(Transcribed from video tape)

I am delighted to be with you here today and to share in the common cause which brings us together: the inspiration of and the commitment to the fundamental values of Falun Gong-- truth, compassion, forbearance, which are really the expressions of fundamental, ancient Chinese values that inspire us all. And I'm proud to be here in the presence of professor Kunlun Zhang, who was recently liberated from imprisonment. He is a distinguished artist and sculptor, as I witnessed yesterday when I had the privilege to see his work displayed at the Wellington street gallery. He is not only an exponent for, but also the best example of, those values of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. He is a person of moral courage whose freedom we celebrate here today. And Jinyu Li, also a distinguished artist, is the wife of imprisoned Falun Gong practitioner, Shenli Lin, who also exemplifies those values of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance, which are the best values not only for the Faun Gong, but also the best universal values for all of us.

But I want to say that while we commemorate the 9th anniversary of the founding of Falun Dafa, or Falun Gong, while we are here in celebration today in this historic festival, we should not forget that Professor Kunlun Zhang should never have been arrested, detained, tortured or imprisoned to begin with, and that thousands upon thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are languishing in prisons, in labour camps, and in mental institutions, for no other reason than that they took the fundamental beliefs that are protected under Chinese law seriously: freedom of conscience and belief, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of expression, and freedom of information. What we are witnessing today in China is the "criminalization of innocence." They have taken a spiritual meditation exercise group, outlawed it and declared it illegal, then subjected all its members to intimidation, prosecution, persecution, and imprisonment, for no other reason than that they espoused the basic, fundamental values of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance.

And so I say that it must be our responsibility, Canadians all from wherever we are, to speak on behalf of those who cannot be heard, to bear witness on behalf of those who cannot testify, to protect those who put not only their livelihood but indeed their lives on the line, and to affirm and reaffirm and re-commit ourselves to the values of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance--not only as expressions and examples of the best in ancient Chinese values, but as universal norms that inspire us all, wherever we may be.

Thank you.

Posting date: 5/28/2001
Original article date: 5/27/2001
Category: Worldwide Support

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