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Melbourne, Australia: Falun Gong Activities Mark Persecution Anniversary (Photos)

July 28, 2011 |  

(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioners in Melbourne recently held several activities to mark the anniversary of the persecution in China and call for support.

On July 17, the practitioners rallied and marched in the downtown area to expose the 12-year brutal persecution of Falun Gong, and to support 100 million brave Chinese people who have withdrawn from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. 

墨尔本7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍穿过市中心繁华商业街,图为领头的威武雄壮的天国乐团。

The Divine Land Marching Band

7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍经过墨尔本市中心繁华商业街

July 17 march in downtown Melbourne

7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍经过墨尔本市中心唐人街

Practitioners march in Chinatown

7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍经过墨尔本市中心唐人街

Practitioners march in Chinatown

7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍展示法轮功学员所遭受的酷刑迫害

Torture re-enactment 

7‧20反迫害12周年游行队伍展示法轮功学员因坚持信仰而遭受的酷刑折磨

Practitioners expose the CCP's torture 

已知被迫害致死的法轮功学员逾3400名。图为游行队伍展示其中的数位被折磨致死的同修。
 
Practitioners hold photos of fellow practitioners who have died in the persecution

Mr. Peter Westmore, chairperson of the National Civic Council, attended the rally, and he pointed out that Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance are universal values which should be honored by every Australian, and the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners for practicing these principles is not acceptable. He said that he was shocked to find out that the CCP has extended the persecution outside China and that even the Melbourne city council was pressured by the CCP.

“We must say no to this,” said Westmore, “I think that every person in the west should know what is happening in China and support those who are persecuted in China.”

澳洲国家公民委员会主席彼德‧维斯特摩尔(Peter

Mr. Peter Westmore, chairperson of the National Civic Council

Justin is a Chinese student who came to Australia 4 months ago. He wrote down what his family had experienced during the persecution and had a practitioner read the story in English at the rally. He wrote: Many relatives of mine practice Falun Gong. Since the persecution started in July 1999, they have been brutally persecuted. All of the immediate family members of my mom’s sister were detained in labor camps or brainwashing centers one after another. To avoid being arrested, my mom left our home and was moving from one city to another. My brother-in-law was sentenced to 3 years in prison for conducting an appeal for Falun Gong in Beijing. Such tragedies are still happening in China.”

法轮功学员演示五套功法

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises

集会现场的功法演示吸引很多游客观看

Many people watch the demonstration

集会现场民众纷纷在呼吁制止迫害的签名簿上签名

A young man signs the practitioners’ petition

集会现场的真相展板吸引了很多游客驻足

People reading practitioners’ truth-clarifying posters

After listening to speeches at the rally, actor Jack W. Matthews signed his name on the practitioners’ petition form. He said that the event was very powerful and it helped young people like him know about the persecution. “Freedom of belief is a basic right in countries like Australia. But in China, people are being persecuted because of their belief in ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.’ I am very lucky to learn about this. This event inspires people to ponder the question of how to help them.”

John is a member of a Scottish church. He said that the practitioners' band gave a great performance. “This event is very meaningful, and I fully support you and hope that the persecution will soon end. My church is very close to here, and we support you.”

There were also many Chinese people at the rally site, listening to the speeches and reading the posters. Some of them quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Ms. Li was one of them, and she said: “This rally is very good, as it helps more people know about what is truly happening in China. I did not know the truth when I was in China. Because of the CCP’s propaganda, I did not even dare to read the Epoch Times. As time went by, I decided to take a look. Since then, I read it every week and have learned so much.”

Ms. Zhang said that propaganda in China is the opposite to what she reads and hears in Australia. When she just came here, she still believed in the CCP. However, she gradually realized that all those were fabricated lies. “What the CCP did to Falun Gong is the same as what it did in every political campaign in its history,” Zhang said.

The march started at the City Plaza, via Swanston Street and Chinatown, and went back to the plaza. Practitioners displayed many eye-catching banners with clear messages, such as: “The 12Year Killing and Torture of Falun Gong Must End”and “Heaven to Disintegrate the CCP”.

7月20日晚,墨尔本逾百名法轮功学员在中领馆前举行了烛光悼念活动,抗议中共迫害。
 
On the evening of July 20, over 100 practitioners held a candlelight vigil outside Chinese Consulate

On the evening of July 20, Melbourne practitioners gathered outside the Chinese Consulate for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the over 3,400 Chinese practitioners who were persecuted to death by the CCP, and to appeal for support to end the persecution.

Practitioner Zhu is a volunteer of the Melbourne Quitting CCP Service Center and she comes to the candlelight vigil at the Consulate every July 20. She said: “Falun Gong has been persecuted for 12 years in China and we will protest till it ends.”

Since 2005, Zhu has helped over 14,000 Chinese people quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. “I go out to clarify the truth about Falun Gong almost every day, and I call China to tell people about Falun Gong as well. As more and more people have come to understand the evil nature of the CCP, it is becoming easier to help people to quit. Sometime I can help over 60 people quit the CCP in one single day.”

A Chinese student also participated in the vigil, and she said: “I started to practice Falun Gong with my mom when I was young, and so did my younger brother. Since I started to read Zhuan Falun I have tried to behave accordingly. I never knowingly did any bad things, and my parents never had to worry about me. Because Zhuan Falun states that a practitioner needs to be a good person, I always respect my parents. When the persecution started in 1999, I was only 11. When I was in middle school, my mom was arrested. It feels great to be able to practice Falun Gong openly here.”