Falun Gong Press Statement for Free Zhao Ming Rally and March

1^st October 2001

Two years ago, the Chinese Communist regime began its most violent attack against its own people and culture by banning Falun Gong. Human Rights groups and world media have reported that over 100,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been sent to jail or labour camps; at least 1,000 practitioners have been thrown into mental institutions; and over 280 persons have been tortured to death in police custody. Thousands upon thousands of people have lost their jobs, homes, and the right to think freely.

Zhao Ming, a Trinity College student, has been held in a labour camp since he visited his family in China during the Christmas holiday of 1999. He has been subjected to physical and mental torture, including sleep deprivation, beatings, and electric shocks simply because he practiced Falun Gong. Today, we also have two artists here, who have also been detained and tortured by the police during their visits to China. Professor Zhang Kunlun of Canada was sentenced to three years in labour camp while he visited China, and Ms. Zhang Cuiying of Australia also encountered similar situations over there.

According to government sources, China is recently using the National Day of October 1^st as a pretext to take even more reckless action against Falun Gong. The head of the Chinese XX Party, Jiang Zemin, has ordered the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security to conduct a nationwide roundup of Falun Gong practitioners. Those arrested have been immediately thrown into jail, labour camps, or mental institutions, regardless of whether they are local residents or just visitors.

Beijing has become emboldened about making arrests on such a large scale because it believes that Western countries and international media are currently too preoccupied with the terrorist attacks in the U.S. to notice this human rights abuse.

Despite the ongoing attempts of Jiang Zemin's regime to slander, frame, and brutalize innocent practitioners in its own form of state terrorism, Falun Gong has never retaliated in kind and remains, as always, a peaceful and non-violent meditation practice. We appeal to the Irish Government and the world to continue their support to our cause to rescue Zhao Ming and stop Beijing's senseless persecution of Falun Gong.

We are grateful that the Irish Government and people have shown their concern and support for our cause for seeking human rights, justice and freedom of conscience for tens of millions of Chinese people who practice Falun Gong. Today, we are very pleased to be joined by Lord Moyne, Ms Patricia McKenna MEP, Joe Higgins T.D., Ms Mary Lawlor, the Director of Frontline, Mr Frank Jennings, Amnesty Campaign Coordinator, Mr Brian McSharry, President of GSU Trinity College, Mr. Erping Zhang, President of Falun Gong International Committee for Human Rights. Let us work hard to free Zhao Ming and end Beijing's persecution. Two years are too long... ...

Irish Falun Gong Group