Australia: Parade in Melbourne Calls for Ending the Persecution (Photos)
By a Falun Dafa practitioner in Melbourne
(Clearwisdom.net) On July 20, 2008, the Falun Dafa Association in
Victoria, Australia, hosted the July 20 Anti-persecution Parade and Rally in
Melbourne's city center. Support from various groups of people in Melbourne
called for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to immediately end the persecution
of Falun Gong. Anti-persecution parade and rally in Melbourne on July 20,
2008 People stop to look and listen during anti-persecution rally
in Melbourne One by one, people sign the petition condemning the CCP's
persecution of Falun Gong Mr. Peter Westmore, president of the National Civic Council in
Australia, speaks at the rally Dr. Paul Monk, former head of China analysis at Australia's
defense intelligence organization speaks at the rally Mr. Gerard Flood from the Australian Democratic Labor Party
speaks at the rally Mr. Yuan Hongbin, freedom and democracy activist, and
professor in law addresses the rally The anti-persecution parade was held in downtown Melbourne and began in City
Square. Without the need for police guidance or protection, it traveled around
the busiest streets in the city and returned to the square for the rally. Although the brutal persecution of Falun Gong is taking place in China, a
land far away, righteous Australians with the sense of justice did not stand by
as on-lookers. At the rally, many guests condemned the CCP's persecution of
Falun Gong and its crimes against humanity. With one voice, they expressed a
willingness to stand with Falun Gong practitioners to bring an end to the
ongoing persecution that has persisted for nine years. President of the National Civic Council: "It is my responsibility to be
here today" Mr. Peter Westmore, president of the National Civic Council in Australia, has
traveled and worked endlessly to bring about improvements in China's human
rights situation. He said, "Although I am not Chinese or a practitioner of
Falun Gong, I believe that bringing an end to the persecution is something I
must support." Mr. Westmore also said, "The reason is, the persecution
of Falun Gong not only concerns Falun Gong practitioners, nor is it limited to
China. It is impacts human rights and affects every one of us. This is why I
will stand together with these courageous people. During such a long period of
time, they have suffered so much pain. It is my responsibility to be here today.
I want to express my outrage that these peaceful people have been persecuted for
over nine years." Former Head of China Analysis at Australia's Defense Intelligence
Organization: The CCP is the cult Dr. Paul Monk, former head of China analysis at Australia's Defense
Intelligence Organization and co-founder of the AUSTHINK consultancy, is a China
issues specialist. He thought it was extraordinarily meaningful to be able to
speak at the rally. "Former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky published a book a few years
ago entitled The Case for Democracy. In the book, he said the most basic
way to determine whether you have a free society is to ask, "Do you dare to
stand in an open square of the city and speak from your heart, without being
worried about being arrested, harassed, shot to death, or run over by a tank.
Today, we speak of the persecution here, but this is a forbidden topic on
Tiananmen Square. You are not permitted to talk about this publicly in China.
That is why we hold this rally here." Dr. Monk also pointed out, "The CCP says that Falun Gong is a cult,
however, it is they [the CCP] that adhere completely to the definition of what a
cult is--it is the cult. China's record on human rights and corruption, on lies
and propaganda is shocking." Member of the Democratic Labor Party Calls on the Australian Government to
Implement Responsibilities During his address, Mr. Gerald Flood from the Democratic Labor Party said,
"If you and I do not make our best efforts to ensure the Australian
government implements its responsibilities and protects those groups under
terrible persecution, then you and I will become accomplices. We will have
betrayed their trust, betrayed our freedom, and we will be despised by future
generations. Please think about this issue deeply. If we do not live up to up
our responsibility now, how will people see Australians in the future?" "Falun Gong practitioners' resistance has become a part of the heroic
epic in contemporary Chinese history" Chinese-in-exile and an academic in law, Professor Yuan Hongbin expressed his
support, "During these nine years, Falun Gong practitioners have walked a
painful road of iron and blood. Their resistance for the protection of their own
spiritual belief and freedom has become a part of the heroic epic in
contemporary Chinese history and won historical respect." Professor Yuan said, "For nine years, the brutal Chinese Communist
regime has monopolized all its resources attempting to completely eliminate
Falun Gong, but they have failed. History has proven to mankind that a brutal
dictatorship can't win over spiritual belief! It has been nine years that Falun
Gong practitioners have continued to stride toward victory, as well as nine
years that the CCP's brutal dictatorship has continued to step toward
destruction." Australian Public: The persecution should be exposed Not only Australian officials, democratic activists, and human rights
activists have called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong, but also the
general Australian public. After learning about the brutal persecution, they
have expressed their support for Falun Gong. Although at times the supporters
have been lost for words, a short conversation displays their sincerity and
friendliness toward Falun Gong practitioners. Adrian Lyons is an older man who moved to Australia from England. After
carefully reading the messages on the banners and display boards, he said,
"This is so terrible, it really should be exposed. What should we do [to
end the persecution], how should we do it? No matter what we can do, we should
go ahead." Another Australian, Neil Macfie, said, "If the persecution ends, I will
be very glad. As an Australian, I don't know what we can do, but we will give
them [Falun Gong] support, definitely."
Chinese version available at
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2008/7/23/182633.html
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