Open Letter from Austrian Falun Dafa Association to the Ambassador of PRC in Austria

From the

Austrian Falun Dafa Association

To the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Austria

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Vienna, 18th February 2002

Dear Mister Ambassador,

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We have become aware of your plans to hold an exhibition about Falun Gong in your Embassy.

We have already often had to deal with the methods the Chinese authorities use in order to "clear up" this subject. Past experiences have shown that in China the methods range from degrading treatment or torture to killings.

Since the ban on the peaceful and non-violent Falun Gong movement, whose principles are "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance," over 360 human beings have died already as a result of torture.

In order to justify such acts, effective means of propaganda are surely needed. As such, there is, for example, a staged self-immolation incident that the Chinese government uses to fool its people and to instigate hatred against the innocent Falun Gong practitioners. As reports about slanderous exhibitions in London or Ottawa prove, this practice is also being continued in countries outside China.

Please allow us to invite you to have a talk with us about this matter and to get to know our point of view, because we are thoroughly convinced that the truth will exist forever and lies, deception and distortions will sooner or later be exposed and revealed.

For us, the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" are the most important guidance for all of our actions. Therefore we appeal to your conscience that you don't cooperate in a persecution campaign against people who only intend to make the world a little friendlier, a little more merciful and a little more worth living; people whom you can only blame for holding on to their unshakeable belief in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance; people who don't have any political intentions; people who are, through their unselfish way of living, a far-reaching enrichment for the positive functioning of the society; people who disapprove violence and who favour peace and a peaceful coexistence of different views; people who are only demanding the right to continue a practice that impedes nobody; people who practice Falun Gong.

We understand that you have to meet high requirements to do your duty as a representative of a large and esteemed nation, and we understand the importance of your actions in your relations with other countries. And that is precisely why we hope that you don't shut yourself off from the truth. We put our trust in you that in Austria there will not be any exhibition or event where Austrian citizens will be agitated against a group that is recognised in Austria. Otherwise we reserve the right to put a legal representative in charge of our behalf.

Sincerely,

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Martin Schrott

Chairman of the Austrian Falun Dafa Association