Indonesia: Rallies and Marches Call for the Persecution of Falun Gong to End

(Minghui.org) Practitioners in Indonesia recently held numerous events at Surabaya, Jakarta, and Bali on July 12-14, urging an end to the 25-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Through rallies, marches, and candlelight vigils, they exposed the mistreatment practitioners suffered for their belief—including detention, torture, and forced labor. In June 2019, the China Tribunal delivered its final judgment, stating that, “forced organ harvesting has been committed for years throughout China on a significant scale,” and “Falun Gong practitioners have been one, and probably the main, source of organ supply.”

Rallies in Front of the Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulate

Practitioners peacefully rallied in front of the Chinese Consulate in Surabaya on July 12, 2024.

Rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta on July 13.

Reenactment of forced organ harvesting targeting practitioners in China.

Gatot Machali, the President of the Indonesia Falun Dafa Association, spoke at the rally and said that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Falun Gong Protection Act (H.R. 4132) on June 25, 2024. This could be seen as the first binding commitment by the U.S. Congress to take firm legal action against the persecution of Falun Gong and the state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting from practitioners in China.

“In line with these significant developments, we – the Falun Gong community in Indonesia – urge the CCP to end the 25 years of brutal and futile persecution, to immediately restore the freedom of belief to its citizens who practice Falun Gong. This is the most basic human right, and is guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution itself,” he continued. “We also call on the government and the people of Indonesia as well as international communities to come together to speak out and act to end this immoral and inhumane oppression so that such horrific things do not happen again anywhere, anytime, and to anyone in the future.”

During the rally, many passersby accepted materials about Falun Gong and the persecution in China. They thanked practitioners for their peaceful efforts to end it.

Passersby and police officers accept information about Falun Gong.

One young man said he’s seen many Falun Gong activities when he studied in Taiwan. He could not believe that something so brutal was happening. After a practitioner told him more facts about the persecution, he listened attentively and said such horrifying incidents should be stopped.

Pedestrians were shocked by the harsh mistreatment Falun Gong practitioners in China received for their belief.

Human Rights Advocates Speak Up for Falun Gong

Several human rights advocates wrote to the event expressing their support for practitioners’ efforts to end the CCP’s violence and human rights abuses against Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Muhamad Isnur, a lawyer and the chairman of Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in Jakarta, said, “We should support Falun Gong practitioners and continue to urge the Chinese government to stop the violence and other acts of torture against Falun Gong practitioners.”

Muhamad Isnur, chairman of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation in Jakarta, supports practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution.

“All Indonesians should support the human rights struggle of Falun Gong practitioners. We have to voice it together, protect [Falun Gong] together. I hope, Falun Gong practitioners remain consistent in their efforts to end the persecution, continue to speak out and survive in the midst of such tremendous repression in China,” Isnur said.

Professor Djathi Kusumo, a former member of parliament and a well-known cultural figure, sent his message to local practitioners after hearing that the CCP has been persecuting Falun Gong for more than 25 years. “China’s [the CCP] system has long been in conflict with the laws of the Creator, which would bring a great calamity,” he wrote. “The ancestors wept when they saw that their descendants opposed their own culture.”

Dimas Arya Bagus, coordinator of KontraS (Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence), a renowned human rights group based in Jakarta, opposed the torture and violation of freedom of belief and freedom of thought that happened to Falun Gong practitioners in China.

“Torture is categorized as a serious violation of human rights, especially torture arising from discrimination against freedom of belief and thought. I think what happens to the Falun Gong community in China are serious human rights abuses,” he said. “Torture is one of the most inhumane acts, and is condemned by the entire international community.” Bagus called on the Indonesian government to take action.

Kusumo said the Indonesian government can play an active role in urging the Chinese government to stop the persecution, discrimination, and torture of Falun Gong practitioners. “Because [the Indonesian government] has a close relationship with the Chinese government, so Indonesia also should play a role to stop these inhumane acts and discrimination against the Falun Gong community,” he explained.

Gufron Mabruri, Executive Director of renowned human rights NGO of Imparsial, said in an interview, “I think it’s important that [international communities] act quickly, so that in the future the various inhumane behaviors, atrocities experienced by the Falun Dafa community do not happen again and practitioners can enjoy their freedom in accordance with their dignity as human beings.”

In an interview, Anis Hidayah, a commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Indonesia, shared her view about the 25 years of persecution of Falun Gong. “Actually, based on the international convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the fact that the Chinese government has ratified it [in 1988], acts of torture and degrading treatment [of Falun Gong practitioners] should have never have happened in the first place,” she said.

Parade and Candlelight Vigil in Bali

Practitioners in Bali did the exercises on the morning of July 14 followed by a parade at Renon Square, Denpasar, to expose the CCP’s 25-year-long persecution of Falun Gong.

Practitioners did the exercises before they marched to expose the CCP’s persecution.

The practitioners’ march was led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, followed by banners that introduced Falun Dafa, exposed the persecution, and also raised awareness of the passing of the Falun Gong Protection Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. A waist drum troupe concluded the march.

March at Renon Square, Denpasar, calls for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China

That evening practitioners held a candlelight vigil at Puputan Square to commemorate their fellow practitioners in China who lost their lives due to the 25 year long persecution.

Candlelight vigil commemorates fellow practitioners in China who have been persecuted to death by the CCP

Public Support for Practitioners’ Efforts to End the 25-year Persecution

Many people signed the petition to end the 25-year persecution.

Practitioners had a booth at Renon Square to tell people about Falun Dafa and the persecution in China. Many citizens and tourists understood the CCP’s brutality and signed the petition to express their support for the practitioners’ effort to call for an end to the persecution during the morning activity.

College instructor Eka Pratama believes that Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance are important for future generations

Eka Pratama, a college instructor, appreciated practitioners’ peaceful and selfless efforts to speak out against the serious human rights violations and the mistreatment practitioners receive in China. He said, “Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance are important to instill in future generations so that they will respect humanity and therefore create world peace.”

Ria said the forced organ harvesting in China is wrong.

Ria, a university student living in Denpasar, expressed her deep concern that such barbaric acts are still going on in China today. “The illegal organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners in China must be stopped immediately,” she said.

Nyoman Ari signed a petition that called for an end to the persecution in China.

Nyoman Ari signed the petition because he disagreed with the suppression of peaceful practitioners. He said, “The persecution is very inhumane.” He also said he was concerned about the ongoing organ harvesting crimes in China and said, “I hope it ends soon!”

Sainov from Hungary encouraged practitioners in China.

Sainov from Hungary, happened to be at Puputan Square, Denpasar, when practitioners were preparing for the candlelight vigil on the evening of July 14. He said he supported their efforts to expose the persecution, “I hope that practitioners in China will soon be free from the CCP’s arbitrary mistreatment.”