Falun Gong Press Statement for Free Zhao Ming Rally and March
1st October 2001
Two years ago, the Chinese Communist regime began its most
violent attack against its own people and culture by banning Falun Gong. Human
Rights groups and world media have reported that over 100,000 Falun Gong
practitioners have been sent to jail or labour camps; at least 1,000
practitioners have been thrown into mental institutions; and over 280 persons
have been tortured to death in police custody. Thousands upon thousands of
people have lost their jobs, homes, and the right to think freely.
Zhao Ming, a Trinity College student, has been held in a
labour camp since he visited his family in China during the Christmas holiday of
1999. He has been subjected to physical and mental torture, including sleep
deprivation, beatings, and electric shocks simply because he practiced Falun
Gong. Today, we also have two artists here, who have also been detained and
tortured by the police during their visits to China. Professor Zhang Kunlun of
Canada was sentenced to three years in labour camp while he visited China, and
Ms. Zhang Cuiying of Australia also encountered similar situations over there.
According to government sources, China is recently using the
National Day of October 1st as a pretext to take even more reckless
action against Falun Gong. The head of the Chinese XX Party, Jiang Zemin, has
ordered the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security to
conduct a nationwide roundup of Falun Gong practitioners. Those arrested have
been immediately thrown into jail, labour camps, or mental institutions,
regardless of whether they are local residents or just visitors.
Beijing has become emboldened about making arrests on such a
large scale because it believes that Western countries and international media
are currently too preoccupied with the terrorist attacks in the U.S. to notice
this human rights abuse.
Despite the ongoing attempts of Jiang Zemin's regime to
slander, frame, and brutalize innocent practitioners in its own form of state
terrorism, Falun Gong has never retaliated in kind and remains, as always, a
peaceful and non-violent meditation practice. We appeal to the Irish Government
and the world to continue their support to our cause to rescue Zhao Ming and
stop Beijing's senseless persecution of Falun Gong.
We are grateful that the Irish Government and people have
shown their concern and support for our cause for seeking human rights, justice
and freedom of conscience for tens of millions of Chinese people who practice
Falun Gong. Today, we are very pleased to be joined by Lord Moyne, Ms Patricia
McKenna MEP, Joe Higgins T.D., Ms Mary Lawlor, the Director of Frontline, Mr
Frank Jennings, Amnesty Campaign Coordinator, Mr Brian McSharry, President of
GSU Trinity College, Mr. Erping Zhang, President of Falun Gong International
Committee for Human Rights. Let us work hard to free Zhao Ming and end Beijing's
persecution. Two years are too long... ...
Irish Falun Gong Group
Yearly Archive
Printer Version
feedback@clearwisdom.net