Epoch times: Amnesty International Demands Government Action Against Assaults

Epoch Times Argentina Staff

Dec 17, 2005

Director of Amnesty International (Argentina)Mr. Pablo Marsal (L) Lawyer, Dr.Alejandro Cowes (C) and a practitioner of Falun Dafa (R) at the media conference. (The Epoch Times)

On December 13th, 2005, the Association of Falun Dafa filed a lawsuit against Luo Gan, a member of the nine member politburo in China, for genocide and torture. He was visiting Argentina and was scheduled to remain three days in Argentina. The following day, a serious incident took place in front of the Argentine Congress.

While Luo Gan visited Congress, invited by the Vice President, about 40 Chinese males belonging to Luo Gan's "welcome committee" beat up practitioners of Falun Dafa outside of Congress with total impunity under the eyes of policemen who did not arrest any attackers. The practitioners who were attacked filed a lawsuit charging physical assault and verbal death threats against the group of Chinese hoodlums, and also against the Federal Police for not fulfilling their jobs of protecting the citizens. The practitioners were represented by lawyer Alejandro Cowes, and the lawsuit was filed and received by the 8th Court as Case No. 18045/05 on December 16th, 2005.

Amnesty International held a press conference in the afternoon at the local office to explain and clarify the facts to the press. Erroneous reports of two groups of Chinese with different ideologies allegedly fighting among themselves had led to confusion among members of the press.

People questioned how a person proven to be an agent of genocide can come to Argentina, command the police, and beat up practitioners of Falun Dafa in Argentina. During the assaults on the practitioners, many bystanders protested, "This is Argentina, not communist China!"

The director of Amnesty International in Argentina, Mr. Pablo Marsal, made the following statement:

"Amnesty International has always supported Falun Dafa. It is also not the first time that this group was assaulted in our country. Amnesty International's annual reports, which are well known around the world, relate the human rights violations in China against different spiritual and social groups. The most striking fact in our country is that, for the second time, we see that a certain group connected to the officials of the Chinese government, assaults with impunity, in Argentine territory, in front of the Congress of the nation, a peaceful group which is known all over the world as a spiritual group. For this reason, it is totally incomprehensible.

We really want the Argentine authorities to investigate this incident. This incident has attracted a lot of attention from human rights organizations. After the last incident, Falun Dafa protested to the police. They filed a lawsuit which did not lead anywhere. They are filing now another lawsuit against these aggressors. The officials of another country are violating our Argentine sovereignty in our country. This is something which may not continue. Of course it is true about what is happening in China and, apparently, the persecution has begun to extend to a country like ours, Argentina, a country which is proud to defend human rights."

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