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Chinese Embassy in Dublin Refuses to Renew Passport Falun Gong Practitioner Denied For The 3rd Time in 2 Years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 25, 2002 [
http://www.clearwisdom.net/ ]
DUBLIN, June 25, 2002 (Irish Falun Dafa Information Centre)
-- The Chinese Embassy in Dublin has refused to renew Ms. Dai Dongxue's passport
for the third time in less than 2 years.
After visiting the Embassy on the morning of Monday 24th
June, Ms. Dai was informed that her passport would not be renewed again, due to
her persistence in practicing Falun Gong and exposing its persecution in China.
Denied Three Times
Ms. Dai, 37, had first requested a renewal of her passport,
which was to expire in February 2001, in August 2000. The Embassy staff refused,
without supplying a letter of explanation or written confirmation of the denial.
On the 27th February, Ms. Dai again called the
Embassy about her passport. Mr. Wang, the Secretary of the Embassy, made it
clear that her passport would only be renewed if she denounced Falun Gong,
meanwhile claiming that she had broken Chinese law by practicing Falun Gong.
This Monday, Ms. Dai again went to the Embassy to request a
renewal of her passport. This time, the Embassy representative refused to
entertain Ms. Dai's request, as Mr. Wang had already refused the application.
Later, after receiving a phone call, the Embassy
representative said "I just won't do it for you, I just won't do it for you"
adding "There is no reason and no need to explain this to you."
Typifying the persistent spirit of Falun Gong practitioners,
Ms. Dai commented that she was going to "appeal outside the Embassy every
Monday, Wednesday and Friday (the official embassy working days)", until
she receives her passport.
Base Actions
"These actions are really base", commented Brian Trought,
spokesperson for the Irish Falun Dafa Information Centre. "Jiang has spent
almost 3 years trying to force people into giving up a peaceful practice.
However, he has not succeeded. This shows that the principle of
Truthfulness-Compassion- Forbearance is deeply rooted in people hearts, and no
external measures can change this." Mr. Trought continued: "Jiang has thus tried
to use political pressure to influence people outside China to turn their backs
on Falun Gong, and to legitimize his persecution".
Background
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a practice of
meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principle of
"Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Since its introduction in 1992, it
quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and is now practiced in over
50 countries.
Since President Jiang Zemin banned Falun Gong in 1999, the
Falun Gong Information Centre has verified details of over 428 deaths.
Government officials inside China, however, report that the actual death toll is
well over 1,600. Over 100,000 have been detained, with more than 20,000 being
sentenced to forced labour camps without trial.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EUROPEAN FALUN GONG
INFORMATION CENTRE
Contacts: Dai Dongxue 087 959 6370 or Brian Trought 087
9911 892
Email: info-ie@falundafa.nu
Website: http://www.clearharmony.net
Posting date: 6/28/2002
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