(Minghui.org) Ms. Lu Shiping, a Falun Gong practitioner, was invited to Prague by organizers of Festival Mene Tekel in late February 2012. She had endured severe persecution in China because she practices Falun Gong. Ms. Lu met with several MPs and the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Czech government. She gave them details of the persecution of Falun Gong from her personal experience, which made a deep impression on them. Some of the MPs wrote to Ms. Lu about their feelings in the meeting. They condemned the atrocities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against peaceful Falun Gong practitioners and conveyed their support and admiration.

Alena Paleckova, Vice Chair of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

Alena Paleckova, the Vice Chair of the Senate of the Czech Republic, wrote in her letter: “This [persecution of Falun Gong] is an everlasting shame and crime perpetrated by the Chinese government (CCP). Although China [the CCP] published so many statements about [claiming to be improving] human rights, China [the CCP] is still a stubborn totalitarian system. The communist system keeps the Chinese people in bondage. China will not have a bright future until they get rid of this bondage [communism].

“I understood a lot of the details about the persecution of Falun Gong. The CCP wished to eliminate Falun Gong in three months but failed to reach its target even after 10 years. In contrast, Falun Gong has matured in these years. On many unofficial occasions, some high-ranking CCP officials admitted that the decision to persecute Falun Gong was wrong. This reminded me of the history of underground organizations in the Czech Republic during Communist rule. Delegitimizing (those underground organizations) was not the best choice for the Communist regime, but maintaining Communist rule was its highest priority, so they did it without considering the consequences.

“I realize again that the essence of Communist regimes around the world is the same: absolute control over human beings, including their consciousness and conscience, as well as their expression based on free will. Although Falun Gong only involves meditation and cultivation of morality, it was still considered a radical threat to the Communist regime. As Ms. Lu told us, the principles of Falun Gong are based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, which are completely the opposite of the philosophies of the Communist Party: lies, jealousy, violence and intolerance.”

Senator Karel Sebek (left) met with Ms. Lu, a Falun Gong practitioner

Senator Karel Sebek said in his letter: “I was deeply impressed by the meeting with Ms. Lu. I was reminded of the totalitarian period of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, which I personally experienced. I also feel horrible about the cruel things happening in China. I felt helpless at first when I heard about such evil on the other side of the world. Now I have been awakened from my comfortable life and indifference. I was deeply moved in the meeting with Ms. Lu, which reminds me of the famous quote of Jan Amoskomensky: 'You can help anyone, be glad to help others, please help the whole world if you can......'

“From a European perspective, it is hard to understand that such cruel persecution stems simply from a difference of views and beliefs. The truth of Falun Gong has shown us what it is really like for people in China, which is a first and very important step for us. Although the Czech Republic is far away from China, our hearts are close to each other. I believe the facts of Falun Gong shared by Ms. Lu will benefit my life and have a further impact on me in the future.”

 
Senator Milos Vystrcil met with Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Lu

Senateor Milos Vystrcil said in his letter: “Stories shared by Ms. Lu about her life and fate reminded me of our history between 1948 and 1989 under the Communist regime. Her suffering was more complicated and ruthless than ours. What the Chinese government (CCP) is doing to Falun Gong practitioners is criminal, and it should be publicly tried. Those being persecuted deserve our sympathy and support. If China cannot show basic respect for human rights principles listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and take responsibility for protecting human rights, it will never be considered a developed and democratic country.”

Rom Kostrica, member of the House of the Czech Parliament, said in his letter: “There is an argument that the degree of democracy a country enjoys can be measured by how life is valued in that country. Although it’s not easy to calculate the value of life, according to facts Ms. Lu gave us, obviously, under the rule of the CCP, the value of life in China is very low… I declare here in my own name that the CCP violates principles of human rights and freedom. I admire Falun Gong practitioners for their courage and fearlessness. I firmly believe that the sacrifice of Falun Gong practitioners will not be in vain. The significance of their sacrifice will manifest soon, very soon.”

Jana Fischerova, member of the House, met with Ms. Lu

Jana Fischerova, member of the House, said in her letter: “I was quite pleased to have met with Ms. Lu. We talked about her life in China. I was impressed by her spiritual strength and efforts she has made to expose the CCP’s atrocities in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong can improve practitioners physically, mentally, and morally through doing the exercises and adhering to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I sympathize with persecuted Falun Gong practitioners and support everyone whose human rights are violated.”

 
Monika Simunkova, Commissioner of Human Rights of the Czech government, met with Ms Lu

 
Monika Simunkova published the news of her meeting with Ms. Lu on a Czech government website

Monika Simunkova, Commissioner of Human Rights of the Czech government, had a strong interest in Falun Gong before she met with Ms. Lu. She had even printed and read a Falun Gong book, Zhuan Falun, before she met with Ms. Lu. She said it was a memorable experience and described the meeting on a Czech government website.

“The Commissioner of Human Rights of the Czech government had an interview with Ms. Lu Shiping, a guest of Festival Mene Tekel, as well as a former prisoner of conscience in China. She was a manager of a pharmacy company. She was arrested and detained in China in 1999 and put in jail. She suffered from many kinds of torture just because she remained steadfast in her belief, Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese practice method. She left China in March 2007 and now lives in Finland.

“She detailed the CCP’s cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, especially women.

“Although I knew about China's human rights violations before, I was still shocked by the details of Ms Lu’s experience. As a country experienced in the Communist system, we inevitably have a moral obligation to speak out and address the human rights violations in China and other totalitarian regimes.”