(Clearwisdom.net) On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Jiang group's suppression of Falun Gong, practitioners from all over the world formed a "Great Wall of Courage" in Washington DC to protest the Jiang faction's brutal persecution of Falun Gong. It was the first time for practitioners to use this manner to clarify the truth. Many people expressed their admiration of the practitioners' unshakeable courage. Following are some reports from media outside of China.
RFA: On Friday, more than 3000 Falun Gong practitioners from across the U.S. and other countries lined up on Connecticut Avenue in Washington DC to protest the five-year Chinese government's ban on Falun Gong. The 3-mile-long wall started from Dupont Circle and ended at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. Ms. Zhang, who came from Canada, said that she wished the Chinese Embassy could convey overseas Falun Gong practitioners' voice to China's leaders.
Ms. Zhang: Five years ago, on July 20, 1999, Jiang started the systematic suppression of Falun Gong. Five years have passed. Many practitioners of Falun Gong in China have encountered ruthless persecution, some were tortured to death. According to incomplete estimation, it has been reported with photos and real cases that more than 1000 Falun Gong practitioners were tortured to death. Some of them are children and senior persons.
Falun Gong practitioners unfurled various kinds of banners and signs on Connecticut Avenue to expose the Chinese government's suppression of the Falun Gong. Mr. Li, a practitioner from San Francisco, said that the Chinese government abused state-run media to frame Falun Gong.
Mr. Li: Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Chinese government's suppression of Falun Gong. In China, nearly 1000 Falun Gong practitioners were beaten to death. More than 100,000 practitioners are illegally imprisoned. Therefore, as a Falun Gong practitioner, I feel that I have the responsibility to let all people over the world know about the brutality of the Chinese government's [Jiang group's] oppression of Falun Gong, and expose their lies, which are the foundation of the persecution of Falun Gong.
ABC Radio Australia News reported on July 24, "Hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners have traveled to Washington for a rally to raise awareness about their movement and protest over repression in China.
Organizers expected 3,000 people to turn out to build a human "Great Wall of Courage" stretching from the National World War II Memorial to the Chinese embassy."
Central News Agency reported on July 24: Several thousand Falun Gong practitioners from North America and worldwide gathered in Washington DC on Friday and built a human wall to protest Chinese Communist (Jiang's group)'s persecution of Falun Gong for five years. There were many people with yellow T-shirts holding banners with words "Falun Dafa" and standing in front of the National World War II Memorial. Some meditated on the lawn.
Jiang's group banned Falun Gong in July 1999.
Practitioners said that at least 1000 Falun Gong practitioners had been tortured to death in China, over 20,000 were sent to labor camps and 100,000 were imprisoned.
