By Zhang Qiulei

(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Zhang Qiulei. I started practicing Falun Dafa in 2002. In 2001, I came to Ireland and started my work-study program. I am now working at the Innovation Group in Ireland. One day in April 2006, I went to the Chinese Embassy in Ireland to have my passport renewed. At that time an embassy staff member helped me go through some formalities, accepted my passport and then told me that I could come to pick up my new passport in four weeks. On May 8, I went to the Chinese Embassy for my new passport. When I came to the window where I could get my passport, I told one of the staff members why I was here. She simply checked and then told me, "I haven't got your passport. Look for the one who received you." After that, she shut the window.

I was confused, so I went to the window where people submit their passports for renewal. In it was standing a man in charge. He told me, "Your condition is comparatively special that we can't renew your passport. If you insist, your passport will have to be sent back to China to be extended." I asked, "Why? My classmates and friends, whose conditions are the same as mine, all have their passports renewed. Why don't you renew mine?" He only replied, "This is the decision made by the Embassy. Others can get theirs but you can't." I then continued asking, "Tell me the reason why you can't extend my passport. " He couldn't tell me any reason ¡V just stood there humming and hawing. He simply told me, "We just can't extend your passport." He also looked embarrassed. His only explanation was "This is official business according to official principle." Finally I had to leave the Embassy with my non-renewed passport.

In the past month since I submitted my passport, the Chinese Embassy in Ireland has deprived me of my most basic right of being a Chinese citizen, and not given any reason or explanation.

Because of my passport renewal being refused unjustifiably, it has brought me great difficulties in both my work and life. It has made me lose my legal status so I can't go anywhere. Although it has put me in a difficult position where I live legally in Ireland, in no case can I accept such an imposed persecution on Falun Gong practitioners. A councilor where I live promptly wrote a special letter to the Chinese Embassy asking them to renew my passport immediately. My friends and colleagues, one after another, have also condemned such a conduct of the Chinese Embassy.

At present, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party is spreading far and wide. More and more people are considering quitting the evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP). More and more people with conscience have started to help Falun Gong practitioners. At this point, I hope that the staff at the Chinese Embassy in Ireland will think carefully about being held responsible for what they have illegally done.

Such an experience of mine has made me even firmer in disclosing crimes that the evil CCP regime has committed. The whole truth will come out and justice will return.

Posting date: 11/24/2006
Original article date: 11/24/2006
Category: Eyewitness Accounts
Translated on 11/22/2006
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/11/20/142818.html

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