(Minghui.org) Two Falun Dafa practitioners traveled to the capital city of Ankara on July 3, 2024 to visit Mr. Hasan Karal, Member of Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Deva Party.

A practitioner had previously spoken about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa with Lawyer Mehmet Zeki Kaplan, the Deva Party’s Civil Society Relations official. As a result of that meeting, the practitioner was later invited to visit Parliament.

The practitioners who visited the center-right party’s office in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) were cordially received. 

Member of Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Deva Party Mr. Hasan Karal poses for a photo with two Falun Dafa practitioners.

The practitioners were welcomed by Deputy Consultant Tahsin Cem Ülker, and spent more than half an hour talking with him. They told him about the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill recently passed in the United States Congress to counter the persecution of Falun Dafa. They also spoke about the extent of organ trafficking in China, and the positive effects that practicing Falun Dafa has on people.

A practitioner demonstrated the exercises and explained how doing them can improve one’s physical and mental health.

Mr. Hasan Karal, Member of Parliament and Deputy Chairman of Deva Party, listened to the practitioners carefully. He said this was the first time he’d heard about Falun Dafa and he would investigate the matter. He said that the situation in China is sad. 

Another official listened to practitioners in his office and expressed his respect for them.

Turning to a practitioner, he said, “In our country, we also have ways of practicing that have the values of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. He then asked, “Why are you abandoning your own essence and searching elsewhere?” 

The practitioner replied, “Of course, there are these and similar practices or religious paths not only in our country but all over the world, in every language, in every race. Currently, the whole world, including our country, has moved away from these values. They have walked away from God. We have become a very corrupt society. What’s important here is the big picture. If a person is completely faithful to the path of his own country, that is also good. This is a matter of preference.” 

The practitioner continued, “We know that our ancestors in China and Central Asia mixed together in the past and had common beliefs and values. Before they accepted Islam, the beliefs of the Turks were Tengriism, Buddhism and Shamanism. It was like this for Turks all over the world for centuries. There is even a srivatsa, the symbol of Buddha, on Kublai Khan’s belt buckle. What I mean is, although China seems far away from us, we have come together with common values as well as our past wars. We apply the principles of the universe, not the culture of another society. And in order to fulfill our social responsibility, we are telling you, our valued elders, about the genocide experienced by practitioners in China who hold these values. The best thing we can do for them from outside China is to expose the existence of this oppression.” 

This official was convinced by the practitioners’ sincerity and righteous belief. While saying goodbye, he very kindly said, “Follow the values of our country.” When the practitioner said that perhaps their mission is to awaken these values in Turkey’s people in this way, the official said, “Now it has happened. I support it.”