The Pinnacle (California): Walking for freedom

Pinnacle Staff Writer

October 18, 2001

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They strode past Gilroy's Old City Hall, the Rio Nilo nightclub and an antique trading post, 10 Chinese nationals and supporters walking the El Camino Real from Los Angeles to San Francisco to draw attention to persecution back home.

With their flags, sashes, yellow t-shirts that read "China: Stop persecuting Falun Gong, and signs that say SOS!, the practitioners of Falun Gong looked oddly out of place in downtown Gilroy, even under escort by Mayor Tom Springer along Sixth Street to Old City Hall. The protesters, nine women and one man aged 25 to 62, hope that the hardships of the 500-mile walk -- part of several going on globally -- will draw attention to the even greater hardships suffered by fellow practitioners tortured and even killed in China for their religious beliefs.

"Sometimes it is painful," said Christian Loo, taking a break Monday nearly 400 miles into the trip, "but it is a sweet pain. We get strength every time we get encouragement and think of the others (in China). It really makes us strive forward."

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a [...] meditation practice developed in China in the early 1990s. [...], Falun Gong consists of movements mixed with meditations on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

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The marchers displayed photos of those tortured and demonstrated Falun Gong exercises during the Gilroy stopover. In the storied Council Chambers, the 10 marchers lined up and moved in unison as they demonstrated the practice they are trying to defend.

Walker Mingjing Xue was imprisoned twice for a total of 104 days. Through an interpreter, Xue described her experiences.

"I was handcuffed for 15 days,' Xue said. "With another person, I was handcuffed to a window so we couldn't sleep or go the restroom. We had a small piece of cold bread and a pickle for food. We were not allowed to meditate or close our eyes."

Xue says she witnessed the torture of other Falun Gong and that her story is just one of thousands of civil rights abuses.

"I strongly appeal to the U.S. government and people for the Falun Gong members being illegally detained," she said.

In the short time since it was developed, Falun Gong has gained more than 70 million followers in China alone.

"That is more than in the entire Chinese [party' name omitted] party," said Jessica Amador, another walker and a graduate of UC Berkeley who has practiced Falun Gong for three years. It is also the reason, protestors say, that the Chinese government has singled them out for harassment, imprisonment and torture.

Amador could not say how many Falun Gong practitioners are in the U.S. because the practice has no formal organization.

"It is like asking how many people practice Yoga," she said. "Anyone can get the books and videos on-line and practice."

Springer welcomed the group to Gilroy.

"I admire your courage," he said and spoke to the group of its 'fundamental rights as given by the creator.'

"I hope that one day soon, you are free to practice as you wish and that the leaders of China realize that they have made a horrendous mistake and change their course," Springer said.

Other practitioners along the way have shown their support. Alice Yim and Ma Quig came to Gilroy from San Mateo to meet the group. Yim has participated in a protest walk from Daley City to San Francisco.

After the conference, Springer marched arm-in-arm with group from the council chambers, up Sixth Street, to the steps of the Old City Hall before seeing them off. After he left, the group took off -- south. A bystander pointed them in the opposite direction. They then headed up Monterey Street toward Morgan Hill and their next press conference in San Jose. They plan to arrive in San Francisco today.

"It is not easy," Yim said. "But eventually, evil cannot win." For more information about Falun Gong visit www.falundafa.org.

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