Seoul, South Korea: Broad Support at Rally to Condemn the 13-Year Persecution of Falun Gong

            

 

(Minghui.org) A number of non-governmental organizations, politicians and Falun Gong practitioners held a rally on Seoul Plaza in Seoul, South Korea on July 22, 2012 to condemn the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 13-year persecution of Falun Gong. After the rally, a memorial service was held to commemorate the Falun Gong practitioners who lost their lives in the persecution. The South Korean Falun Dafa Association released a statement condemning the CCP’s brutal persecution.

Participants in a July 22 rally in Seoul to condemn the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong

“The CCP's persecution of Falun Gong is inconceivable”
Standing member Mr. Houng of the Democratic and Peaceful Reunion Council, a constitutional organization directly reporting to the President of South Korea, said at the rally that he participated in the World Falun Dafa Day celebration last May and was very moved by the practitioners’ open and peaceful mindset. He was so impressed that he has begun to practice Falun Dafa since then.

Standing member Mr. Houng of the Democratic and Peaceful Reunion Council, a constitutional organization directly reporting to the President of South Korea.

Mr. Houng continued, “In parks, along the roadside, and on the playgrounds of South Korean schools, one can see Falun Gong practitioners doing the exercises together in a group. We see that Falun Gong practitioners are from all walks of life. But such a great practice is being persecuted in China. It is inconceivable. The large number of people practicing Falun Gong benefits the country and society. However, the CCP is attempting to eliminate it. Therefore, the CCP should be eliminated.”

Former Mayor Lee of Gwangmyeong City

Former Mayor Lee of Gwangmyeong City said at the rally, “It is not China but the CCP that is persecuting Falun Gong. One must differentiate between China and the CCP. In other parts of the world, a practice that teaches one to be a good person is to be protected.”
City Council member: I hope the persecution ends soon
Seoul City Council member Lee said in a speech at the rally, “In terms of human rights, China is far behind other countries. If China wants to reemerge as a powerful country on the world stage, it should stop its persecution against humanity. I hope that the day when Falun Gong practitioners can freely practice in China comes soon.”

Seoul City Council member Lee

Member Shin of the National Assembly of South Korea stated in a letter of greeting, “I sincerely support the rally held by Falun Gong practitioners on Seoul Plaza. I hope that the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong will end as soon as possible.”

Mr. Yoon, President of the Commission to Eliminate Corruption

Mr. Yoon, President of the Commission to Eliminate Corruption, strongly condemned the CCP’s atrocities of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. He also condemned the CCP’s interference in Falun Gong practitioners’ events in South Korea. He said, “The CCP must be punished by Heaven. For China’s true development and common prosperity with South Korea, the CCP’s atrocities should be exposed to Chinese visitors to South Korea.”
CIPFG representative: The world should not be in compliance with the CCP
Mr. Chung, South Korea representative of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), and President of the South Korea Judicial Reform Alliance, said, “For several years, I have been paying attention to Falun Gong practitioners. They present the true, beautiful image of human beings. I respect and love them from the bottom of heart. The world should not be in compliance with the CCP’s propaganda, economic inducement or intimidation.”

Mr. Chung, South Korea representative of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) and President of the South Korea Judicial Reform Alliance

Mr. Chung stressed, “The South Korea Government or National Assembly should clearly present its view against the persecution of Falun Gong to safeguard the universal value of human rights. Only by doing so, can South Korea and China have normal diplomatic relations.”
Human rights advocate: Falun Gong is the light illuminating the future

Mr. Pak, a citizens' representative, human rights advocate and director of a hospital

Mr. Pak, a citizens' representative, human rights advocate and director of a hospital, said that China’s traditional culture is worthy of respect, but the CCP’s brutality cannot be tolerated. He said, “The CCP is like a bacteria invading China and damaging China’s profound, graceful traditional culture. The CCP should disappear in history. It is not qualified to exist in the 21^st century.” Mr. Pak stressed, “For China’s healthy development in the 21^st century, the CCP must disappear.” He commended Falun Gong as “the light illuminating the future.”

Mr. Wu Zhenrong, Minister of South Korean Branch, the Overseas Coalition of Chinese Democracy Movement, gives a speech

During the rally, representatives from different organizations signed and put their handprints on a large banner more than ten meters long to express their support for the Chinese people who have bravely put their fingerprints on documents to support Falun Gong. They also called on the South Korean Minister of Justice not to deport Falun Gong practitioners of Chinese nationality back to China, but to grant them humanitarian stay and protection.
Audience members moved
In the afternoon, Falun Gong practitioners held a concert on the stage of Seoul Plaza. The performances included a saxophone solo, a quartet, a soprano solo, and a set by the Divine Land Marching Band.

Local media reporters interview a Falun Gong practitioner about the practice

Soprano solo

Quartet performance

The Divine Land Marching Band performs

A large-scale group practice of Falun Gong practitioners on the lawn in front of Seoul Plaza drew the attention of passers-by. Ms. Zhao from Shandong, China could not conceal her excitement. She said, "In China, I heard the negative propaganda about Falun Gong and I had terrible feelings towards it. One of my relatives was taken away because of practicing Falun Gong. I did not understand him. But today, hearing the music and songs played by Falun Gong practitioners, I am so enjoying the atmosphere here and have a very fresh, peaceful, and calm feeling in my heart. Every Falun Gong practitioner has a peaceful smile, making one feel very comfortable." Ms. Zhao said that Falun Gong is really good and the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong should be stopped immediately.

Group practice of the Falun Gong exercises draws passers-by to watch

Falun Gong practitioners practice the exercises together

Mr. Jin, of Korean ethnicity, who came to South Korea over a year ago from China, said that it was incredible to see so many people practicing Falun Gong in South Korea. In the beginning, he was misled by the CCP's staged self-immolation event and the CCP’s propaganda against Falun Gong. However, after a Falun Gong practitioner explained the truth to him, he agreed to quit the CCP-affiliated Young Pioneers and said he would remember that Falun Dafa is good.
A female security officer responsible for the Chinese community in Korea said that she went to China as a student and saw the group practices of Falun Gong practitioners in China before the persecution. She recently came into contact with practitioners in South Korea and began to read Zhuan Falun. In reading the book, she felt an obvious inner purification. She said that the next step for her would be to learn the Falun Gong exercises.

Local residents listen to a Falun Gong practitioner talking about the CCP’s persecution

People sign the large banner to protest the persecution

Local residents read poster boards introducing Falun Gong and exposing the persecution

Many passers-by paused to read the poster boards introducing Falun Gong and exposing the persecution in China. After learning the facts, many people signed the petition protesting the persecution.

U.S. Congressman Todd Akin: Free Countries Around the World Must Band Together and Oppose This Persecution

(Minghui.org) On the occasion of thirteenth anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners’ peaceful protest against the CCP’s persecution, United States Congressman Todd Akin from Missouri wrote the following letter on July 11, 2012, in solidarity with the Falun Gong practitioners’ public rally at the United States Capitol opposing the persecution.

Congress of the United States

House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20515

July 11, 2012

To the attendees of the Falun Gong rally in the United States Capitol:
Thank you for coming today to mark the thirteenth anniversary of the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by Communist China.

The Chinese government has been persecuting millions of Falun Gong adherents since Chinese police begin arresting leaders of the Falun Gong movement beginning on July 20, 1999. Your efforts to draw attention to this fact and apply international pressure to the Chinese government is an important part of the fight against this persecution. Together we must do all we can to force the Chinese Communists to treat all of their citizens with respect, regardless of religious or philosophical beliefs.
Our Declaration of Independence states that human rights come to us from the Creator, that they are self-evident and that they are for all men. Based on this principle I believe that it is the responsibility of the United States to stand for freedom for all people and to pursue policies to help everyone enjoy their God-given liberty.

Free countries around the world must band together and oppose this persecution, and oppose the oppressive tactics of the Chinese government toward so many of their own citizens. The goal of a government should be to protect the rights of its citizens, not take those rights away.
Today, you are standing with the citizens of China, calling on the Communist regime to end their oppressive ways. I commend you for this effort and will work with you to apply pressure to the Chinese government. To that I end I have joined with my colleagues in Congress in sending numerous letters to Chinese and American authorities, calling for the respect of human rights in China and the release of specific prisoners of conscience. Thank you for fighting for freedom.

Sincerely,

W. Todd Akin

Member of Congress

Germany: Exposing the Communist Regime's Crime of Live Organ Harvesting to the International Congress of the Transplantation Society Held in Berlin (Photos)

 

(Minghui.org) The 24^th International Congress of the Transplantation Society was held in Berlin, Germany, July 15-19, 2012. Doctors from around the world who attended the meeting could see a group of Falun Gong practitioners gathered every day at the square in front of the International Congress Center (ICC) in Berlin. Some of them were meditating, and behind them were banners that exposed the Communist regime's crime of harvesting the organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Others in the group handed out informational materials. Many attendees leaving the ICC congress center could see them. Some stopped to inquire, while others told the practitioners that they had learned about the ongoing crime taking place in China from other sources.

A forum on “Transplant Medicine at a Crossroads” was held on July 18 in Berlin. Pictured (from left) are: American writer Ethan Gutmann, Canadian lawyer David Matas, and French physician Dr. Harold King

Falun Gong practitioners reenact the CCP's atrocity of live organ harvesting in front of the meeting venue of the International Congress on the Transplantation Society

Practitioners demonstrate the exercises in front of the Transplantation Society meeting venue

Practitioners wanted to tell these physicians, surgeons, and scientists attending the congress that an estimated more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners in China have had their organs forcibly removed while they were still alive, and the harvested organs were sold for lucrative profits. These practitioners' bodies were then quickly cremated to destroy any evidence of the perpetrators' crimes.

During the congress on July 18, Doctors Against Forced Harvesting (DAFOH) held a forum on “Transplant Medicine at a Crossroads” near the congress venue. They discussed how to stop live organ harvesting in China.

DAFOH is an international organization founded by physicians of different specialties and is based in Washington, D.C. Their goal is to stop all illegal organ trafficking practices in China and other countries.

CCP-Sanctioned Organ Harvesting

Canadian lawyer Matas calls for boycotting Chinese doctors and medicine

The CCP regime publicly acknowledged for the first time in 2005 that 95% of the transplanted organs were from executed prisoners. This statement verified a suspicion that had long been speculated by the outside world: the harvesting of organs is supported by the CCP regime.

Mr. David Matas, along with Mr. David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific, made an independent investigation into the allegations of large scale organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners by the CCP. They published their investigation report in 2006 and later the report was published in book form under the title “Bloody Harvest.” Mr. Matas held that taking organs from executed prisoners cannot be considered voluntary organ donation. In other words, the act of forced removal of organs and the auxiliary system have long existed under CCP rule.

Dr. Arne Schwarz from Switzerland once worked in a hospital for years as an IT expert. He said that illegal trade in organs exists in many countries, but in China there are two differences: 1. China is the only country whose government permits illegal trade in organs; 2. China's military hospitals make huge profits through illegal organ trade.

Chinese Doctors' Movements Restricted

The more than 160 Chinese doctors who attended the international congress were restricted in their interactions with the outside world. While the doctors from other countries could come and go as they pleased and lunch wherever they wished at noon, that was not true for the Chinese doctors. They were taken to and picked up from the congress venue in three big vans at a fixed time and location, had lunch together inside the congress center, and never came out.

Many doctors from other countries passed by Falun Gong practitioners' information booth, spoke with practitioners, and watched their exercise demonstration. But not the Chinese doctors. So the practitioners took the initiative to hand out information about organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners where the Chinese doctors got on and off the vans in the morning and evening. They hoped that the doctors from China could free themselves from the CCP's restrictions and learn the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution, no longer assist the CCP in persecuting practitioners, and stand up to expose this atrocity.

Vancouver, Canada: Falun Gong Practitioners Expose Persecution on 13th Anniversary (Photos)

(Minghui.org) Close to 100 Falun Gong practitioners in Vancouver, Canada, held activities on the square in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery at noon on July 21, 2012. They did Falun Gong exercises in a group and exposed the persecution of the practice by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The activities attracted many people. They took pictures and talked to Falun Gong practitioners to find out more information. Some said they would like to learn Falun Gong themselves.

Falun Gong group exercise in front of Vancouver Art Gallery

Thirteen years have passed since the former head of the CCP, Jiang Zemin, launched the persecution of innocent Falun Gong practitioners on July 20, 1999. Falun Gong practitioners in China and overseas have been persistent in their peaceful and rational campaign to stop the persecution.
Chinese tourists learned about the persecution from Falun Gong practitioners' activities. Andy and his two friends are Chinese students at the University of Victoria. Everything they had heard about Falun Gong when they were in China was negative information because of the CCP's propaganda. It wasn't until they came abroad that they started learning how serious the persecution of Falun Gong is. Andy said he would take pictures of the activities and share them with his friends at the university.
Ms. Darrin from the United Arab Emirates had been looking for a traditional cultivation practice. She was very happy to find Falun Gong practitioners and said she would like to learn the practice too. After finding the information she needed, she left happily with gratitude.s
A couple from the Netherlands spent a long time reading introduction materials about Falun Gong and the persecution. They asked how they could help Falun Gong practitioners. Both of them are teachers. They decided to publish Falun Gong information on their teaching website. They took some print materials including the information about organ harvesting crimes against Falun Gong practitioners. They shook hands with practitioners and thanked them for spreading the important information.