(Clearwisdom.net) The annual United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting has opened in Geneva. Nearly a thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world, together with human rights groups from various countries, assembled at the United Nations building to call for a dialogue concerning the issue of human rights in China and for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Government. Below is a summary based upon a recording by Tian-yi, a special correspondent of Radio Free Asia accredited in Germany.
The 60th annual UNHRC meeting opened on Monday, March 15. Since last Friday, nearly a thousand Falun Gong practitioners have arrived in Geneva from all over the world to call for a dialogue concerning human rights in China. Reporters at the United Nations building interviewed Ms Zheng Zhihong, a scholar in the field of law who traveled from Berlin.
Zheng: Right now, several hundred Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world are holding a press conference at the plaza in front of the United Nations building. Victims from Australia and Ireland talked about the torture and mental persecution they suffered while in China. Representatives from some human rights organizations are giving speeches now.
Ms. Zheng Zhihong introduced their appeal of this year: The persecution of Falun Gong has lasted for nearly 5 years. Each year, Falun Gong practitioners have come to the United Nations to call upon the international community to pay attention to the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China. Our theme this year is also very clear. We hope that the United Nations will urge the Chinese government to immediately stop its persecution against Falun Gong. At the same time, we request them to bring Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing and Zhou Yongkang, who are directly responsible for the persecution, to justice.
As for the events they will conduct before or after the meeting began, Ms. Zheng said: Just now, we held a grand parade in the downtown area. Today, we will continue our appeal at the plaza and in the evening, we will hold a candlelight vigil. The climate was great yesterday. We were by the lakeside in the downtown area. Many people came to walk by the lakeside. Of course, many human rights organizations also invited Falun Gong practitioners to join their press conferences and seminars in the U.N. building.
With the green hills and clear waters of Geneva as a backdrop, traditional Chinese costumes embellished with the bright yellow often sported by Falun Gong practitioners, and the music of the orchestra suggesting springtime, it seems likely that these activities will continue until the United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting comes to an end on April 25.
