Signals from the SINOSAT-1 satellite, which covers all of China, were reportedly interfered with in late June. In 10 provinces, the characters for "Falun Dafa is good" and images of Falun Gong practices appeared on TV screens for periods ranging from less than a minute to several minutes. A spokesman for Falun Gong in New York said that he did not know who was behind the incident. Since China has suppressed all information about Falun Gong, however, this incident must at the very least have been an effort to break through the media blockade and it says something about the dedication with which Falun Gong pursues its cause.
The transmitted message had nothing to do with toppling any regime, nor did it carry any threatening words. It was just a simple statement. But the fact is that making such a simple statement in China is so difficult that one must resort to high-tech methods like interfering with a satellite signal in order to do so.
We need only recall how Bei-jing has treated Falun Gong practitioners, who seek to abide by the moral principles of "truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance." We may then understand what kind of a government makes it so difficult for the com-mon people to say what they truly believe.
Since July 20, 1999, when Bei-jing illegally began to suppress Falun Gong, which had already been embraced by more than 100 million people in China, all media in China have become mouthpieces for the authoritarian leaders. Not one organization dares to report that Falun Dafu is good.
Innumerable Falun Gong practitioners have "appealed to higher authorities" in accordance with procedures laid down by China's Constitution. They are persecuted and imprisoned, however, in flagrant breach of due legal process as soon as they are identified as Falun Gong practitioners. More than 400 people have been tortured to death, although the authorities have publicly listed those beaten to death as suicides. Schools have launched campaigns to criticize Falun Gong. Those children who practice Falun Gong are expelled from school. A UN human rights body has identified numerous flaws in the "self-immolations" contrived by Beijing during the Lunar New Year holiday last year. But not a single media organization in China has had the courage to report doubts about the official line.
President Jiang Zemin's (江澤民) administration also threatens other countries and insists that Jiang not have to see any Falun Gong banners or practitioners while abroad. Both Iceland and Hong Kong accepted blacklists provided by Beijing and when Jiang visited, they banned peaceful and good Falun Gong practitioners from entering their territory.
In Iceland, however, the people recognized the true state of affairs and voices were raised for justice. Over 3,000 members of the public took to the streets opposing the government's kow-towing to China. They also published advertisements to apologize to Falun Gong practitioners. The citizens of Iceland warmly supported Falun Gong practitioners in peacefully petitioning to tell the world the truth and to urge the Chinese government to respect freedom, human rights and the rule of law by giving Falun Gong back the freedom to practice.
Doesn't the recent satellite incident tell the entire world that Beijing won't let the common people speak even a few words? How can such a government win the support of the people? How can it win the world's trust? I am confident that all good people around the world who treasure freedom and human rights will call for justice and will support peaceful methods of striving for freedom and justice.
Flora Chang is a professor at the Graduate Institute of Journalism at National Taiwan University.
Translated by Ethan Harkness
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