The Epoch Times: China's Number One Public Enemy at the Brandenburg Gate (Photos)

July 25, 2007

Throughout the existence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), individuals who held other faiths or ideologies from the CCP were seen as "China's public enemies," be it Buddhist Tibetans, Christians faithful to the Roman Catholic church, democrats, and last but not least practitioners of the Falun Gong meditation practice. War was inevitably declared to combat them. Since 1999, a hundred million Falun Gong practitioners, who meditate and live by the principles Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, were attacked as "China's public enemy number one." About two thirds of people tortured in China are Falun Gong practitioners according to Manfred Novak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Marianne Klotzbach meditates on the anniversary of the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong at a vigil on the Pariser Square at the Brandenburg Gate. (Photo: Jason Wang/German Epoch Times)

The persecution of Falun Gong has gone on for eight years. "It must end immediately!" said Marianne Klotzbach. The Berlin housewife stands with a face turned lightly red from sun and heat, after several hours in front of the Brandenburg Gate. She speaks with passersby and distributes flyers. She organized a vigil on the anniversary of the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong on Pariser Square at the Brandenburg Gate. She has practiced Falun Gong for nine years. It has been six years since she began protesting twice weekly on the Jannowitzbr¨¹cke against the persecution. She stands outside the Chinese Embassy, rain or shine and no matter if it is windy or cold.

"The residents in this area know me quite well by now. They greet me the minute they see me. I have given most of them information about the persecution and they understand very well what is happening in China," shared Marianne Klotzbach. Each individual conversation on that bridge takes her closer to her goal. She wants everyone to hear about the activities in China's slave labor camps and psychiatric clinics, including the inhuman torture, brainwashing, injections with psychiatric drugs and the illegal organ harvesting from living people.

"China's Number One Public Enemy"

Between 1992 and 1999, Falun Gong received public support from the CCP regime because of its great health effects on Chinese citizens. Yet, on July 20, 1999 the meditation practice was banned by that regime. Since that date, it has been illegal and even very dangerous to practice Falun Gong in China, and anyone who dares to may have to suffer slave labor camp and torture.

A Chinese overseas newspaper explained the situation like this, "People from Beijing are really an unusual kind of people. They are humorous and gutsy by nature. They often talk about god and the world and won't be stopped talking about unpopular subjects, such as criticizing the former Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The only thing the Beijing citizens won't be seen doing is going to Tiananmen Square and announcing that they practice Falun Gong. There are only three words that Beijing citizens don't dare to mention, "Falun Dafa Hao!" (Falun Gong is good!) Besides, the Chinese people dare not talk publicly about the values of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, the principles of the Falun Gong mediation practice, given that the regime has banned that practice in China.

Since 1999, Falun Gong has become for the CCP "China's number one public enemy." This assignation comes even before the same assignation for Taiwan and is based on the prevailing opinion in and outside of China by Chinese democrats, major human rights organizations, such as Amnesty, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) and China experts. Manfred Novak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, confirmed in his report that about two thirds of people tortured in China are Falun Gong practitioners. The human rights organization Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) have documented at least 3,061 deaths from torture since 1999. An even larger number of people, especially young people were murdered for their organs to line the pockets of greedy people.

An investigative report by David Kilgour (former member of the Canadian Parliament and a former Secretary of State of the Government of Canada for the Asia Pacific region, as well as former Crown prosecutor) and Canadian lawyer David Matas (immigration, refugee and international human rights lawyer in private practice in Winnipeg) suggests that there are approximately 41,500 practitioners that have been murdered for their organs.

Canadian human rights lawyer David Matas made a clear statement concerning the meditation practice after completing an investigation: "It is evident that the impact of Falun Gong on China is very important and the repercussions are rather extensive. Otherwise, the Chinese regime would not expend such extensive efforts to ban Falun Gong. The meditation practice is also very important because of its popularity, and there are many practitioners in China," said Matas. He continued, "It is not only that there are so many, it also has to do with the ideology that is completely opposite to communism." Falun Gong is deeply rooted in Chinese tradition, but communism is not. Without the CCP there would be a number of Christians and Tibetans, but the majority would practice Falun Gong.

Martin Duffner, a computer scientist likes to talk to the passersby about the "Torch relay for human rights." This was a brain child of the CIPFG and was brought into being as an alternative to the Olympic Torch Relay in the hope to bring the appalling human rights situation in China to the public eye.

On June 8, 2007 the CIPFG sent a public letter to Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabo, demanding that all suppression of Falun Gong practitioners, as well the organ harvesting be brought to an end immediately. August 8, 2007 was named the deadline for this demand. Should there be no action, the "CIPFG will unite with all the righteous individuals and organizations around the world to boycott the 2008 Olympics games in Beijing." The above are the exact words on the information bulletin being distributed by Duffner at the event.

The letter also stipulates that the Olympic Games 2008 cannot take place in China as long as the aforementioned cruelties continue. The aforementioned cruelties are against the Olympic Charter, mainly the establishment of a peaceful society that respects human dignity, and would be preposterous and mock the Charter.

Martin Duffner, computer engineer and Falun Gong practitioner speaks with actress Ruth Spichtig. I support the CIPFG human rights rally. It will have a direct effect on China," said Duffner ((Photo: Jason Wang/German Epoch Times).

"I wish for an early end to the persecution because of international attention, and hope that the torch relay will accomplish that intent," declared Ruth Spichtig, a Berlin actress. She had come with associates from France to the Brandenburg Gate that Saturday. She was deeply shocked by the torture picture exhibited at the information booth. At the same time she believes that this is something that needs to be addressed and that we should not ignore it.

Actress Ruth Spichtig advises, "You should put greater emphasis on the three Falun Gong principles, 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance,' and that one can live a better life when one adheres to these principles. Stress and information overflow will stop the person from understanding his/her needs and nature and therefore hinders courage, accountability and the ability to form ones own mind, free from any interference by the masses and the media. Those who are afraid will be manipulated and become paralyzed. Meditation makes the person stronger. There is always some kind of fear that stops the individual from doing good and doing what comes from the heart."

Looking at some of the Falun Gong practitioners who perform qigong-like exercises while listening to muted music Spichtig said, "They radiate energy."

"When I go into meditation without any thoughts I can feel my origins," said the young Chinese Falun Gong practitioner Yawen Zhen living in Berlin. The most important factor of the practice is to live by the principles Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. The high morals exhibited by practitioners are the reason why the Communist regime could not eradicate Falun Gong. "Falun Gong is the greatest challenge to the CCP," said Zhen.

Should pressure by the international community result in the CCP losing the right to host the Olympic Games, the chance for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong is great.

The alternate CIPFG torch relay has special meaning to Zhen, "Everyone can support this. This poses all those in the West a challenge to display their conscience!"

Published in German at http://de.clearharmony.net/articles/200707/38784.html

Source http://clearharmony.net/articles/200708/40725.html

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