Toronto High School Students Sign Letter to Stop Article 23

(Clearwisdom.net) On December 10^th Falun Gong practitioners in Toronto were invited for a second year to give a presentation on Falun Gong to over 400 students in a large Toronto High School.

The presentation started with the introduction of the beauty and peacefulness of Falun Gong. The students participated in the exercises and then watched video clips exposing the brutality of the persecution inside China. The students felt the evil of the persecution when they found out that one of the practitioners there had not seen his parents in over three years and had been tortured severely. It brought the reality of the persecution out of the TV screen, out of a country across the world and put it right in front of their eyes. We could tell that it made a strong impression.

The students told us that they couldn't believe how such a peaceful teaching that is practiced and supported worldwide could be attacked so violently by a jealous and insecure leader. They felt sorry for the people in China who are enduring this persecution. After the presentation the students crowded around to thank us and asked what they could do to help.

Many students and staff then proceeded to sign a letter to the Hong Kong government showing their concern over Article 23.

To the Hong Kong Government,

We are students and staff at xx School in Toronto Canada. We are writing because we are concerned about the possible introduction of the highly controversial Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong.

Article 23 would give the Hong Kong authorities the power to proscribe any organization which 'either has as its objective to engage in any act of subversion or is affiliated to a mainland China organization which has been proscribed in mainland China by the Central Authorities, in accordance with national law on the grounds that it endangers national security.'

This law could target peaceful organizations who appeal for their basic human rights in Hong Kong such as the respected Falun Gong spiritual teaching.

At present no one is allowed to appeal against the illegal persecution of Falun Gong in mainland China for fear of immediate arrest. Lawyers are threatened to not represent Falun Gong practitioners, and all levels of government and police are ordered to "use all measures necessary to exterminate Falun Gong," a practice once highly honored by the government itself.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation and exercise practice with teachings based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance". We at xx School join our country in supporting this peaceful group.

The introduction of Article 23 would surely mean that the Chinese authorities would spread their power to Hong Kong to silence anyone they feel necessary to protect a few individuals' self interest.

We sincerely ask you to please stop the introduction of Article 23. Let's join together to maintain the freedom of belief and freedom of speech for the future of the Hong Kong people.

Yours Truly,

Students and staff at xx High School
Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2002/12/19/41323.html

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