March 6, 2001

As the Students' Administrative Council (SAC) of the University of Toronto, we are writing this open letter to support Falun Gong and its practitioners. SAC is the largest student government body, representing 33,000 full-time undergraduate students at the University of Toronto -- Canada's largest post-secondary institution and among its most renowned.

Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a SAC recognized student group. Its practitioners employ gentle exercises, meditation and moral principles to enhance their bodies and minds and in their daily lives, and strive to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance, which Falun Dafa teaches. These endeavors do not interfere with the activities or objectives of the university. Their peaceful exercises are a welcomed sight at various locations on and near campus.

We are deeply concerned about reports from China, which demonstrate a very different treatment of Falun Gong practitioners without the same tolerance or even respect of human rights for an entirely peaceful and well-meaning group. The reports of mass arrests, torture, detainment, harassment and even death of Falun Gong practitioners come as a shock to people around the world who know Falun Gong as a peaceful, quiet and apolitical practice. Worldwide media and human rights groups have reported over 143 deaths of Falun Gong members in police custody. Additionally, there are reports of over 50,000 arrests, 10,000 forced labour camp sentencesissued without trialsas well as many fines and the loss of jobs, pensions, Party memberships, and educations.

We are concerned to learn of stories such as those of Kunlun Zhang, a university professor and Canadian citizen who was arrested, detained, tortured with electric shocks and sentenced without trial to a three year labour camp term for his practice of Falun Gong. We are also disturbed to learn of the case of Zhao Xin, a university lecturer in Beijing who was arrested and beaten into a coma for practicing Falun Gong exercises in a public parkeventually dying of the tortures she received. It is reported that students in China have faced expulsion, detentions, beatings and even death for their practice of Falun Gong. This is unacceptable.

SAC prides itself in striving to ensure a fair and just education environment for all students at the University of Toronto. The instances taking place in China are of grave concern to us as they demonstrate a serious violation of basic rightsnot only of students, but also tens of millions of other Chinese citizens. For this reason, we speak out and are urging China to stop this injustice.

The principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance upon which Falun Dafa is based represents qualities that are valued and respected by the students here at the University of Toronto. A principle such as this can only bring benefit to a nation or institution.

SAC has endorsed a petition and is joining Falun Gong practitioners in appealing for an end to the brutal persecution that is taking place in China. We appeal to other academic institutions to join us in our appeal and call for an end to the crackdown of Falun Gong in China. Concurrently, we implore the government of Ontario and the government of Canada to make their voices heard and strongly urge China to rescind the ban on Falun Gong and release those Falun Gong practitioners currently detained in labour camps, detention centers, prisons or elsewhere.

Sincerely,

(Signatures)

Adam Bretholz Justin Saunders Ericka Duffy

President University Affairs Equity Commissioner

Commissioner