Epoch Times: Australia's Emerging New Culture

by The Epoch Times Australia Staff

Nov 21, 2005

Recently, the Australian Federal Government and the NSW government co-hosted an event that seriously interfered with the democratic rights of some Australians that attended the conference. At the 2005 China Guangdong-Australia Business Conference in Sydney, officials refused entry and forcibly removed people for simply having materials mentioning Falun Gong.

The CEO of a large real estate development company based in Queensland interested in expanding into China, who wishes to remain anonymous, was turned away at the door. She said she was separated from her friends and interrogated for a long time and eventually prevented from entering the conference when a brochure containing information about Falun Gong was discovered in her handbag during a security check. She commented that she felt extremely humiliated as they made a spectacle of her in front of other guests at the conference.

Phillip Law, a sales manager was at the conference to collect information for his company. He said he was continually harassed and intimidated by security personnel to the point that he felt he had to leave the conference. He said his only offence was wearing a small badge with a Falun Gong symbol on his shirt.

Australian Falun Gong practitioners say this is another incident in a growing number of cases where the Australian government ignores the issue of human rights in China and turns a blind eye, if not assists, the Chinese Communist Government suppression of Falun Gong abroad.

Falun Gong practitioners cite Alexander Downer's signing of certificates that limit their right to hold a vigil outside the Chinese embassy in Canberra. Earlier this year DFAT's, Dr Geoff Raby was exposed by former Chinese diplomat Mr Chen Yonglin for assisting Chinese communist officials avoid a New South Wales (NSW) Supreme Court lawsuit filed by Mrs. Zhang Cuiying who made allegations of torture and crimes against humanity. She was incarcerated because of her beliefs, for eight months at the No. 1 Shangmeilin Detention Centre in Shenzhen City, China.

Falun Gong practitioners say their practice consists of five simple exercises and following a peaceful philosophy.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/5-11-21/34780.html

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