China Says 239 Falun Gong Members Committed Suicide

Inside China/March 2, 2001

Beijing, -- In the wake of the Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident on New Year's Eve, Li Hongzhi and his gang tried their utmost to argue that the incident had nothing to do with "Falun Gong" and that "Falun Gong" did not allow its members to kill themselves. In fact, under the instigation and agitation of Li Hongzhi's sophistries and heresies, such as "the end of the world," "going to Heaven," and attaining "nirvana," cases of obsessed "Falun Gong" practitioners committing suicide by different means have often been seen in recent years.

According to incomplete statistics by the department concerned, prior to 22 July 1999, the number of obsessed people who committed suicide as a result of practicing "Falun Gong" and "setting aside the question of life and death" totalled 136, including four people who burned themselves to death, 38 who jumped from a building or cliff, one who jumped from a speeding car, 26 who jumped into a river or well, 25 who hanged themselves, two who fasted, 28 who took poison, and 12 who committed suicide by cutting open their bellies, injuring themselves, and lying on the rails. After the "Falun Gong" organization was outlawed, another 103 people killed themselves in order to go to the "kingdom of Heaven."

On 4 July 1999, Li Jinzhong, a worker from Beigang Township, Tunliu County, Shanxi Province, and Chang Haochi, a "fellow practitioner" and a student of the Shanxi Provincial Coal Management Cadres College, sat opposite to each other outside the village in the posture of practicing "Falun Gong" and doing meditation and then burned themselves to death by pouring petrol on themselves.

In August 1997, Liu Yufeng, a 44-year-old farmer from Lingshui Town, Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, committed suicide by lighting a gas container. In October 1998, Li Yumei, a 31-year-old farmer from Nanyuan Town, Zhaoyuan City, Shandong Province, hallucinated and said: "Teacher Li Hongzhi is going to take me to 'Heaven.'" On the afternoon of 27 October, she poured diesel oil on the haystack belonging to her family and, after lighting it, got into the haystack and burned herself to death.

At noon on 23 July 1999, Liang Zhaofeng, a road juncture worker of the transport department of Guangdong's Shaoguan Iron and Steel Corporation, had a severe headache, but she refused to seek medical treatment. The next morning, she took pesticide and died of poisoning. On 22 May 1999, Li Yonglin, a farmer from Liaoyuan City, Jilin Province, went to the microwave tower on the hill and hanged himself there. Later, it was discovered that he had burned seven joss sticks under the iron frame with a picture of Li Hongzhi lying flat on the ground.

On 11 July 1995, to show that he had attained the "right achievement" in cultivation, Sun Weiyong, a staff member at Zhejiang's Huzhou City Economic Commission, jumped from a second-floor building without injuring himself. He thought he had mastered the skill. At midnight, he jumped from a second-floor building for the second time and died of a rupture of his internal organs.

At noon, on 10 October 1998, Kang Caiye, a 24-year-old saleswoman of Guangkelong in the west wing of Nanfang Building, Guangzhou City, took a radio and a "Falun Gong" tape with her and killed herself by jumping into a river.

In December 1997, in an attempt to go to Heaven and "become an immortal," Jiang Chaojun, a farmer from Pingyang Town, Jidong County, Jilin Province, killed his wife by stabbing her in the stomach and mouth with a sharp knife. He also died after fasting and sitting in meditation for seven days.

On 16 September 1996, Zhang Lijun, a statistician from a food company in Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, tried to kill herself by cutting her wrist with a piece of glass during a practice session. The next day, she intercepted a car in the street and put her hand in the water tank, seriously scalding her hand. Then, she took advantage of the opportunity when other people were unprepared to sneak under a car and was crushed to death on the spot.

"Falun Gong" has caused tens of thousands of families to break up and lose harmony and happiness. It has also caused the death of a large number of the obsessed people because they refused to seek medical treatment or take medication. Some injured or killed themselves and even killed others.

"Falun Gong" has caused the death of 1,660 practitioners and innocent people so far. It has completely given away its characteristics as a cult.