Oakville Beaver (Ontario, Canada): Release of Loved Ones Brings Thanks

Friday, March 14

The last time a group of Falun Gong practitioners visited Oakville it was to create awareness about the imprisonment of fellow adherents in China. Thursday's return visit was to offer a big thank-you to all those who helped get five of their loved ones released.

In August 2002, more than a dozen Torontonians set off in cars across Ontario to ask for help to rescue 13 of their family members being tortured in China due to that regime's ban on the spiritual practice of Falun Gong.

In Oakville, their small and dignified event played out quietly, in stark contrast with the enormity of the brutal retribution waged against Falun Gong practitioners in China, where parents, siblings, loved ones and others are routinely locked up, tortured and killed for their beliefs.

Even so, because of the overwhelming support from citizens, media and Canadian elected officials, five people have been released -- including Tianxiong Peng, whose twin sister of Tianying was shown last summer on the Oakville Beaver's front page holding a paper lotus of hope.

Tianxiong, who started practicing Falun Gong in 1995, was taken away from her young baby and was sent to a labour camp. Tianying received the news of her sister's release on New Year's Eve.

While free and reunited with her child, Tianxiong must report weekly to police to explain her activities and though she can practice Falun Gong at home by herself, doing so in groups remains taboo.

On Thursday the Falun Gong practitioners traveled to Oakville to say thanks to the citizens, the mayor, MPs and MPPs for all the past support and ask for continued efforts to free all of their loved ones and to stop the illegal persecution of Falun Gong in China. Every letter sent, phone call made and petition that Oakville residents signed last year has helped bring awareness the situation in China and helped free the five.

For example, last year Parliament unanimously passed MP Scott Reid's private member's bill requesting China release the 13 prisoners. More than 800 proclamations of support have been received from across North America and the world.

"It's amazing," said Charles Yang, whose mother was just released from prison four months early due to international pressure. "Our families are in trouble and the voice from our officials and our fellow citizens helped with their release. Every voice counts, together we can stop this entire persecution."

Falun Gong is a meditation and exercise practice with teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance - everything the Chinese government does not represent. Since its introduction to China in 1992 it is now practiced by millions of adherents in that country and millions more in 50 other nations around the world.

The peaceful discipline was outlawed in 1999 by Chinese president Jiang Zemin who is "fearful of anything touching the hearts and minds of more citizens than the Communist party," say the activists. The result is a concerted policy of imprisonment, torture and murder that has left relatives in Canada and elsewhere agonizing over the fate of their loved ones.

Like Yang, Yanyiang Wand was thrilled with the release from prison of her husband and 27-year old son, two years into their three-year sentence -- thanks, she says, to the Canadian government's pressure. Like Tianxiong, however, they must report to police and are constantly watched.

"They are free from jail but not from dictatorship," she says.

Unfortunately, those like Mississauga's Cecilia Xiong still fear for their loved ones. Xiong hasn't seen her parents in more than five years. In 2000 she heard that police beat her 53-year-old mother blind and deaf. Today, her parents live in exile somewhere in China.

"I don't even know what they look like anymore," she said. "It's a very bad time."

Another activist, Jenny Han, who attended university with a number of other students imprisoned for practicing Falun Gong, was also on hand Thursday.

"Lots of my classmates are in jail," she said. "We don't know where they are. It's so dangerous for their lives."

Xiong remains hopeful, however, that with continuous pressure more of the 100,000 imprisoned Falun Gong adherents will be freed. One tool will be the petitions that will be forwarded to the Canadian government in time for this March's United Nation Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

"It can no longer last," said Xiong. "The persecution is going to end, depending on how quickly the world responds."

For more information please visit www.faluninfo.net.