(Clearwisdom.net) From September 2 to 9, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit (Leaders Week) is held in Sydney. On the morning of September 7, Falun Gong practitioners rallied at Belmore Park in downtown Sydney urging APEC leaders and the public to take action to end the 8-year persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

At the rally site, many giant banners which read "Falun Dafa is Good" and "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong" were displayed. Posters which reveal how the CCP brutally persecutes Falun Gong practitioners China were also displayed.

Former Canadian member of Parliament David Kilgour gave the first speech. He said that Falun Gong is being brutally persecuted in China. He pointed out, according to a report prepared by UN Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak, that two-thirds of the alleged torture and abuse cases in China are associated with Falun Gong practitioners.

Mr. Kilgour said that the Chinese regime has violated human dignity and people should take actions such as the Human Rights Torch Relay to stop the persecution before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Canadian human rights lawyer Daivd Matas said that we have to repeat the same message here because leaders of APEC have remained silent. He pointed out that the elected leaders should fight for people's human rights and we should fight for Falun Gong practitioners' rights.

At the rally, Ms. Xiaodan Wang recounted her father's experience during the persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. Zhiwen Wang was sentenced to 16 years in prison because of his belief in Falun Gong. Xiaodan appealed to Australian Government and all Australians, urging them to help her father regain his freedom.

Mr. Liangyong Fei, chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China, came from Germany to participate in this rally. He said that the persecution of Falun Gong is the largest human rights disaster in China. He said: "Falun Gong is a group that follows the principles of 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.' The practice has helped countless people to improve their health and gain inner peace. If the persecution drags on, more practitioners are arrested, tortured and even killed every day." He called on governments, political parties, media outlets and human rights organization, as well as world leaders participating in the APEC Summit, to pressure the Chinese Communist regime to end the persecution of Falun Gong immediately."

Renowned professor Yuan Hongbin also gave a speech at the rally. He said: "In the past 8 years of persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have done three things of historical significance: the first is that they told the whole world the truth about the persecution; the second is that they spread the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party; and the third is that they initiated the movement of quitting the CCP. Their persistent spirit in seeking social justice will be remembered by history."

Mr. Deller, spokesman for the Falun Dafa Association of New South Wales, urged APEC leaders to tell Chinese President Hu Jintao in person that China must end the persecution immediately. He said that whether the persecution will be ended soon is a test for the human conscience.

The Sydney Divine Land Marching Band performed solemn music to end the rally. All of a sudden, it started to rain very hard. However, no members of the band nor any of the practitioners who were meditating left the site. The scene touched many bystanders. A passerby said: "Falun Gong practitioners are dedicated to their belief. The CCP has no way to defeat this practice."