News and Events from around the World -- September 18, 2005

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content


  • Hu Jintao Leaves New York, Arrives in Vancouver; Practitioners Continue Calling for an End to the Persecution

  • Falun Dafa Association of South Africa Established

  • Japan: Promoting Falun Dafa at the 74th Seto City Pottery Festival

  • Germany: Practitioners Invited to Participate in Sachsen Day Festivities

  • France: People in the City of Nancy Tell Practitioners, "Keep Going And Persevere!"

  • Taiwan: "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance International Art Show" Moves Students and Teachers




  • Hu Jintao Leaves New York, Arrives in Vancouver; Practitioners Continue Calling for an End to the Persecution

    On the afternoon of September 16, 2005, Hu Jintao, head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), arrived in Vancouver, Canada, his last stop on his North America trip. Falun Gong practitioners appealed around the Westin Hotel where Hu stayed, to call on him to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. The practitioners held banners worded, "Bring to Justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yingkang", "Bring to Justice the Ruthless Police and Others Who Persecute Falun Gong."

    Practitioners appeal around the Westin Hotel where Hu Jintao was staying

    Hu Jintao's Motorcade Passed by the Practitioners Holding Banners

    To welcome Hu, the CCP hired many Chinese students and tried to have Hu avoid seeing the Falun Gong practitioners' banners. However, practitioners holding banners stood around the hotel. A little past 3 p.m., Hu's motorcade entered the hotel via the rear entrance to avoid seeing practitioners near the front entrance. Some practitioners waited near the rear entrance and displayed their banners to Hu's motorcade.

    Passers-by Support Falun Gong and Oppose the Persecution

    A passer-by saw the practitioners' appealing and came forward to help by holding a poster on the sidewalk. He said to the correspondent that he agreed with Falun Gong's principles of "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance." He said, "I think the persecution in China is wrong. It is damaging the world. I oppose persecution and repression. When I see anything unjust, I will stand up."

    Some passers-by told practitioners, "You will win. You will win. The CCP is the source of terrorism across the world."

    Pro-CCP Persons Attempted to Create Conflict and Tore the Practitioners' Banners


    Banner worded, "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong" torn by pro-CCP persons

    In front of the hotel where Hu stayed, some pro-CCP persons tore practitioners' banners.

    Practitioner Ms. Fei said, "Everyone can express his views. But these pro-CCP persons saw that I held a banner worded 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong' and grabbed it. Later they tore the banner. They lost control and appeared irrational. I said, 'You express your view, I express my view. We are in Canada. Everyone has freedom of expression.' They did not listen but just grabbed my banner."

    A Canadian said, "This is Canada. Everyone has Freedom of Expression."

    A Canadian gentleman, who safeguarded justice for the practitioners said, "I think the lady has her right to express her view. Those pro-CCP persons holding red flags stabbed her with the flags and tore the lady's banner." The Canadian gentleman said, "This is Canada. One cannot be attacked for expressing his view."

    Practitioner Frank from Vancouver commented on the incident, "A practitioner held a banner worded 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong.' Many Chinese people holding red flags blocked the view of the banner with the flags and hit her with the flags. Some dragged her. A Canadian passer-by saw the incident and came forward to safeguard the banner and the lady because she was being attacked. Many pro-CCP persons grabbed banners, tore them up and threw them on ground. They even abused the practitioners. The Canadian person spoke up in support of Falun Gong. I said to the pro-CCP persons, 'What you have done today can only damage China's image.'"

    Police Officer in Charge: "Pro-CCP persons attempt to create conflict and frame Falun Gong."

    A police officer in charge of the Vancouver police said that he saw the whole incident and knew who was at fault. It was those pro-CCP persons attempting to create an incident and frame Falun Gong. He hoped that practitioners would not become involved.

    Falun Gong spokesperson: "We hope that Hu will awaken in time and stop the persecution."

    Falun Gong spokesperson Ying Li said, "Today we come to mainly call on Hu Jintao to bring to justice those principal perpetrators of the persecution - Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing and Zhou Yongkang. We also want him to bring to justice the ruthless police and others who persecute Falun Gong. The third thing that we want to say to Hu Jintao is this: 'The time that Heaven and the people are giving to you is limited.' The persecution was initiated by Jiang Zemin, but it is still ongoing."

    Ying Li said, "We hope Hu Jintao will awake in time to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Therefore, we would like to have him hear and see our message through the means of our banners and our peaceful appeal. Tomorrow we will continue our peaceful protest."

    Hu Jintao in New York: Practitioners Get Their Message to Hu at Close Proximity on Several Occasions

    Minghui/Clearwisdom correspondent Cai Ju reported from New York that from September 13, when Hu arrived in New York, to September 16, when he left New York, practitioners were able to get their message across to Hu at close proximity on several occasions.

    Hu's Arrival at the Hotel


    Practitioners appealing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel

    On the day of his arrival at New York, Hu's motorcade entered the hotel via the north entrance to avoid seeing practitioners appealing on Park Avenue, even though there was a Chinese welcome group hired to show up there. Before entering, some people accompanying the visitors from Mainland China were arranged to wave Chinese flags to welcome Hu. Several practitioners were on site as well and spoke loudly toward the motorcade, "Falun Dafa is Great!" "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited" and "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong."

    Exiting and Entering the Hotel

    At 8:30 a.m. on September 14, Hu Jintao left the hotel for the United Nations. His motorcade came across practitioners. Mr. Wang, a practitioner on site at the time, said, "A practitioner first held up a banner worded, 'Hu Jintao, the Time that Heaven and the People Give to You is Limited.' Then two other banners beside this one were also raised. Almost at the same time, Hu's motorcade drove by these banners. The loud voice of 'Falun Dafa is great' was heard everywhere. The scene took place within one or two minutes, just like it was pre-arranged."


    Grand parade held on the evening of September 14 in midtown Manhattan

    In the evening, practitioners came across Hu's motorcade returning to the hotel as they walked back to Park Avenue from the UN Square on Third Avenue, at the end of the grand parade. The practitioners spoke loudly towards the motorcade, "Falun Dafa is great!" "'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited," and, "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong."

    On the morning of September 15, Hu Jintao walked out of the hotel towards his car with two security guards on both sides. At that moment, a practitioner named Lisa walked near the rear entrance of the hotel with a banner worded, "Falun Dafa is great" in hand. She told the correspondent, "When I looked up, I saw a man looking so familiar. Then I realized he was Hu Jintao. Immediately I looked him in the eye and said loudly, 'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited.' Practitioners nearby came forward right away. We spoke loudly again and again, saying, 'Falun Dafa is great!' 'Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and people give to you is limited,' and 'Stop the persecution of Falun Gong,' until his motorcade left. The window of his car was open then."

    In the afternoon, Hu's motorcade came across more practitioners standing at an intersection.

    Leaving New York


    Practitioners appealing in front of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel around the clock

    At a little past 9 a.m., a dozen cars of the Chinese delegates' motorcade came out of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Someone said that Hu Jintao left with the motorcade, but Falun Gong practitioners appealing in New York during the last few days did not leave. At 10:40 a.m., some practitioners saw Hu Jintao shake hands with some Chinese people and then get into his car. The motorcade left in a moment. The practitioners informed others in front of the hotel. When the motorcade drove by the front of the hotel, practitioners hurried there from all directions. Dozens of practitioners holding banners stood on the sidewalk beside Hu's motorcade. They spoke loudly, "Falun Dafa is great," "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited," and "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong." Then the front windows of the car slowly closed.

    It was thought that the motorcade would go by 49th Street to 50th Street to avoid seeing practitioners. Some practitioners swiftly went to the 50th Street intersection from 48th Street and held large banners. They called out loudly again, "Falun Dafa is great!" "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong!" "Bring to justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang,," "Bring to justice the ruthless police and others who persecute Falun Gong," and, "Hu Jintao, the time that Heaven and the people give to you is limited." Some practitioners held banners on Park Avenue to wait for the motorcade.

    The motorcade stayed about 5 minutes in front of the hotel and left amidst the loud voices of the practitioners.

    Meeting Hu at the Airport


    Practitioners' banners along the road to the airport

    Practitioners had waited since morning near the entrance to the airport from the highway. They stood near the bus station and held dozens of large banners worded, "Falun Dafa is Great," "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong," "Bring to Justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, and Zhou Yongkang," "Bring to Justice the Ruthless Police and Others Who Persecute Falun Gong," and "Hu Jintao, the Time That Heaven and the People Give to You Is Limited."

    A little past 11 a.m., Hu's motorcade arrived and passed by the practitioners' banners and loud appeals. The banners were only a few steps away from the motorcade.

    The organizers of the activity said, "Falun Gong practitioners' tireless efforts intended to have Hu Jintao know the facts of Falun Gong, to help him make a wise choice, stop the persecution and choose a bright future for himself and the Chinese people."


    Falun Dafa Association of South Africa Established

    In August 2005, the South African Falun Dafa Association was formally established after approved by the South African Government.

    Falun Gong practitioners set up practice sites in some large cities in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.


    A practice site in Durban

    South Africa is a country of diverse races and cultures. Many people do not yet know Falun Dafa. Because of practitioners continuously spreading Dafa and their diligent truth-clarification, more and more people have come to know Falun Gong and have started to learn the practice. They are attracted by the great benefits of this ancient practice from China.


    Japan: Promoting Falun Dafa at the 74th Seto City Pottery Festival

    On September 10-11, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioners from Aichi County participated in the 74th Pottery Festival in Seto City. During the festival, practitioners held an exhibit to clarify the truth and promote Dafa to visitors.


    A view of Seto City during the Pottery Festival

    A banner in Japanese: The pride of China, Falun Gong-Qigong, Free Instruction

    Seto is located to the northeast of Nagoya City, the capital of Aichi County. It has a population about 130,000 and is the most famous pottery manufacturing city, with a 1,300-year history of making pottery. In the Japanese language, pottery is called "Setomoto." Seto City has a sister city in China, Jingdezhen City, in Jiangxi Province. It was said that the pottery technique was introduced from China to Korea and then from Korea to Japan. The small hills surrounding the city have clay that is suitable for making pottery.

    Seto has two pottery festivals annually, one in spring and one in autumn. The festivals are the largest in the country. It was reported that over 390,000 people visited this pottery festival.

    The Falun Gong exhibition was on the market street. At the entrance of the exhibition, a banner in Japanese language stated "The pride of China, Falun Gong-Qigong, Free Instruction."

    The practitioners hung a "Falun Dafa" banner and displayed Dafa books in Japanese, Chinese and English, exercise teaching videotapes, and truth-clarification materials. A TV played Master's exercise instruction program, and practitioners gave a free instruction class nearby.

    Some visitors bought the book or video tapes and asked where they could learn the exercises. They said that they had looked at the Falun Dafa website and knew that it was not as propagandized by the Chinese Communist Party. Some immediately wanted to learn the exercises at the exhibition site.


    Falun Dafa Exhibit

    Introducing Dafa books to a visitor

    When a practitioner was buying pottery in the market, he met the mayor of Seto City and some local officials. He greeted the mayor and told him that Falun Gong practitioners volunteered at the festival. He gave a truth-clarification flyer and a pretty bookmark to the mayor and the mayor happily accepted it.

    During the two days of the festival, many people heard about Dafa and learned the truth. We believe these planted seeds will soon sprout, flower and produce fruit.


    Germany: Practitioners Invited to Participate in Sachsen Day Festivities

    On September 3 and 4, 2005, the annual Sachsen Day Festivities were held in Weisswasser. Invited by the sponsor, Falun Gong practitioners from across Germany came to take part in the event. They made use of this opportunity to clarify the facts about Falun Gong so as to let more people learn about the practice and the persecution in China.


    Exercise demonstration

    Practitioners demonstrate the exercises on the beautifully decorated float

    Falun Gong practitioners in the parade

    On the first Sunday of September every year, Sachsen Day is celebrated in different cities in a grand manner. The number of participants may be as many as several thousand people. Participants included more than a hundred associations and groups, and major media outlets from various places in Germany also attended. This year's sponsoring city was Weisswasser, near the border between Germany and Poland. Besides the Falun Gong practitioners who were invited, there were also over 400 artists from Poland who came to participate.

    On the performance stage on September 3, the Falun Gong practitioners gave dance and waist drum performances and also introduced and demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. While distributing leaflets during the intermission, practitioners met and had a short conversation with the local city Mayor and the Minister for the Sachsen area.


    Falun Gong practitioners perform elegant traditional Chinese dances


    Falun Gong practitioners perform elegant traditional Chinese dances

    At our information stand, people were surprised to hear about the cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Others paused to watch Falun Gong practitioners performing the fifth Falun Gong exercise, a peaceful meditation. A great number of people expressed an interest to learn Falun Gong, and some signed their names on the petition form calling for the immediate release of Jiang Renzheng, a practitioner who was deported to China from Germany and is currently in a labor camp in China.

    On September 4, about three hundred vehicles and nearly six thousand people participated in the grand parade. The Falun Gong practitioners' beautifully decorated vehicle, the vigorous waist-drummers, beautiful dancing and the dignified and joyous large flags attracted the viewers' enthusiastic applause as they asked for Falun Gong informational materials.


    Traditional waist drum performance

    People pause in front of the Dafa information stand to learn the facts

    While practitioners are doing the exercise, a group of young children follow along with them to learn the exercise

    It was very noisy while waiting for the start of parade, and the practitioners began practicing the first four sets of exercises. Visitors - adults and children alike - were immediately attracted and followed along with the practitioners in doing the exercises.


    France: People in the City of Nancy Tell Practitioners, "Keep Going And Persevere!"

    Located in the central area of the province of Lorraine and covering a vast expanse with a population of 350,000, the city of Nancy is a financial and administrative center in a beautiful scenic area. On September 8 and 9, 2005, practitioners from Switzerland and France went there to hold two days of activities to promote Falun Gong and to tell people about the human rights abuses against the practice in China.


    Listening to explanations of the facts about Falun Gong

    Explaining the facts about Falun Gong to passers-by

    Throughout the activities, many passers-by stopped to view the poster display boards. Upon hearing that such a cruel persecution is still taking place in the 21st century, they were astonished and talked to practitioners one after another, wanting to know more of the facts. Practitioners patiently answered their queries and told them that Falun Gong is a qigong practice of the Buddha School and that since it was made public in 1992, many practitioners have gained tremendous benefits both physically and spiritually. Falun Gong practitioners are from all walks of life in society.

    Because the number of practitioners outnumbered the membership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the former head of the CCP, out of jealousy, initiated this inhuman persecution against the practitioners in 1999. To date, nearly three thousand Falun Gong practitioners have had their lives taken in this persecution. However, this persecution against the belief of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" has aroused grave concerns among people worldwide. More and more people have come to learn the magnificence of Falun Gong and more and more people have participated in this cultivation practice. In fact, Falun Gong is practiced by people in more than seventy countries around the world.

    After hearing the facts, many passers-by came forward to encourage practitioners with phrases such as, "Keep going and persevere!" Some took home leaflets and Video-CDs, saying that they would take a closer look at them later, while others specifically asked for more copies of the petition forms in order to distribute them to people they know.

    A woman who has been to China three times said that China's splendid scenery has left wonderful memories in her heart. However, she didn't know that this horrendous persecution is taking place there at present. After having a long talk with practitioners, she signed the petition.

    A councilor of a standing committee in Lorraine Province happened to pass by and spotted the activities. After viewing the truth-clarification display boards, he was moved so deeply that he left his business card and asked practitioners to directly send him more information about the persecution.

    An elderly Chinese man stated that he had understood the facts about the Chinese regime's persecution and campaign of slander against Falun Gong. He angrily asked, "Why hasn't such a brutal persecution ended yet?" He suggested that practitioners display truth-clarification poster boards in the universities as there are a lot of students from China and they really need to know more about the facts of the persecution. Otherwise, they will be deceived by lies fabricated by the Chinese Communist regime. Before leaving, he picked up many copies of leaflets in Chinese, saying that he would give them to the students he knew.


    Taiwan: "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance International Art Show" Moves Students and Teachers

    The "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance International Art Show" came to Jianguo National High School in Beigang Township, Taiwan from September 6 to September 10, 2005. After the visitors learned the stories behind the paintings, their hearts were moved.


    A guide explains the stories behind the paintings to visitors

    The "International Art Show" is composed of artwork by 15 artists from different countries who are all Falun Gong practitioners. The artists used their brushes to display the beautiful and high spiritual level one attains after cultivation practice and the truth about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) persecution of Falun Gong. The show has traveled to Washington, DC, Manhattan, New York City, San Francisco, Canada, Korea, Indonesia and has been exhibited in over twenty large cities. This time, it came to Beigang Township of Yunlin County, Taiwan.

    The principal of Jianguo High School, Mr. Lu Fusen, gave the show a lot of support. In order for more parents to have an opportunity to visit the art show, he rescheduled the new students' parents meeting to a day during the exhibition.

    The organizer said that the purpose of the exhibition was to have more people understand the persecution of Falun Gong in Mainland China. The Falun Gong practitioners are brutally persecuted, but from the paintings it is clear that the practitioners have no anger or resentment. All you can find are practitioner's peacefulness, compassion, persistence and rationally in calling for world support to end the persecution.

    The director of Beigang Township visited the exhibition. He carefully looked at each painting and listened to the introductions.


    A guide tells the story behind a painting

    Students learn how to make paper lotus flowers

    After visiting the art show, Mr. Cai Ziming, a reporter from the News Network, said that the exhibition could help more people understand how the CCP persecutes Falun Gong. He said he would tell his friends to recognize the true nature of the Communist Party.

    An English teacher said that it was hard to understand a political party that could persecute its own people like this, especially a group of people who believe in "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance."

    Students felt that the artworks about tortures were too bloody and violent to look at it. The guides told them the stories behind each painting. Through the pictures, the students recognized the evil nature of the persecution.