Speech by U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota at July-19 Washington DC Rally

(Hostess: Senator Wellstone is on the Foreign Relations Committee and Chairs the Near Eastern and Southern Asian Affairs Committee. In foreign policy he has fought for international human rights and offers resolutions condemning China's human rights record. I'm pleased to introduce Senator Paul Wellstone.)

Thank you, so much. Let me first of all thank you for inviting me to be here and let me thank all of you for being here. Regrettably these are not the best circumstances that bring us together but I want to extend for you a warm greeting from the Mayor of Minneapolis: Mayor Sharon Sayles-Belton. As you know, Sunday marks the second anniversary of the banning of the Falun Gong by the Chinese Government. Since 1999, two hundred and fifty adherents have been killed. According to international media reports 50,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been arrested and detained and ten thousands more have been sentenced to labor camps without trials. Millions of others have been persecuted for so-called crimes and for advocating political pluralism and freedom and democracy. Falun Gong is based on practicing truthfulness and compassion and tolerance. Throughout my career as a college professor and a community activist and a United States Senator for Minnesota I have believed in the values that you represent more than any values. I believe that passivist and peaceful people should be allow to organize and live freely in their country and in their society.

Last Friday, I believe, as a United States Senator that the IOC made a grave mistake. Someday I want to see Beijing have the Olympics, but I want it to be a day when the government in Beijing respects human rights and respects freedom and stops torturing people and stops putting people in prison. That's the day that we hope and pray for. Many hope, as do I that by the time the Olympics roll around in 2008 the Chinese government will have eased the crackdown on the Falun Gong to appease the international community. However, the converse could occur, the Chinese government could well tighten it's grip in an effort to rid the streets of Falun Gong adherents before the Olympic visitors arrive.

So today I come here to be with you as United State Senator to send a strong message to the government in Beijing over the next years to come between now and 2008 the whole world will be watching, the whole world will be watching, the whole world will be watching and we will over and over and over again call on the government in Beijing to respect the full rights of all of the citizens. That is why we are here and that is why I support you as United State Senator. Falun Gong, thank you so much for inviting me.

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