A Guide to Writing Letters for Falun Gong Practitioners

A Guide to Writing Letters to Appeal for Falun Gong Practitioners

Please review the following principles before writing you letter.

Kindness and Compassion
Always be as kind and compassionate as you can. This principle is absolutely essential. Practitioners of Falun Dafa hold themselves to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance at all times, even when faced with the brutality and injustice of the crackdown that has erupted in China over the last 15 months. Additionally, the purpose of your letter is to make a difference and not to act as a vehicle for expressing outrage and/or frustration with the situation. Governments will not respond to abusive or condemnatory letters, regardless of how much they are based on fact.

Be Respectful and Polite
Be aware of to whom you are sending your letter, and make sure you address him/her with the proper title and salutation. Your letter should follow common sense guidelines for diplomacy and decency, even if your feelings are strong. Strong words spoken in a calm and compassionate tone are more likely to be read and considered. Speak from your heart with conviction and compassion, and you will be heard.

Be Clear on Who is Responsible for the Crackdown
Please do not direct criticism towards the Chinese government as a whole. The crackdown on Falun Gong in China was initiated by President Jiang Zemin and a small number of his lieutenants (This is a widely known fact among Chinese government officials as well as "China Experts" here in the West). Remember, Falun Gong is practiced by people from all levels of society in China, including by those within the Communist Party, the military, etc. Indeed, there are a great many officials within the Chinese government that have been opposed to the crackdown on Falun Gong from the beginning. Therefore, many of the Chinese government officials/agents who read your letter are actually against the crackdown and would themselves like to see a peaceful resolution to the reign of terror that currently hangs over China. We are appealing to put an end to the policy of this crackdown and the hatred from which it sprang, and not necessarily the people who have been ordered by their superiors to implement it.

Avoid Criticism of the Chinese Nation
Please do not direct criticism towards China as a nation. Falun Gong is deeply rooted in Chinese culture - a culture that has been in existence for thousands of years, and is rich in traditions and values. Most Chinese people, including Falun Gong practitioners, are proud of their nation's heritage, and wish to see a strong and prosperous China. Again, we are appealing to put an end to the policy of this crackdown and the hatred from which it sprang. There is no need to criticize the nation where this turmoil has erupted.

Try to Shed Light on Their Good Side
It is important where possible to stress a country's reputation for moderation and justice, to show respect for its constitution and judicial procedures, and an understanding of current difficulties. This will give more scope to point out ways in which the human rights situation can be improved.

Ensure Your Message is Appropriate
Please carefully follow the instructions given by the Falun Dafa InfoCenter for the case in question. For instance, if the Appeal asks you to appeal for the release of a particular practitioner, make sure that you request this, and not something else, like compensation or bringing the torturers to justice. This will ensure the most focused message, and increase the chances of the request being met.

Avoid the Political Arena
Never use political jargon. Don't give the impression that you are writing because you are ideologically or politically opposed to China or its system of government. It is far more effective to stress the fact that your concern for human rights is not politically based in any way, but in keeping with basic principles of international law.

Tell Them Who You Are
It is preferable to give an indication of who and what you are. You will note that some of our sample letters do this. This indicates that the letter is genuine, and also shows that people from varying walks of life are following events of the practitioners in China.

Provide Relevant Information About Yourself
If you have any special interest or link with China, it is a good idea to mention this in your letter. For instance, you may be a Chinese-American, or have studied in China. For a good example of this, see letter number 6.

And In Conclusion, Be Brief
A simple, one line letter is adequate (see the first example letter) and is certainly better than no letter at all. But sample letters 3 and 4 might be considered the best length when you have nothing personal to add. A good rule is not to write more than one side of one page. Longer letters are more likely to go unread.

Sample letters.

Example 1	A simple letter Your Excellency, I write to appeal to you, on humanitarian grounds, to release Mr. ......... . Yours truly,
Example 2	Another simple letter, with human rights perspective Dear Sir, I am writing to you about the plight of Mrs. ......... who I understand has been detained for xx weeks/months now merely because she wishes to peacefully practice her spiritual beliefs. If this information is correct, this would appear to violate Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion... and to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." I therefore humbly request you look into this case urgently with a view to releasing Mrs. ......... . Yours respectfully,
Example 3	A letter requesting general improvement of Human Rights in China Your Excellency, I write to you in the spirit of the friendship that is rapidly developing between your country and our country, to inquire about the health of Mr. ........., who, I am informed, suffered grave injuries while being tortured in the custody of police and/or Public Security officers in February of this year. Respect for human rights is an issue which transcends all differences of race, nationality and belief. I appeal to you, as head of state, to ensure that this fundamental principle is respected not only in the case of Mr. ........., but in the treatment of all Falun Gong practitioners in your country. Yours sincerely,
Example 4	Relevant experience letter Your Excellency, I am an American Businesswoman, living and working in England. I also work in a voluntary Buddhist social service organization. I am deeply concerned at the news that one Mr. ......... has been sentenced to 3 years of labor camp without a trial in your country for peacefully appealing to the government on behalf of Falun Gong. If this is true, it appears to be a harsh and unjust punishment. I appeal to you on humanitarian grounds and in furtherance of the principle of freedom of expression enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to review this case sympathetically with a view to releasing Mr. .......... Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration. Yours sincerely,
Example 5	Request for facts Dear Sir, I enclose herewith a cutting from an English language daily newspaper published in our country, namely the Morning Times of 11 January 1986, relating to the alleged treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in your country. The same news was carried in the newspapers published in our national languages. Although your land is far away, quite a number of people follow such news with interest and concern. However, we do not necessarily believe everything that is published in the papers. Therefore, I would be very grateful if you would be so good as to let me know whether the facts stated in this news item are correct. Yours truly,
Example 6	Relevant experience letter Your Excellency, I am an engineer, and I worked on an irrigation project at ......... where the dam was constructed with the expert assistance of technicians from your country. This was truly a memorable experience. The dedication of your engineers really opened our eyes and inspired us by their example. Many misconceptions about your country were dispelled, and we became good friends too. It was therefore with special concern that I came to hear of the case of Mr. I understand that he was arrested in ......... simply because he practices Falun Gong, and has been held since then without charge or trial in contravention of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. This matter has been the subject of discussion among my colleagues. If the facts are incorrect, please let me know and I will see that the true version is explained. If, however, they are true, I appeal to you to look into this case with a view to releasing Mr. I am confident that your system is sufficiently strong to permit that open debate without which no human society can be really rich. Yours faithfully,
Example 7	Letter from "Executive Committee" inquiring about condition of prisoner Dear Sir. I write on the direction of our Executive Committee, in connection with a question raised by one of our members. We would be grateful for any information you are able to give us about the health and general condition of Mr. ......... who we understand has been sent to a [mental hospital/labor "reeducation" camp], and who is reported to be suffering inhumane treatment. I would like to add that our Association, whose function it is to promote friendship and goodwill between the peoples of our two countries, has every confidence that the human rights enshrined in your noble Constitution are fully observed in your country. The present inquiry is made only to enable us, with your help, to reply fully and authoritatively to the questions raised by one of our members. An early reply would be greatly appreciated as we are anxious to dispose of this query before our Annual General Meeting which takes place next month. Yours sincerely, Secretary.
Example 8	Thank you letter for release of practitioner Your Excellency, Some time ago I wrote to you about the case of a Falun Gong practitioner Ms......... Since then, I was happy to hear that Ms had been released from her detention and is now happily reunited with her four young children. I do appreciate very much this act of compassion and humanity on your part. Yours sincerely,
Example 9	And just in case... Your Excellency, I write to welcome your historic decision to lift the ban on the Falun Gong spiritual practice on the 52^nd anniversary of your country's leadership. I read of this in our newspapers, which gave it great prominence and I know that many others too greeted the news with joy. All humanity will be grateful to you for reconsidering this issue and taking the appropriate action. Yours respectfully.

Thank you for your support