Falun Gong Practitioners & Supporters Mark 100-Day Round-the-Clock Vigil to Coincide with PM's Upcoming Visit to China

Media Advisoryáááááááááááááá For Immediate Release: October 12, 2001

Ottawa -- The round-the-clock vigil held in front of the Chinese Embassy for practitioners persecuted in China has withstood the rain, the heat-wave, the below freezing point days in the fall, and the intimidation from the Chinese Embassy. This Sunday, it has lasted 100 days.

This marathon vigil was started to appeal to end the murder of practitioners in China. However, the Chinese Embassy has turned a deaf ear to the appeal and refused to even accept letters. Meanwhile, the reported death toll climbed from 250 to 293 during this period. Hardly a day went by without news of more practitioners tortured or murdered in China.

Under such a dire situation, people overcame many difficulties to be in front of the Chinese Embassy to appeal. They are determined to appeal until the persecution ends.

Falun Gong supporters will gather in front of the Chinese Embassy to mark this 100-day round-the-clock vigil on Sunday October 14. Supporters are also appealing to Prime Minister Jean Chretien who is visiting China next week. They will urge him to persuade China to stop state terrorism against Falun Gong practitioners. Supporters hope that Shenli Lin, husband of a Canadian Citizen, and Zhili He, husband of a permanent resident of Canada, both imprisoned in China for being Falun Gong practitioners, will be returned to Canada.

100-Day Round-the-Clock Vigil Ceremony

When: Sunday, October 14, 2001, 1:00pm -- 2:00pm

Where: In front of the Chinese Embassy

Background Information

On July 6, 2001, Gerry Smith, a Nortel engineer started a 330-hour round-the-clock vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy after news about 15 female practitioners in Wanjia Labor Camp in China were murdered. President of China Jiang Zemin ordered "Destroy Falun Gong's reputations, cut them off financially, and eradicate them physically," "Beating them to death is counted as a suicide, no need [for their families] to identify the bodies, and cremate them directly."

Following Gerry's initiative, the Guan family, including a 12-year-old boy Chaochen, Jingyu Li, and many other Falun Gong practitioners relayed the vigil. This 100-day round-the-clock vigil along with Falun Gong's "SOS global rescue walk" has exposed the evil persecution and gathered support. In the past month, 95,000 signatures have been delivered to Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

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