(Clearwisdom.net) On August 16, 2008, Falun Gong practitioners once again arrived at the renowned tourist attraction of Muehleplatz Square in Lucerne, Switzerland, to tell people of the persecution suffered by innocent Falun Gong practitioners under the Chinese Communist regime.
A practitioner demonstrates the sitting meditation
Passersby carefully read display boards
Locals sign petition to end the persecution of Falun Gong
"More people must know and help stop the persecution"
Falun Gong practitioners often hold Information Day activities in Lucerne. Many passersby say that they have already learned about Falun Gong, or have already signed the petition to call for an end to the persecution. But for some, this was the first time for them to hear about Falun Gong.
A high school teacher said, "Due to the Olympics, I began to watch the situation in China. I feel it is incredible that people in China suffer forced relocations and persecution, they cannot express their own point of view, and there are other issues such as Internet censorship. I am shocked."
It was also the first time he had heard of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) harvesting the organs of Falun Gong practitioners. "This [organ harvesting] is so terrible, it should not happen. [The CCP] has gone mad," he said.
After studying the display boards, his friend saw that Falun Gong was very peaceful. She also signed the petition to call for an end to the CCP's organ harvesting crimes and said, "I hope more and more people will come to understand the situation."
In the end, the teacher took various materials to share with his students. He also invited Falun Gong practitioners to speak to his students about Falun Gong and the persecution.
Many who stopped by were tourists from other countries. A family with four children from Mexico stood in front of the display boards. Upon hearing about the CCP's crimes of organ harvesting, the father said, "I believe it. I believe this is all happening." He immediately signed the petition.
A group of Israeli tourists asked many detailed questions after accepting truth-clarifying material. When they obtained a pamphlet written in Hebrew, they gathered to read it together, and some even interpreted the words of Falun Gong practitioners into Hebrew.
"What you are doing is very meaningful"
An Irishman asked, "What is Falun Gong?" after receiving a pamphlet. "Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese cultivation system, with five sets of exercises. We adhere to Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, to elevate our moral character," a practitioner explained to him.
The man replied,"This is very good."
The practitioner continued, "However, nine years ago, the Chinese Communist regime began to persecute Falun Gong. The number of identified Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of the persecution is over 3000."
The man was shocked and said, "This is so terrible. Why does the Chinese Communist regime persecute Falun Gong practitioners?"
The practitioner replied, "Before the persecution began in 1999, Falun Gong had spread in China for 7 years, with 100 million practitioners, so the Chinese Communist regime felt it was a threat to their authority."
"What threat does it pose?" asked the man.
In Western society, you can believe in anything, and the government would not intervene. However in China, the Chinese Communist regime does not allow any true belief, aside from the evil communist ideologies. It regards this as a threat, that is why they persecute us. Actually it is not only Falun Gong, but all true beliefs are forbidden in China."
"What do you try to achieve, with these information activities?"
"We only want to tell people about the facts, so more and more people will know that this persecution happening against good people in China, and stand together to bring an end to it."
The practitioner also said, "We believe in the existence of divine beings, and we know that the CCP has killed more than 80 million people within decades, and committed all kinds of crimes. So we believe that the heavens will bring punishment to the CCP, and we are persuading Chinese people to quit the CCP and its related organizations, to avoid any implications when the heavens eliminate the CCP."
The man then said, "What you are doing here is very meaningful. What can I do?"
The practitioner told him he could sign the petition and spread the information to his friends and family members.
The man signed his name and asked his sister (a nun) to sign the petition.
"As long as violation of human rights is taking place, we should try to stop it."
The nun asked why the CCP persecutes Falun Gong. After the explanations from the practitioner, she said, "I feel Falun Gong is a spiritual belief. People who have spiritual or religious beliefs like ourselves, have no interest in politics."
She was appalled by the persecution and said, "Despite the persecution, the crackdown has actually strengthened your determination and strength. This is like the Romans' persecution on Christians, but the Christians were very resilient, and became increasingly powerful. The power of your group, Falun Gong, is enough to change the society in China."
The practitioner said, "Before the persecution, due to the increasing number of Falun Gong practitioners, so many people were striving to be good citizens, speak the truth, care for others, and be tolerant. The morality in society was improving by the day. Yet after the persecution, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance suffered defamation and persecution. The China of today is degrading in morality every day. The nun agreed with the practitioner, and wholeheartedly signed the petition.
Passerby Katrin said to the reporter about the CCP's crime of organ harvesting, "Horrible, too horrible." Hence she not only signed the petition herself, but asked her friends to sign it.
Jana had heard of Falun Gong in the past, so when she received the pamphlet from a Falun Gong practitioner, she went to the petition table right away. She said, "This is very important. As long as violation of human rights is taking place, we should try to stop it."
Category: Rallies & Protests
