(Clearwisdom.net) From the 9th to the 14th of July, Falun Gong practitioners toured through the cities of western and middle Slovakia to inform the public about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. They gathered support for a petition against the persecution of Falun Gong. The petition requests state officials to raise the human rights issue during bilateral talks with China.

The tour actually started before the 9th, on the 5th of July, with climbing the mountain Rysy in the High Tatras range in Slovakia. Hundreds of youths headed up this mountain as part of a mass anti-communist climbing activity, and the practitioners joined in, spending some time there in meditation and recollection of the victims of the communist regime in China.

On Monday, July 9th, the practitioners visited Trencin, the following day Zilina, then Ruzomberok, Liptovsky Mikulas, Banska Bystrica and Zvolen. During the week we received about 1100 signatures for the petition. The local media in Trencin, Ruzomberok, Liptovsky Mikulas and Banska Bystrica showed interest in the tour and sought information about it. The mayors of Zilina, Ruzomberok and Liptovsky Mikulas listened attentively to the story of Falun Gong's persecution in China and wished the practitioners much success in their efforts. The mayor of Ruzomberok expressed his disapproval of the persecution by signing the petition.

Most people, after seeing the banners, came to sign the petition. The most often posed question was probably, "Why is Falun Gong persecuted by the Chinese government?" It was difficult for the people to understand that this irrational persecution of good people was born of the jealousy and fear of Jiang Zemin, the former leader of China, using his power to utilize the whole apparatus of the communist party to persecute Falun Gong.

"Not Even during the Nazi regime in Germany was such a brutal thing happening," said one elderly lady with tears in her eyes. "I can't see too well, but I will go sign your petition. Tell me where I should write what. I am very sad from what I see."

Thousands of people took a flyer about the persecution and hundreds of people listened to the story of Falun Gong from the practitioners. The people thought about ways to help and were interested in how many signatures are needed for the petition to bring results.

Some people took additional flyers for their acquaintances or friends. Some people had personal experiences and memories about communism, and most of them condemned the crimes of the communist regime in China and the persecution of Falun Gong.

Children often stopped by the practitioners and imitated the exercises. Some helped the practitioners to distribute flyers. Many people took a paper lotus flower, a symbol of purity and beauty, like Falun Gong.

Source: http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200708/40600.html