Speech of Council Delegate on Stockholm Falun Dafa Day
(Clearwisdom.net) Today it is ten years since the public got to know about Falun Gong. Until recently, the movement
was unknown for most of us. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Falun Gong is based on the persecution
the Chinese government subjects it to. And that is incomparably unbelievable. How can a movement
that is founded on Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance be such a threat that people are murdered
so that it can be stopped? On July 20, 1999, China decided to prohibit all practicing of Falun Gong. Lots of resources were
allocated to crush this movement and the systematic state terror against the movement began. Many
people have since then been murdered, tortured, put in re-education camps, and persecuted. Why? 50,000 are imprisoned without trial and sentence. Thousands have been forced into mental
hospitals, and among them many have been subjected to forced medical injections. Journalists from
the free western press have been restrained from reporting about the persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners. Why? It is impossible with any decent, human argument to explain the [Jiang] regime's action. [...]. Falun Gong is an advanced qigong system and an ancient tradition. The body is to be strengthened
and the soul is to be cultivated. Many practitioners worldwide have seen harmony in their lives due
to Falun Gong, and 70-100 million people now practice Falun Gong. [...] What we need, I think, is strong international pressure upon China to change the situation.
The fact that we meet here in Kungstr dg rden is a way to create such a pressure. Additionally, the situation right now is very sensitive for the Chinese regime. The country will
soon be a host for the summer Olympics and this extraordinary attention-grabber cannot, of course,
be soiled due to people all over the world accusing the country of crimes against human rights.
Ironically, the protests against the regime in China might actually have their biggest impact right
now. Human rights are violated on a daily basis in China. Individual people are hurt, persecuted, and
even killed. This happens despite China having pledged to respect basic freedom and having ratified
the declaration regarding human rights. To live up to these proud declarations many changes are
necessary. The first must be to immediately stop the violence against and the persecution of Falun
Gong practitioners. Falun Gong is a movement of harmony and peace. Only a dictatorship can experience it as
threatening. If China wants to be seen as a reputable nation that people feel respect for, this
attitude must change. It is time to stop the persecution of dissenters. It is time to stop murdering
people for their opinions. It is time for democracy and respect for human rights in China.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Speech of Lotta Edholm, Municipal Council delegate.
Stockholm Falun Dafa Day - May 13, 2002.
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