By a practitioner from Cincinnati, Ohio

(Clearwisdom.net)

On March 8, Falun Gong practitioners from Cincinnati, Ohio visited U.S. Congressman Steve Chabot. He and his assistant met the practitioners in his office.

Since July 1999, when Jiang's regime started persecuting Falun Gong in China, U.S. Congressman Chabot, and other American Congressmen and government officials who seek justice for Falun Gong practitioners, have condemned the violations of practitioners' basic human rights. Congressman Chabot has been very supportive of practitioners in terms of exposing the persecution and rescuing practitioners who are illegally detained.

Congressman Chabot sent supportive and encouraging letters on many occasions, such as during the "SOS Walk" in 2000 when Ohio Falun Gong practitioners walked across the state, the "Car Tour", and during efforts to rescue American citizen Charles Lee, who is illegally detained in China for his practice of Falun Gong. In 2002 Congressman Chabot voted to support U.S. House Resolution No.188 condemning the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong. He is one of the cosponsors of U.S. House Resolution No. 530 that was passed recently, urging President Bush to initiate a resolution to condemn China's human rights abuses (such as the persecution of Falun Gong) at the United Nation's Human Rights Committee meeting this year.

During this latest meeting, practitioners further clarified to Congressman Chabot how Jiang's regime extends its persecution of Falun Gong and its hate propaganda overseas, especially to overseas Chinese communities being spied-on by the Chinese Embassies and Consulates. They also outlined the harassment and human rights violations of Ohio practitioners. Congressman Chabot asked the practitioners to please let him know if this kind of thing happens again, and he would provide help.

The practitioners also informed him about Charles Lee's situation, including that Charles was forced to do slave-labor in China. Chabot was very concerned about this. He asked his assistant to look into this, then to report to him. He told the practitioners that he saw many pictures related to this persecution which were so brutal that he was shocked and upset. In the end, he expressed that he would continuously support Falun Gong practitioners' just efforts in striving for freedom of belief.