(Minghui.org) Amato Akarana, a local Maori chief in the Auckland area of New Zealand's North Island, recently joined the wave of lawsuits being filed against the former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin for persecuting Falun Gong.
“Jiang Zemin has persecuted Falun Gong and has committed serious criminal offenses. So the Chinese Communist Party should bring him to justice,” Chief Amato said to a Minghui correspondent on July 30.
“I know that, inside China and around the world, more than 100,000 people have stood up and filed criminal complaints concerning this person who initiated the persecution,” Chief Amato said.
“In New Zealand, in my Maori land, more than 70 people have sued Jiang. I am very impressed with their courage and completely support their great efforts.”
Chief Amato has been a long-time supporter of Falun Gong. He said, “[Falun Gong's teaching of] Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is humankind's great spiritual foundation. In my family, in my tribe, there are many Falun Gong practitioners. For many years I have regarded Falun Gong practitioners as part of my family.”
Chief Amato doing the Falun Gong exercises with practitioners at Aotea Square in Auckland in 2007
Chief Amato in the Falun Gong parade in Auckland on February 23, 2009
Chief Amato visited Falun Gong practitioners at an activity on Mountain Eden in 2013.
Chief Amato visited Falun Gong practitioners at an activity at Mission Bay, a famous tourist spot, in 2015.
“Maori condemn those who persecute good people. Live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners is a crime against humanity. Maori will not tolerate this crime. I also understand that Jiang Zemin has extended the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners to New Zealand, and we will not allow that to happen,” he said.
Chief Amato was referring to the attacks that took place on April 24 and July 16 of this year. A Chinese organization in New Zealand that is under the direct control of the Chinese consulate harassed and cursed Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese consulate.
The organization also told a local Chinese newspaper, Chinese Times, to publish an article that slandered and lied about Falun Gong. When practitioners talked to the chief editor of the newspaper, they were told that all the reports published in their newspaper had to be censored by the Chinese consulate.
Chief Amato was upset about the attacks. He said, “The Chinese Communist Party Consulate in Auckland should stop doing bad things to Falun Gong practitioners in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and on Maori land. If they defame Falun Gong, then they also defame Maori.”
He believes that the attacks violated his and his people's rights, so he decided to file a criminal complaint against Jiang Zemin. He included the recent attacks as evidence.
The Maori, about 400,000 strong, are the original inhabitants of New Zealand. Many of them practice Falun Gong, and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are widely appreciated by the Maori.
On May 8, 2009, Chief Amato issued a proclamation to Falun Gong, proclaiming the week of May 7 “New Zealand Falun Dafa Week” on behalf of the Aotearoa Tangata Whenua Maori, Faa Samoa, Pacifica, Sovereign Council of Chiefs.
This year on May 13, the birthday of the founder of Falun Gong Master Li Hongzhi, Chief Amato joined practitioners' celebration at Mission Bay. “Happy birthday, Master Li! And thank you very much for all the blessings you have brought us,” he said at the celebration.
