Taiwan: Civic Leaders Join Candlelight Vigils to Condemn the Persecution (Photos)

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Taiwan: Civic Leaders Join Candlelight Vigils to Condemn the Persecution (Photos)

July 24, 2014 | By Minghui correspondents Shen Rong and Liu Wenxin

(Minghui.org) Candlelight vigils were held all over Taiwan on July 20 to honor the practitioners who have died as a result of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Political and community leaders joined the events to condemn the persecution and lend their support to practitioners.

Taipei

Falun Gong practitioners gather in front of the Presidential Palace for a candlelight vigil and press conference.

“To protect the rights of spiritual belief, those who died in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution uphold the most respectable, lofty ideals in Chinese history,” stated jurist and former law professor at Peking University Yuan Hongbing as he paid his respects to the practitioners.

Legislator You Mei-Nu, representative of PAFOH (Parliamentarians Against Forced Organ Harvesting) in Asia, condemned the CCP for harvesting organs from living practitioners and asked for investigation into the violation of human rights. She said that people in Taiwan should take a clear stand on human rights offenders, “We will not invite them, nor offer reception. We do not welcome them here.”

Law Professor Huang Tzong-Leh, former president of Taiwan Society of International Law, expressed his admiration for the practitioners. “I pay the highest respects to the practitioners who persistently fight against the CCP’s persecution for so many years. I am angered by the CCP’s persecution, especially the live organ harvesting. I believe that evil will eventually disappear and the righteous will conquer.”

Dr. William Kao, president of Victims of Investment in China Association (VICA) said that the CCP has ruled China by two methods: deception and killing. “The persecution of Falun Gong is the CCP’s biggest mistake! Falun Gong not only was not defeated but used its media to expose the CCP’s evil nature. The darkness will soon be past and the CCP's disintegration is around the corner.”

Professor Huang Kuo-Chang from Taiwan Academia Sinica admired the practitioners’ determination and courage. “Even suffering from brutal persecution, the practitioners never give up. They never trade the core value of being a person for any personal benefit. For this, I pay my highest tribute to the practitioners who stand up and fight against the CCP’s autocracy.”

People hold candles together and advocate to end the persecution of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong practitioners hold a candlelight vigil in front of the Presidential Palace.

Practitioners mourn those who died in China over the past 15 years for safeguarding the truths they believe in.

Taitung, East Taiwan

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises at Civil Square in Taitung City on July 20 to protest the persecution in China.

Falun Gong practitioners at the candlelight vigil mourning those who died in the persecution in China.

Community leaders joined the candlelight vigil to commemorate practitioners who died in the persecution.

Passersby read the posters to learn more about the persecution of Falun Gong.

Chang Kuo-Chou, member of the Taitung County Council, spoke at the rally to lend his support to Falun Gong practitioners. Commenting on the rain, he expressed his sympathy, “It’s almost like heaven was grieving for the practitioners who lost their lives in the persecution and those who are currently being tortured!”

Lin Tsan-Tien, member of the Taitung County Council, said that Falun Gong practitioners brought the world a peaceful belief. It was not right nor lawful for the CCP to suppress Falun Gong in China.

Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan

Falun Gong practitioners hold a candlelight vigil in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan.

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the five sets of exercises.

On both sides of a major street, the practitioners display posters with information on the persecution as well as painting from the practitioners depicting the suffering of practitioners suffering under persecution. Many local residents and tourists were drawn to the posters and read about Falun Dafa.

Medical Doctors Seek to Save Lives

Two medical doctors, Dr. Cheng Yuan-Yu (right) and Dr. Yuan Lun-Hsiang, speak at the candlelight vigil. They condemned the CCP for harvesting organs from living practitioners.

Two medical doctors, Dr. Cheng Yuan-Yu and Dr. Yuan Lun-Hsiang, spoke at the candlelight vigil to condemn the organ harvesting in China. Dr. Cheng said, “Harvesting organs from living people sounds insane but independent investigations have shown that it is true and is still happening. For three years the US State Department mentions in its human rights reports that this issue must receive attention.”

Dr. Yuan, who is a urologist, said that one of his patients went to China and received a kidney transplant in two weeks. “In fact, the patient didn’t benefit from the organ transplant; he was a victim and what’s worse, an accomplice. We must have wake up and stop going to China for illegal organ transplants. This way we won’t become an accomplice in this crime.”

Kinmen: Former Chief Secretary of Fujian Province Pays Respects to Falun Gong Practitioners

Practitioners in Kinmen, an island near Fujian Province, held a candlelight vigil on the evening of July 20 in memory of those who died in the persecution. Weng Ming-Chi, former chief secretary of Fujian who now teaches at National Quemoy University, joined the practitioners at the vigil.

Candlelight vigil in Kinmen.

Chang said that it was very sad that people in Kinmen could practice Falun Gong freely, yet across the Taiwan Strait those who practiced Falun Gong were being brutally tortured. He admired the practitioners’ 15-year-long persistent effort in working to stop the persecution. “They hold on to their belief and their peaceful resistance against the persecution,” said Weng.

Weng Ming-Chi, former chief secretary of Fujian Province who now teaches at National Quemoy University, speaks at the vigil to support the practitioners.