I am writing to say,

With high levels of freedom and Human Rights in NZ, it's too easy to take such things for granted, forgetting about the harsh realities of many people living abroad.

I am a young NZ Maori, practising Falun Dafa, (Falun Gong) a peaceful meditation system whose 5 gentle exercises and teachings of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance have gifted me the benefits of a peaceful, elevating way of life. However in China, I would be arrested and sentenced to a prison term of up to 18 years for my beliefs. Cruel beatings would be a regular occurrence of my sentence, while my own government spread slanderous propaganda throughout the media of the truth.

This is a cruel reality for 100 million people as the struggle continues, to end an unjustified persecution of Falun Dafa. Since July 1999, the Chinese people have been forbidden to practice this peaceful cultivation system, although it being accepted openly in over 50 countries worldwide. Lives are being destroyed as thousands have been sentenced and have died due to brutal torture, with cover-ups of their deaths.

Such high levels of cruelty are unheard of here and you may think, what do I care, this doesn't effect me. Lets not allow our comfort to blind our hearts from the truth. Let us expose this mindless abuse of Human Rights, so with our higher awareness it can be brought to an end. After all it could well have been me. Tahu Parkinson

Yours faithfully

Tahu Parkinson
Invercargill

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00316.htm