Radio Free Asia: Three Thousand Falun Gong Practitioners Form "Great Wall of Courage" in the U.S. Capital

(Clearwisdom.net) On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Jiang group's suppression of Falun Gong, three thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world formed a "great wall of courage" in Washington DC to protest the Jiang group's brutal persecution of Falun Gong. The following is a report by RFA correspondent Gao Shan on July 24.

On Friday, more than 3000 Falun Gong practitioners from across the U.S. and other countries lined up on Connecticut Avenue in Washington DC to protest the five-year Chinese government's ban on Falun Gong. The 3-mile-long wall started from Dupont Circle and ended at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. Ms. Zhang, who came from Canada, said that she wished the Chinese Embassy could convey overseas Falun Gong practitioners' voice to China's leaders.

Ms. Zhang: Five years ago, on July 20, 1999, Jiang started the systematic suppression of Falun Gong. Five years have passed. Many practitioners of Falun Gong in China have encountered ruthless persecution, some were tortured to death. According to incomplete estimation, it has been reported with photos and real cases that more than 1000 Falun Gong practitioners were tortured to death. Some of them are children and senior persons.

Falun Gong practitioners unfurled various kinds of banners and signs on Connecticut Avenue to expose the Chinese government's suppression of the Falun Gong. Mr. Li, a practitioner from San Francisco, said that the Chinese government abused state-run media to frame Falun Gong.

Mr. Li: Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Chinese government's suppression of Falun Gong. In China, nearly 1000 Falun Gong practitioners were beaten to death. More than 100,000 practitioners are illegally imprisoned. Therefore, as a Falun Gong practitioner, I feel that I have the responsibility to let all people over the world know about the brutality of the Chinese government's [Jiang group's] oppression of Falun Gong, and expose their lies, which are the foundation of the persecution of Falun Gong.

Mr. Ye from Ohio said that his purpose of attending this activity was to support Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Mr. Ye: Five years ago, I also came here. I felt that Falun Gong encountered the biggest injustice in the world. I wish that everyone could understand what Falun Gong is really about.

Correspondent: I would like to ask, that is, whether you saw or witnessed or personally experienced the persecution in China?

Mr. Ye: I learned Falun Gong in Canada. When I was in China, some of my colleagues in my company were practicing it, but I did not at that time. You just mentioned if I personally witnessed (the persecution). I feel that this is a very interesting question. If China wants to do something, how many people could know about the truth? When the Cultural Revolution took place, how many people knew about how people died in the Cultural Revolution? How many people knew about how Liu Shaoqi (the former President of China) died? How would people in that period of time look at that? I think the question you asked today is like that time during the period of the Cultural Revolution.

Ms. Xue from Washington DC said, Falun Gong practitioners who came to the U.S. capital to participate in this protest all came at their own expense.

Ms. Xue: I think that Falun Gong practitioners are seeking for a kind of truth. Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is their belief. One can sacrifice all he has for truth. Not to mention some money, they could even sacrifice their lives. It's just like that many practitioners of Falun Gong in China have sacrificed their lives. But they would not regret it, because it is worthwhile to live for the truth.

The above is reported by RFA correspondent Gao Shan.
Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/7/25/80232.html

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