Melbourne: Falun Gong Practitioners Support 15 Million People Who Quit the CCP and Its Affiliated Organizations (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On November 4, 2006, people in Melbourne held a grand parade and rally to support the 15 million brave people who have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. The parade set off at the city square, wound its way to provincial library, Chinatown, and Swanston Street, spanning several hundred meters. It ended in the city square where the marchers held a rally. The parade lasted for one and a half hours.

A grand parade of people in Melbourne, supporting the 15 million brave people who quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations

Sydney Divine Land Marching Band supports the Chinese people who quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations

The simulated demonstration exposing the CCP harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners

The simulated demonstration exposing the CCP's brutal torture against Falun Gong practitioners

Citizens take flyers and carefully read them

The photo display at the rally site to expose the CCP's tyranny

Chairman of the Victoria Democratic Party Paul Kavenaugh

Representative of the Australian Human Rights Organization Colin Mitchell¶û

Spokesperson for Refugee Affairs in Green Party, Peter Job

Chairman of the Tibetan Group in Victoria Tupten Dhoudup

Leading the parade was the Divine Land Marching Band composed of Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney. This was their first appearance made in Melbourne. They wore blue and white uniforms and marched in good order. The scene was spectacular, and the music was loud and clear. Many people stopped what they were doing and started clapping with the rhythm. The marching band's performance and the warm reception they got was fantastic.

Behind the Divine Land Marching Band was a huge banner with the words "Supporting the 15 million brave people who have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations, creating a new era for China." Next were an anti-torture exhibit and a simulated demonstration of harvesting organs from a living person, re-enacting the brutal persecution carried out against the practitioners by the CCP. Waist drummers were the last at the parade and gave a rousing performance.

At the rally, Chairman of the Victoria Democratic Party Paul Kavenaugh, representative of the Australia Human Rights organization Colin Mitchell, spokesperson for Refugee Affairs in the Green Party in Victoria Peter Job, Chairman of the Tibetan Group in Victoria Tupten Dhoudup, spokesperson for the Melbourne Service Center for Quitting the CCP Wang Peng, representative for the Epoch Times Maqi, representative of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China Lee, and spokesperson for the Victoria Falun Dafa Association Michael Pearson made speeches. The speakers supported the great deeds of the Chinese people who have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations, called on the Australian people to see clearly the evil nature of the CCP and push the international community to put pressure on the CCP, and to urge the CCP to open its doors to allow a third party to conduct an open investigation on the persecution of Falun Gong.

Chairman of Democratic Party in Victoria Paul Kavenaugh said that not long ago, he was honored to attend a seminar held by former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia and Pacific David Kilgour and Vice-President of the European Parliament Edward McMillan-Scott in Melbourne. The investigative report submitted by David Kilgour and David Matas alleged that many hospitals and forced labor camps in many cities in China have killed a large number of Falun Gong practitioners. Right now, investigation groups around the world are preparing to enter China for investigation. The Chinese government must give a reply. If they think these allegations are false, then they should open their doors. Mr. Kavenaugh also called on the Australian government to pay attention to a former government official in Shanxi Province in China publicly renouncing the CCP, and grant him political asylum.

Representative of the Australian Human Rights Organization Colin Mitchell was also one of the participants of the seminar held by European and Canadian politicians in Melbourne. He said that it is known to many people that the CCP persecutes Falun Gong practitioners and dissidents. If the Australian government overlooks human rights in favor of trade, it is being a party to the crimes of the CCP.

Mr. Mitchell also stated that if a government does not pay attention to the human rights in other countries, it may be a sign of not valuing the human rights of its own people, because human rights do not have national boundaries.

Prior to the parade and rally, there was another parade with the theme being protecting the environment in downtown Melbourne. Thousands of people from different places in Victoria came to participate in the parade and watch the performance given by the Divine Land Marching Band. They learned about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong and the fact that 15 million people have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.