(Clearwisdom.net) The Melbourne Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held a rally on November 11, 2007 at City Square, a popular tourist spot in downtown Melbourne. The rally was to support the 28 million brave Chinese people who have quit the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. The event featured an exhibit exposing the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong.
At the time of the rally, tens of thousands of locals were taking part in another parade, the "Healthy Walk to Oppose Global Climate Change." A number of the people participating in this parade passed by the rally site, stopped to listen to the speeches, and lined up to sign the petition condemning the CCP's human rights abuses. Sound of Hope Radio broadcast the rally live.
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Maggie, a representative of the Service Center for Quitting the CCP, said that a woman who had recently returned to Melbourne from China emailed The Epoch Times newspaper office with a list of ten people from China requesting that The Epoch Times help them quit the CCP.
She also brought up the topic of the two recent open letters to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao written by Wang Zhaojin (a standing member of the Anhui Province Political Consultative Committee), and Zheng Cunzhu (general director of Anhui Jiahe Food Co. Ltd.). Their letters specifically stated that it is imperative to immediately stop the persecution of Falun Gong, and hold accountable those who made the decision to persecute Falun Gong. The letters have caused a stir both inside and outside of China. Maggie said, "Chinese people have been suppressed by the CCP for so long, and people are becoming more clear about the CCP's evil nature. Service centers for quitting the CCP have also been set up in many locations in China. More and more people have joined the large-scale movement of quitting the CCP. There will be more people like [human rights lawyer] Gao Zhisheng, Wang Zhaojun, and Zheng Cunzhu bravely stepping forward to take historical responsibility for themselves and for the Chinese nation."
Ms. Peta, coordinator of the Human Rights Torch Relay in Melbourne, spoke about the torch relays in Europe and Australia and their warm reception by the public. She called on people to take part in the relay in Melbourne and to extend their help in working together to stop the persecution happening in China.
Dr. Dafni and his wife, retirees from Fremont, California, USA, listened to the speeches and read the display boards. They told the reporter that they are interested in China, and even traveled to China last March. Dr. Dafni said that China is a great and beautiful country, but they understood that they had not seen everything. During their trip, they were not allowed to go certain places, and the tour guides kept silent on certain issues. He stated, "I support Chinese people, but not the (CCP) government."
23-year-old Richard Collins signed the petition condemning the CCP's human rights abuses. He told the reporter that he is Catholic, and had long known about the CCP's persecution of religious beliefs. "Today we discussed in church about Falun Gong and the underground churches that are suppressed by the CCP. I understand the CCP's nature; the CCP is against all religious beliefs."
Tai Chi coach Mr. Norman from Rowville, Melbourne was at the rally site from beginning to end. He said, "After listening to today's speeches, I'm very upset about [the persecution happening in China]." He said that he had taken note of the quitting the CCP activities for quite some time, and had read the English version of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, so he understood the CCP's evil nature. Mr. Norman said that he finished reading the Nine Commentaries without a break, because he found he couldn't put it down. He likes traditional Chinese things, and has tried martial arts, Tai Chi, and various qigong practices. But he was angry at Mao Zedong (and the CCP) for destroying traditional Chinese culture.
Mr. Norman ended by saying that people nowadays are very busy, but no matter how busy they are, they should learn about what is happening in China.
