Jiang Zemin behaves as a despot in China and tightly controls all media. He does not allow people to speak, nor does he allow legal appeals or the existence of contrary opinions. He uses brute force and savagery to block and suppress any dissenting voices, and uses every imaginable means to keep Falun Gong practitioners from presenting the truth.

As everyone knows, Australia is a country where people enjoy the freedom of speech and the press. Nevertheless, under Jiang Zemin's orders to "strengthen the overseas struggle" against Falun Dafa, his overseas representatives have resorted to the same depraved tactics in Australia and, forced the Chinese news media here to yield to their abuse of power.

On October 23, Wu Ronghua, Consulate General in Melbourne, entertained the heads of local Chinese newspapers and media at the consulate. During the three-hour banquet, Wu warned the Chinese media not to carry Falun Gong articles. He especially pointed out not to include personal attacks against Chinese officials (a not-so-subtle hint to stay away from exposing of Jiang Zemin's atrocious actions during the brutal suppression of Falun Gong in China). Obviously, they want to hide the truth from the masses and prevent overseas Chinese from learning the truth about what is happening in China.

We learned from newspaper offices that the Chinese Consulate has issued an order to Chinese newspapers: for every article about Falun Gong to be published, they must first fax it to the consulate for approval; if the consulate says no, then they cannot carry that article. That is why every newspaper politely refuses to carry articles about Falun Gong. They all indicated that they face constant pressure.

The newspapers' staff members practically choke with silent fury, since they are helpless against the Chinese government's retaliation. Many of them more or less have business contacts with China; in addition, some of their family members are in China.

There is no doubt that by making this rule, the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne has imported the rule of Jiang Zemin to Australia and is trying to turn the local Chinese media into an official state mouthpiece. This action brazenly and wantonly interferes with Australian internal affairs, violates Australian law, and infringes upon the legal rights of Chinese people in Australia.

However, hiding the truth from the masses is only a fond dream. We are using all kinds of means to expose Jiang Zemin's atrocity to the world, one of which is to spread the Fa to Chinese and Westerners right outside the consulate and distribute materials clarifying the truth from there. Moreover, we will expose to the proper authorities the crimes committed by the Chinese Consulate in their attempt to interfere with and control local Chinese media.

Jiang Zemin will never escape trial by history. We hope officers of the Chinese embassies and consulates will respect the general interests of China and its people, and think about their eternal fate as well. Stop helping a tyrant to commit evil, otherwise you will face the retribution of universal Law.

Practitioners in Australia

November 20, 2000