Letter from the Western Canada SOS Team at the Start of their Trip

August 10, 2001

SOS! Urgent: Rescue the Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in China

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During the months of August and September 2001, Falun Gong practitioners are traveling from town to town, city to city, west to east, south to north, covering all the corners of Canada including the Northwest Territories and the Yukon in order to let more people know that China's persecution of Falun Gong is escalating into mass murders without conscience. Urgent help is needed to rescue tens of thousands of practitioners from jails, systematic tortures, and further persecution.

Canada is a peace loving country and has earned respect throughout the world for its defense and protection of human rights. Canadians value their own freedom, and therefore it is our honor to protect and speak out for those who are oppressed and who do not have a voice.

China's regime under Jiang Zemin has utilized all of its resources: Police, arms, military, all levels of government, and the public administration. This includes an extensive and relentless "propaganda machine," which is used to carry out a most vicious and severe persecution against innocent people. Actually, this kind of persecution is against human nature because Falun Gong has not committed any crimes. Falun Gong practitioners are prisoners of conscience, and all because they believe in the universal principles of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance (Zhen-Shan-Ren) and have proven themselves to be good people. When they are at work, they do their work well. When at school, they do their school work well. They are upright and considerate people, and for this they are subject to extensive human rights abuse?

Mr. Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong's founder and Master of the practice, responded to Jiang Zemin's attack: "We are not against the government now, nor will we be in the future. Other people may treat us badly, but we do not treat others badly, nor do we treat people as enemies." In fact, students of Falun Dafa have consistently and uniformly followed their Teacher's words. Throughout two years of vicious and inhumane treatment in detention centers and labor camps, in the workplace and at home, inside China and outside China, Falun Gong practitioners have appealed to the world's people with hearts of kindness and compassion. It is wrong to treat good people with such ferocity. Canadians, we appeal to you again: Please stand up to this!

Actually, China's ruling regime has shown the world that they don't respect human rights inside or outside of China. They don't care about what others say. Instead they commit atrocities blatantly and inhumanely without restraint. Canadian permanent resident Kunlun Zhang was arrested three times, and sentenced to three years in a labor camp. He suffered severe physical and mental torture and brainwashing before he was freed under pressure from the Canadian government, human rights groups, and kind-hearted individual support. More recently Ying Zhu, a Concordia University student was arrested upon entering the country when she went to China to visit her ailing mother. She suffered 33 days of detention before a cross-Canada coalition of MP's, student body, and human rights support finally freed Ying from further abuse. Today, Shenli Lin, the husband of Canadian citizen Jinyu Li, who herself was arrested and deported from China, is still languishing in prison after his recently scheduled release was denied without reason, and extended without trial.

China's persecution of Falun Gong has extended overseas. Consulates and embassies are used to incite hatred or suspicion against Falun Gong. They habitually interfere with local officials in North America who want to support Falun Gong by using smear tactics that go against the laws in our country. This kind of illegal activity goes against the basic human nature of all people. Truth-Compassion-Tolerance is without boundary.

These precious human values belong to everyone. Kind-hearted people please pay attention: Stop this escalating persecution now and prevent Jiang Zemin from further harming and attempting to corrupt humanity!

By now, many governments and human rights organizations around the world have voiced their concern and support. But this is still not enough.

"It must stop. The arbitrary detentions, unfair trials, torture and deaths resulting from this campaign must come to an end. It will be too late for...Falun Gong followers who have died as a result of their beliefs. It is not too late for the many thousands who remain in detention. It is time for the Chinese government to ensure that the basic rights of Falun Gong practitioners are upheld."

-Alex Neve, Secretary General, Amnesty International of Canada

Jiang Zemin persecutes Falun Gong blatantly and shamefully in front of the world, and still many people do not know, or are not clear about the facts. Our Cross-Canada Rescue Team informs people of the truth about the inhumane treatment to Falun Gong practitioners both inside and outside China. We also want to let more people know about the precious universal principles of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. These are the fundamental basis of Falun Gong, and they have led millions of people to harmonious and peaceful lives complete with a profound sense of well-being.

Falun Gong is practiced by tens of millions of people in over 40 countries around the world. It transcends all boundaries of race, country, or religion. The main work of Falun Gong's founder and Master, Mr. Li Hongzhi, Zhuan Falun, has been translated into over 16 languages, and translation efforts are underway in many more languages.

"They cultivate the will to live in peace with themselves and in harmony with the universe, thus learning compassion for others and helping to create a more open and tolerant society."

- Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada

"Falun Dafa has as its aims the refinement of both the mind and the body, using the idea of Zhen-Shan-Ren, which means 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.' They are certainly principles which resonate with many Canadians."

• Herb Gray, Deputy Prime Minister

All Falun Gong activities are always free of charge and we practice volunteer teaching. In our Cross-Canada tour we wish to let more people know about Falun Gong, and help others to benefit. We will provide more information about how to learn Falun Gong, donate materials to the local libraries, as well as demonstrate and teach the set of five gentle exercise movements and meditation that are good for mind, body, and spirit. Because it is good for society to be more open and tolerant, we offer a positive contribution to Canadian culture.