July 25, 2001
Falun
Gong practitioners yesterday finally achieved their aim of attracting the
attention of Chinese President Jiang Zemin, despite frantic attempts by Chinese
officials to pressure Maltese police into suppressing the peaceful protest.
Five
practitioners, accompanied by Alternattiva Demokratika members and chairman
Harry Vassallo, gathered in Zachary Street, Valletta yesterday evening shortly
before Mr Jiang and his wife Madame Wang Yeping were due to visit St John's
Co-Cathedral.
The
practitioners had been unsuccessfully trying to attract Mr Jiang's attention
since Monday.
As
he was walking out of the cathedral, Mr Jiang smiled when he heard the chants of
"murderer" and told a Maltese policeman standing by the barrier that
"it is no problem".
Initially,
the small group had been kept stationed in the corner between Melita and Zachary
streets and prevented by police from walking further down towards the Cathedral.
Assistant
Commissioner John Rizzo said when asked why the small group was kept so far away
from the cathedral, that they posed a security risk.
"We
have instructions to keep them at a reasonable distance from the VIP section. In
my opinion this is an appropriate distance," Mr Rizzo said.
However,
when more reporters gathered in the area, the group was allowed to walk to the
end of Zachary Street, just before the entrance to the square in front of the
cathedral.
Plainclothes
policemen strictly barred their path and the practitioners, who say they do not
form part of either a political or religious group or sect, started their
meditation exercises.
Falun
Gong is an ancient spiritual practice based on truth, compassion and forbearance
to help tackle daily stress and instill a sense of healthy well-being and peace.
It has around 70 million practitioners all over the world.
The
presence of the group flustered Chinese officials who scurried back and forth
from the cathedral to the protesters, insisting with Mr Rizzo "to make sure
they do not cross the line", then that they "do not shout" and
then "to remove the banner."
Mr
Rizzo politely but firmly stood his ground and each time the Chinese officials
approached him to express their disapproval, he insisted he was obeying orders
and that the protesters were only being asked to stay behind the line
established by the police.
Once
the president had arrived, in a desperate attempt to shield the protesters from
his view, the Chinese officials ordered the minibus drivers of their delegation
to move up and park in a line in front of the cathedral. However, police ordered
the minibus drivers to move away.
Dan
Alfjorda from Sweden, a Falun Gong practitioner, said after Mr Jiang's visit
that he was glad that their aim had been achieved.
At
a press conference prior to the peaceful protest, Dr Vassallo said AD was
contemplating filing a case because their human rights had been violated during
their attempt to protest in front of the Chinese embassy on Monday.
The
press conference was held by Falun Gong at AD's premises in Valletta, to express
their disapproval at the way they were treated.
They
claimed that on Monday their human rights were violated and suppressed when they
were prevented from protesting peacefully next to the War Memorial in Floriana.
Mr
Alfjorda was accompanied by three other practitioners: Alex Rostron from the UK;
Qian
Ling Song, a Chinese who resides in England; and Dr Jimmy Zou, a Chinese who is
an American citizen and resides in Washington DC.
"We
could not understand how the public was allowed to stay and we were pushed 10
metres away and escorted to Freedom Square, Valletta by about seven
policemen," Mr Alfjorda said.
The
group said it was obvious that the police were being pressured by Chinese
officials to stop them from exercising their rights.
Ms
Song and Dr Zou have both been victims of abuse at the hands of Chinese police.
During
a visit to China in December, 1999, Ms Song was detained in prison for three
days and expelled from China for admitting she was a Falun Gong practitioner.
Category: Falun Dafa in the Media
