Radio Free Asia (RFA) Special Report: Falun Gong Practitioners Protest in Washington DC

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC on Tuesday to protest the drive-by shooting in South Africa. They claimed that the Chinese government was behind the shooting. The following is the report from RFA reporter Jiang Nan on June 29.

The press conference was presided by Falun Gong spokesperson and Professor Nieh Sen from Catholic American University. Dr. Nieh said that Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, visited South Africa on June 27 to 29. Nine Falun Gong practitioners from Australia flew to South Africa and planned to file a lawsuit against the two Chinese officials for their crimes in persecution of Falun Gong. Dr. Nieh said that evening the Falun Gong practitioners were on their way to Pretoria in two cars and were hit by gunfire coming from another car, which resulted in gunshot wounds to driver David Liang's feet.

Dr. Nieh: On their way to hotel, a white car chased them and opened fire upon them. The gunshot punctured their tire and shattered the foot bones of the driver David Liang, a Falun Gong practitioner from Australia.

Reporter: Leg or feet?

Dr. Nieh: Feet.

Mr. Wang who was in the same car as the wounded Falun Gong practitioner spoke about the shooting to the reporter via phone.

Wang: That car was behind our car. He opened fire at half a car's distance. During the gunshots, we thought someone was making trouble by throwing firecrackers at us because we did not comprehend that such a shooting could take place. When Mr. Liang felt the pain in his legs, it was the second round of shooting. When that car pulled up alongside our car, I saw that man on the passenger side of that car held an AK47 submachine gun and opened fire upon us, like in a movie.

Mr. Wang said that Jiang's political followers were behind the shooting and the purpose was to stop Falun Gong practitioners' lawsuit against Zeng Qinghong and Bo Xilai in South Africa. Did he have evidence to say this?

Mr. Wang: It is the first time for us to come to South Africa. We don't have any enemies here. Secondly, he [the shooter] did not attempt to rob us. Thus, there is only one possibility: Zeng Qinghong colluded with South African gangsters.

Falun Gong spokesperson Nieh Sen admitted that there was no concrete evidence currently linking the shooting with the Chinese government. But he asserted that Jiang's political followers were involved in the shooting.

Nieh Sen: We don't have direct evidence. But nine practitioners went there from Australia and don't have any acquaintances or enemies in South Africa. In addition, the person wounded was the only one among the ten who wore a jacket with words "Falun Dafa." They lingered for two hours in airport to get their currency exchanged. Possibly they were followed at that point. The shooting was neither for looting money nor for killing out of revenge, but for targeting Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore, it is an openly terrorist act designed to stop their peaceful appeal and lawsuit.

The reporter called South Africa Embassy in US to verify the case. The press secretary said to the reporter that the Embassy did not receive any report about this shooting and had no related information.

Above is the report from RFA reporter Jiang Nan.

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