(Minghui.org) The Jigang Group Company is the sixth largest iron and steel manufacturer in China, boasting an admirable history. However, it has suffered continued losses in recent years, and now even struggles for survival.
Jigang experienced a reversal of fortune after its leaders followed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in its persecution of innocent Falun Gong practitioners. The Jigang Group had its employees who practiced Falun Gong taken to prisons, forced labor camps and brainwashing centers. They promoted CCP propaganda that slandered Falun Gong, ultimately deceiving employees and their families. Today, the Jigang Group still harasses practitioners, threatening them with brainwashing sessions.
The following are summaries of major incidents of persecution directly involving the Jigang Group.
77-year-old Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
Mr. Wang Hongzhang, a 77-year-old practitioner and retired engineer with the Jigang Group, was arrested on August 4, 2008, by officers from the Jigang Police Station and Police Department. Following a trial kept secret from the public and his family, Mr. Wang was sentenced to five years in prison. He nearly died due to the terrible torture he endured in Shangdong Provincial Prison.
Torture Reenactment: Drilling Between Closed Fingers with a Toothbrush
Prison authorities ordered inmates to torture Mr. Wang, offering reduced prison terms as a reward. He was forced to kneel on a log and squat for extended periods of time. His face was swollen, his teeth knocked out, and his back badly injured from the beatings. His tormentors used a toothbrush to drill between his closed fingers until the skin was completely torn off, exposing his bones. He was also denied water and restroom use.
He fell into critical condition and was finally sent to the hospital. To avoid responsibility, the prison notified his family to take him home from the hospital. Mr. Wang recovered by resuming his Falun Gong practice, but the prison spread a rumor that he had died at home.
Jigang Engineer Taken to Prison Twice
Jigang Group leaders ordered practitioner and retired engineer Mr. Liu Sitang to attend a CCP study session in November 2005. Liu replied, “I have quit the Communist Party. Why should I go to a CCP study session?” They used his reply as a reason to report him to the authorities. He was arrested at home, then sentenced to a four-year prison term.
Under orders from the Jigang Group, Qingqi Road Police Station officers arrested Mr. Liu at home again in 2009. They confiscated all his valuable property, including 90,000 yuan (nearly $15,000 USD) saved for his son's wedding. The Lixia District Court of Jinan sentenced Mr. Liu to prison for five and a half years. Mr. Liu was in critical condition on several occasions at the Shandong Provincial Prison due to brutal torture. Additionally, his family was not allowed to visit him.
Falun Gong Practitioners Employed by the Jigang Group Taken to Brainwashing Centers and Forced Labor Camps
Mrs. Fan Kuifang was arrested in September 2003 at home, and then taken to a brainwashing center. Although no legal procedures were followed, she was later taken to the First Women's Forced Labor Camp of Shandong Province, where she was held for 18 months.
Mr. Zhang Wei was arrested in 2004 by Jigang Group security staff, then taken to the Wangcun Forced Labor Camp to serve a three-year term.
Two practitioners were arrested in April 2005. A Jigang Group security team broke into practitioner Mr. Wang Xia's home in September 2005, arrested him, and confiscated his property.
Ms. Gu Xiufang, a Jigang Group Middle School teacher, was taken to a brainwashing center in June 2007.
Mr. Zhang Wei was taken to a brainwashing center in October 2007 by Jigang Group leaders and police.
Wang Zishu, a retired Jigang Group Middle School teacher was arrested in March, 2008.
Ms. Li Xiulan was arrested in May 2010, and had her property confiscated. The Jigang Group ordered several practitioners arrested and taken to brainwashing centers between April and May, 2010.
Different branches of the Jigang Group launched another round of persecution in September 2013. They forced practitioners into brainwashing centers and announced a plan to send five at a time.
Inciting Hatred and Encouraging Those Who Had Been Deceived to Assist with Persecution
The Jigang Group slandered Falun Dafa and defamed innocent practitioners with propaganda. Jigang Group employees were deceived and ended up assisting the persecution by monitoring and reporting practitioners to company administrators.
Li Changshun, former general manager with the Jigang Group, incited hatred toward Falun Gong and required Jigang employees to submit all Falun Gong truth clarification materials they found. All departments were ordered to closely monitor their employees who practiced Falun Gong. Jigang employees and their families were told to watch Falun Gong-slandering programs on Jigang closed-circuit TV every evening. Students in Jigang Group schools were required to participate in a writing competition criticizing Falun Gong.
In 2007, Li Changshun made a joint announcement with the town leadership that not a single Falun Gong flyer or brochure was acceptable. They gave monetary rewards to anyone reporting practitioners to the authorities or turning in Falun Gong flyers. Li announced that not a single practitioner would be allowed to remain in the Jigang Group.
Tan Qinghua, vice secretary of the Jigang Group CCP Committee, held a conference in November 2007 with branch Party committee secretaries. He was livid about Falun Gong practitioners overseas and around the nation making phone calls and distributing printed materials explaining the facts about Falun Gong. He ordered close monitoring and prevention of these activities. The residential area committee of the Jigang Group designated personnel to patrol every apartment building entrance regularly. They even targeted baskets on bicycles for inspection. Employees were encouraged to report Falun Gong practitioners' behavior. The tense atmosphere resembled the Cultural Revolution, a political movement launched by Mao in the 1960s.
Between April and June 2012, Baoshan Police Station (former the security department of the Jigang Group) and the Communist Party Committee of the Jigang Group jointly launched a movement called “Families Promise to Fight Cults.” They approached every family and told them to sign a promise to work against Falun Gong. The goal for "promise" signups was set at 90%.
Despite all their efforts to conceal the facts about Falun Gong, the information has actually been spread even further. More and more people, governments, and organizations around the world have openly condemned the CCP for its brutal persecution of Falun Gong. The CCP's days appear to be numbered.
We ask the people in the Jigang Group to stop persecuting Falun Gong, quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations, and make amends for their previous actions.
