|
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 Syndicat canadien des communications, de 1'energie et du
papier
BRIAN PAYNE
PRESIDENT
February 14, 2002
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)
Posting date: 3/18/2002 |