FDI: Falun Gong Practitioners Assaulted in Argentina after Lawsuit against Visiting Chinese Official
NEWS - Dec.
15, 2005 Falun Dafa
Information Center [
http://www.faluninfo.net/ ] Chinese assailants beat a Falun Gong practitioner to the
ground in Buenos Aires outside Argentina's National
Congress. Witnesses say local police were unresponsive
to cries for help and believe they were under orders
from visiting Chinese officials not to interfere with
the assailants. The incident took place
Wednesday, December 14, in broad daylight beginning at 10:30A.M. local time,
outside Argentina's National Congress in Buenos Aires. Several members of the
Falun Gong group were injured in the assault, including women. Banners and
poster displays documenting rights violations in China were wrestled from the
Falun Gong and stolen by the assailants.
The nature of the stolen
items - human rights materials - strongly suggest political motivations and
backing.
The assault is believed to
have taken place in connection with the visit to Buenos Aires Wednesday of
top-ranking official, Luo Gan, who formerly headed China's secret Falun Gong
Control Office, the "6-10 Office." Luo was served with a lawsuit in Argentina on
Tuesday, one day prior to the assault, for his involvement in genocide against
the Falun Gong in China. Victims and witnesses at the scene described the
assault as "highly-organized" and "terribly violent." One man was seen being
beaten to the ground and then kicked repeatedly while down. Witnesses had their
cameras and film wrestled from their hands by several unidentified Chinese men.
One member of the Falun Gong group had a cell phone stolen.
FDI is additionally
concerned by multiple first-hand accounts that Argentinean police did little to
stop the assault. Police, though at the scene, were said to respond "very
timidly," and didn't react even when they themselves received blows from the
Chinese attackers. One witness even told of police shielding an assailant after
upset bystanders tried to intervene. Police did not arrest or question any
members of the attacking group.
Witnesses have surmised
that Argentinean police knew about the attack in advance and were instructed, at
promptings from Chinese officials, not to intervene. The Chinese assailants were
seen later in the day outside the nearby Sheraton Hotel, where Luo Gan was
reportedly present. The assailants are believed to be part of the Chinese
delegation or members of the Chinese Embassy in Argentina.
Disturbing, Global
Pattern of Instigation
Wednesday's assault fits
into a disturbing pattern of violence, intimidation, and rights violations in
connection with visits by Chinese officials around the world. It appears that in
each case Chinese authorities have used economic and political clout to pressure
host-country governments.
Past incidents of a
similar nature span a range of countries. In South Africa, June of 2004, gunmen
opened fire on a car of visiting Chinese Falun Gong adherents; the group had
just arrived in Johannesburg and planned to serve a Chinese official with a
lawsuit for human rights crimes. In Chicago the CCP has sent individuals to
physically assault Falun Gong demonstrators who sit outside the PRC consulate.
On another occasion there a car was firebombed in broad daylight.
In January of 2004 French
authorities arrested over 70 Falun Gong for "wearing the color yellow" or
clothing with the words "Falun Gong" while China's president visited. Icelandic
officials adopted a "blacklist," provided by Chinese agents, to bar entry of
Falun Gong demonstrators during a June 2002 visit by China's president--a
decision the Icelandic Ombudsman recently ruled to be illegal. Myanmar
authorities, meanwhile, arrested a 71-year-old man and sentenced him to seven
years in prison for raising a banner reading "truth, compassion, tolerance" when
China's president visited the nation in December of 2002.
"The free world needs to
promptly, and decisively, say that this is wrong and must stop," said FDI
spokesperson Mr. Erping Zhang. "China's regime should have no forum anywhere for
its draconian policies of control. Assaults like these should never happen in
China, much less free, democratic nations. If this is the cost of China's
economic friendship, it is a Faustian deal of the worst sort that world leaders
are cutting. It's a terrible sell out."
FDI is calling for
Argentinian authorities to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into the
incident, and further requesting the assistance of any and all international
agencies that might help to investigate the larger pattern of violence and human
rights abuses carried out by agents of the Chinese Communist Party against Falun
Gong practitioners throughout the world, including Burma, France, Mexico,
Germany, and Russia (news). # # #
NEWS - Dec. 15, 2005 Falun Dafa Information Center,
www.faluninfo.net
Background Falun Gong, also known as
Falun Dafa (about), is
a practice of the Buddha School, consisting of meditation and exercises, with
teachings that emphasize living by three principles: truthfulness, compassion,
and tolerance. Originating in China, Falun Gong is now practiced in over
70 countries. With Chinese government estimates of
100 million practicing Falun Gong in China, in July 1999 the Chinese
Communist Party-state launched a nationwide, violent campaign to "eradicate" the
practice. The Falun Dafa Information Center has verified details of 2,780
deaths and over 44,000 cases of torture (reports
/
sources).
Millions have been detained or sent to forced labor camps.
NEW YORK (FDI) - The Falun Dafa Information
Center (FDI) has received first-hand accounts of assault, battery, and theft
perpetrated against Falun Gong practitioners in Argentina. The assailants were
described as ethnic Chinese, all wearing suits, and driven by car and van to the
scene of the crime; photo evidence has confirmed these descriptions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
THE FALUN DAFA INFORMATION CENTER- Contacts: Gail Rachlin 917-757-9780, Levi
Browde 646-415-0998, Erping Zhang 646-533-6147, or Christina Chai 917-386-5068.
Email: contact@faluninfo.net,
Website: http://www.faluninfo.net/
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