The Embassy wanted to make use of the lion dance celebrations to hold an exhibition denigrating Falun Gong and put the blame on the overseas Chinese who took part in the event. By doing so, the Embassy could escape punishment for their actions and also attempt to create conflicts between Falun Gong practitioners and overseas Chinese people.

'Opponents worry that Hong Kong could be heading toward a Beijing-style crackdown on dissent, with some saying the Falun Gong could be targeted...The bill is expected to be passed soon by the Legislative Council, which is dominated by pro-Beijing and big business interests.'

One particularly touching thing was that several Swiss practitioners from a German-speaking region brought self-made Chinese Lunar New Year greeting cards, leaflets and Video-CDs to cities where many Chinese students gathered. In total, the practitioners drove nearly 1,500 kilometres and distributed almost a thousand VCDs and other materials.

The information day was most successful. We demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises every hour. Many people took the leaflets and Video-CDs, and showed an understanding of Falun Gong and the persecution occurring in China. Many Chinese who were passing were very glad to accept the materials.

The following story is true and every name is real. It is a story about a successful businesswoman who was illegally imprisoned for nine months in one of China’s most brutal labour camps – Wanjia. It is a story of beatings and torture; of survival and perseverance: And it is a testament to the power of her beliefs.

"In Sweden, we got to know that hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death. Outside Mainland China peaceful practitioners are subjected to slander by Chinese officials. We have also observed that even those who support their peaceful struggle for basic rights are being subjected to threats and intimidation."

'..as one senior member of the Tung administration told us recently, "Our enemies proved more numerous than we expected." By enemies he meant those who care about civil liberties and were able to penetrate the legalistic language to discover that liberalizing obsolete laws on treason and sedition -- which had never been used within living memory -- was as nothing compared with the serious threat to basic freedoms posed by other parts of the proposed legislation.'

"In addition, the Union has on several occasions undertaken formal demarches to express concern about report of torture and ill treatment of followers of the Falun Gong movement who have been arrested, and has urged China to review harsh sentences imposed on them...Concern about the violations of the human rights of the followers of Falun Gong was also expressed in the conclusions of the General Affairs Council on Human Rights in China in March 2002."

The evildoers are really afraid of being exposed for what they have done to Dafa practitioners. Once we heard that the higher authorities had requested to inspect Masanjia. The camp authorities made thorough preparations a few days in advance. They chose a few people who had been brainwashed and transformed who were easy to handle... Later, we learned that human rights organisations came for investigation. What they saw was all sham!

The practitioners sternly rejected their demands. How could honest people accept statements that are blatently untrue? Among the 14 abducted practitioners, 11 were sent to Masanjia Forced Labour Camp. Their families were not notified, and no one knows the current status of these 11 practitioners. We have no information about whether they are alive or dead.

This criminal even put a mop cloth into her mouth and rubbed very hard, causing a lot of blood blisters. Vindictive policemen also force-fed Mingwei salt and raw corn gruel through a thick tube every day. They left the tube inside her for a long time and handcuffed her limbs all the time so that she couldn't move an inch. This situation has lasted for over 3 months. Now Mingwei is extremely emaciated and weak, and her life is in grave danger.

Since January 6th, all steadfast practitioners were forced into the torture room one by one. In the room were several dozen policemen and criminals. The perpetrators stripped off the clothing of every practitioner, leaving them covered only by their underwear. Against one practitioner in particular, they used more than 10 electric batons to simultaneously shock the practitioner. Every part of the body was shocked and ravaged, including the genital area.

I told him the facts about the staged Tiananmen Self-Immolation incident, and the facts of how Falun Dafa practitioners suffered inhuman persecution for speaking out the truth. At first, he made some bad comments about Falun Dafa. I asked him to stop saying that before he had learned the truth about Falun Dafa, and he agreed. I told him the facts from my kind heart and with righteous thoughts. After a while, he apologised to me for what he had done.

Even more unexpectedly, while I was in the detention centre I met the Falun Gong practitioner whose office I had ransacked. He did not recognise me, but I knew him because I had seen his photo, and I also know his full name. So I quietly observed every move and word that he made but found his behaviour to be excellent.

My fellow practitioners also saw that my schedule was a bit tight, so they reminded me not to have the heart for doing things. Schoolwork was also very important. We should also do well in the human level. It also validated the Fa. So, I started to think about it calmly. Why should I go out? Did I have an impure heart? How to balance the relationship of cultivation, Fa-spreading, and studying?

My son said: "[shouldn't we] send forth righteous thoughts to rescue the little girl’s Mom?" I was shocked at that moment and found the difference between my son and me. He had not been contaminated by the dye vat of everyday people’s society and could think of others first. By contrast, my selfishness was revealed entirely.

At the press conference, Charles' friends expressed their worries regarding his arrest. The people in attendance felt the preciousness of freedom of belief, as well as the importance of basic human rights. Rescuing Charles is not merely to rescue one American citizen, but to make a stand that people's guaranteed freedoms will not be infringed.

Mr. Li is currently "under investigation for the alleged crime of sabotaging television and radio broadcasts. In interviews with American consular officials, Mr. Li has denied these allegations and believes he is being held as a political prisoner...I would ask that all information regarding his arrest be released to the public in China and the United States immediately."

On February 7 2003, the last day of Asian Winter Games, the Yoko Kaneko Rescue Committee held a press conference in Aomori County Press Club calling on the Aomori County Government, County Council and the kind-hearted people to urge the Japanese Government to help rescue Mrs. Yoko Kaneko.

"Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Borough Council of the Borough of Forest Hills condemns the violence and repression against Falun Gong practitioners in China."