It has been a month since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initiated the “Flushing incident,” using secret agents and pro-communist activists to incite misleading and confusing information to inflame nationalism and cause Chinese to besiege and beat Falun Gong practitioners.
The ongoing attacks and harassment in Flushing, New York City, started because the CCP spread rumors to local Chinese that “Falun Gong interfered with earthquake relief donations.” What exactly have Falun Gong practitioners done after the earthquake struck Sichuan? The Epoch Times reporter interviewed Ms. Huang Ail, 65, a Falun Gong practitioner in Jiangsu Province.
The CCP Initiating the Flushing Incident is Despicable
Ms. Huang thinks that what the CCP said about Falun Gong’s interfering with the earthquake relief effort is absolutely a rumor. “It is all nonsense, how could the regime come to this conclusion, has anyone checked donors’ beliefs when they gave the money?” she commented
Yet she is not surprised. “People with ulterior motives have been using every disaster to frame Falun Gong. It also happened before. Years ago when there was a large flood, they also claimed that Falun Gong disrupted the relief effort. That’s why I’m not surprised at all when they come up with this kind of accusation at this time. They blame it on Falun Gong every time something [bad] happens.”
“Our country is in a state of emergency, and they try to frame and blame it on Falun Gong. They have been persecuting their own people, their own fellow countrymen. Don’t they feel ashamed? Look at so many other countries in the world. When their own people are struck by calamity, who would go to a foreign country to attack their own fellow countrymen?”
Civilians Reluctant to Donate Money Due to Discontent with Authorities
Ms. Huang said that seven days after the devastating earthquake in Sichuan on May 12, the government ordered a three-day nationwide mourning for the deceased. Local residents talked a lot about this on the bus. “Mourning for what? If they really want to do a good job, they should first punish the head of the Earthquake Administration. Why didn’t those officials warn us about the earthquake in advance? So many people have died,” said Ms. Huang.
Among the dead in the Sichuan earthquake, many were elementary school students who were an only child. She said, “People all know that it was because of the shoddy quality school buildings, it is the result of collaborated corruption by education officials and construction companies. People hate it so much, but they cannot do anything about it.
After the earthquake, the official regime mouthpieces broadcasted video clips showing the soldiers’ hands were covered with blood because they were digging the rubble with their bare hands, and blood was all over their hands. Ms. Huang’s friends who are workers at a machinery plant disagreed with that. “They have the skills and the experience. They said that soldiers should have used a hoisting jack, and operated it this way or that way so people who were buried in the rubble wouldn’t be hurt. Yet the army would not let people go in, and they used ropes to secure the disaster sites. Everyone who saw it felt bad. Those who were buried under the rubble could not get out and those who did the digging did not have the tools.”
“Although the government and work units have been calling for donations, people are reluctant to do that. Our hearts are chilled with disappointment. Asking us to donate money—our previous donation money was all embezzled [by government officials]. Who knows whose pocket the current donations end up landing in!”
As far as she knew, people around her donated very little money. “If they do donate money, it is one, two, five, or ten yuan.”
Donation by a Falun Gong Practitioner Touched Resident Committee’s Hearts
Ms. Huang has a mind of her own when it comes to donating. “I don’t care what people think or if the money will be used properly. I’m going to express my affection for the earthquake victims anyway. Last time I also donated money after the tsunami hit the Indian Ocean. Therefore I have donated 100 yuan this time.”
The Resident Committee usually makes door-to-door visits to ask for donations but not this time. Ms. Huang took the initiative to go to them. “The first time they said no one was in charge of collecting the money. I went over the next morning and told them, ‘Please give this money to the proper authority. I want to show that I care about the earthquake victims.”
A clerk of the Resident Committee said sincerely, “Ms. Huang, you are really a nice person. You have such a kind heart. We are so touched by you.”
In fact, Ms. Huang’s financial condition has not been good. Last year she was sentenced to one-year forced labor for practicing Falun Gong. She was severely beaten up on the first day she arrived at the forced labor camp. She was deprived of sleep in the night, and not allowed to use a restroom without asking for permission. Her health condition deteriorated from suffering so much hardship and mistreatment. She has been afflicted with numerous illnesses after her release from the forced labor camp.
“I did not have any income last year because I was serving a forced labor sentence. My pension was withheld. After being released in January, I had to wait till March to receive 800 yuan of pension money. I spent a lot of money paying hospital bills because my health condition has been so bad. I’m not doing well financially.”
Other Falun Gong practitioners in the area also donated money. “Most Falun Gong practitioners’ families live meagerly because of the persecution they suffered. Many were laid off, they can only do temporary hourly work, or work as a nanny. They make very little money. Nevertheless, they generously donated their money, considering their circumstances, to help the earthquake victims. They have contributed something.”
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