Taiwan: The Human Rights Torch Relay Comes to Kaohsiung (Photos)
By Minghui reporter Su Rong and Sun Bo
(Clearwisdom.net) The Human Rights Torch Relay (HRTR) organized by the
Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), arrived in
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on June 7. Local government officials and citizens gave it a
warm welcome. Mr. Chiu Huangchuan, the vice chair of the Asian Chamber of
CIPFG Yang Chiuhsing, the mayor of Kaohsiung, called for the end of
the persecution of Falun Gong. Ms. Huang Chaohuan, a local government official, speaks at
rally Mr. Hsiu Chijie, the mayor of Fengshan, says Falun Gong is
popular in Taiwan. Local government officials welcome the HRTR coming to
Kaohsiung. Lighting the torch The mayor of Kaohsiung and other government officials carry
the torch Citizens cycling with the relay. City Councilor Lin Kaochung (middle) expressed that the
persecution against Falun Gong should be exposed to more people. City Councilor Kao Yucheng said Beijing government should
improve human rights in China before the Olympics. Mr. Cheng Chengyu, a local government official, calls upon
people to make noise for human rights in China. 400 members of the local bicycle association attended the HRTR. The HRTR started at 9:30 in the Central Park in Kaohsiung. Many local
government officials, citizens and non-government organizations attended the
activity. People called for the end of the persecution of Falun Gong and the
improvement of human rights in China. Mr. Chiu Huangchuan, the vice chair of the Asian Chamber of CIPFG, gave a
speech at the rally. He called upon international media to exert pressure on the
Chinese government and expose their evil behaviors. Mr. Yang Chiuhsing, the
mayor of Kaohsiung expressed in his speech that Taiwanese are concerned about
the persecution against Falun Gong in China. He called upon the Chinese
government to release those jailed Falun Gong practitioners and stop the
persecution before the Olympics. Several other local government officials also
welcomed the HRTR and called for the end of the persecution. After the rally, six citizens dressed as Greek goddesses and the HRTR
ambassador, city council member Chen Lina, brought the torch to the park and
passed it to the mayor of Kaohsiung. The mayor and other VIPs carried the torch
in the city. Many local citizens attended the relay. 400 members of a local
bicycle association and members of a local swimming association ran with the
torch relay. Many local council members, non-government organization representatives and
local church officials expressed their welcome to the HRTR and concerns about
the human rights situation in China, especially the persecution of Falun Gong. Local citizens also expressed their concerns about the persecution. They said
that Falun Gong is welcomed in Taiwan and their rights are highly respected
here. They hoped that through the HRTR, more people will learn about the
persecution and help to stop the persecution. The HRTR is organized by the non-government organization CIPFG. It started in
Athens, Greece on August 9, 2007. It went through 34 countries and 150 cities in
Europe and North America and came to Asia in May. The HRTR came to Taiwan on
June 1. It will go through cities in Taiwan from June 2 to 16. It will go to
Tainan after Kaohsiung.
Chinese version available at
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/6/9/179955.html
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