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On the afternoon of April 18, 2007, Dr. Charles Lee, an American citizen who was illegally jailed by Chinese Communist Party for three years for spreading truth of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and Mr. David Kilgour, Canada's former Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific, visited Michigan State legislators before they attended the seminar in Michigan State University.
At the welcome party hosted by House Representative Mr. Aldo Vagnozzi, Charles Lee talked about the tortures he experienced in Chinese jails. For example, the warden tied him to a bed for 37 hours and put a long tube into his nose to force-feed him. He said, "The communist party can do any evil things."
Mr. David Kilgour introduced the report titled Bloody Harvest, an independent investigation into allegations of organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China." The report was compiled by he and Mr. David Matas. He said many people travel to China to have organ transplants and don't realize that the organs are harvested from live Falun Gong practitioners and sold with huge profits.
Kilgour continued, "The Chinese authorities in the post Mao era have been following the policy of 'no matter white or black, a cat that catches the mouse is a good one' that encouraged all Chinese to pursue money. But lacking true democracy, China doesn't have a mechanism to monitor violations of human rights." Under the rule of the Communist Party, cases ignoring the sanctity of human life happen frequently but the responsible persons can often escape legal prosecution.
Michigan House Representative Mrs. Lisa Wojno suggested state legislators warn residents not to have organ transplants in mainland China.
Mr. Vagnozzi stated that April 18 is the 60th anniversary of the end of Holocaust. Unfortunately, a similar massacre is happening in China now. Some people in China are making big money by harvesting organs from live Falun Gong practitioners. He was upset that there were still some people turning their eyes away from Chinese Communist Party's crime of organ harvesting and some even chose not to learn the truth.
When an international computer exhibition was held in Altstadt, Hannover, Falun Gong practitioners took the opportunity to hold an activity to raise awareness about Falun Gong and the persecution taking place in China.
People surround Falun Gong practitioners' information desk to find out more
The activity took place on March 17, 2007. Falun Gong practitioners distributed materials in various languages to help people understand what Falun Gong is, and how it has spread to all corners of the world. Passersby happily accepted fliers and many looked at the photograph displays around the information desk. These pictures depicted the persecution in China. In one picture a woman being held at a labor camp held a hunger strike to protest her unlawful detention, and was subjected to forced feeding afterwards. A large tube was used to force-feed her, sometimes with salt water, or very dirty water. Tubes like the one used on this practitioner have occasionally pierced the trachea, resulting in the deaths of many Falun Gong practitioners.
In a painting, a policeman was beating a Falun Gong practitioner. The practitioner's child had a look which seemed to say, "Why do you beat my mother and me?" Several Falun Gong practitioners who are artists have depicted the brutal persecution against Falun Gong with their artworks. These paintings drew onlookers to pause and find out more.
There was a small exhibition with the theme, "How are the Organs of Falun Gong Practitioners Harvested by the Chinese Communist Party?" A loudspeaker broadcast a recording detailing the entire process, which shocked the majority of listeners. Many people expressed a wish to do something to end this persecution, such as the signing their names to an appeal letter to the German government. To understand more, some visitors talked directly with a Falun Gong practitioner who had been detained in a Chinese labor camp for two years.
At the back of the information desk, a Falun Gong practitioner squatted in the cage to re-enact the actual inhuman treatment of Chinese Falun Gong practitioners in labor camps. These scenes have been presented in many cities throughout the world, including Germany, and have touched the hearts of the people. Some passersby took organ harvesting investigation reports by the two independent investigators, David Kilgour and David Matas. Some passersby also left their contact details in the hope of learning the Falun Gong practice. Several students planned to use these truth clarifying materials to do reports about China. One man was willing to post all of the information on his personal website after fully understanding the issue.
An older man from China took materials with a smile and said, "I will read them all."
An eighteen year old student came over to the information desk and said, "You are great. I have seen this kind of information desk before. I understand what is happening. You are doing a marvelous job."
Three women who study pharmacology carefully listened to the information about the persecution in China in the hopes of learning more of the truth. One of the Falun Gong practitioners lived in the same city as theirs. These women were interested in learning Falun Gong and reading the book, Zhuan Falun, and said they would put leaflets in their clinic.
On this day, several hundred soccer fans headed for the soccer field to watch Hannover challenge Hamburg and passed by the Falun Gong information exhibition. They stood beside Falun Gong practitioners to take photos for fun since this scene was a rare sight for them. The Falun Gong practitioner seriously said, "We set up this information desk for people to learn about the persecution in China. It is quite solemn." He introduced Falun Gong's health benefits and the suffering of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The fans then became silent, and they began to understand what is happening in China.
A young man from the UK stayed nearby for nearly half an hour hoping to learn more details. He originally thought that human rights had improved in China, but he heard for the first time of the actual situation there. He read words and pictures about the persecution, then about Falun Gong practitioners' beliefs. A practitioner chatted with him until eventually, the man smiled in agreement and said farewell.
Eight years ago, on April 25, 1999, more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal in downtown Beijing to request the release of 45 practitioners arrested in Tianjin, protection of their practice environment, and permission to publish Falun Gong books. The then Prime Minister talked with the representatives of the practitioners and the issues were resolved. This was the well-known April 25 peaceful, large-scale appeal. The international community expressed admiration for the practitioners' rationality, confidence, self-discipline and high social ethics. For the first time, Falun Gong practitioners were reported on by the international media. Then on July 20, the CCP's Jiang and Luo faction suddenly initiated open persecution against Falun Gong and used all their propaganda tools to slander Falun Gong, filling China and the whole world with lies.
The persecution has lasted for eight years, and its continuous persecution of Falun Gong has caused its own coming disintegration. Facing the brutal persecution, Falun Gong practitioners keep clarifying the facts with compassionate and kind-hearted attitudes.
On April 25, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners in New York gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate to explain the facts of the April 25 appeal, commemorate fellow practitioners tortured to death and condemn the persecution. More than ten practitioners gave speeches. Two non-practitioner Chinese people announced their withdrawal from the CCP on the spot and exposed the CCP's persecution. The speeches were conveyed to the Chinese Consulate with a loud speaker and resounded clearly.
It was rainy with a cold wind in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York.
Dr. Shi Caiwei, who participated in the appeal in 1999 and met the then Prime Minister, said, "On April 25 eight year ago, we went to the National Appeals Office with great sincerity and kindness and requested the Chinese government to respect the basic rights of freedom of belief stipulated in the constitution. The Prime Minister, Zhu Rongji, dealt with our appeal properly and ordered the release of the practitioners arrested in Tianjin. He also wished to further resolve our other reasonable requests through discussion."
Dr. Shi said, "Under that condition, especially facing a group of sincere, kind-hearted, and rational practitioners, he was given an opportunity to do a beneficial thing for people with his own conscience. But such an open-mind solution was quickly denied by the evil CCP led by Jiang Zemin."
Western practitioner Ben Zgoudny said, "Falun Gong teaches me to be a good man. I have benefited physically and mentally. The persecution is brutal and has lasted eight years. The CCP even harvests organs from live Falun Gong practitioners. The CCP regime is evil. Twenty million Chinese people have renounced the CCP. I hope all Chinese people quit the CCP and all western people come to know about the brutal persecution and killing of innocent people in China."
Ms. Cherrie Yang from Massachusetts Institute of Technology told of the arrest of her mother, Yan Ling, on March 26 in China. She said, "My mother was arrested at home in Tianjin for distributing three hundreds copies of Minghui Weekly, a truth-clarification paper. The police beat my father for trying to put a coat on my mother. My mother did not commit a crime. She was taken away for more than one month. No one can tell how my mother is being treated in detention center. To this day, the CCP denies the persecution. My family's suffering is evidence and confirms that the CCP tells lies. Today, I demand the CCP regime to release my mother and let her return home."
Ms. Jin Yudan renounced the CCP on the spot. She said, "I announce my withdrawal from the CCP today for many reasons. The number of people persecuted by CCP is too many."
"The CCP will be under historical trial," said spokesperson Wang Zhiyuan of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), "WOIPFG has been supported by many righteous people from all circles and has obtained numerous evidence of the CCP's crimes. Preparations for a grand trial have been accomplished. The staff in the Chinese Consulates have been involved in the CCP's persecution, whatever your purpose of working here. Working for the people and helping to stop the persecution is your only hope for a good future."
Mr. Wang Yuanqing, Vice President of Business Development of the Epoch Times, said, "Falun Gong practitioners have kept clarifying the facts peacefully and rationally for eight years. CCP officials, are you not touched? Actually, you know the CCP is inhumane. I hope that people with conscience will help stop the persecution. The day that the CCP disintegrates is near. Don't follow the CCP and sacrifice yourselves for it."
Falun Gong practitioner Li Jinyu condemned the CCP, saying, "On November 10, 2006, Shanghai Putuo Court sentenced my brother-in-law, Mr. Lin Mingli, to a six-year term of imprisonment without any evidence on suspicion that he spread the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Another practitioner, Shao Hongzhen, is a well-known good mother and wife in her neighborhood and was sentenced to three years in a labor camp for persisting in practicing Falun Gong. Even her child was sentenced to a labor camp for one and a half years. Recently, Ms. Shao was unlawfully sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for distributing CDs of the Nine Commentaries. Ms. Shao's parents passed away in 2002 and 2006 due to harassment by the police. These are just a few cases of countless brutal persecution. The CCP always stays above law and uses the law as a tool to suppress dissidents. The Nine Commentaries have spread to every country. Ms. Shao has a right to distribute this book. Why is the CCP so afraid of it? Because the CCP is so evil that it cannot allow any criticism. Therefore, the great tide of twenty million withdrawals has occurred."Ms. Yi Rong, worked as a staff in the Chinese Foreign Ministry and later went to study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. She said, "We Falun Gong practitioners keep protesting the persecution and clarifying the facts and hope people stand on the side of righteousness. We don't hope the CCP will change since its evil nature cannot change. The number of withdrawals from the CCP now stands at twenty million. We hope that those people with a conscience in the consulate will be clear-minded and quit the CCP for a safe future."
At the end of the rally, practitioners spoke out together, "Falun Dafa is good", "Spread the Nine Commentaries" and "Heaven will destroy the CCP".
On the afternoon of April 25, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners in the Washington DC region held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the April 25th peaceful appeal.
On the rally venue, practitioners held banners reading, "4.25 Peaceful Grand Appeal", "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Forges the Milestone of Moral Nobility", and "The World Needs Truth-Compassion-Tolerance".
Falun Gong practitioners rally in front of Chinese Embassy to commemorate 4.25
Words on banner: 4.25 Peaceful Grand Appeal
Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Forges the Milestone of Moral Nobility
Why appeal?
Ms. Zhang Nianying, nearly 80 years old, participated in the 4.25 appeal in 1999. She narrated her experience on April 25, 1999. When talking about the reason for the appeal, Ms. Zhang said, "Because Tianjin police arrested 45 Falun Gong practitioners, we requested the government to release them, allow us to have a peaceful practice environment, and permit bookstores to sell the book Zhuan Falun."
"She said, "We did not besiege Zhongnanhai, the communist compound, or get political, but just let the Chinese leaders know the facts of Falun Dafa."
Protesting the Persecution for Eight Years
Zhang Tianliang, who participated in the April 25 appeal in 1999 and is now a columnist for the Epoch Times, said "Eight years ago, we felt that the government did not know us, as the government arrested Falun Gong practitioners. We went to have a dialog with it. For eight years now, we have experienced many adversities, brutal persecution and suppression. We know the CCP does know us and yet it still wants to suppress us. Under such a scenario, we explain the facts to the Chinese people and each government."
Ms. Lisa Tao from Maryland said, "We have passed more than 2800 days and experienced many strong winds, rains, cold winters and hot summers. We have never stopped protesting the persecution and calling on righteousness and kindness from the world's people. Under hardship, we explain the grace and the facts about Falun Dafa to the world. Now that more and more people know the facts, the CCP's evil nature is exposed in the daylight. People also know about the CCP's brutalities and atrocities - slanders, fabrication, torture, imprisonment, and even harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners, the unprecedented evil on this planet."
CCP Persecutes Falun Gong and Causes its Own Disintegration
Mr. Zhang said, "Jiang Zemin decided to suppress Falun Gong on April 25, 1999. From this day, the CCP stepped into its own destruction. Falun Gong stepped onto international stage on this day. More and more people and countries now know and accept Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners become mature, steadfast and rational, while the CCP has lost people's trust, had its crimes exposed, failed in the suppression, and stepped into destruction. More than twenty million Chinese have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations."
Guo Huifu, and expert in biological science, said while facing the embassy, "We Falun Gong practitioners experienced such brutal persecution, even organ harvesting, but we don't hate you. We practitioners are compassionate and have no hatred. We only wish you would awaken. You know the CCP's persecution is doomed. We all know the destiny of all thugs. Falun Dafa and Truth-Compassion-Tolerance always benefit people. You have done terrible things toward Falun Gong, practitioners and the Chinese people. You should make up for it quickly. Don't assist the evil CCP and sacrifice yourselves for it."
Practitioners' Inner Feelings
Jim Giragosian: We believe Falun Dafa is righteous Fa
Mr. Jim Giragosian, a consultant on management in Washington DC, said that practitioners were commemorating a special day. The CCP is afraid of peace and freedom for the people. Only evil fears freedom and peace. Dafa practitioners practice according to the principle of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. We believe Falun Dafa is righteous Fa. Falun Dafa is good.
Student Wang Jinwei from American University said, "Why do so many people step forward? Because in our inner hearts, we keep Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. More than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all walks of life in China went to appeal. People should think for themselves about the current times, the world, and the country's future. Without Truth-Compassion-Tolerance, where will China go?"
Ms. Wu: Falun Gong practitioners' spirit becomes hope of human beings
Ms. Wu, a Falun Gong practitioner who graduated from Qinghua University in China and came to study in the US, said, "Everyone should remember that the persecution has existed for eight years. Is it a simple persecution of humans against humans? Is it simply bad people persecuting good people? It is the contest between righteous and evil forces in the world. Under the suppression of the CCP, no one could survive without righteous belief. Why have Falun Dafa practitioners stood for eight years against the persecution? Because Falun Dafa practitioners have righteous belief. In China or overseas, Falun Gong practitioners' spirit has become the hope of human beings."
Fact Changes People's Minds
Ms. Shi Wei; I see people's change
Ms. Shi Wei from Virginia observed that during the last few years the Chinese people have changed after learning the facts. "Initially many people did not know the facts about Falun Gong. In China, people's only news source is the CCP-controlled media. The public did not know the facts. When they learned the truth about the staged Tiananmen Self-immolation incident, they changed. Some Chinese people received truth-clarification phone calls at home or faxes at the office. Some directors of the Department of Public Security quit the CCP after learning the fact. Some units quit the CCP together. I see people changing."
Ms. Wu hoped that Chinese people will read the "Nine Commentaries on Communist Party", recognize the party culture, not view things on the basis of the party culture, and not look at Falun Gong and practitioners from the point of view of the party culture.
April 25th, 2007 was a special day for the Australian people, because it was the 92nd "Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) Day." It is observed annually in memory of Australian and New Zealand soldiers who were injured and killed during the two world wars. This day was also the eighth anniversary for the ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China who gathered at the Appeals Bureau near Zhongnanhai, headquarters of the central government. Practitioners in Melbourne held a series of activities to demonstrate the goodness and peacefulness of Falun Gong to tourists and citizens who took part in the commemorative activities on ANZAC Day. People were shocked at the brutal persecution that Falun Gong practitioners have been suffering in China. Falun Gong practitioners' great deeds of countering the persecution over the past eight years of hardships and tribulations, have touched the world's people.
Falun Gong practitioners' "Great Wall of Courage" activity attracted many people who came to learn the truth
Falun Gong practitioners' "Great Wall of Courage" activity attracts many people who came to learn the truth
A candlelight vigil was held in front of the Chinese Consulate to commemorate Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of the CCP's persecution
In the morning, Melbourne Falun Gong practitioners came to the famous tourist spot Fitzroy Garden to do the exercises. Many tourists from China were there, and they took pictures of the practitioners.
From 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the practitioners held a "Great Wall of Courage" activity on the Prince Bridge where there was often a stream of tourists downtown. Practitioners held truth clarification banners beside the bridge. People passing by mostly were army men and veterans. Many people said that it was very significant that the Falun Gong practitioners held an activity on such a special day. Many people took the initiative to sign the petition to oppose the persecution, and said that they would tell more people about things happening in China.
An elderly man read the information on the banners and wanted to donate money to help counter the persecution. Practitioners expressed sincere gratitude for his righteous support but politely declined his donation. Another older military officer said that he was a regular reader of the Epoch Times newspaper. He said the paper was very good, and we should provide opportunities for more people to read the newspaper, because one was unable to read news about China in many other newspapers. He also said that the Epoch Times also helped him gain a deeper understanding of the CCP. He believed that people should not make a distinction between races and nations; so long as they are good people, we should support them. Therefore everybody should help each other to stop the bad people from doing evil.
In the evening, practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of
the
Chinese Consulate, in memory of fellow practitioners in mainland China
who have
died as a result of the CCP's persecution.