Director of Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada Urges the All China Federation of Trade Unions to Take Action to Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong Practitioners in China

BRIAN PAYNE

PRESIDENT

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February 14, 2002

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Mr. Wei Jianxing

Chairperson

All China Federation of Trade Unions

10 Fuxingmenwai Street

Beijing 100865

P.R. China

Dear Brother Jianxing:

On behalf of our 150,000 members, I am writing to express the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada deep concerns about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Government.

The Falun Gong is a peaceful, non-political spiritual movement, based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. Over 100 million people around the world practice it.

We are disturbed to learn that the Chinese Government has been persecuting members of Falun Gong following its rapid growth of popularity in China. According to recent Amnesty International reports, thousands of members of this movement have been arbitrarily detained and put under pressure to renounce their beliefs. Hundreds of practitioners were sent to forced labour camps for re-education without charges or trials and some were detained in psychiatric hospitals. Torture and ill treatments were used to intimidate and silence them, leading to close to a hundred deaths.

This situation is totally unacceptable. In spite of the fact that China signed key international human right Conventions, human rights are rapidly deteriorating in China. It is why I urge you, on behalf of our 150,000 members, to pressure the Chinese Government to release all Falun Gong practitioners and to stop any further persecution.

Yours in solidarity,

Brian Payne

President

DG/nb - opeiu 343 Joseph Gargiso

(Address, phone and fax numbers omitted)

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