Why I Participated in Hunger Strike in front of the Chinese Consulate

By John (Zhaojin) Zhang

When I came into Falun Gong about 5 years ago, the first thing I noticed were the kindness of these people. These were the kindest people I had ever met in my life.

Later, I started practicing Falun Gong, which has shown me the true meaning of goodness and selflessness.

Since the persecution of Falun Gong began in China in July 1999, millions of people in China just like me are being murdered and tortured as a result of the political directives of the President of China.

I practice Falun Gong freely here in Canada with my wife and my friends. As a Falun Gong practitioner, I am the same as these people in China. I should help these kind and innocent people who are tortured for their beliefs. The courage of these practitioners in China to continue to stand and protect virtue and goodness and not give in to evil pressure moves my heart so much.

These courageous practitioners have now entered their 4th week of hunger strike and nothing has changed in China. My fellow practitioners in Washington, D.C., New York, London, Berlin, Toronto and elsewhere are staging hunger strikes to demand China's communist authorities immediately and unconditionally release the 130 practitioners. Still nothing has changed in China.

I am calling on all kindhearted people for help, and I am especially calling on the municipal government of Toronto and all city councilors to help appeal for the immediate release of the130 practitioners imprisoned in Toronto's Twin City, Shenyang.

Their lives are in serious danger but their voices can't be heard because the President of China has ordered all information be blocked from the outside world. With your support and help, we can make a difference and these people's cry for justice will be answered.

Practitioners in Toronto have peacefully appealed in front of the Chinese Consulate for nearly one year since last October, yet the Chinese consulate officials have repeatedly rejected our appeal letters. For the sake of justice and conscience, once again, I hereby call on the Chinese Consulate to hold a peaceful dialogue with Falun Gong practitioners.

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