Australia: Practitioners in Adelaide Hold a "Human Rights Walk" on Shooting Incident in South Africa (Photos)

By A Practitioner in Australia

(Clearwisdom.net) On July 15, 2004, about one hundred Falun Gong practitioners from far away Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast gathered together with local practitioners on Victoria Square in Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia. They held a rally and a "Human Rights Walk" exposing the gruesome details of the shooting incident in South Africa. They also handed over an appeal letter on safeguarding human rights to the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer. The event drew attention of all circles and local Chinese people. South Australia Senator Ms. Nathasa Despoja wrote a letter to express her attention to this human rights walk.

The "Human Rights Walk" heads toward the office of Foreign Affairs Ministry to hand in an appeal letter

Press conference

Peaceful appeal in front of the voting district office of Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer

Around 8 am on July 15, a group of practitioners practiced Falun Gong exercises on Victoria Square. The serene scene caught attention of passers-by. Reporters from Radio Adelaide, New Tang Dynasty TV and other media covered the event.

One of the organizers of the event told reporters that the walk was to draw attention to the shooting incident in South Africa in which Australian David Liang was shot. About 10 am, practitioners started the walk from the square. They held small poster boards with words "Australian Citizen Gunshot in South Africa" "Stop the Terrorism of Killing by Hired Thugs", "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong". Under the accompaniment of graceful music, the practitioners walked through downtown and handed in an appeal letter to office of Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer. Afterwards, they continued walking to Chinatown and returned to the square. Afternoon, the practitioners went to Minister Downer's election office in Stirling and handed in an appeal letter. The event concluded at 5 pm.

At the rally, one of the witnesses of the shooting incident in South Africa, William Wei narrated the details of the shooting incident. Nick Vereshaka, representative of World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, gave a speech. He said, "Jiang's state terrorism persecutes not only Falun Gong practitioners but also human rights. It is inhumane. We will investigate till the end and bring the culprits to justice."

On Victoria Square, the practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition to show the tortures practitioners suffered in China, such as poking fingernails with sharp bamboo sticks, burning with hot irons, and confinement in small cages. Practitioners explained, "The torture methods exhibited are only a small portion of what goes on. Many more cannot be exhibited." Passers-by were shocked and some were moved to tears. They could not understand how come there were so cruel tortures in the current world.

South Australia Senator Nathasa Despoja wrote a letter to express her support for the human rights walk. She said in her letter that she was shocked hearing upon the report of the shooting incident and more attention was needed to the abuse of Falun Gong practitioners. Senator Despoja also expressed her concern to the persecution of Falun Gong and her appeal to Australian government to take action to rescue those family members of Australian being imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong. She expressed her deep concern about the incident that practitioners' peaceful appeal in front of Chinese Embassy was stopped and other harassment. She said that she was impressed with a few practitioners she met, as they were steadfast for their belief.

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