By Falun Gong practitioners in Toronto, Canada

(Clearwisdom.net) On April 25, 1999, more than ten thousand Falun Dafa practitioners legally went to the State Council Appeals Office located on Fuyou Street in Beijing to peacefully appeal to the central government when they had been harassed on numerous occasions, were later arrested and no official would accept their legal complaints. They quietly waited on one side of the street near Zhongnanhai, after former Premier Zhu Rongji received practitioners and appropriately resolved the issues, the practitioners quietly left the place on the same day, leaving not one piece of trash behind. They also picked up cigarette butts the policemen threw on the ground. During the entire appeal, Falun Gong practitioners displayed their peacefulness and rationality, strict self-restraint and high moral standard which astounded the entire world and left a historic page in human history.

People who participated in the April 25 Appeal, have never thought that their peacefulness and rationality, would be distorted as "an organized siege of Zhongnanhai." They have never expected that their appeal that was out of their trust in the government, would be used as an excuse by Jiang to suppress them later, and would therefore push them to the world's stage.

On the fifth anniversary of the April 25 Appeal in 2004, Toronto Falun Gong practitioners held a series of commemorative activities entitled "Restore the reputation of April 25, bring Jiang to justice." The activities included a "restore the reputation of April 25" activity on April 24, a play to bring Jiang to justice and a grand car parade on April 25.

On the afternoon of April 24, Toronto practitioners held activities commemorating the fifth anniversary of the April 25 Appeal, including a press conference, a play "The heart's cry" and a candlelight vigil to mourn fellow practitioners who have died as a result of the persecution. After the candlelight vigil, the practitioners took to the streets to publicly explain the persecution that has been imposed upon Falun Gong over the past four plus years, and call on people from all walks of life to help stop the persecution.

Nearly 200 practitioners performed the play. They dressed in black or white with their mouths sealed with a black cloth, symbolizing that though Jiang's group persecutes, defames and deprives practitioners of the opportunity to speak out, it cannot deprive the hearts that dare to cry out and clarify the truth. After the play, practitioners lit up candles to mourn fellow practitioners in China who have died as a result of the persecution. The practitioners held photos of those deceased practitioners and mourning wreaths. The scene was serene and solemn.

After the candlelight vigil, practitioners walked along the streets, in hopes that more people could learn the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong. Streams of people and people in vehicles saw such a solemn scene. They stopped and watched, inquired or rolled down their car windows, and curiously asked for truth-clarifying materials. Several thousand informative flyers were distributed in an hour. Many people learned the truth and signed their names expressing their support for bringing Jiang to justice.

Among the practitioners who participated in activity in front of the Chinese Consulate were Falun Gong practitioners from Beijing who had participated in the April 25 Appeal. Their personal experiences brought people back to the historic scene five years ago. Ms. Wang, who was in Beijing then, recalled that on the morning of April 25, 1999, she learned about the Tianjin Incident of arresting and beating practitioners a couple days ago at her practice site. Some practitioners at her practice site said they would go to the State Council Appeals Office that morning to present the facts and hoped the unjustly detained practitioners to be soon released and practitioners in different areas to be given the right to practice cultivation freely. At that time, no body urged us to go. Ms. Wang believed that being a Falun Gong practitioner, learning about the situation, she felt that she should go to the central government to explain the benefits she obtained both physically and mentally after practicing Falun Gong. With a sincere heart she conducted her appeal to the government and believed they would resolve the issue satisfactorily. Like tens of thousands of practitioners who went to appeal that day, she decided to go to the west gate of Zhongnanhai, near the State Council Appeals Office. Later police brought them directly to Zhongnanhai. Former Premier Zhu asked practitioners to send in representatives to explain the situation. Practitioners on the spot voluntarily entered the State Council. Practitioners had three requirements: 1. Tianjin police release the practitioners, 2. Allow Falun Gong practitioners to have a free environment to practice their belief 3. Allow the publication of the book Zhuan Falun [principle teachings of Falun Gong.]

At dusk, Tianjin released all illegally detained practitioners according to the directive from the central government. The April 25th Appeal successfully reached a common understanding and the issue was satisfactorily resolved. Ms. Wang and other ten thousand practitioners who were waiting for the results quietly dispersed. Ms.Wang recalled that the whole process was in good order, without any signs or slogans. Ms. Wang and many other practitioners have been quietly standing and waiting for a whole day. Practitioners felt fatigued in their lower back and pain in their feet, from standing which they did in order to avoid being labeled by the government asholding a sit-in protest which they were not.. When she returned home at night, she was almost unable to walk. Ms. Wang explained that because Falun Gong has absolutely nothing to do with politics, nor did practitioners oppose the government. Falun Dafa practitioners had to appeal, but their sole purpose was to present the facts and hope the government leaders would return the most basic dignity and the right to practice their belief freely.

However, after April 25, 1999, Jiang's political group used all the nation's resources to begin an all-out suppression against hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens from all walks of life including women, elderly and young people. Overseas, Jiang's followers used the Chinese Consulates to spread hatred, comprehensively and systematically launched a propaganda campaign against Falun Gong. Over the past five years, at least 955 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of persecution. On occasion of commemorating the April 25 Appeal, Ms. Wang and other Falun Gong practitioners appealed to immediately end the persecution of Falun Gong.

In order to commemorate the fifth anniversary of April 25, Toronto Falun Dafa practitioners will hold a grand car parade entitled, "Restore the reputation to April 25, bring Jiang to justice" and a symbolic trial to bring Jiang to justice on Sunday (April 25.)

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2004/4/27/73257.html