(Clearwisdom.net June 6, 2003)

On May 13th 2003, Falun Gong practitioners staged an appeal in Hanover to protest against human rights abuses in China. The following is an excerpt from the speech given by Mr. Peter Mueller:

I am Peter Mueller, a member of the International Human Right Association (IGFM). I am here to assure Falun Gong practitioners who are staging an appeal that I will always support your fellow practitioners who are being persecuted in China, their native country. This China is being ruled by an inhumane, selfish and ruthless dictator but is unfortunately called, "the People's Republic of China." However, today's China is no longer a republic ruled by the people, but a dictatorship in which the dictator withholds citizens' civil rights, democratic rights and political rights. The citizens who are supposed to enjoy these rights are often cruelly punished, tortured and even killed relentlessly. These citizens are supposed to enjoy the right to life, personal freedom and safety, freedom of speech, and the freedom of peaceful assembly and association. These are only a few of the rights stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When the People's Republic of China joined the United Nations, it accepted all of these unconditionally, and pledged to implement them in its own country - China.

It is every U.N. member's responsibility to guarantee these rights. However, none of these rights are guaranteed in China. In this regard, no one knows this better than the Falun Gong practitioners in China. Falun Gong practitioners are being persecuted and tortured to disability or death in China. Their family members and friends are even oppressed by the dictator and his accomplices, and this is absolutely unacceptable - I mean it is absolutely unacceptable regardless of which standard, including the country's moral standard, is used. This is absolutely unfair and shameful. It is a shame on China, and also a disgrace to human beings.

Unfortunately, nobody dares to say "no" to China apart from a few non-governmental organizations. Even so, China still tries its best to stop them from speaking out.

When I first contacted Falun Gong practitioners, I felt that a kind of intrinsic forbearance, strength and self-confidence permeated from each of them. They are not affected by political propaganda or persecution at all. That is a kind of strength, which will never be overpowered by the dictator and the Communist Party, even though the Party has made an all-out effort to interfere with everything belonging to its citizens, including their personal lives. It needs to rule in this way: otherwise it cannot survive.

Jiang Zemin has also perceived this kind of strength, and he is afraid of this more than anyone else. As a result, he started to suppress Falun Gong. He even personally ordered the establishment of a "610 Office", aimed at persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. His well-known directive was that killing Falun Gong practitioners would not be counted as murder.

Unfortunately, a head of state who gave this order was warmly received by the German Federal government in this modern world.

Although Falun Gong is a personal cultivation practice and has nothing to do with politics, this dictator still regards it as a threat to his power. To me, to the International Human Rights Association and to the free world, it is not so, because we think Falun Gong is not only a [symbol of] hope, but also a symbol of conscience.

Falun Gong is much [stronger] than the forces of any suppression or totalitarian government. Please rest assured that Falun Gong practitioners will make it through this persecution successfully. That day is not very far away, and the International Human Rights Association will always stand beside you.

http://clearharmony.net/articles/200306/12921.html