Thailand practitioners hold press conference, condemning the CCP's violation of Falun Gong practitioners' human rights
News and Activities from Around the
World -- December 21, 2005
Issued by Clearwisdom Net
Thailand practitioners hold press conference, condemning the CCP's
violation of Falun Gong practitioners' human rights
(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of December 18, 2005, Thailand Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference at the Pinnacle Hotel in Bangkok regarding the incident of the Thai police beating and arresting Falun Gong practitioners under the instigation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime. The practitioners also condemned the CCP for violating Falun Gong practitioners' human rights in Thailand and demanded that Thai police immediately release the detained practitioners.
At the press conference, a Thai Falun Gong practitioner first gave an account of recent events: Eight Falun Gong practitioners, who had peacefully gathered in front of the Chinese embassy in Thailand on December 15 to protest the rape of Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese police, were arrested by the Thai police at the behest of the Chinese embassy. Currently, five practitioners are on their fourth day of hunger strike at the immigration bureau detention center. One woman practitioner has become very weak. The spokesperson said, "We are extremely worried about their situation. They have done nothing wrong. We hope the Thai government will learn the truth about Falun Gong. Thailand is a democratic country, and it is not good for Thailand to have such a thing occur."
Fourteen-year-old Wang Anqi said, "My parents and I were arrested and taken to the immigration bureau by the Thai police on December 15. Now my parents are being detained and are on a hunger strike. As a child, I feel lonely and sad. As a human being, I feel worried that the Thai government has made such a choice that violates basic human rights."
Chen Hua, a Falun Gong practitioner from Guangzhou City who escaped mainland China, recounted her personal experience of being brutally persecuted by the CCP regime. She said, "The CCP is nothing but a gang of criminals. Why would you [Thai government] choose to make friends with it?
Thailand Falun Gong practitioners released the following statement, "On December 15, opposite the Chinese embassy, eight Falun Gong practitioners were arrested by the police. They are all persons of concern (PoC) and under the UNHCR's protection. Currently, five detained Falun Gong practitioners have entered the fourth day of their hunger strike. In the past week, Falun Gong practitioners and human rights protectors around the world have been making phone calls and writing letters to Thailand consulates and related departments in different countries around the world to call on them to stop this violation of human rights by the CCP. If they bow to the CCP's pressure, it would mean conspiring with it to continue its crimes against humanity. We hope the government will reconsider the decision, and immediately release the detained Falun Gong practitioners."
At 10:00 a.m. the same day (Dec. 18), Thailand practitioners gathered outside the Chinese embassy to protest. They unfurled banners reading, "The CCP is a criminal regime!" "Thailand should immediately release Falun Gong practitioners!" and "[We] strongly condemn the rape of Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese police." Shortly afterward, uniformed and plainclothes police arrived. With practitioners' righteous thoughts and truth clarification efforts to the police, the whole event concluded smoothly.
 Protesting the violation of human rights in front of the Chinese embassy |
 Practitioners clarify the truth to the police |
On December 16, practitioners from Los Angeles delivered a letter to the Thailand Consulate in Los Angeles. The letter strongly protested the incidents on December 10 and 15. Instigated by the Chinese Communist regime, on December 10, Thai police roughly treated the Falun Gong practitioners who were peacefully appealing in front of the Chinese Embassy to Thailand. On December 15, Thai police arrested eight practitioners. Los Angeles practitioners called on the Thai Government not to give in to the pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and not to comply with the totalitarian regime to persecute Falun Gong. In addition, they demanded the immediate release of the detained practitioners and restoration of practitioners' rights to conduct peaceful appeals in front of the Chinese Embassy.
In front of the Thailand Consulate, Los Angeles practitioners
protest Thai
police violence
In front of the Thai Consulate, practitioners displayed a huge banner which read: "Thailand, Do Not Help the Chinese Communist Regime Persecute Falun Gong." On behalf of Falun Gong practitioners, Dr. Wu Yingnian, associate professor from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), delivered the protest letter and truth-clarifying materials to the Consulate. During his meeting with Consul Som Pop Sermswatsri, Dr. Wu described details of the incident and facts of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. He hoped that the Thai government and people would uphold justice and not help the Chinese Communist regime to persecute Falun Gong. The consul stated that he would pass the practitioners' requests on to his government.
A passing-by reporter from a Thai TV station recorded the entire
event
According to professor Wu, on December 10, in order to protest the rape of Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese policeman He Xuejian, Falun Gong practitioners held a quiet sit-in on the roadside opposite the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. They "clarified the truth" to passersby and called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong. Around noon, several dozen uniformed police and plainclothes police crossed the road and forcibly searched practitioners' bags, dragged practitioners away and grabbed their banners, causing injury to practitioners and damaging their personal belongings. At the site, some policemen said that they didn't want to interfere with the protest, but the Chinese Embassy ordered them to do so. Professor Wu stressed that such a gross violation of human rights happened on International Human Rights Day.
Professor Wu said, "The interference with the peaceful protests of practitioners is still happening. Yesterday (December 15), they arrested eight practitioners who were sitting in front of the Chinese Embassy. Among the detained practitioners, there were three children who are four, six, and fourteen years old. When policemen took the practitioners away, they dragged and beat them, causing several injuries. So far, one practitioner has been released, and the other seven are on a hunger strike."
Professor Wu called on the Thailand government to recognize the totalitarian and brutal nature of the CCP, not to be an accomplice of the regime in the persecution, and to uphold justice, human morality and conscience.
On December 16, a rare snowstorm hit Montreal and many roadside cars were buried in snow. It is estimated that half of the citizens were not able to go out. However, in front of the Argentinean Consulate to Montreal, practitioners held a peaceful protest, calling on its government to investigate the December 14 assault of practitioners in Argentina. Practitioners urged the Argentinean government to hold the assailants accountable and track down the behind-the-scene instigators.
Peaceful protest in heavy snow. Montreal practitioners call on
Argentina's
government to investigate the assault incident
Practitioners requested a meeting with Argentinean Consul General Jorge Raiboi. During the meeting, they described the details of the assault of practitioners who were conducting a peaceful protest on December 14 in front of the Argentinean Congress building. Those practitioners were protesting against the visiting top-ranking CCP (Chinese Communist Party) official, Luo Gan, who is one of the chief culprits of the ongoing brutal persecution of Falun Gong.
Practitioner Xueye Zhu said, "The Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong in a democratic country is an open defiance of human rights and belief. This is no longer a simple issue of violating Falun Gong practitioners' human rights as it has also harmed Argentina and Argentineans."
Practitioners put forth the following three requests to Argentinean government:
Consul General Jorge Raiboi promptly said that he would convey practitioners' requests and materials to his government.
Practitioners also described how they had been peacefully resisting the most brutal and inhuman persecution and how the CCP had been exporting the persecution to many countries around the world. In addition, they highlighted the crimes of Luo Gan, one of the key leaders of the persecution. As head of the 610 Office, Luo directly plotted and instigated the propaganda against Falun Gong and brutal torture of practitioners. Wherever Luo goes, he brings persecution with him. Under his direction, the persecution has been ever-escalating.
While chatting with practitioners, Jorge Raiboi said that Argentina is a democratic country, where religious freedom should be protected.
Practitioner Ms. Sun participated in the appeal outside the Consulate. While standing in the deep snow, she said, "I believe that it can't be the police's normal reaction when they see such a brutal assault, and such passive behavior on their part actually violated their responsibility. This must have a reason. I think that the Argentinean police don't know the truth and may have been deceived by the CCP's propaganda. With the widespread of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and the unstoppable tide of withdrawal from the CCP, more and more people, organizations and governments are recognizing the evil nature of the CCP. The CCP's crimes are being exposed widely. For the sake of the Argentinean government and the people, we hope that the government will uphold justice and human rights. We call on the government not to be deceived by the CCP's lies, to hold the assailants accountable and track down the instigators behind the incident, and to help us end the persecution of Falun Gong and all human beings."
