United Kingdom: Falun Gong Practitioners Invited to Hold a Seminar at Southampton University (Photos)
By a UK Falun Gong practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) In the afternoon of January 12, 2005,
after receiving an invitation from Amnesty International of Southampton
University (AISU), Falun Gong practitioners from the UK held a seminar dedicated
to the subject of Falun Gong for members of AISU. Using a video as an
introduction, practitioners explained to the audience what Falun Gong is.
Chinese and western practitioners shared their personal experiences to expose
the horrible persecution started by Jiang Zemin's regime. One practitioner gave the audience a brief introduction to
Falun Gong and the persecution in China. Drawing on numerous real-life examples,
she analyzed the reasons behind such a systematic and vicious persecution that
has lasted for more than five years. Mr. He from mainland China shared his
personal experience with the audience. Mr. He benefited mentally and physically
from practicing Falun Gong. But for telling the government "Falun Gong is
good," he was sacked from his job, arrested and tortured. Mr. He's brother
is still to this day being persecuted in China. A friend of Mr. He's was
arrested for practicing Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Soon
afterwards, this friend was tortured to death. His body was so ravaged by
torture that the many people could not bear to see it. A British practitioner gave an account of how he came in
touch with Falun Gong and started practicing, how he petitioned in front of the
Chinese Embassy in London against the persecution and how he went over to China
for peaceful appeals. In conclusion, he emphasized that torture also exists in
other parts of the world, but what is different is that Falun Gong practitioners
can be released as long as they betray their conscience and sign documents
saying that they will no longer practice. Members of Amnesty International were shocked by the facts of
this brutal persecution, which Jiang's regime had done everything to cover up.
Some couldn't help shedding tears at the plight of those Falun Gong
practitioners who suffered torture. Everyone listened intently during the
practitioners' recounts. The whole room was so silent that one could hear a pin
drop. The seminar lasted two hours. At the end, practitioners answered questions
from the audience. When the seminar finished, the audience applauded to show
appreciation. An Amnesty International member from France said that as a matter
of fact she had heard news reports on this topic in France. But at the time
related official news coverage was negative towards Falun Gong. She could not
believe the facts were like this. Her experience helped to illustrate the evil
acts of Jiang Zemin's regime in trying to extend the persecution outside of
China. After the seminar, many people went forward in person and
thanked the practitioners. Some stayed behind to talk with practitioners one to
one. The head of the chapter promised to assist in helping to end the
persecution.
Chinese version available at
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/1/18/93698.html
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