By Zhong Yan

(Clearwisdom.net) Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin raised the issue of the persecution of Falun Gong when he met with Hu Jintao on September 9, 2005. Within two weeks, Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Li Weixun was successfully rescued from China, thanks to further help from Friends of Falun Gong, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the US Congress, US State Department and some other NGOs. She obtained UN refugee status and was brought from Shenyang City to the US. She safely arrived on September 21.

The recent public support and rescue of Falun Gong practitioners is in contrast to previous human rights dialogues with the Chinese government. The changes reveal that international society is taking solid steps to oppose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

During the past six years many Western government officials and senators, people who firmly uphold human rights, have persistently called for the CCP to stop the persecution.

On October 4, 2004 the House of Representatives in the U.S. unanimously passed H. Con. Resolution 304. This shows the US Congress' opposition to CCP oppression of Falun Gong. The resolution expressed the sense that the Government of the People's Republic of China should immediately stop interfering in the exercise of religious and political freedoms within the United States, rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution. It further called for the CCP to cease using its diplomatic missions in the United States to spread falsehoods about the nature of Falun Gong, and to release from detention all prisoners of conscience, including practitioners of Falun Gong.

On October 24, 2002 Member of Parliament Scott Reid put forward resolution M236 and the Canadian Parliament unanimously passed it. The resolution requested that Prime Minister Chretien ask Chinese leaders to release all 13 Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China who are relatives of Canadian permanent residents or citizens. So far six of them have been rescued and brought to Canada.

Voices of justice are growing louder and louder. Due to a lack of understanding about the true nature of the CCP and its underhanded tactics of thinly veiled threats and bribes, governments have often have resorted to conducting discussions with the Chinese government behind closed doors. But the doors are opening now.

An editorial in the Ottawa Citizen on September 9 stated that the Prime Minister "should speak about the ongoing persecution of practitioners of Falun Gong...Mr. Hu's visit gives Mr. Martin an opportunity to speak loudly, firmly and publicly about specific violations."

In fact, the persecution is based on CCP slander, lies, and hate propaganda. This is why the CCP is afraid of the truth coming to light. Only by loudly, firmly and publicly exposing and condemning the persecution can foreign governments truly suppress the evil. In addition to lending moral support, world governments can stand up to stop the murder of Falun Gong practitioners.

Li Weixun's case is typical as it illustrates two things. First, by granting Li Weixun refugee status, the United Nations has acknowledged the persecution that is taking place in China and that Falun Gong practitioners' basic rights are not protected in China. In fact, all Falun Gong practitioners in China are persecuted to various extents. Second, the US government shows acknowledgment and sympathy toward Falun Gong practitioners by bringing Li Weixun from a third country to the US, and it demonstrates the US government's stand on the CCP persecution.

The US government has set a valuable precedent for the international community in terms of deciding between a terroristic, yet financially enticing dictator regime, and a persecuted, civil group of people. The US government chose to respect and protect human rights and therefore acted as a role model for other countries in the world.

I believe that Li Weixun's case also shows that although some people are still deceived by the CCP and are indifferent towards the issue of the persecution (and some people even assisted the CCP in the persecution out of fear or self-interest), more countries, governments and people have shown that they are not afraid of the totalitarian regime. They resist the temptation of financial incentives, and this is becoming a positive historic trend.

Governments in all civilized societies expect respect for their people on the international stage, and heads of state want to make progress during their tenure and gain a good reputation among the people. My personal opinion is that by publicly condemning the persecution, accepting and protecting persecuted Falun Gong practitioners, and upholding justice and morality - the cornerstone of human civilization, world government officials are doing the best thing for themselves and for their people.

I believe that after learning the truth about the persecution, world governments will make the right choice between good and evil. All countries will extend a helping hand to Falun Gong practitioners, the followers of "Truth, Compassion, Tolerance." No country will remain in line with the CCP on this issue.

At the beginning of the persecution, the Jiang group mobilized the whole country's resources and used various means to isolate and slander Falun Gong. Jiang himself personally distributed pamphlets containing hate propaganda among foreign heads of state. Six years later, as the truth spreads, people are awakening and effectively suppressing the persecution. When justice and truth dominate people's hearts, the CCP will be isolated on the issue of the persecution. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Posting date: 10/3/2005
Original article date: 10/2/2005
Category: Open Forum
Translated on 9/30/2005
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/9/27/111285.html

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