Peaceful March Calling for an End to the Persecution Held in Hong Kong by Falun Gong Practitioners (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net)

On March 28, 2004, Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful march, protesting against the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The procession started from Tsuen Wan Substation and ended at Tsim Sha Tsui Wharf. They carried with them a banner which boldly displayed the words, "Stop the Persecution! Let the Truth be Known to the World." The orderly manner of the procession and the photo-display of all the practitioners killed in China attracted numerous onlookers.

Speaker Mr. Feng, husband of practitioner Fu Xueying	Speaker Ms Lin, sister of practitioner Lin Junhui	Procession

The people of Hong Kong have difficulty in understanding why Falun Gong practitioners are being persecuted in China. However, it is hoped that through these activities, they will get to know the truth, and that they will call upon the Chinese government to release the innocent practitioners that are still being held in detention centers or prisons.

The program was officially started by an address from the organizers. In this speech it was stated that: "Since the campaign against Falun Gong was launched in 1999 by Jiang's regime, over 900 practitioners have already been tortured to death. Sentences have been given to over 6,000 practitioners who did not have their legal right of a judicial trial, and over 100,000 practitioners have been illegally sent to various labor camps. Moreover, at least 8 Falun Gong practitioners and their family members have been victimized here in Hong Kong. Jiang's regime has also applied pressure many times through its various links in the Hong Kong government to stop Falun Gong activities: In mid-March 2002, a group of practitioners were accused of blocking the sidewalk during a peaceful appeal; other cases include those that occurred in January and May 2001, July 2002, and in February 2003, when the Immigration Authority has stopped overseas practitioners from entering the territory..."

The second speaker was Mr. Feng, the husband of Fu Xueying, who is a practitioner that has been detained in China for five months. Mr. Feng said that since Ms. Fu started practicing Falun Gong, she recovered from various ailments and skin disease; her temperament changed, and she became more gentle and considerate. Mr. Feng said he would support his wife fully despite the fact that he is a Christian. Ms. Fu was arrested for distributing Falun Dafa materials near Shenzhen College last October. She was placed on trial on March 9, 2004. During the court session, Ms. Fu emphasized three times that following the practice of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance" was not a crime. The court adjourned without a verdict.

The next speaker was Ms. Lin, sister of practitioner Lin Junhui of Hong Kong. Ms. Lin said that her sister was deprived of her employment because she practiced Falun Gong. In November 2003, while visiting her family in China, Lin Junhui was arrested for carrying Falun Dafa materials while crossing the Hong Kong-China border at Luohu. At present, she is still in detention at Luohu.

Despite the persecution in China, every year, over a thousand Falun Gong practitioners, from some twenty countries all over the world participate in the Hong Kong Annual Fa Experience Sharing Conference. As an appreciation of support from the public, in October 2002, the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association staged two cultural shows, which drew a crowd of approximately eight hundred people.

At present, Hong Kong is the only place in China where Falun Gong can be practiced freely. In 2003, to protest the breach of human rights and right to freedom of religion, nearly a million people participated in the anti-Article 23 rally.