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Statement from the Vice President of Taiwan on July 20, 2002 in Support of Falun Gong My sincere greetings to all Falun Dafa brothers and sisters as well as to
friends who have a deep love for freedom and democracy!
I am Lu Xiulian, the Vice President of Taiwan. I am also the chairman of the
Human Rights Consultant Group in the President's Office. In the past, in the
fight for human rights and freedom, I also was imprisoned for political reasons
for as long as 1,933 days. Today, through this recorded message from the Taipei
President's Office, I would like to relay the concern and goodwill of the 23
million people of Taiwan to all of our Falun Gong brothers and sisters.
Human beings are created free and equal. As part of the same big family, we
are not only entitled to the basic rights of a healthy life, at the same time we
also have the freedom of action, behavior, thought, and belief. These are the
rights of every person in the family of the human race on Earth, entitled at
birth, and not allowed to be taken away or abused by any government or
individual.
All Falun Gong brothers and sisters have undergone much study and made many
contributions in cultivating their minds and healing their illnesses, since they
have been able to experience the fundamental spirit of Falun Dafa,
"Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." I personally have great respect and
admiration for them.
However, beginning three years ago, I was surprised to find through different
channels that you are suffering from various forms of persecution by the
government of the People's Republic of China, simply because you insist on
practicing "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance," and because you insist on
learning Falun Dafa. This is appalling.
In Taiwan, two years ago, Taipei also held activities to support Falun Gong
practitioners' human rights. I also personally attended these activities to show
concern on behalf of Taiwan.
Today, this activity to support the human rights of Falun Gong is being held
on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States. Although I
cannot personally participate, I am very eager to express the sincerest concern
and best wishes on behalf of the people of Taiwan.
In Taiwan, when martial law reigned supreme, people's fundamental human
rights were also abused. Freedom and democracy were luxuries. However, through
years of effort and struggle, today, the 23 million people who live in Taiwan
enjoy all of the fundamental human rights. These are the results gained through
everyone's joint efforts. We would like to express our concern and to further
extend our support.
Recently, I saw news from various sources that shocked and saddened me. An
Australian Falun Gong sister was put into jail in Beijing. It is shocking not
only because she was treated so brutally in prison, but also according to her
account, some felons even obtained deductions in their terms because they had
tortured and abused her excessively. I don't know ... if these are true, then
how can Beijing's People's Republic of China stand firmly in the world of the 21st
century? I have also read several reports about a female doctor from Canada, a
Falun Gong sister. She flew to Hong Kong on business, but unfortunately her name
was on a black list. Upon arriving at the Hong Kong Airport, she was immediately
arrested by the Hong Kong police. At the same time, without allowing her to
speak, they covered her head with a cloth bag and forcibly deported her from
Hong Kong.
In another case, there is also an outstanding female doctor from Taiwan, who
also believes in Falun Gong. Consequently, for no other reason she was put on
the black list -- simply because she practices Falun Gong. When she took a plane
from Taiwan to Hong Kong, she also experienced such treatment.
I wish that these things were not true! If these stories are indeed true ...
but I think the facts prove that they are true. This is because they all bravely
stepped forward to give eyewitness accounts. How prosperous and free Hong Kong
used to be! Yet, simply because it has been returned to the PRC for five years,
the fundamental human rights have been trampled upon in such a way. And this is
not just toward the people of the Mainland, the people of Hong Kong, Australia
and Canada, even an outstanding female doctor living in free Taiwan was also
treated so inhumanely when she traveled to Hong Kong!
I think these facts tell us that Falun is innocent. Those who persecute human
rights are guilty! Here again, I repeat my best wishes to each of you.
I hope that the Falun continues to rotate freely.
I hope that each of you reaches Consummation of virtue in your cultivation.
Thank you, everyone. Posting date: 7/28/2002
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