A Practitioner's Letter of Appeal to Iceland's Ambassador to Canada
June 27, 2002 Dear Ambassador: My name is [...], a senior software designer at a leading telecommunications
company in [a major Canadian city]. I was one of six Falun Gong practitioners
from Canada stranded at the Copenhagen airport from June 12 to June 13 after
being refused boarding on our Iceland-bound flight for which we held valid
tickets. I would like to write you our experience of this unjust treatment. I
also respectfully ask that you convey our request to your government for a fair
apology and for just and proper compensation. My experience of unjust treatment at the Copenhagen airport China's tragic and brutal persecution against innocent Falun Gong
practitioners has been steadily escalating since it began in July 1999. To help
give a voice to the persecuted who have no voice in China, I made the decision
to travel to Iceland during the Chinese president's visit to appeal for an end
to the persecution. Despite the busy schedule for my projects at work, the urgency of the
escalation of persecution on Falun Gong alarmed me. Then I decided to overcome
whatever difficulties to make this journey. At 8:20 a.m. on June 12, I, together with five other Falun Gong practitioners
from Toronto and Montreal, arrived at Copenhagen airport to take the last leg of
our flight to Iceland. During our check-in at the SAS airline counter, we were
astonished to learn that Icelandair had just received instructions half an hour
before from the Icelandic government to deny entry to us as our names appeared
on a "blacklist" of forty-seven Falun Gong practitioners. The decision to bar Falun Gong practitioners from entering Iceland stunned us
all as well as many people around the world. One practitioner who had traveled a
long way was in tears; every one of us was able to make this long journey
possible only after overcoming numerous hardships and obstacles. As a Canadian passport holder, I understand that I should be exempt from VISA
obligations for up to 3 months in the Schengen area, which includes Iceland. To
deny entry to the six of us, all valid Schengen VISA holders, violates the
Schengen Agreement signed by Iceland on 25 March 2001. An officer from SAS airline told us, "This decision is immoral!" He
gave us contact information for the Embassy of Iceland, as it was Iceland's
Ministry of Justice that ordered the blockage. At 10:30 a.m., we were shocked to be blocked at the boarding gate by police.
An Icelandic Embassy official was also present. He showed us the instructions
from Iceland's Ministry of Justice, a notice from Icelandair, as well as a name
list of Falun Gong practitioners on which our names appeared. He felt very
regretful about the Ministry's decision. . Neither assistance nor further explanation was offered by the government of
Iceland. We had no choice but to stay at the airport to await the next available
flight and to appeal for help from the media and the public to call on Iceland
to rectify their decision. [...] At approximately 11:30 a.m., we reached a reporter from the Associated Press.
He was also shocked by this case--the first time law-abiding citizens have been
denied entry into Iceland based on their belief. He and photographer produced a
report on our ordeal entitled "Falun Gong members barred from boarding
Iceland-bound plane ahead of Chinese president's visit." Media reports
from other cities around the world told of similar experiences by other
practitioners at various airports in Europe and the United States. We wrote a statement of urgent appeal to the Icelandic government and to the
public: "Falun Gong Calls for Iceland Ministry's Decision To Be
Immediately Rectified - A Heartfelt Request from Canadian Falun Gong
Practitioners at Copenhagen Airport." At 5:30 p.m., reporters from B.T., one of the major newspapers in Copenhagen,
finally located us. They expressed disbelief at this "irrational
conduct". Their report, together with a color photograph, appeared on page
11 in the June 13 edition of B.T. under the headline of "China-Activists
Stranded at Airport - Falun Gong adherents denied entry into Iceland during
presidential visit." We stayed at the airport that night, without any further response or
assistance from the Icelandic government. It was not an easy night, as none of
us could sleep well. I slept for only about half and hour and sent further
appeals to the Icelandic government via electronic means. It was Falun Gong's teaching of "Truthfulness, Compassion, and
Forbearance" that enabled us to endure calmly and peacefully, even in the
face of such mistreatment and uncertainty. Falun Gong teaches practitioners
to always consider others and think of others first. During that dark night, we
were concerned not with our own ordeal but with how to help the Icelandic
government rise above their unjust decision and mistaken judgment. We understood
the pressure and influence that China can exert on other countries. We also knew
that the overwhelming majority of the Icelandic people were against and appalled
by their government's decision to bar Falun Gong practitioners from entering
their country. In the early morning of June 13, we spoke with officials of the airline about
Falun Gong and about our experiences, providing them with our statement and
recent media reports on our plight. Observing our peaceful conduct under this
unfair treatment, they offered us six standby tickets. At 10:40 a.m., two practitioners boarded a flight to Iceland. At about noon, the remaining four practitioners were interviewed by one of
the largest TV stations in Denmark. A reporter and his cameraman were delighted
for us and expressed their best wishes on our trip to Iceland. They told
us that our program will be broadcast that night and a more comprehensive
program on Falun Gong will be produced at a later time. We, the remaining four practitioners from Canada, after thirty hours of
having been stranded at the Copenhagen airport, eventually boarded the 2 p.m.
flight to Iceland. We sincerely thank all the concerned people at the airport in Copenhagen who
so kindly helped us during this difficult time! As well, we cannot forget those practitioners in China whose very basic human
rights are being so severely abused. China's persecution against Falun Gong has
been extensively reported by internationally-recognized human rights groups such
as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and it has been strongly
condemned by many organizations and governments around the world, including the
government of Canada. In the midst of China's persecution and defamation, Falun Gong is widely
supported and commended in over fifty countries. In Canada, the Minister of
Heritage has stated, "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are the
principles on which Falun Dafa is based, but they are also universal ideals that
have special importance here in Canada." These universal principles have
withstood brutal attack and defamation in China by the totalitarian regime of
Jiang Zemin. Arriving in Iceland at about 3:40 p.m. on June 13, we were touched by the
warm welcome and the kind and just support of the Icelandic people. Canadian Falun Gong practitioners request to the Icelandic government Falun Gong practitioners in Canada call on the Icelandic government to
earnestly examine the course of action you are choosing surrounding these recent
events. As a just and democratic nation, we urge you to demonstrate true justice
and democracy, not only to the international community, but also to regain the
confidence and support of your own citizens. We hope you will make an apology
and provide compensation in a timely manner for your unfair treatment of those
Falun Gong practitioners who simply wished to travel to your country to
peacefully appeal for an end to brutal persecution. Please note the following points in your consideration: [...] We hope that your government will find it in your good judgment and moral
conscience to offer an apology and just compensation for the mistreatment of
Falun Gong practitioners. It is a matter of principle, and it is in the best
interest of your country and your government, for your dignity, reputation,
stability, and good future. Thank you for your kind attention. We look forward to an upright and
honorable response from the government of Iceland. Sincerely yours, [a Falun Gong practitioner in Canada]
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