Christchurch, New Zealand: Elected Officials and Community Leaders Support Falun Dafa and Call for Persecution to End

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in New Zealand held a rally and parade on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at the Bridge of Remembrance in downtown Christchurch to call attention to the 22-year-long persecution in China. At the rally, several practitioners recounted their personal experiences of being tortured in China. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) bloody violence shocked attendees.

Former Vice President of ACT New Zealand (Action Party, known as ACT), Trevor Loudon, New Conservative Party member Helen Houghton, and Clarie Comonoy, a member of Friends of Tibet, expressed their support. They condemned the CCP’s 22-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners who believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The speakers also called on the New Zealand government and people to resist the CCP’s infiltration.

The parade calling for an end to the persecution marched through downtown Christchurch, New Zealand

Passersby stopped to watch the parade and took photos

People sign the petition to condemn the persecution

Alarmed by CCP Infiltration

Trevor Loudon, who is currently living in the U.S., is an author, filmmaker, and public speaker from New Zealand. He sent a letter expressing his support for the event. In his letter, he said, “My greetings to the people of Christchurch from Florida, USA! As a former resident of Christchurch, I am shocked to see the CCP’s increasing infiltration into my beautiful hometown, and into the government, businesses, and our culture.”

He wrote that Falun Dafa practitioners, Christians, the Uyghurs, and all other freedom-loving Chinese have been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party for years. Now, the CCP tries to spread its insidious influence to every corner all over the world, including New Zealand. 

He asked everyone in New Zealand who loves freedom, regardless of their background, should take every opportunity to resist the CCP. Everyone should stand with the millions of persecuted people in China against the CCP’s slavery, forced organ harvesting, torture, rape, and killing. Everyone should stop buying the products made in the forced labor camps and support those who dare to speak out against the CCP. 

He called for bringing down the CCP, which can only survive with the economic and political support of the West. He also wrote that we are at the moment in history when all must choose to take a stand: "Will you cower in the face of the CCP’s threats and sell out your future to it? Or will you stand up with all your courage to fight the evil Chinese Communist Party?

“When future generations read about this moment in history, they will see those who fought for freedom and those who cowered in the face of tyranny and barbarism. So on which side do you want your name to list?” he wrote. 

“For a free China, for a free New Zealand, for a free world, God bless all those who fought for freedom! I wish Falun Dafa practitioners in Christchurch and all those who participated in this rally a success.”

Hold the CCP Accountable

Claire Coveney speaks on behalf of Friends of Tibet

Claire Coveney spoke at the rally on behalf of Friends of Tibet. She said that the Chinese Communist Party violates the human rights of the Tibetan people, the Uyghurs, and Falun Dafa practitioners. The CCP violates the Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

She also said that Martin Luther King once said that evil succeeds only when good people remain silent. The infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party has now spread throughout the world. Suppose we don’t hold the CCP accountable (for human rights violations). In that case, we will eventually be controlled by them as well. 

CCP Has Committed Genocide

New Conservative Party member Helen Houghton, who could not make it to the event in person, asked her colleague Dianne to read her speech. Her letter read, “I speak today to defend human rights, for the freedom of all people, and the freedom described in the New Zealand Bill of Rights. The New Zealand government must take the issue of human rights in China and other countries seriously. It is not acceptable to maintain trade relations at the expense of people’s lives.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuses have long been clearly documented. Hundreds of thousands of people have been imprisoned and tortured. The most egregious of the persecution is forced organ harvesting. Many have died from having their organs removed while alive, with Falun Dafa practitioners and other faith groups among the victims. The Chinese Communist Party is accused of running a business in human organs, selling livers, hearts, lungs, and kidneys to (people from) other countries.

“New Zealand is too soft on these injustices and crimes against humanity. The UN Convention defines genocide as an act intended to destroy a national, racial, or religious group. We ask the New Zealand government to condemn the (Chinese Communist Party’s) human rights violations.”

We Should Speak Out with No Fear

Angelique Watson, “We should all speak out fearlessly.”

Angelique Watson, a Christchurch resident, heard about the event on social media and came to voice her support. “I am against communism and all dictatorships,” she said. The Chinese Communist Party’s forced live organ harvesting is evil and anti-human. They make people (who are involved in forced organ harvesting) no longer human, and many people are afraid to stand up against it out of fear.”

She added, “Falun Dafa looks very peaceful. They have something that I should learn from. They have the right to pursue their inner spiritual improvement, but the dictator wants to deprive them of their belief. I support Falun Dafa because I believe in God and humanity. No one has the right to kill people or force others to give up their faith. This is against humanity.”

“Everyone came into the world for a reason, and everyone is different. We all have different genes because that’s what God created. We should all be together, stand on the side of justice like warriors, and speak out bravely and fearlessly. Everyone will die eventually, and we would rather die with dignity than giving up our beliefs.”

Stop Trading with the CCP

Ace Ventura, “I hope more people support Falun Dafa.”

Ace Ventura, a computer engineer, photographed the entire rally to post on his website. “Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice that helps people pursue the truth and the true meaning of life. It is very good and benefits people physically and mentally,” he said. “However, the CCP uses media and television propaganda to demonize Falun Dafa and deceive the public.”

He said the world should be aware of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa. “In China, all groups with different opinions are all targets of the CCP’s persecution. We should stop trading with China and stop all transactions until they solve human rights problems. We once condemned the horrible history of the Nazis and the former Soviet Communist Party. But today we do nothing in the face of what is happening in China.”

Ventura felt moved by today’s event, especially by the Tian Guo Marching Band’s performance. He said, “The practitioners all look peaceful. I hope they persist in exposing the persecution, however hard it is to fight against the Chinese Communist Party’s framing and brainwashing. Today’s event was great, and we need to get these messages out so that more people will come to support them.”

Self-Media Host: “Falun Dafa is Good!”

Adam Nuttall, “The principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are great!”

Adam Nuttall runs a self-media. He first read about Falun Dafa and the persecution on the Minghui website. He later talked with practitioners who were distributing truth-clarifying materials. He was touched by their persistence, and the characteristics of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance he saw reflected in them. He felt that the concept of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance was remarkable and happened to be his goal in life. He said, “Falun Dafa is good!”

Adam said he pursued the spirit of freedom all his life. He regularly reached out to society, covered ordinary people’s stories, and published them on his social media channel.

When it comes to the CCP, he said emphatically, “The Chinese Communist Party is the evilest organization in the world. It does whatever it can to plunder resources and steal intellectual property from other countries. We have seen the increasing influence and infiltration of the CCP into New Zealand.”

Adam was shocked when he learned how the CCP targets Falun Dafa practitioners and removes their organs while they are still alive and sells them for profit. He said, “It’s too bloody!”

Adam believes that as long as practitioners persist in clarifying the truth courageously, more people in New Zealand will recognize the destructive nature of the CCP. He said that once enough awakened people stand together, it will become an irresistible force, and the day that justice prevails will eventually come.

Background: Why is Falun Dafa Targeted for Persecution?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first taught to the public in 1992. Nearly 100 million people across China soon began practicing after experiencing improvements in their health and character. Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline's growing popularity as a threat to the CCP's atheistic ideology and issued an order to ban Falun Dafa on July 20, 1999.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners in the persecution over the past 22 years; the actual number is suspected to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith. 

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Under Jiang's personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.