 Falun Gong practitioners unfurl banners in front of Canberra High Court |
 A supporter appeals: "Mr. Downer, stop supporting the Chinese Communist regime!" |
News and Activities from Around the World -- September 16, 2005
Issued by Clearwisdom Net
The Third Directions Hearing was held on September 13, 2005 at Canberra High Court regarding Australian Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuit against Foreign Minister Downer for abusing his power. Lawyers for both parties agreed to hold the next hearing on November 14. Australian Senator and Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation Kate Lundy sent a letter to support the Falun Gong practitioners' legal action.
Falun Gong practitioners unfurl banners in front of Canberra High Court |
A supporter appeals: "Mr. Downer, stop supporting the Chinese Communist regime!" |
In her letter, the Senator for the Australian Capital Territory and Labor Party said, "As I know, Falun Gong practitioners' human rights appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy has been peaceful. I've learned that Foreign Minister Downer signed a document every month since 2002 to restrain (Falun Gong practitioners from using) banners and music and parking vehicles bearing words like Falun Gong near the Chinese Embassy, with the excuse that the presence of Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese Embassy would affect the 'dignity' of the embassy." "I think this (Downer's action) does not conform to basic values of freedom of speech and freedom of protest in Australia." "I support Australian citizens' actions of challenging these documents (issued by Downer) to safeguard Australian basic values. I wish your efforts achieve success."
Spokesperson for Falun Gong Kay Rubacek stated that those who have been persisting in holding peaceful appeals in front of the CCP's embassy in Canberra all year long are mainly elderly Falun Gong practitioners.
 Wang Shuru (60 years old): "We uphold justice. We hope the court can make a righteous verdict." |
 Li Fuying (77 years old): "My daughter has been imprisoned in China for three years. No matter how difficult, I persist in here every day, telling them not to persecute Falun Gong." |
 Zhao Junzhen (72): "I have been here in front of the embassy for four years. I can overcome difficulties in my daily life." |
Chang Suwen who is 71 years old said, "I sit here every day, I don't feel a bit tired, and I'm very happy. It is very difficult in China. My daughter-in-law was sentenced to two years in prison for distributing Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials, and is being detained in Tiantanghe Prison in Beijing. I was once detained in a prison in Lugou Bridge in Beijing for 27 days. I suffered a lot during the detention. The guards forced us to squat and lie on the ground. The situation is very harsh in China, I feel relaxed here."
Wang Shuru who is 60 years old said that she had been repeatedly subjected to persecution in China, such as being sent to forced labor camps, living a homeless life and being forced to endure brainwashing. She has been peacefully appealing in front of embassy for over three years. She wanted to tell Chinese tourists: the CCP's propaganda and the persecution of Falun Gong are based on lies, and are intended to incite hatred against Falun Gong. She hoped tourists from Mainland China learn about the truth and will treat Falun Gong practitioners with kindness after returning to China.
Zhang Fuying who is 77 years old said, "I have been here three to four years. My daughter has been detained in China for over three years. No matter how difficult the situation is, I keep coming here. Eight hours a day. I bring lunch with me and eat outside. I want to tell them not to persecute Falun Gong. Falun Gong is great."
Prior to Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States, the human rights situation in China became the center of world focus again. At 7:30 p.m. on September 10, the non-profit organization, "Global Mission to Rescue Persecuted Falun Gong Practitioners" hosted a benefit concert at Eisemann Center in the City of Richardson, Texas (near Dallas), calling for help to rescue orphans of persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Mrs. Wu, a representative of "Global Rescue," said that the purpose of the concert was to help more people know about the desperate situation of the orphans, and to raise funds to rescue these children to the free world. They plan to help those orphans who don't have a reliable living situation in China to come to the United States and give them a secure home life and help them receive a regular education.
Duet of Guan Guimin and Zou Xiaoqun
Many well known Chinese and Western artists performed at the concert. The performances included dance, solo singing, duet singing, a cello solo, and an orchestra. Before the intermission, a short video program produced by FGM TV about rescuing Falun Gong orphans was shown. The video program helped the audience see the pain that the Falun Gong practitioners' children have experienced during the six-year-long persecution.
The audience was very moved and many people were in tears when they saw how the children are suffering. After the concert, many people made donations to support the rescue effort.
Dance: "Calling for Conscience," "Give Children a
Dream," and "Childhood"
The concert also showed the audience another aspect of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A student from the University of Texas at Dallas, Mr. Cale Dingman, told reporters that the performances were very good and moving. Through the concert, he learned that good people are suffering in China and saw the evil nature of the Communist Party.
The concert was prepared in a short time. Many practitioners provided their support by going to local Chinese groceries and shopping centers to clarify the truth and raise awareness about the benefit concert.
A Chinese man told a practitioner at the concert that his friend visited China recently and said that China was now very good and urged him to visit China too. He said he knows that China is beautiful, but he knows that that is not because of the Communist Party. He said he knew what the CCP was. It looks fine on the surface but carries out a lot of persecution under the table and stirred up hatred toward Falun Gong. Another elderly gentleman said that many people know of the CCP's lies.
A bank clerk was very sympathetic and supportive of Falun Gong. She bought ten tickets to give to her friends and relatives.
A westerner watched the concert and asked for truth-clarification materials from a practitioner and said he would mail them to a relative in California. Another westerner told a practitioner that he had been in China for two months and saw how the Chinese police arrested people. He absolutely believed that the persecution of Falun Gong is indeed taking place but he still doesn't understand why the Communist Party wants to persecute Falun Gong but not other exercises such as Tai Qi. A practitioner told him that Falun Gong is not just for improving health but also has a guiding belief in "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance." However, the Communist Party doesn't allow people to have any beliefs other than in the CCP. The man then understood.
Some people received the flyer about the concert but weren't able to attend, so they donated some money to support the rescue project. Others were interested in Falun Gong and began to learn the exercises at a practice site nearby.
A middle-aged woman said she did research about AIDS in Southeast Asia and had visited Thailand and Yuanan Dali in China. She discovered that trust between people is hard to find in big cities, no matter whether it's in China or America. She lamented the fact that society was deteriorating.
This woman said she tried to talk about the "June 4 Tiananmen Massacre" to her young guide in China but the reaction from the guide made her realize how much the Communist Party has tried to cover up their history. When a practitioner introduced the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China, she said she believed that the CCP's persecution was very cruel and that the party had covered up the truth. She asked a practitioner what she could do when she goes to China again. The practitioner told her to consider her own safety first, but that she can let the Chinese people around her know about what she has learned about Falun Gong. When she was leaving, the woman said that if everyone practiced Falun Gong, the world would become better.
On September 10, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from Belgium and Holland held a live anti-torture exhibit in Antwerp to expose six long years of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against Falun Gong practitioners, a persecution that was launched by the former CCP leader Jiang Zemin.
Anti-torture exhibitions consist of practitioners acting out some of the brutal methods of torture used against their fellow practitioners in China. In an attempt to follow Jiang Zemin's orders to "eradicate Falun Gong," the Chinese Communist Party goes to great lengths to force Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their beliefs.
Large numbers of people stopped to watch the anti-torture exhibition and peaceful exercise demonstration. People had the chance to take leaflets to find out more and sign a petition calling for an end to the persecution and rescue from China those children who have been orphaned as a result of the persecution.
Beside leaflets, the Dutch translation of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was available. Many copies were distributed at the exhibition. This document was published by The Epoch Times newspaper and is the most detailed and precise exposition of the CCP's dark history that has ever been published. This paper explains the rise of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its slaughter of millions of citizens. The Nine Commentaries also reveals the current murders of people who practice Falun Gong in China.
Many people were shocked upon learning the facts about the persecution. Practitioners explained the situation carefully to help people understand the evil persecution of innocent practitioners.
