Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (PRC), is accompanying the Chairman of the PRC to visit Canada; Xia Deren, Mayor of Dalian and Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province, is expected to visit Canada on a separate trip next month. Both Bo Xilai's and Xia Deren's names are on the list of 45 perpetrators of torture and other crimes against humanity against Falun Gong practitioners in China, submitted to the War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Program in September 2003 and January, 2004. On August 26, the Falun Dafa Association of Canada held a press conference and called for the Canadian government to deny Bo and Xia entry into the country. Mr. David Kilgour, Canadian senior Member of Parliament and former Chairman of Foreign Human Rights Committee in Parliament participated in the press conference.

Press conference (from left, MP David Kilgour, Falun Gong practitioner Lucy Zhou, Xiaonan Zeng and Xun Li)

Renowned international human rights lawyer David Matas wrote to the ministers of the Canadian Ministry of Security, Ministry of Immigration and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 25. In the letter, he requested the Canadian government to deny Bo Xilai and Xia Deren visas and stated that the request was proposed on the basis of Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program and Canada's implementation of international law concerning these issues.

Falun Gong practitioners from Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto held an anti-torture exhibition, group exercise practice and signature collection in front of Parliament.

Practitioners hold anti-torture exhibition outside Parliament

"Canada must not open doors to those who commit crimes against humanity"

Mr. Xun Li, Chairman of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, said, "Bo Xilai and Xia Deren are two of the leaders of a group of government officials in China who in concert with others have been actively acting to implement and sustain a campaign of suppression and extinction of the practitioners in Liaoning Province, a province with 341 reported Falun Gong death cases, the 3^rd highest province after Hebei and Heilongjiang. At least three known practitioners with Canadian family members, are currently jailed or detained with terms of up to 8 years in prison in Liaoning Province."

Xiaonan Zeng, a resident of Toronto, gave testimony in the press conference that his mother was still imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong. His mother Huang Xin, more than 50 years old, was arrested and imprisoned many times. She was unlawfully sentenced to an 8-year term imprisonment. In prison, she was tortured and injected with toxic drugs that damaged her nervous system, leading to impaired speech and walking capability. She was not able to recognize her husband. Mr. Zeng said, "The suffering of my mom is just one of tens of thousands of practitioners in China being persecuted."

Mr. Li stated that Bo Xilai and Xia Deren have been sued in several countries. The District Court in Washington DC declared Bo Xilai in default on July 28, 2004. A default judgment was issued on December 8, 2004 against Xia Deren, finding the defendant Xia liable for the charges. In June 2003, San Francisco Judge Edward M. Chen recently denied foreign sovereign immunity to Xia Deren.

Recently, based on the systematic and widespread nature of the persecution, the Canadian IRB ruled that the persecution of Faun Gong is a "Crime Against Humanity." In the press conference, Mr. Li provided a 13-page report exposing the two officials' involvement in the persecution. Mr. Li said that the witnesses came from independent international organizations.

Human rights lawyer David Matas wrote to the relevant Canadian officials on August 25 to ask the Canadian Government to deny Bo Xilai and Xia Deren visas. Mr. Matas pointed out that based on Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program, one would be denied entry to Canada if he is found guilty of crimes against humanity. He said that if such officials entered Canada, a message would be passed to the public, and Canada would be sanctioning genocide and human rights persecution. He said that Canada must act according to the international human rights agreement and Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program. Victims of such crimes should not be left to fend for themselves.

MP David Kilgour said he supported David Matas's conclusions and "[I]...agree fully that these individuals should not be permitted to enter Canada on the basis of their complicity in the violation of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners."

Stopping the persecution is the shared responsibility of the international community

The Falun Dafa Association pointed out in a press statement: "We want to highlight that the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and the suppression of their moral and spiritual belief of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance' have escalated for over six years. Between May and July of this year, 757 Falun Gong death cases were reported. Over 2,780 deaths have been verified despite the information blockade and cover-up by the Communist regime. Tens of thousands of practitioners are being unlawfully imprisoned, including 18 Canadians' relatives."

Mr. Li said in the conference, "Canada must not open its doors to criminals in its pursuit for trade. The systematic eradication of Falun Gong through hate-incitement, economic devastation, torture and killing is a campaign constituting serious crimes against humanity and conscience, and warrants the urgent scrutiny of the Canadian government and the international community to stop it."

MP Kilgour said in his speech, "There can be no doubt in anyone's mind that the Chinese government persecutes Falun Gong practitioners mercilessly across China for what is perfectly legal in virtually every other country on earth. Despite its claims that there is freedom of religious conscience in China, Falun Gong practitioners continue to be the victimized across the country. I urge the government to follow the letter of its own law and respect the rights of its citizens."

Background Information:

Brief introduction -- the crimes of Bo Xilai and Xia Deren in the persecution of Falun Gong

Bo Xilai was former Vice Secretary of Liaoning Party Committee, Governor of Liaoning Province, Secretary of Dalian City Party Committee and Mayor of Dalian City. Since the initiation of the persecution of Falun Gong, Bo has managed and directed the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Liaoning Province. When Bo was in charge of Dalian, the city was one of the cities where the most severe persecution occurred in China. Fifteen practitioners were tortured to death. When he was governor of Liaoning Province, one billion yuan (about $123 million) was invested in reconstruction of prisons. More than 500 million yuan (about $61.6 million) was invested in Masanjia Labor Camp, Shenyang. In 2003, Masanjia was built to be the number one prison in China. Many Falun Gong practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured in the camp.

Xia Deren was former mayor of Dalian City and supported the persecution of Falun Gong in the Chinese People's Congress on February 9, 2004 while representing the Dalian City Government. Xia was sued in the United States on February 7, 2002 for crimes of torture and anti-humanity, and found guilty by a court in June 2003.

Canada's list of responsible parties in the persecution of Falun Gong includes 45 Chinese Communist Party officials

Through the end of January 2004, Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program established a list of Chinese officials from each level of Party Committees, "610 Offices," local governments and forced labor camps that are responsible for the persecution of Falun Gong for The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). If anyone on the list attempts to enter Canada, a prompt investigation could take place, potentially resulting in refusal of visas to Canada, deportation, charges and punishment based on Canada's laws governing crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/8/27/109282.html

On August 13, 2005, tourists from all over the world were stunned by the anti-torture exhibition on Frankfurt's Roman Square on International Youth Day, which exposed the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

In the center of the anti-torture exhibition were re-enactments of torture scenes, with practitioners wearing make-up to resemble bruises and bloodstains while tied up to a Tiger Bench, chained to cages, and with bamboo sticks pushed under their fingernails. A "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" Art Exhibition was set up on the left, while practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises on the right. Further on was a table with informational leaflets and a petition that people could sign in support of Falun Gong. As a backdrop, a line of large banners proclaimed in both Chinese and German, "Please help stop the persecution of Falun Gong," "The CCP Blatantly Commits Torture and Murder" and, "This Is Happening in China Right Now."

Since the beginning of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, which practices the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance," 2,781 Falun Gong practitioners have been verified via relatives or eyewitness accounts or photos, etc, as having been persecuted to death. Most lost their lives after enduring prolonged inhumane torture, including continuous beating, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, force-feeding, and injection of nerve damaging drugs, in labor camps, jails and brainwashing classes all over the country. The United Nations' 2004 Report on Human Rights on Persecution of Falun Gong pointed out that the brutality and cruelty of the torture "defies description."

Currently living in Germany are many Falun Gong practitioners from Beijing, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Yunnan who experienced persecution first-hand in labor camps, jails and detention centers. Some were brutally beaten, some were forced to perform intensive labor, some were locked up in iron cages and deprived of food, drink or toilet facilities, some were stripped naked and electrically shocked, and some female practitioners were even raped.

Ms. Gao Rongrong's face was severely burned from continuous electric shock torture for 7 hours

Mr. Shi Zhimin, 70-year-old, is as thin as a rail after 7 months of persecution

At Longshan Labor Camp in Shenyang, a practitioner from Shenyang, Ms. Gao Rongrong, who was once rescued but then arrested again, was shocked with high-voltage electric batons on her face for six to seven hours. As a result, her face was covered with blisters, the skin completely burned and her face disfigured. A seventy-year-old practitioner from Hebei, Mr. Shi Zhimin, was arrested at the end of 2004. Seven months later he was tortured until his body became a bag of bones, and he was just hanging on to his last breath.

After learning these facts, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Gao (not related to Ms. Gao Rongrong) felt she would speak up for justice. Since she started practicing Falun Gong, everything changed for the better. She even got rid of her allergy to pollen, which no doctor could cure. In her opinion, if people are not free to believe in what they want to believe in, there is no point in life. If people can be persecuted for believing in "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance," there is no morality in human society. The day before the anti-torture exhibition, she drove from the south with a homemade banner and Tiger Bench to use in the anti-torture exhibition.

Ms. Gao came from Taiwan, where more than four hundred thousand people practice Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners are spread throughout seventy-eight countries of the world. Be it large cities or small towns, there are Falun Gong practitioners all over Germany, most of whom are westerners. They are often seen on weekends in the city at information days and at anti-torture exhibitions.

Shock mixed with anger and sympathy appeared on the face of onlookers. The Art Exhibition with the theme of torture was often surrounded with several rows of people. A continuous flow of tourists signed their names in front of the informational material stand. A number of children bent close to the cage and Tiger Bench. Many took photos and recorded videos. Thousands of people took leaflets, newspapers, bookmarks and CDs. Countless also talked with practitioners.

Among messages in the comments book were, "I understand very well your activities. Angels are everywhere. Thank you! - Thomen;"

"It is so good to hold protest activities here. Our democracy allows everything. Wish you success! God bless! - Gappelle;"

"I revere your founding principles. The worthless brutality of those who persecute you will only serve to debase themselves. - Andrea."

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/8/19/108711.html

On August 20, local practitioners from Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho and practitioners from the Seattle

and Olympia areas participated in the annual Lentil Festival Parade in Pullman, Washington. Once again this year the Falun Gong practitioners won an award. The practitioners' float decorated with lotus flowers won the trophy for Best Non-Commercial Entry.

Falun Gong practitioners' procession

Banners

Enthusiastically greeting the Falun Gong group, the crowd was waving and smiling, and holding out their hands for flyers. The practitioners' lovely float, covered with lotuses of all sizes, carried Tang Dynasty costumed ladies and a sweet little girl in her own lotus, as well as practitioners demonstrating the exercise movements. The talented Falun Gong waist drum troupe marched and performed to the music of "Falun Gong is good." This was the first time this type of performance had ever been seen in this area. The not-so-fearsome Chinese Lion delighted children and grownups along the entire parade route, capering

and swinging his great head all the way. Other Falun Gong practitioners carried banners and handed out flyers and paper lotuses to the crowd, where many predestined onlookers reached out for information about Falun Gong.

Exercise demo