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TODAY o October 24, 2000
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China releases local Falun Gong devotees
Saeed Ahmed - Staff
Tuesday, October 24, 2000
An Atlanta engineer and her husband, who spent almost two months under
house arrest in China, returned home Monday determined to publicize the faith
that landed them in trouble with Chinese authorities.
"We are the lucky ones," said Xiaohua Du, a 29-year-old Chinese citizen who
has lived in Atlanta for five years. "But our hearts remain heavy for the
thousands of Falun Gong followers still languishing in labor camps because
they can't get similar help from overseas."
The couple is planning a flurry of media interviews beginning today to
highlight the plight of other detainees in China.
Du and her husband, Shean Lin, were arrested Sept. 8 after Chinese officials
found in their possession materials pertaining to Falun Gong, a meditation
movement banned in China. After 40 days in detention, they were freed when
pressure from the U.S. State Department prompted China to relent. Their return
was delayed to allow time for visa renewal.
While under house arrest, the couple said they had little time to ponder their
future. Lin's father died soon after their arrival. Their attention "switched
from consoling the family in this time of grief to assuring them of our safety,"
said Du. "The fear of the government is so huge in their heart that they found it
hard to believe when we told them we will be OK because we had friends in the
states fighting for our release."
While the couple was in detention, friends and supporters worked tirelessly to
bring their case to public attention.
Becky Yao, a Falun Gong practitioner in Atlanta who was responsible for a
letter-writing campaign, said the couple's release was a result of the efforts
of Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R -Ala.). Lin is a graduate
student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
"If it wasn't for them, I don't think we could have pressured the Chinese
government into changing their mind," said Yao.
Du and Lin said they will now work toward ensuring that other detainees
receive similar support.
"There's a student from North(ern) Ireland who was arrested on a similar
charge as ours and who's still in jail," Du said. "Our release proves that the
Chinese government can be forced to reconsider, and we will have to fight to
make them do so in every case now."
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