UK: China's People's Liberation Army Participation in Edinburgh Military Tattoo Criticized Due to Wrongdoings of PLA Chief Jiang Zemin

(Clearwisdom.net) Minghui correspondent Zeng Wenyuan compiled the following -- Jiang Zemin abuses his power and fabricates disasters to defame Falun Gong and persecute kind and innocent Falun Gong practitioners. For these crimes, he is being sued in a number of countries. Formerly also China's president and Party Chief, Jiang is now the head of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The upcoming Edinburgh Military Tattoo invited the PLA to perform at this year's Tattoo, and has found itself in the center of a controversy as a result.

According to a report from The Scotsman¹ on June 2, ITS website promises that the 55th Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be the most spectacular ever - a 1,000-strong line-up from five continents. But, just two months from its official opening on the 6 August, the Tattoo's organiser, Brigadier Melville Jameson, has found himself at the centre of a growing political storm, facing the threat of a long summer of anti-Tattoo demonstrations.

The report said that the Edinburgh debut of the military band of the People's Liberation Army of China, has caused outrage among politicians and human rights groups. The report said that among those opposed to the PLA's visit are Scottish practitioners of Falun Gong, which was banned in 1999 by the former head of state, Jiang Zemin, now the head of the PLA.

The report explained that practitioners of Falun Gong have been persecuted in China, resulting in a reported 1,600 deaths, while many Europeans who practice have found their names on blacklist compiled by the Chinese government.

The report said, that Beijing-born Christina Jingha, 37, a student who lives in Edinburgh, was refused a Chinese passport and could not travel to see her family because of her adherence to Falun Gong in Scotland. Ms Jingha, along with other practitioners, is traveling around the country to raise awareness of the PLA's visit.

The report quoted Christina as saying, "I am very worried about the PLA coming over because the head of the army leads the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China"

"I don't understand why they have been invited to the Tattoo." Ms Jingha and other Scottish-based followers of Falun Gong will be conducting protests in Dundee, Perth, Stirling and Glasgow this week, said the report.

Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Member of the Scottish Parliament from South Edinburgh, Mr. Mike Pringle pointed out that if someone invited representatives and bands from Saddam Hussein's government, that would definitely cause public indignation.

1 http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=625382004