Press Statement: In the Face of Trials One's True Nature is Revealed

In North America during this serious time of tragedy and uncertainty, we have witnessed our ability to unite as a people and support each other during a terrible catastrophe. We have built trust and solidarity as a nation to uphold the principles of humanity and have seen the true nature of our society revealed.

Today in China, millions of Falun Gong practitioners who represent and embody the good and true principles of humanity have been humiliated and slandered, tortured and killed for the past two years by the president of their own country. Any appeals by men, women or children for their rights as human beings are met with imprisonment, torture and even death. President Jiang Zemin has stated, "Use all means necessary to exterminate Falun Gong."

At the 53^rd session of the United Nations' meeting on Human Rights, IED (International Education Development) stated that, "State terrorism in the form of government terror against its own people produces far more gross violations of human rights than any other form of terrorism. Such is the case in China with the regime's violent assault on practitioners of Falun Gong."

32-year-old Ms. Ding Yan was sentenced to 4 years in prison for nothing other than her faith in Falun Gong. She was kept in a dark room day and night, locked in a small aquarium filled with filthy water up to her neck. She died of severe torture. Her body's ashes were handed to her family before they even were informed of her death. In the past 20 days more than 20 death cases have been reported.

On a cool and sunny morning in Beijing, a yellow and red banner flies up in Tiananmen Square, and a courageous voice sings out from the crowd, "Falun Dafa is Good!"

The hearts of Falun Gong practitioners in China continue to shine through the viciousness as they persevere to peacefully protect their belief in goodness. They continue to step forward to try to reach the consciences of their fellow citizens in order to give all people the opportunity to position their hearts towards what is good, rather than be deceived and manipulated by the Chinese president to hurt others. Their selfless compassion and determination for peace has won the respect and support of millions around the world.

Today a World Wide SOS Urgent campaign to Rescue Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China is taking place.

Today a team of Falun Gong practitioners arrived in Ottawa. They walked hundreds of kilometers from Toronto and Montreal in solidarity with their fellow practitioners in China.

The venom of state terrorism has poisoned our Canadian soil. Shenli Lin, the husband of a Canadian artist, and Lizhi He, a Canadian resident, still suffer in labour camps today.

Next month, Prime Minister Jean Chretien will once again travel to China. We express our confidence that our Prime minister will show his true nature as a protector of peace and follow through with his conviction to eliminate all terrorism from our world. We encourage him to hear the voice of his Canadian people, to stand for righteousness and strongly condemn Jiang Zemin for his State Terrorism against Falun Gong, and bring our Canadian people home.

Our true nature as human beings shines forth when we step forward to protect goodness and peace in our world.

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