After consulting a representative with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in China, a volunteer for the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC) reported to the Research Directorate that his contact in China did not believe that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs was mandated to confiscate Falun Gong materials and that another ministry was responsible for that task (5 Dec. 2003). The FDIC volunteer added that

we do know that all government agencies, as well as schools and corporations, are mandated to monitor Falun Gong practitioners. Typically they are required to force Falun Gong practitioners [to] sign a statement that says they will not practice anymore. If the practitioner does not sign, then the agency must turn them into the local police or face heavy fines.However, the majority of the confiscation of books and Falun Gong materials is done through each police station's "610 office". The "610 Office" is a bureau specifically created by the Chinese government to persecute Falun Gong, with absolute power over each level of administration in the Party, as well all other political and judiciary systems (FDIC 2 Dec. 2003).

Similarly, a representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada (FDAC) stated that

any government bodies, companies, communities, schools, universities, etc., can, by cooperating with police, carry out the task of monitoring Falun Gong practitioners [and] confiscate Falun Gong books, video[s], etc. (FDAC 1 Dec. 2003).

The FDAC representative also cited the United States' Concurrent Resolution 188, passed by the House of Representatives on 24 July 2002, which states:

Whereas Jiang Zemin's regime has created notorious government '610' offices throughout the People's Republic of China with the special task of overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder;

...

Whereas the campaign of persecution has been generated by the Government of the People's Republic of China, is carried out by government officials and police at all levels, and has permeated every segment of society and every level of government in the People's Republic of China (United States 24 July 2002).

The complete Concurrent Resolution 188 is available on the Website of the Department of State at: http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ea/uschina/falun188.htm.

Moreover, a document exploring Jiang Zemin's actions against the Falun Gong in China reports that the leader made the following statement at a 10 June 1999 Politburo [high ranking government officials] meeting: "'the Central Committee and government units in all ministries and commissions, and all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government need to act in close coordination with the '610 Office'" to address the Falun Gong "issue" (FDIC n.d., Sec. 3).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Falun Dafa Association of Canada, Ottawa (FDAC). 1 December 2003. Correspondence sent by a representative.

Falun Dafa Information Center, New York (FDIC). 5 December 2003. Correspondence sent by a volunteer.

_____. 2 December 2003. Correspondence sent by a volunteer.

_____. n.d. "Jiang Zemin's Personal Crusade: Why the Chinese Communist Party Leader Moved Against Falun Gong and How His Anti-Falun ong Campaign Has Come to Dominate His Agenda." http://www.faluninfo.net/specialreports/jiangspersonalcrusade/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2003]

United States. 24 July 2002. Department of State. "House Measure Calls on China to Stop Persecuting Falun Gong." http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ea/uschina/falun188.htm [Accessed 10 Dec. 2003]