September 8, 2005 Thursday

FALUN GONG protesters rallied yesterday in advance of Chinese President Hu Jintao's arrival in Ontario.

About 150 movement supporters were at Queen's Park where Premier Dalton McGuinty will host a lunch for the Chinese leader on Saturday.

The Chinese government has banned Falun Gong [...] and its followers complain of persecution at the hands of officials in that country.

Falun Gong spokesman Joel Chipkar said they want McGuinty to urge the federal government to speak out against human rights abuses in China.

"When they remain silent, when they continue with these closed-door talks, it just sends a strong message to China that Canadian people do not care about the atrocities that are happening," Chipkar said.

Eighteen family members of Canadians are being tortured in Chinese jails for their beliefs, he said.

Protesters also gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa yesterday and plan to rally at a Toronto hotel waiting for Jintao's arrival later today, he said.