Canadian Student Recounts Experience in China

News Release: March 31, 2002

22-Year Old Traveled to China to Stand Up for Justice

Toronto, March 31 -- 22-year old Christine Loftus, a 2^nd year Child and Youth Studies student at Brock University of St. Catherines, Ontario, was greeted by family and friends at the Toronto Pearson airport late Friday after being arrested and abused by police in Beijing.

Christine, a native of Barrie, Ontario, left Toronto on Monday March 25 and joined her 25-year old American boyfriend Jason Pomerleau in Beijing. They intended to travel around China and spread awareness about the ongoing severe persecution of Falun Gong in China, which has been covered over by an intense state propaganda campaign.

Thursday afternoon while distributing information near a Beijing marketplace they were seized by about 15 security guards. Christine was forced into a filthy police cell for 25 hours before being put on a plane to Canada.

"I was interrogated, threatened, grabbed by the neck, shouted at, tackled to the ground, stepped on and laughed at. I was refused food for 20 hours. They tried twice to strip search me but I refused," said Christine.

People were shocked

In Beijing Christine and her boyfriend, a graduate of Tufts University who held a year-long teaching position at China University of Geosciences in Beijing in 1999 and speaks Chinese, talked to citizens about how Falun Gong is practiced and enjoyed in over 50 countries around the world. They also shared that human rights groups have confirmed hundreds of practitioners have been tortured to death and tens of thousands have been arrested and sent to labor camps in China. People were shocked.

"I realized that this persecution affects everybody in society whether they practice Falun Gong or not. They don't even know what is going on in their own country. They have been blinded by propaganda and Falun Gong isn't given any voice. The people were waiting to hear the truth. Some were afraid to take our information but many were very eager to grab our pamphlets. It was unbelievable."

A Silent Massacre

"I love Falun Gong. Its principles of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance changed my life."

Christine and her twin brother started to practice Falun Gong 3.5 years ago after attending a Barrie health show. Seeing the positive change in her children, their mother Mary has adopted the practice too.

Christine's trip took place during a sharp escalation of the persecution in China. On March 15^th Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action statement calling on citizens worldwide to take action and to help with the current severe situation in Changchun City, China.

"After I bought my ticket I heard of the recent escalation of persecution in Changchun where 5,000 practitioners disappeared and 100 were dead already in two weeks, following the orders from Chinese President Jiang Zemin to 'Kill (Falun Gong practitioners) without mercy.' When I heard this I felt more than ever that I must go."

Jason Loftus, Christine's twin brother and a University of Toronto student, went to Beijing in February to peacefully appeal on Tiananmen Square for Falun Gong. He was beaten and expelled within 27 hours.

"I am relieved that Christine is back. But please ask yourself why Canadians and other foreigners continue to go to China. It's because innocent people are being massacred on a large scale. International citizens have realized this is a state of crisis and risk their own safety to stop this. The world's support is needed."

"History proves that the world only finds out about large scale atrocities when it is too

late to help. Now millions of people in China are at the threat of extermination and China's

media blockade continues to hide it. It's a silent massacre," added Jason.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry and the police claimed that they did not know of anyone by those names being detained, according to an AP report. Canadian Foreign Affairs officials were not aware of Christine's condition until she had already landed in Vancouver and called home. She had been denied repeated requests to contact her family and the Canadian Embassy.

Jason Pomerleau, a native of Vassalboro, Maine returned to the U.S. on Saturday. His mother and brother also practice Falun Gong. He is currently employed at a medical center in Boston.

United Nations reports torture methods

"I knew I put myself at risk by going to China but I also knew it is much more difficult and dangerous for Chinese practitioners to do what I had done," said Christine.

On February 13, 2001, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women issued a report stating "grave concerns" about the "alleged use of violence against women in China and particularly the ill-treatment of female Falun Gong practitioners."

"The methods of torture used against women practitioners have included: stripping them naked... the use of electric shock batons, inter alia to the genitals, armpits, soles of feet and the mouth... the insertion of sticks or needles under the nails or having fingernails pulled out by pliers; the insertion of pepper, chilli powder or other substances into the mouth, nose or genital organs; the use of injections which cause victims to become mentally unbalanced or to lose the ability to speak coherently," stated in the UN report (E/CN.4/2001/73/Add.1).

Standing up for justice

"I went to China to help stop the killing and torture of innocent people who continue to stand up for their belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. My actions upheld China's own constitution. The president of China is committing crimes against humanity."

"I felt so sad for all the deceived people. I just hope that more people can do more because there is so much that needs to be done. It is so serious."

At the Beijing airport Christine spoke to a police officer before boarding the plane:

"I told him, 'So many foreign practitioners have come from all over the world to tell you the truth. Don't you ever think about why so many people endure so much at risk to come here?'

"The police officer said, 'No. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry.'

"I said, 'Falun Dafa is practiced and honored in over 50 countries. The whole world knows what is happening in China. Only people here don't know what is going on and when this persecution is over the people who participate in it will be in trouble. What is your future going to be like?'

"He couldn't look me in the eyes and I saw tears began to streak down his face. It is so sad. Many people know what they are doing is wrong but they are under enormous pressure.

"If my trip has had the effect of saving even one person from persecuting another practitioner, then it was worth it--it will be one more drop of hope in the wave of justice."

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