(Clearwisdom.net) Zeng Qinghong, a main accomplice in persecuting Falun Gong, is suspected of hiring gunmen to shoot Falun Gong practitioners from Australia who had traveled there to peacefully appeal during his visit to South Africa. Practitioners in Pingdong hoped to help the public learn the facts about the shooting incident, and held a series of signature collection activities starting from July 12, 2004. They visited legislators and heads of towns and townships, and also went to railway stations and markets to collect signatures. In three days, they gained warm support from the public, who condemned Jiang and his followers for exporting their state-sponsored terrorism outside of China and called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong. Practitioners also held a press conference on July 16.

Holding a press conference on the square in front of the county government

Head of the county Wu Wenying offers support

Attendees pose for a photo after the press conference

Head of Wanluan Township and staff members sign the petition

Another person signs his name

A preacher signs to support

Gaining support from the township government

On July 16, practitioners held a press conference entitled, "Stop Jiang's Terrorist Acts Around the World" outside the county government. Several local media outlets came to conduct interviews. Head of Pingdong County Wu Ying-wen, legislators, councilors and other local officials attended. The attendees listened to practitioners' account of the shooting incident in South Africa and unanimously condemned the terrorist act. The press conference concluded with the practitioners' singing, "Sit by My Side."

Practitioners went to town and township governments to collect signatures and gained support from the government officials. The Head of Sandimen expressed that he had wanted to practice Falun Gong for quite a long time, so we arranged practitioners to teach him. Staff members at the township government also signed to support. Many heads of townships not only signed their names but also wrote on the petition to ask Jiang and his followers to respect human rights. Within only a few days, twenty heads of townships and councilors had signed the petition.

As practitioners have distributed Dafa materials at the railway station for quite a long time, they soon got signatures from drivers on duty, who expressed their outrage at the human rights abuses.

A tourist from the UK said, "I'm a pastor. I believe that conscience and freedom of choice are basic human rights. Violence and threats cannot ever override them."

A student named Huang said, "I hope that the Chinese regime will return a free environment to Falun Gong practitioners."

Passenger Mr. Wu said, "China is a big country, and if it violates human rights like this, using gunmen to suppress Falun Gong, the international community will not easily accept it. These are terrorist acts."

Two teachers took a group of primary school students to an outing by train. One of the teachers signed her name on the petition and encouraged the students to do the same. They told the kids to keep in mind "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" and "Falun Gong is good."

The practitioners' efforts touched the vendors, and they provided a space for practitioners to display Dafa truth clarification materials.

When collecting signature on a university campus, one lady observed practitioners for quite some time and later expressed her respect. She was impressed by the practitioners' efforts and offered her encouragement.

Many people in the townships saw the photos regarding the shooting incident in South Africa. They expressed that Jiang and his followers have gone way overboard in the persecution, and that they wanted to do what they could to put a stop to it.