The Experience of Organizing and Holding a Symbolic Trial of Jiang Zemin at the University of Victoria, Canada

(Clearwisdom.net) On March 18^th, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners from Victoria and Vancouver, Canada, held a symbolic trial of Jiang Zemin at the University of Victoria. The University of Victoria is one of 8 Canadian Universities holding symbolic trials to raise awareness about the persecution in general, and in particular about the legal actions that Canadian citizen Zhang Kunlun plans to initiate against the Chinese authorities responsible for torturing him, including Jiang Zemin.

In preparation for the event, two practitioners who are students at the University clarified the truth to the Student Association and answered their questions about Falun Gong. Afterwards, the student association was very accommodating in helping us get the necessary equipment. They recognized that the trial could be a precious chance for students from Mainland China to learn the truth about Falun Gong.

 

After that, we prepared an information package and an invitation to give to professors to let them know about the event. Included in the package was a letter that they could send to Canada's Attorney General expressing support for Mr. Zhang's case. The packages were delivered in person to the professors who were available in their offices in the faculty of law, political science and Pacific and Asian studies. Many of them expressed their support and willingness to attend the trial, including the dean of the faculty of law. One of the Chinese professors said that she believed the teachings of Falun Gong and the benefits on morality are needed in China, and that she hopes Jiang will be brought to justice soon.

In preparing the trial, the practitioners emphasized that the process is very precious to save more beings. With this heart, everywhere we went we encountered predestined people. For example, while photocopying the trial posters, we met one man who was interested in qigong. We told him about Falun Gong and about the trial, and sure enough he came to the trial and supported us by signing a postcard to support Mr. Zhang Kunlun. Another practitioner was out putting up the posters one night. When he was done, he gave a poster to a girl at a bus stop. It turned out that she publishes a human rights magazine, and she wanted to print information about Falun Gong in the next edition. A young woman from the College in Victoria learned about Falun Gong from an article in the college newspaper, and she came to shoot footage of the trial for a school project. In the preparation process and as we met with professors, we were also able to establish more contacts around the University, and we learned of some other opportunities and upcoming events where we could clarify the truth.

Practitioners around the country worked hard in the days leading up to the trial to refine the script. They added dialogue to the defense lawyer, for example, and the results were very good. Falun Gong practitioners from Vancouver came to Victoria to play some of the roles, share their personal stories, and hand out flyers and postcards. At the beginning of the trial, it began to rain heavily, yet the spectators just patiently endured the rain to listen to the testimony. They were very touched. One of the spectators decided to read the book "Falun Gong" and has started to attend group practice.