Over 100 million people in China and more thousands around the world were drawn to Falun Gong for its peaceful yet powerful exercises and its virtuous teachings, which expound on daily living, humankind, and spirituality in relation to our modern times. It teaches that by assimilating to the universe's nature of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance, one may transcend the suffering of human living and attain enlightenment.

Practitioners are found in public parks, community centres, libraries, and people's homes practicing tai chi-like exercises, reading, and discussing how to use every lucid moment to cultivate in themselves the qualities of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. We were not prepared for a dictator to attack us using all the resources of the world's last communist superpower.

The former Chairman of China officially began this campaign to eradicate Falun Gong in July 1999. Prior to that, he had formed a control office on June 10, 1999 -- called the "6.10 Office," named for its date of creation -- for the purpose of carrying out this campaign. This Gestapo-like faction carries authority over all levels of the society, from federal to municipal; be it the military or elementary schools, all institutions were under its command.

Through manipulating China's social structure, the social conscience of the nation was manipulated to hate and help annihilate Falun Gong and its practitioners. Internationally, the former Chairman used his diplomatic position and the Chinese embassies and consulates around the world to breed hate and turn other countries against us.

While a nationwide campaign was torturing, extorting, expelling, drugging, and killing millions of China's own people to oppress a peaceful spiritual practice, the entire world was receiving systematic and continuous justification for these crimes against humanity.

Near the beginning of the persecution, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, wrote in his teachings to his students:

We are not against the government now, nor will we be in the future. Other people may treat us badly, but we do not treat others badly, nor do we treat people as enemies.

In the face of trials, one's true nature is revealed

We see ourselves facing an unprecedented trial and how we face it bears great significance on our future.

We have endured all brutalities -- be they physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual -- yet we have not done so in vain, for as we continue to live our teachings these virtues of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance have an ever-greater presence in our world. This is good for all people.

We also believe quite absolutely that good deeds are met with rewards and wrong deeds will be met with future retribution. We believe that those who take part in this international persecution of a virtuous teaching and its practitioners are seriously and significantly harming their futures. We do not only want to end this persecution. We want to help those who are deceived and pressured into not opposing the persecution -- or worse, taking part in it -- to be clear on the facts of this horrendous crime so they may act in accordance with their conscience.

In Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Dafa, our teacher writes, "You should always carry compassion and kindness towards others, and think of others before doing anything."

That is why our efforts are not only aimed at helping Falun Gong practitioners. We use our energy and resources, and in China practitioners continually risk their lives, to educate the 1.4 billion Chinese people about the true qualities of Falun Gong and the evil nature of the persecution.

This is not only an attack on our human rights, but an attack on the goodness and justice of humankind. Be it the persecution of Christians, the early followers of Buddhism, or the attack against the Jewish people, any attack on people with upright faith is as a terrible calamity and endangers the future of humankind.

That is why when an oppressive dictator goes this far in terrorizing his own people and people around the world, harming so many lives, we feel that using the law to stop him is the most benevolent action for the good of all people.

In short, we will continue to let the truth be known, for the good of all people, and will forbear any hardships with unending endurance.

Wishing all a wonderful future.

Falun Gong practitioners.