Statement from Former Mayor of Saratoga, California

2/15/01

For Release to the Media at Falun Gong Press Conference

As an elected representative of my community, I urge the United States government to condemn in the strongest possible terms the repression of practitioners of Falun Gong by the government of China, and to take whatever means necessary to convince the Chinese government that its actions are not acceptable to the civilized world community of the 21st century.

Last November while mayor of Saratoga, I issued a proclamation honoring the practitioners of Falun Gong in our community. The proclamation occasioned a protest from the Chinese Consulate, including a request by the Consul General to rescind the proclamation. The insinuation of the Chinese government into the political affairs of our city is completely unacceptable. If we learn any lesson from the last century, it is that Americans have to come forward and be heard when repression strikes in the world. We can only speculate as to how history might have been different if our citizens had spoken up when events unfolded in Turkey during the early part of the century, or in Russia and Germany during the 1930's. And this is only a partial list.

I strongly urge my fellow council members and our community to stand with the Falun Gong practitioners in their legitimate demands for basic human rights.

Stan Bogosian

Council member and Former Mayor

City of Saratoga