condemns the deplorable and inhumane persecutions in China. But, tragically, this persecution continues to escalate not only in China, but abroad, as the Chinese government exports its vendetta against those who have chosen to identify with Falun Gong’s peaceful principles and non-violent activities.
Our nation’s greatest strength lies in its unrelenting defense of freedom. We urge you to voice America’s commitment to human rights and speak for those Chinese citizens who have lost the right to speak for themselves. We commend your past efforts to stress to the Chinese government that there is no justification for the brutal repression of Falun Gong. We strongly urge that you raise human rights issues during your meeting with the Chinese president this fall. More specifically, we urge you to follow the example set by Congress and strongly condemn the unconscionable persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.


Sincerely,