(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of July 20 2008, Australian Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney arrived at Town Hall and quietly ignited candles. They sat in the gentle breeze, in mourning for fellow practitioners who have been persecuted to death by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for upholding the principals of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. The practitioners called for an immediate end to the brutal persecution that has gone on for the past nine years.

Sydney practitioners hold a candlelight vigil outside Town Hall, and call for an end to the persecution

Steven and his friends express their admiration for the courage of Falun Gong practitioners; the group of friends participated in the event by holding up banners

People signed a petition to support Falun Gong

Mohammed joined the event with a group of friends and held a truth-clarification sign

Nine years ago, on July 20, former Chinese Communist leader Jiang Zemin instigated the brutal persecution of Falun Gong out of personal jealousy. Practitioners throughout China were widely arrested. The media, the legal system, police, special agents, the Party, and the government were mobilized to attempt to eradicate Falun Gong, fabricating enormous lies and propaganda against the practice. In the face of this inhumane abuse and persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have continued to uphold the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and to expose the persecution to the world.

Representative of the Falun Dafa Association of New South Wales Mr. Lee pointed out that, throughout this persecution, while the CCP has destroyed fundamental morality, it has forced itself into a predicament with no way out. In the face of brutal persecution and murder, practitioners of Falun Gong have displayed peacefulness and rationality and have persistently explained the facts to people who have been deceived by the lies and propaganda. They have deeply implanted the beauty of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance in people's hearts and provided hope for the future.

The scene of mourning attracted many passersby, who stopped to listen to the practitioners' explanations or photograph the event. Mohammed, a young man from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, said he had heard of Falun Gong, but it was the first time he had seen such a moving candlelight vigil. He sat along with the practitioners, holding a candle, and mourned in silence. He then held a truth-clarification sign with a group of friends. Everyone in his group signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. They asked to bring the petition form back to their home country so that people at home could also sign the form, which they would then return by fax.

Another young man, Steven, and his friends had come to Sydney to attend World Youth Day a Catholic event. They expressed admiration for the courage of Falun Gong practitioners and participated in the vigil by holding banners. Steven said that the resistance of Falun Gong has become one of the biggest human rights movements in the world, deeply inspirational and moving.

Ms. Zhai Jianling, who began practicing Falun Gong in 1998, said that after she took up the practice, she gained physical health and experienced a steady elevation in morality. When the persecution began in 1999, she returned to China to appeal for justice, but was illegally arrested in Tiananmen Square. Police officers demanded that she sign papers to admit she was disturbing the safety of society, but she refused and was subsequently detained for 30 days. Nine years have gone by, and the evil face of the CCP has been displayed clearly to the world. Falun Gong has not been diminished by the persecution but has spread to 80 countries around the world. Ms. Zhai said that history shows that persecution of righteous belief will never succeed.

Back in 1999, Mr. Wang Xing, a 68-year-old practitioner, heard on the Chinese language program on Radio France International: "The Chinese Communist regime is not afraid of corruption, but it is afraid of Falun Gong." Therefore Mr. Wang thought that Falun Gong must be good and began his path of cultivation. He once hand-copied five Falun Gong books. Before he came to Australia, he asked family members to take good care of the books. However, his home was later ransacked, and the books were confiscated and his family was subjected to extortion by the CCP.

Mr. Wang Xing said that the persecution is tragic. He said that practitioners in mainland China are suffering wrongful accusations, which has been a test of the conscience of almost every Chinese person. As a Falun Gong practitioner, every year on July 20, he mourns fellow practitioners who have died as a result of the persecution. He hopes that more people will learn the facts, especially those who have been deceived by the CCP, in particular Chinese people. He calls for the support of righteous people to help bring an end to the persecution.