What the People of Iceland Are Saying

"A Country without Grace!" - Commentary of DV newspaper

"Human rights are most likely nowhere on earth violated as brutally as in China... Western ruler's silence about the criminal, brutal violence in China are getting more and more absurd as the number of human rights violation crimes in China increases. As long as western rulers and governments invite their comrades in China to dine with them and chat about the weather and the waterfalls, there is no reason to think that the political and spiritual persecution in China will come to an end...The very serious faults that the Icelandic government has persecuted while preparing for the Chinese presidents visit is an ugly act in the history of our democracy. An act that will not be forgotten. ... This month of June will be remembered for extremely pathetic despicable acts to please one of the worst human rights violator and slaughterer that still rules in the world. These days will be remembered for frantic acts of the Icelandic government, the days when Icelandic tyranny replaced Icelandic democracy."

- Sigmundur Ernir Runarsson, Chief Editor, June 15, 2002

"Democracy is not trading goods"

"The decision of the Icelandic government to try to hinder people in using their rights to express their opinions of the situation in China is not comprehensible. In that respect it does not matter whether those people were Icelandic or foreign visitors...But putting up "black lists" of people that could maybe have "unwanted" beliefs or opinions and taking away those people's freedom to travel is no better than the procedures of the Soviet-communism in the past. ... By doing these things the Icelandic government showed unbelievably low sense of judgement... The people of Iceland do not want our country to be known to other nations to be the country were human rights and the freedom of belief is severely violated, when the authorities like it to be so. Democracy is not trading goods."

- Gudmundur Arni Stefansson, MP, Morgunbladid, June 21, 2002

"It is surprising how much security precautions there have to be ... the decision is made about closing the borders for a group of people, that are practitioners of Falun Gong... It is harsh to ban practitioners of Falun Gong from entering Iceland."

- Bjarn Bjarnasson, MP (former Minister of Education)

"IcelandAir violated their contract", "IcelandAir's work permission should be removed."

- Attorney Ragnar Adalsteinsson, Frettabladid, June 13, 2002

"A list from the Chinese government against Falun Gong"

The Icelandic police authorities are using a list of Falun Gong practitioners from the Chinese government to hinder them from entering Iceland... The first western country that bans practitioners to enter their country.

- Frettabladid, June 10, 2002

"The President of China received his position after mass murdering"

- Frettabladid Newspaper, June 12, 2002

"I have been requested to advise on whether people coming to Iceland are under a legal duty to disclose to police, air-line staff, customs officers or others their religion, opinion, membership in organizations or other intimate personal matters. Neither under Icelandic law nor international law has anybody the duty to disclose such personal information to anyone and refusal to reply to such questions can under no circumstances lead to any harm in Iceland for persons concerned."

- Ragnar Adalsteinsson, Advocate to Supreme Court of Iceland

"This decision is violating the democratic heritage that the Icelandic constitution is based upon and is not in correlation with the international agreements we have made on respecting human rights. Iceland is the only western country that has banned Falun Gong practitioners from entering their country. We express our deep concern that the Icelandic government seems to have developed the habit of bending their own rules when it comes to inviting Chinese governors to Iceland...The government's decision is incomprehensible, inviting a leader of a country that does not respect the human rights of his people as well as his squat team of armed guards, but dismiss peaceful people that have come here only to take part in peaceful protest".

- Young protesters from the three biggest parties (The Independent Party, The Progressive Party and the Social Democratic party), Frettabladid, June 12, 2002

Last week has been totally bad and the highlight of our Icelandic government's humiliation. ...I have to say that the period that David Oddsson is staying in power has come to an end. Before he leaves I request that he will apologize to me, other blabber-mouths and exercise practitioners for what he has said. He has no right to speak to me or anybody else this way while he wears the Prime Ministers suit.... I will ask of him to accept these facts like a man and resign."

- Grimur Atlason, administrator of the Social Services in Reykjavik

City council's agreement: "Members of Falun Gong welcome!"

The city council wants to make clear that it is not in accordance with the agenda of the city of Reykjavik to diminish the number of peaceful protestors in the city...There would have to be exceptionally special circumstances to diminish peoples democratic rights to express their opinion or belief in relation with public visits." " Peaceful protests are not threatening in any way. They are on the contrary one of the most fundamental characteristics of democratic way of ruling based on respect for human rights... all people who fight for human rights are always welcome to have their voice peacefully heard in Reykjavik."

- Morgunbladid, June 15, 2002.

"...Jiang Zemin, who is, if you did not know, the number one tyrant in the world that murders and tortures his own people... I also have to express my disbelief that this nonsense is based on our fear of the 29 armed lifeguards of this president. I want these men to be unarmed at Keflavik airport, since they are very likely a part of the president's squat team that has most likely tortured and executed many people without law and justice. ...I am not afraid of telling that I do not want Jiang Zemin as my guest and I would like the government of this country, a government that I even chose myself, to tell him that he is not welcome here. Unfortunately the people that Jiang Zemin rules do not have the chance to tell their own opinion of him or his acts, nor can they tell about the crimes that he commits without fearing for their own lives. I would still be proud of my ethnic roots if protestors were to be allowed to enter the country and the high rank guest would be dismissed..."

- Throstur Jonasson, Morgunbladid, June 12, 2002.

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