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"Together, We Can End the Persecution!" -- Speeches from the Press Conference at Canada's Parliament Hill Right before APEC (October 23, 2002)
(Clearwisdom.net)
Stockwell Day, Member of Parliament:
Thank you Irwin for your passion on this issue and thank you
also for raising it directly with the Prime Minister; that is much appreciated
by all involved. Mr. Antoine Dubé, Deputy from the Bloc Québécois.
Antoine Dubé, Member of Parliament:
Thank you, Mr. Day. If you permit, I will speak in French. I
come here as a deputy from the Bloc Québécois, and also as a representative of
the party to the Foreign Affairs and Human Rights sub-committee. And
effectively, the matter concerns both foreign affairs and human rights.
Personally, I also think that the APEC conference is an excellent occasion where
in formal and informal meetings, the Canadian delegation, presided over by the
Prime Minister, for raising this issue that concerns freedom of expression and
freedom of association, which are rights recognized by the United Nations. And
raise all that is brought up by the different movements, organizations, NGOs...
and also the media. And, so, an organization, a summit of that scale, is a great
opportunity because it has international scope, visibility from the media, and
everything - so, an excellent means of pressure. Peaceful. Democratic. So I'm
joining this initiative of my two colleagues and primarily Mr. Day, who started
this, so that the Prime Minister and his delegation use this occasion to
underscore.
Stockwell Day:
Ladies and gentlemen, Scott Reid, Member of Parliament,
Canadian Alliance. Scott Reid has been involved with Falun Gong initiatives for
quite some time... has really been a champion of this cause, as have our other
colleagues here. Scott Reid.
Scott Reid, Member of Parliament:
Thank you very much.
I've put forward a motion before the House. We anticipate
that it will be reviewed and passed unanimously tomorrow on the subject of the
Prime Minister's visit to Mexico. I thought I might read it first in English and
then I'll repeat it in French: "That, in the opinion of this House, the Prime
Minister should take advantage of his upcoming meeting with President Jiang
Zemin of China at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference (APEC) to
privately raise the issue of the continued imprisonment in China of thirteen
Falun Gong practitioners who have close family ties to Canada, and to emphasize
that Canadians would be more willing to strengthen existing trade and aid ties
between Canada and China if these individuals (namely Lizhi He, Xiuzhen Lu,
Tianxiong Peng, Zhanzhong Wu, Xiuchao Huang, Bo Qiu, Yueli Yang, Yangtao Jin,
Jiangang Huang, Guangshou Huang, Mingli Lin, Zhou Zheng, and Changzheng Sun)
were reunited with their families in Canada."
Now I should mention that this motion was put forward by
myself, seconded by Stockwell Day. However, we are seeking seconders from each
of the parties and unanimous consent in the House, and we anticipate that will
take place tomorrow. I think this indicates the level of support that exists
among all parties.
Stockwell Day, member of Parliament:
Ginette D'Aoust-Castonguay, Falun Gong representative.
Ginette, Falun Gong Practitioner:
We are grateful and truly honored, to be in the presence of
MPs from major parties who made efforts and joined us, to call on our Prime
Minister Mr. Chretien to speak out for Falun Dafa. We hope he takes this
opportunity at the APEC summit in Mexico this weekend, when he meets Jiang Zemin,
the head of the Chinese Communist Party.
Today, in Houston Texas, for Jiang Zemin's arrival, thousands
of Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world, including hundreds from
Canada, are gathered to peacefully deliver a simple message: "Falun Dafa is
good, the persecution must stop!"
It's been over three years that Falun Gong has been
systematically persecuted, through a constant demonization and defaming
campaign, of which Jiang is the controller. At present, he has personally
ordered the escalation of this horrendous persecution in both scope and
violence.
Many Canadians are affected in various ways. We know of at
least 12 practitioners who have Canadian ties, like Lizhi He, who are in jail
for believing in Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. His wife, Li Zhang a
Landed Immigrant, is with us today.
The Falun Dafa Information Center has confirmed 505 deaths.
Officials inside China, however, report that the actual number exceeds 1,600.
Over 100,000 people have been detained, with more than 20,000 sentenced to
forced labor camps without a trial. The persecution is not just towards
practitioners; many Chinese people are simply deceived and are coerced to
participate in a persecution sustained through aggressive demonizing propaganda
against Falun Dafa.
This persecution is against the founding principals: the
morals of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and endangers the future of China.
Many of you have worked tirelessly in helping this noble and
righteous cause. Your efforts have secured the release of Canadian citizen,
Professor Kunlun Zhang, along with a few others. Your persistence and diligence
have touched all of us.
We hope to utilize this opportune encounter, by respectfully
requesting that our Prime Minister Jean Chretien, raise the Falun Gong issues
with Jiang Zemin.
Inspired by Falun Dafa's peaceful teachings, and with
determination filling their hearts, Li Zhang and Xun Li will fly to Los Cabos,
Mexico this Friday, to join hundreds or even more practitioners. Everyone
present will appeal to Jiang Zemin to end the torture, to end the killings and
to end this unprecedented and inhumane persecution.
Truth and righteousness will never be defeated. Together, we
can end the persecution!
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