Human Rights Organizations in New York City Jointly Hold a Rally to Protest against the Icelandic Government's Action of Depriving Falun Gong Practitioners of Their Legal Rights (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On noon of June 14, several human rights organizations in New York City jointly held a rally in spite of the rain in Manhattan in front of the offices of the Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations. The purpose of the protest was against the Icelandic government's accepting a blacklist provided by Jiang's regime and used to bar Falun Gong practitioners holding valid passports and air tickets from entering the country.

A practitioner from the Falun Dafa Information Center was invited to give a speech, in which he expressed regret over the incorrect decision made by the Icelandic government under pressure applied by Jiang to bar Falun Gong practitioners from entering the country. He also strongly condemned the illegal action taken by Jiang, dictator and butcher of the Chinese people, to apply intense pressure on the countries he is visiting. He pointed out that during the past three years, under the circumstance that millions of practitioners in China are encountering the brutal persecution; Falun Gong practitioners across the world have always used totally peaceful means to appeal, which is a manifestation of their kindness and spirit of non-violence. The Icelandic government's capitulating to the Chinese dictator, was a shame on its democracy, and has drawn strong opposition from the Icelandic people. He requested that the Icelandic judicial department reconsider this decision and demonstrate the principles of freedom as practiced by democratic countries to the world.

Representatives from several human rights organizations including the "Peking's Spring" Journal, the Chinese Human Right, the Chinese Social Democratic Party, the Chinese Democratic Association, the Asian Democratic Foundation, the Freedom Tibet Student Organization, the Chinese Catholicism Information Center, the Chinese Freedom Church delivered speeches to express their support to Falun Gong. They also expressed their esteem to Falun Gong practitioners for their great contribution and tremendous sacrifice for the improvements of everyone's freedom. They expressed their indignation towards the Jiang government's putting pressure on the Icelandic government to unreasonably bar Falun Gong practitioners from entering Iceland. They said, "We must let the Chinese Party know that we won't sit by and watch they trampling the freedom of other countries. We must stand on the side of Falun Gong and say 'No!' to the dictator." This is an issue of all who are concerning the future of China.

Mr. Xue, from the "Peking's Spring" Journal represented all friends to express the opposition to the Jiang government's extension of its dictatorship overseas through the Icelandic government to bar Falun Gong practitioners from entering Iceland. He considered this as a shame for the Icelandic government.

Representative of the Chinese Social Democratic Party believed what was awful was that the western democratic country bowed to the Jiang dictatorship. He said in his speech that one should not forget the historic lesson in the 1930s when western countries compromised to Nazi Germany.

Mr. Tang Qiaobai, a member of a democratic organization, called on all people to stand up to speak out for Falun Gong. Mr. Tang believed that Falun Gong is a peaceful group, who has made vast contributions to strive for freedom and democracy. We all firmly stand on the side of Falun Gong.

Ms. Wei Ling gave two speeches to express her indignation towards Jiang's regime who extended its dictatorship overseas. She said, "We can't only consider trade contracts. When others are encountering persecution, we all must stand up to oppose the dictatorship."

Mr. Liu Qing, the president of the Chinese Human Rights pointed out that the Chinese government made a blacklist in its homeland to deprive Chinese citizens of their rights to go abroad or return to China. Now they even extend their human rights violations to the whole world. We must take a correct attitude toward this, expose it and stop it. We first need to tell those democratic countries who accepted the blacklist provided by the Chinese government that they should not take the side of the dictatorship and help it to violate human rights and to silence the voice from the weak.

A few American Falun Gong practitioners who had valid passports and air tickets but were unreasonably deprived of their travel rights by Icelandair, which forced them to remain in New York, were also invited to give speeches. They came from California, Wisconsin, and New Jersey, respectively. They expressed that they would continue to request boarding tonight.

After the rally, representatives from each human rights organization handed over the protest letter to the Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations but were barred by the personnel in the building.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/6/16/31844.html

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