Letter from the President of the International Association for Human Rights to the Chinese Ambassador in Vienna

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Chinese Embassy
His Excellency Yonghua Lu
Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China
Metternichgasse 4
1030 Vienna .

June 29th 2004

Dear Ambassador Yonghua Lu,

We were appalled to hear about the latest incident on June 28th in South Africa, in which Falun Gong practitioner Mr. David Liang was shot in broad daylight while driving a car. It dismays us that this shooting was most likely directed by high levels in Chinese circles.

To be accurate, we will quote from a press release by the Falun Dafa Information Centre:

David Liang was driving one of two cars en route from Johannesburg airport to Pretoria around 8:30 p.m. local time, Monday, June 28th. A white car with three occupants overtook them and fired at least five shots into the vehicle carrying the Falun Gong practitioners. Liang was hospitalised with bullet wounds in both legs and his car was disabled in the incident.

The driver of a passing car assisted them immediately. Liang and eight other Falun Gong practitioners from Australia arrived in South Africa to assist locals in revealing the nature of the persecution of Falun Gong in general, and the heinous actions of the two visiting officials in particular. They intended to hold a press conference to expose the crimes of the two officials and to have legal papers served against them.

The shooters did not stop when Liang was shot and his vehicle was disabled. Liang, of Chinese origin, was the only one shot, and was the only one in the car wearing a jacket with the words “Falun Dafa.” These facts, and others that are sure to emerge, point to this conclusion: the shooting was a premeditated action specifically targeting Falun Gong during the two officials’ visit. Zeng, Bo, and other high officials have given orders in China that have resulted in torture and death. During the nearly five years of persecution against Falun Gong, harassment, interference in basic rights, death threats, beatings, break-ins, and now an assault with guns have targeted practitioners of Falun Gong on foreign soil, outside China.

We wish you to take note that such means are not conducive towards rational discussion regarding the human rights problems in your country.

We also wish to point at this time the overall catastrophic human rights situation in the People’s Republic of China. We wish to specifically point to the situation of those who are persecuted and suppressed because of their belief, in particular the Tibetans, Uighurs and Christians. This happens only because they wish to freely practise their religious beliefs.

We wish to thank you for paying attention to our correspondence.

Sincerely,
(Signature)
Katharina Grieb,
IGFM President, Austria
For Erich Leopold


Originally published in German at http://www.clearharmony.de/articles/200407/18002.html

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