Practitioners of Falun Gong - an ancient Chinese philosophy that encourages exercise, meditation and moral behavior - and supporters of Charles Li, an American citizen arrested and imprisoned in China for practicing the religion, held a press conference in front of Council Bluffs City Hall Saturday to inform passersby about Li.
Local Chinese students came from Ames and Omaha to man an information booth, hand out literature and answer questions about their religion, which has come under fire by the Chinese government.
"The Chinese government does not allow freedom of belief," said Haitao Huang of Omaha. "Falun Gong is at tradition thousands of years old. In Falun Gong, we meditate, exercise and practice the principles of truthful compassion. Dr. Li is an American businessman who was visiting friends and family in China when he was arrested upon arrival."
Li was arrested Jan. 22 for sabotaging television and cable equipment and for illegally broadcasting Falun Gong films - all while still in his home state of California. His trial took place March 21 and is considered by Falun Gong members to be nothing more than a "show trial" since Li was considered guilty from the start.
"This is a world-wide effort to rescue a citizen," said Huang of Omaha. "Dr. Li has been held by the Chinese government for more than two months and was recently sentenced to three years. We believe America is No. 1 in human rights and should safeguard the rights of its citizen."
Margaret Jiang of Ames said the Chinese government admits to killing at least 600 members of Falun Gong, which could mean the number is much higher.
"Six hundred people is only a small portion," she said. "Because of the tight control of information, the number is much more like 1,600. Members of Falun Gong are put in mental hospitals, forced labor camps and pregnant women are forced to have abortions just to force the Chinese people to give up Falun Gong."
According to Jiang, Falun Gong was once encouraged by the Chinese government for its health benefits and because it was not at all political. In 1997, Falun Gong's popularity began to threaten the Chinese government and Falun Gong was classified as a cult and a threat along with other religions.
It is the stated position of the Bush administration, in a letter to U.S. Congressman Benjamin Gilman, that the Chinese repression of Falun gong is "brutal and unwarranted."
The repression of Falun Gong receives little attention world-wide and while the war with Iraq continues, it is possible Li's trial will go unnoticed and unreported in the United States, but according to Jiang and Huang, their members plan to spread the word one city at a time if necessary.