Thursday, July 29, 2004

A little girl has joined local protesters fighting against the persecution of practitioners of Falun Gong, an ancient meditation practice outlawed by the Chinese government.

Four-year-old Fadu Dai seldom speaks, but sometimes she hands out leaflets or just stands and holds a photo of her dad, a Falun Gong practitioner, who was arrested three years ago in China and apparently beaten to death in custody.

Fadu and her mother Jane have stopped at Independence Mall on their way to visit and speak to human rights activists in 50 countries where Falun Gong is practiced.

Jane says her journey began when her daughter was just nine months old:

"I took my baby and flew to Geneva. I spoke out in the Human Rights Commission meeting. I called on all the mothers in the world to help end this persecution, and from Geneva I started a trip around the world."

Fadu and Jane go to Spain next. Falun Gong was outlawed in China in 1999.

http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=39427