By a Minghui Reporter From Taipei

(Clearwisdom.net) We heard the shocking news that Paris police unreasonably arrested dozens of Falun Gong practitioners, more than 30 from Taiwan. This is the first large-scale, unlawful arrest of Taiwanese people in France. It was learned that representatives from the Taiwan's Representative Office in France would demand an explanation from the French government. On January 29, 2004, the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association announced regret at thd incident and appealed to the Taiwanese Department of Foreign Affairs on the afternoon of January 30, 2004.

On January 21, a total of about 170 Falun Gong practitioners from Taiwan arrived in France. They planned to peacefully appeal to visiting Chinese president Hu Jintao, to ask to bring Jiang Zemin to justice and to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. On January 24 and 26, French police unreasonably arrested and detained them, an action which shocked both French and Taiwanese societies.

Taiwanese practitioner Ms. Zhou said the practitioners had originally planned to take part in a parade celebrating the Chinese New Year, but the French authorities rejected their application because the Communist Party asserted pressure on the French government. Practitioners had no choice but to stand by to watch the parade instead. A Falun Gong practitioner from another country unfurled a Falun Gong banner and thereby attracted the police's attention. Two female practitioners including Ms. Sun tried to explain circumstances to the police, but instead were taken to a police department where they were held for four hours, because "they wore yellow scarves and they had Falun Dafa materials."

In the afternoon of January 26, on the Champs Elysee, six female Falun Gong practitioners, including Ms. Lu, were again arrested by police who dragged them away to a police vehicle, merely because one person in the group held a yellow, triangular flag.

One of those arrested, practitioner Ms. Zhong said, "How can France, a country based on freedom and human rights, allow her police to unlawfully arrest tourists like this? I spent most of my life in Taiwan and I always abided by the law. I never expected to be taken to a police department when I didn't do anything wrong."

Ms. Zhou stated further that the practitioners later appealed to the Taiwan's Representative Office in France. The secretary told them that their office is aware of the incident. She asked the practitioners to write down the whole process of the incident. The office will conduct an investigation and demand the Foreign Affairs Department and Police Department responsible for the arrest to give an explanation.

Ms. Zhou said, "Many people were discussing this event on call-in programs in France. Many French people condemned the government for betraying principles of democracy, freedom and human rights in exchange for commercial interests. I myself also think the whole thing is ridiculous."

This unusual behavior by the French police was clearly carried out under coercion by those in Jiang's regime. Jiang's group has frequently used taxpayers' hard-earned money to coerce foreign governments to intervene with Falun Gong practitioners' legal activities, promising "economic benefits."

Mr. Li Hongzhi introduced the practice of Falun Gong in 1992 and at the beginning it was supported by the Chinese authorities. The practice quickly spread by word of mouth until 100 million Chinese people were practicing it.

The universal popularity of Falun Gong made the former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin uneasy. He personally compiled the plan to ban Falun Gong and has brutally persecuted Falun Gong practitioners. Jiang's regime has attempted to extend the persecution to other countries. The contemptible tactics being used against the citizens and officials of other nations include threats, intimidation, blacklisting, and diplomatic and economic pressure. The regime spread the lies to embassies and consulates worldwide to defame Falun Gong.

In April and June 2002, Jiang spread slander to the German and Icelandic governments during his visit in those two countries. He coerced the two governments to intervene in practitioners' activities, which shocked the international community. The latest incident in France is a replay of the Jiang regime's reprehensible behavior in Germany and Iceland. A member of the community in Chinatown said, "For several months now, the Chinese Embassy has been continually telling the French government, police, and local Chinese that Falun Gong practitioners would make trouble during the Chinese New Year's Parade and Hu Jintao's visit." It was the local Chinese who were indeed targeted by the Jiang regime's slander.

Falun Gong is practiced in over 60 countries and it has been exemplarily peaceful and has been awarded prizes and honors for its positive contribution to society. It focuses on self-development by applying traditional values of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. On the contrary, it's the Jiang regime that is making trouble on French soil, a place that cherishes freedom, equality and fellowship.

The people of Germany and Iceland, as well as the international community, condemned the German and Icelandic government for caving in to Jiang's pressure. The Berlin government issued a formal written apology to Falun Gong practitioners in December 2002, promising that similar episodes would not occur again. In June 2002, when Jiang Zemin was to visit Iceland, the Icelandic government refused entry to Falun Gong practitioners based on a list of names that was apparently provided by the Jiang regime. This touched off a "firestorm," leading Iceland's leading newspapers to carry four full-page ads apologizing to Falun Gong practitioners, with the Chinese words "We're sorry" as the title, and with the English title of "Apologies to the Falun Gong practitioners." The advertisement was sponsored by more than four hundred fifty people, including members of the Icelandic Parliament and prominent figures, sending shockwaves throughout the country. Icelandic citizens held three consecutive days of protests to oppose the government bending before Jiang group's pressure, for allowing and cooperating in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

In the evening of January 29, 2004, representatives from the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association published an announcement and expressed regret at the first large-scale arrest of Taiwanese citizens in France.

The Association said, "The French government not only didn't urge the Chinese government to stop trampling human rights, it caved in to pressure from Beijing and violated the basic rights of innocent people. Such behavior has truly gone against the universal standards of human rights."

The Association also thanked the Taiwanese Government Liaison Office in France for its help. In the morning of January 30, the Association welcomed the first group of practitioners returning from Paris. They held a press conference at the Taipei airport.

The same afternoon, practitioners would appeal to the Foreign Department of Taiwan and ask for keen attention to this violation of human rights, and ask the French government to investigate the incident.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/1/30/66191.html