Article from Dutch Newspaper Utrecht: Protest Against the Persecution

Three Chinese practitioners and one Dutch practitioner are sitting in meditation in [a local] park. They are doing Falun Gong exercises to appeal to the public to pay close attention to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Photo: (UN/AC)

Utrecht – Three Chinese people are sitting in lotus position on the ground in [a local] park. There is a banner written in both Chinese and English above them. They are sitting in meditation. A person who passed through on a bicycle was surprised, while many pedestrians came to ask what those young men were doing.

“We are doing (Falun Gong) exercises. At the same time, we appealing to people to pay attention to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.” said Martai Walse. “Four years ago, Falun Gong was prohibited by the Chinese government. Ever since then, several thousand people have been arrested. Hundreds have been cruelly persecuted to death.”

Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) is a method in which both body and spirit are purified through practising special exercises. It originated from ancient Qi Gong teachings in China. In Falun Gong, the purpose is to cultivate one’s character and purify oneself, and this can only happen by emphasizing spiritual cultivation. The body can also be kept in a good condition by practising the 5 sets of exercises. Spiritual cultivation is to raise one’s character. Falun Gong practitioners must have their spirit assimilate to Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance.

According to Wu Xiao-Tian, a design student in Utrecht College, “There is nothing bad in Falun Gong. It is beneficial to both body and spirit. Falun Gong, however, is not a religion. It also teaches practitioners not to get involved in politics.”

Then, why has Falun Gong been prohibited for four years already? Why are Chinese practitioners arrested? “This is truly something perplexing,” Wu Xiao-Tian said, “It is probably because the leaders of the Communist Party were afraid of Falun Gong getting immensely popular. Even since Falun Gong began to flourish in 1992, millions of people in China and outside China have all practised. We have nothing to do with politics. The Chinese government, however, feels threatened. It is also because some members of the Communist Party practised Falun Gong.”

Coming from Wageningen, Martai Walse is a Dutch Falun Gong practitioner. “One of my Chinese colleagues introduced it to me. I become interested and started to read the books. Now I am a practitioner. It is not something bad. We do not try to change others. I only practice to upgrade myself. For others who would like to practise, this is a great gift. I try hard to do the exercises and clearly put the principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance into practice. I noticed that I am now more relaxed and have become someone who is good to people around me. Of course, I am not perfect; I do have days when I am not in a good condition.”

These four people usually practise in the park. They also protest against China’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in front of the Chinese Embassy in Den Haag. Walse said, “We will go there again tomorrow.”

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200307/22668.html