Two years ago, the Students of Trinity College Dublin spoke out in huge numbers against the terrible regime of persecution and torture against Falun Gong practitioners in China. A Trinity student - Zhao Ming - was being held in a labour camp near Beijing for his belief in Falun Gong. At the time, students turned out in their hundreds on numerous occasions to protest against this injustice and mounted an enormous letter writing campaign. Thanks in part to this surge of awareness and pressure on the Government to support Ming's case, Ming is now free, and studying in Trinity again. However, the fight is not over. Two Irish students are still suffering the consequences of their beliefs in Falun Gong. We need to maintain a high level of awareness of their plight and we need to unite to support them and the others still suffering torture and persecution.
Trinity College Students Union would like to pledge our support to the Falun Gong/Falun Dafa movement, and we will do our best to reclaim the level of awareness we saw two years ago. We are not just fighting for the physical freedom of these people. We are fighting for freedom of expression.
Statement from Paul Dillon, President of UCD Students' Union
Friends,
Students have always been committed to the cause of Human rights. The events of Tiananmen square 16 years ago saw huge waves of solidarity amongst students around the world. Here in Ireland students have shown that they can make a difference. The Students of Trinity College proved this 2 years ago when they succeeded in releasing Zhao Ming.
It is in this tradition that UCD Student's Union joins this rally today. It is surely a role for the Student movement today to stand by those who are oppressed and denied their basic human rights. It is in this spirit that we call for the release of Mr. Liu Feng and for Ms. Yang Fang and for their human rights to be fully upheld.
We will endeavour to raise awareness of these human rights abuses amongst the students and, indeed, the people of Ireland. Standing alongside those who practise Falun Gong, and those who fight for their right, we need to convince people that we CAN be successful in adding their voices to the cause of freedom.
Statement from Richard O'Doherty, Welfare Officer/Vice President DCUSU
DCUSU (Dublin City University Students' Union) recognises and believes in every students right to and need for education and to do so free of persecution.
As a representative body of an ethnically mixed Student Body we understand students' need to freely follow and practise there own moral and religious beliefs.
To this end we believe in a united plea by all Students' Unions for and support the movement for the release of Liu Feng and Yang Fang in order for them to return to continue there studies here in Ireland.
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