Issued by Clearwisdom Net

San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade was held on the evening of March 3, 2007. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCC), with its Chinese General Consul board member, extended the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s persecution of Falun Gong to San Francisco and refused the practitioners' application for participating in the parade. Thus, the practitioners exposed the CCP and the CCC to the media and the San Francisco public at the parade. They also demonstrated the exercises and performed waist drum and celestial maiden dances to demonstrate the grace of Falun Gong and traditional Chinese culture. The practitioners explained that practitioners are a part of the Chinese community and that the CCC has wrongfully denied their participation in the parade, thus extending the CCP's persecution to San Francisco.

Signing to support Falun Gong practitioners

Along the path of the parade on March 3, Falun Gong practitioners set up demonstration areas on Kearny Street and California Street. They explained to the public and tourists how the CCP, through the CCC and its consul Rose Pak, discriminates against and blocks Falun Gong practitioners from participating in the Chinese New Year Parade during the Lantern Festival.

Spokeswoman Dr. Zhang Xuerong of Falun Gong in San Francisco said that the application to participate in the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco's Chinatown was rejected by the CCC. This is closely related to the persecution of Falun Gong in China because the Chinese General Consul, Peng Keyu, is a board member of the CCC. The CCC not only rejected practitioners' participation in the parade, but has also conducted activities against Falun Gong.

Dr. Zhang said, "We wish to participate in the parade celebrating the Chinese traditional holiday with the Chinese community. Though we cannot participate, we have come here today to let people know that Falun Gong practice is a part of the five-thousand-year old Chinese culture. Because of our belief, the CCP persecutes us. Our basic rights are infringed upon. We cannot participate in the parade that is funded by the city government. We hope everyone can see that the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong is being extended to San Francisco."

Regarding the Chinese Consulate's conduct and the CCP's persecution policy, Dr. Zhang said that the situation cannot continue forever, but will be resolved sooner or later.

After 2:00 p.m., Falun Gong practitioners came to the demonstration areas that the police designated. Those with yellow costumes demonstrated the exercises and performed on waist drums alternatively. The drum playing caught the attention of many people. Some lady practitioners with colorful celestial maiden costumes performed dances. Young practitioners also participated. The practitioners also set up banners to introduce Falun Gong, condemn the CCP's persecution and call for an end of the extension of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong to overseas.

Lu Hui, the coordinator of the event, said, "Falun Gong is Chinese traditional practice and a part of Chinese traditional culture. We have come here today to perform dances with Tang costumes and play waist drums. We wish to show the grace of Chinese traditional culture and celebrate the New Year with everyone."

Lu Hui said, "The police support us. They know us very well. They know that we are peaceful. The CCP's consul Rose Pak attempted to ask the police not to designate this demonstration zone, but the police rejected her request."

A spectator named Beverly watched the performance of young practitioners from the Minghui School and said, "Wonderful." She criticized the organizers of the parade for being too political, saying they should allow all parties to join because San Francisco is a city of freedom of speech. She thanked the practitioners for their performance.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/4/150160.html

The Chinese Communist regime's atrocities of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners have been repeatedly condemned by the international community. Through partnership with the Working Together for Human Rights Association since last year, Amnesty International has kept a close eye on various atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese Communist regime to persecute Falun Gong practitioners. On various formal occasions, it also appealed for Falun Gong practitioners' human rights and strongly condemned the Chinese regime's persecution against them.

In October 2006, when French president Jacques Chirac visited China, Ms. Marie-Francoise Lamperti, chairwoman of Working Together for Human Rights Association, met with Mr. Laurent Billi, the Foreign Affairs Advisor for President Chirac. During the meeting, Ms. Lamperti presented a letter calling on the president to keep an eye on the atrocities of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners, along with a report on the investigation into the organ harvesting atrocities. In November, 2006, as a human rights observer, Ms. Lamperti attended a hearing held in the office building of the French Prime Minister, along with Canadian independent human rights investigators Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas. In the hearing, she condemned the Chinese Communist regime's atrocities of harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners and called for an end to the persecution against Falun Gong. In February 2007, when the 3rd World Congress against the Death Penalty was held in Paris, many photos and various other materials about the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners were displayed at the booth established by the Working Together for Human Rights Association. Recently, French Falun Gong practitioners were invited to give speeches at the seminar held by the Association at the French Senate.

When interviewed, Ms. Lamperti expressed her concern about China's human rights issues and condemned the Chinese Communist regime's persecution against Falun Gong. When asked about her understanding of Falun Gong, she said: "Falun Gong has been acknowledged and accepted in many countries around the world. In France, some organizations have understood Falun Gong, but many people and media have yet to really understand Falun Gong at present. We don't know why the Chinese regime would regard this absolutely harmless spiritual movement based on the universal principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance" as a threat to the nation and perpetrate the cruel persecution against it. We are against all the atrocities of persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong practitioners are innocent prisoners of conscience who are subject to arrest, persecution and killing by the Chinese Communist regime. It is unreasonable for the Chinese regime to arrest Falun Gong practitioners and send them to forced labour camps for persecution."

As to China's human rights status, Ms. Lamperti said: "Human rights are trampled on by the authorities in China. China's human rights abuse record is the most serious one in the world as it doesn't respect any human rights: A great number of criminals are deprived of their lives arbitrarily through cruel torture and persecution, the right to organise unions are ignored, the rights of demonstration and petition are not respected, people are deprived of press freedom, prisoners of conscience are deprived of life, freedom of belief is trampled, and even the environment is damaged. In particular, a large number of Falun Gong practitioners have been murdered after being cruelly persecuted. Nowadays, many international organisations are aware of the Chinese Communist regime's heinous atrocities of harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners for sale and oppose them."

When asked how to improve China's human rights situation, Ms. Lamperti stated: "When it comes to the Chinese Communist regime's atrocities of human rights abuse, we need to let the international community and people know the real situation as well as call on all the governments around the world to pay attention to it. In the meantime, we should cooperate with the general public and parliamentarians to oppose the Chinese regime's atrocities of human rights persecution."

Ms. Lamperti added: "The Olympic Games are peaceful international sports activities. How can we allow such peaceful sports activities to be held in a country that violates and tramples on human rights? In this regard, we cannot accept it. When China was vying for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, it promised the International Olympic Committee that it would improve its human rights and in particular, China is a signatory to the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Chinese Communist regime should submit a report with the United Nations on its implementation of anti-torture measures in recent years as soon as possible. We will pay close attention to the report. At present not only has China not improved its human rights, but it has escalated its persecution against its people as time goes on. Among others, it is absolutely intolerable that the Chinese regime harvested organs from living Falun Gong practitioners and sold them worldwide. The Chinese Communist regime has employed such deceptive approaches to deceive the international community."

 On March 2, 2007, Toronto resident Lin Shenli held a press conference in front of the Chinese Consulate and stated that a CCP Court in Shanghai, China has unlawfully sentenced his brother Lin Mingli to six years in prison. Mr. Lin called on the Canadian Government and the international community to help rescue his brother.

Lin Shenli makes a speech

Press conference

Between 9 to 11 a.m. on November 10, 2006, the Putao Court under the direction of Shanghai 610 Office unlawfully sentenced Lin Mingli, who put forward an appeal right away.

The whole procedure was a show trial. Mr. Lin Mingli's wife was allowed to enter the court after she requested to do so many times. All seats were occupied by people unrelated to the case, and she sat in the last row. Only two oral testimonies were read in court, and no witnesses showed up. Without witnesses or evidence, the judge sentenced Mr. Lin to six years in prison. 

Mr. Lin Shenli said that after his brother appealed, the Shanghai Middle Court did not conduct any investigation, verification or hearing. A person named Yu Liang in the court informed Mingli's lawyer, "It is a simple case. No more hearings will be conducted. The original sentence is upheld." The lawyer asked to meet him in person, and he said it was not needed. Mingli is being held in the detention center and will be transferred to prison at any moment.

Mr. Lin Shenli is a Falun Gong practitioner. He was unlawfully sentenced to two years in Shanghai and suffered many tortures. In 2002, he was rescued to Canada.

"I called the lawyer many times to ask about my brother's situation, but I could not reach him." Mr. Lin said sadly, "My sister-in-law told me that the lawyer could not get phone calls from overseas. This makes me more worried about my brother's safety."

Mr. Lin said, "I appeal to the Canadian Government and all kind-hearted people to help rescue my brother and tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners being tortured in prisons and potentially killed."

Spokesperson Joel Chipkar of the Canada Falun Dafa Association said in his speech that since 1999, the number of documented deaths of Falun Gong practitioners due to CCP police violence stands at 3,018. Experts estimate the number to be much higher. David Kilgour, former Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) for Canada and David Matas, international human rights lawyer, released a report in July 2006 and confirmed the appalling fact: CCP conducts organ harvesting from a large number of living Falun Gong practitioners for profit.

Mr. Chipkar said, "We hope that the Canadian Government will place human rights first in dealing with the CCP regime and help rescue those Falun Gong practitioners who have family members in Canada."

Mr. Lin was persecuted for two years in a labor camp after being taken away by the Shanghai police for persisting in practicing Falun Gong. Over two years ago, he was rescued to Canada to re-unite with his family there.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/3/4/150116.html

Falun Gong practitioners living in Calgary, Canada and their families gathered in front of the local Chinese Consulate on February 15, 2007. They held a press conference to expose the Chinese Communist regime's ruthless persecution of Falun Gong practitioners during the past eight years. Two practitioners related stories of their family members currently being persecuted for their belief. They urged the Canadian government to take immediate measures to help rescue their family members.

Chen Zhiming immigrated to Canada in March 2006 from Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, and currently resides in Calgary. His son Chen Yingyi is a Canadian citizen and lives in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Chen Zhiming's wife Huang Jinling is 62 years old and currently lives in China. The Chinese Consulate rejected her March 2001 passport application because she practiced Falun Gong. Although the Citizenship and Immigration Office of Canada has approved her application for Canadian residency, they cannot issue her a visa because she doesn't have a passport.

Huang Jinling lived away from her home in China for nearly one year in order to avoid the CCP persecution. She was arrested and sent to a brainwashing center in Suzhou City in November 2003 by agents from the local 610 Office. They attempted to force her to renounce her belief. She was arrested again on the evening of February 9, 2007, and officials from Kunshan City 610 Office and the National Security Division ransacked her home. She is presently facing great danger.

Her daughter Chen Yinghua was arrested in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province on August 8, 2003 for practicing Falun Gong. She was tortured and force-fed during her detention. This resulted in a severe stomach hemorrhage that nearly killed her. Chen Yinghua's father Chen Zhiming strongly protested the persecution while in Canada. He exposed the persecution through the media, and the Canadian government helped rescue Chen Yinghua. Due to joint efforts, Chen Yinghua was released two-and-a-half months later. At the time of her release, she weighed only 30 kg [66 lbs].

Chen Zhiming and his son Chen Yingyi said they hope the Canadian government and media would extend a helping hand to stop the Communist regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. They also urged the Chinese government to immediately issue Huang Jinling her a passport so that she can join her family in Canada.

Winston Liu is a PhD student at Calgary University. He and his wife Yao Yue studied at Tsinghua University in China and were arrested on January 1, 2001 for practicing Falun Gong. Winston Liu was sentenced to three years in prison, and Yao Yue was sentenced to 12 years. She is currently being held at Beijing Women's Prison. Winston Liu was arrested many times and suspended from school for persisting in his belief. During his incarceration, he was shocked with electric batons, locked in solitary confinement for seven months, subjected to brainwashing tactics, and physically tortured and mentally tormented. The trauma he sustained in prison still follows him to this day. He calls on the Canadian government to help secure his wife's release from prison and join him in Canada, where she can freely practice Falun Gong.

Li, another Calgary resident, asked an Epoch Times correspondent to report the persecution of his sister and his family. His sister Li Mei was arrested in June 2004 for practicing Falun Gong and sentenced to three years in prison. She is currently being held at the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in Liaoning Province. This labor camp is notorious for its brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Li knows nothing about his sister's condition besides that she is alive. Guards monitor her constantly and have completely isolated Li Mei from the outside. Her husband was held in prison for one year in 2002 for persisting in his belief. Their 13-year-old son has been repeatedly taunted, humiliated and discriminated against, both at school and around the neighborhood where he lives.

These incidents of persecution are only a minute portion of what happens to millions of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Falun Gong practitioners in Calgary call on the Canadian government to help rescue persecuted family members of Canadian residents in China to regain their freedom.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/2/18/149255.html