News and Events from around the World -- November 5, 2005

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content


  • UK Falun Gong Association Requests Government to Bar the Entry of Bo Xilai

  • "They Can't Take Away Your Spirit" - Series on Truth Clarification in Manhattan

  • Germany: The People of Hannover Call for an End to the Persecution of Falun Gong

  • Finland: Promoting Falun Gong on International Oulu Day



  • UK Falun Gong Association Requests Government to Bar the Entry of Bo Xilai

    The UK Falun Gong Association has requested the UK Home Office to bar entry to Bo Xilai. Bo Xilai is a high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party who is guilty of crimes against humanity, genocide and the use of torture against Falun Gong practitioners in China. Such crimes are illegal under international law in accordance with the UN Conventions on Torture and Genocide and are crimes under Section 86 of the UK Criminal Justice Act of 1988.

    Bo Xilai is one of the main provincial party and government officials involved in the persecution of Falun Gong in Liaoning Province, China. During his term as mayor of Dalian City, Deputy Secretary of Liaoning Province and Governor of Liaoning Province, many innocent people were killed under his command because they practised the peaceful meditative exercises of Falun Gong. Persecution methods used against Falun Gong practitioners in Liaoning Province include the detention and mistreatment of healthy practitioners in mental hospitals, shocks from high-voltage electric batons, sexual abuse, physical torture, severe beatings, brainwashing, subjecting family members to collective punishment and the use of propaganda to incite hatred against Falun Gong. Liaoning Province and Dalian City are two of the worst offending locations in the six-year campaign of persecution against Falun Gong.

    The UK Falun Gong Association requests the UK Government to prevent the entry of Bo Xilai into the UK because he is guilty of the crimes listed above. Such an official should not be permitted to enter the UK on the basis of his complicity in the violation of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners. If he is allowed to enter the UK, this sends a message that the UK condones genocide and human rights violations. The UK must act according to international human rights agreement.

    UK Falun Gong Association
    November 2005

    http://clearharmony.net/articles/200511/29639.html


    "They Can't Take Away Your Spirit" - Series on Truth Clarification in Manhattan

    "Hold on like this! God will bless you. They can take away your fellow practitioners' lives. But they can't take away your spirit," a woman on a Manhattan street told Falun Gong practitioners.


    A woman is happy to learn about Falun Gong.

    There are many kind-hearted people in Manhattan. Tears came to their eyes before Falun Gong practitioners could finish telling them about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. They appreciated learning about the precious information about Falun Gong so much that they kept saying "Thank you!" Some hugged Falun Gong practitioners in tears. Some held practitioners' hands tightly in their own. Some padded practitioners on the shoulder.


    A woman listens to the true story of Falun Gong

    Two men listen to the true story of Falun Gong

    A young man came to our display boards and listened to Falun Gong practitioners for a long time. His mood went up down and his facial expression changed as a practitioners told him about Falun Gong and the persecution. He suddenly grabbed the practitioner's hands and said from the bottom of his heart, "I see. I am so lucky!" Tears came to his eyes.

    A woman brought Falun Gong practitioners two bagfuls of food one day and said she would bring some coffee later. She had noticed Falun Gong practitioners' hard work every day and hoped to help them somehow. She asked, "Does it work to tell people about it?" Falun Gong practitioners told her, "There are more and more kind-hearted people like you. People help us in all ways. When the whole world knows Falun Gong is good, the evil will be eliminated." The woman was moved and said, "Hold on like this. God will bless you. They can take away your fellow practitioners' lives. But they can't take away your spirit..."



    Germany: The People of Hannover Call for an End to the Persecution of Falun Gong

    Falun Gong practitioners from Hannover, Goettingen and Hamburg organized an activity in Hanover on the 22nd of October to inform people about the persecution against Falun Gong in China. They distributed flyers in a very busy pedestrian area. Most of the passers by accepted the flyers. Some wanted to know more about how to practice Falun Gong. Others were more interested in current events in China and had a hard time believing that people who just want to practice peaceful exercises are treated so cruelly. The practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition in which several people simulated some of the methods of torture that are used in attempts to force Falun Gong practitioners in China to renounce their beliefs. Posters depicting the torture methods showed people even more clearly how inhuman the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) truly is.

    The practitioners set up an information stall where people could come to find out more and pick up flyers in different languages. The most common query they encountered was why the Chinese Communist Party is so ruthlessly persecuting Falun Gong practitioners. The practitioners agreed that this is hard to comprehend because the persecution against Falun Gong is completely irrational. Falun Gong improves people's health and the crux of the practice is the upgrading of moral character by following the guiding principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. After the practice became popular in China, people all over the country were striving to do a good job at work, think of others before themselves and always look at where to improve themselves when they ran into conflicts instead of blaming others. This brought great benefits to the Chinese nation and the Chinese people.

    However, in 1999, CCP leader Jiang Zemin enforced the persecution against Falun Gong. One reason suggested for his actions is that he was jealous of the 100 million people practicing Falun Gong, more than the 60 million Chinese Communist Party members. All over the country people were praising the benefits of Falun Gong and Jiang was deeply annoyed that the praise was not directed at him. Although he enforced the persecution, the majority of CCP officials were against it and many of them had family members who practiced Falun Gong or even practiced themselves. However, China is a dictatorship and it was from this moment in July 1999 that Jiang launched the most systematic, immoral and brutal persecution in human history.

    At a smaller stand, there were petitions for people to sign. Many people expressed not only sorrow and consternation at the human rights abuses against Falun Gong but also asked how they can support and help practitioners in China. They were happy to add their names onto the petition that will be presented to the German Federal President, Horst Koehler, who will meet with Chinese leader Hu Jintao in early November 2005 in Berlin. The petition asks President Koehler to appeal to Hu Jintao to immediately stop the persecution against Falun Gong.

    Naturally, the demonstration of the five sets of Falun Gong exercises also attracted a lot of attention. Passers by stopped and watched with fascination. Due to other events taking place near the Falun Gong stand, it was a little noisy sometimes. But the practitioners did not worry about this or lose their focus on remaining tranquil throughout the exercise practice.

    Even though it rained every now and then during the afternoon, this day was successful and many people got the chance to learn about Falun Gong. A lot of them stayed to chat with practitioners and ask questions. The practitioners were happy to answer all of them and help these people find out more about the Falun Gong practice and the human rights abuses taking place in China.


    Originally published in German at http://de.clearharmony.net/articles/200510/27234.html

    http://clearharmony.net/articles/200511/29640.html


    Finland: Promoting Falun Gong on International Oulu Day

    On October 22-23, 2005, practitioners in Finland went to the northern city of Oulu, where they promoted Falun Gong during the "International Oulu Day" activities. They also talked to people about the persecution and collected petition signatures to call for an end to the persecution.

    The temperature dropped to below zero, pedestrians wore their winter coats. Practitioners arrived at the open-air location around 10 a.m. Nobody was in charge of setting everything up but everything seemed to fall into place. Soon the stand was set up and each practitioner took a suitable spot. Some demonstrated the exercises whilst others handed out leaflets and collected petition signatures. With compassion in their hearts, practitioners showed the magnificence of Falun Gong to the people of Oulu in the icy wind. The exposed the six years of brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against Falun Gong practitioners, who strive to live by the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" and called for the people to help stop the persecution.


    Practitioners demonstrate exercises on the stage at International Oulu Day

    Tourists pass by, stop to watch exercise demonstration on the stage

    Sign the petition to support Falun Gong

    An endless stream of tourists passed the Falun Gong stand. Many stopped to watch the exercise demonstrations on the stage, read the posters and take leaflets. Some also took the initiative to talk with practitioners to understand what Falun Gong is, why the CCP persecutes Falun Gong, where to learn the exercises, etc. Some even walked straight up to sign the petition and express their support.

    A few youngsters were given not only leaflets but also beautiful paper lotus flowers. Practitioners told them about little Fadu. When Fadu was less than a year old, her father was killed in China by the CCP for practicing Falun Gong. Upon learning the bad news, her mother took little Fadu to visit more than thirty countries around the world to tell people about Falun Gong and how the CCP destroyed their family. They exposed the brutal persecution of Falun Gong by the CCP and Jiang's regime and called for the people of the world to stop this persecution together. They also brought along lotus flowers, which represent peace and beauty, to people all over the world.

    The youngsters were deeply moved by the story and parted with gratitude.

    A practitioner met by chance Mr Timo Soini, who was holding activities on the square for his presidential election. The practitioner took the opportunity to ask him, "Do you remember me from three years ago? I gave you some Falun Gong material." Mr. Soini replied, "Of course!" and then called him by name. Amazed by Mr Soini's incredible memory, the practitioner immediately handed him an English version of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, which Mr Soini happily accepted.

    Kaleva newspaper journalist interviewed the practitioner and said, "I'll report your activities in the paper."

    After the activities, practitioners took the opportunity to organize a group study and experience sharing session.