Australia: Persecution Survivor Li Ying Shares Her Experience at Capitol Hill

With the help of the Australian government and kind-hearted people all over the world, Li Ying was recently rescued to Australia to reunite with her fiancé On December 1, 2003, Li Ying joined a rally in front of Capitol Hill of Canberra, Australia to support the motion to "Rescue the Australian Citizens' Family Members." The motion was initiated by the spokesperson of the Australian Democrats Party, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja. During the rally, practitioners also commemorated Australian citizen Oyang Yi's younger brother Oyang Ming, who died from the persecution in China in last August.

Ms. Li Ying her fiancé Li Qizhong	Senator Andrew Bartlett giving a speech
Rally at Capitol Hill

On June 23, 2003 Senator Andrew Bartlett started the proposal of rescuing Australians' relatives being detained and tortured in Chinese labour camps because of their belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance." After months of campaigning, so far three Australians' relatives have been released, and Ms. Li Ying is one of them. Other Australians' relatives' situations in the prison have also been improved.

Li Ying said, "I appreciate the help from the Australian Government and all the kind-hearted people. I know that a lot more Australians' relatives are still suffering. I hope more people will join this effort to rescue them, including my younger brother Li Liang, who is detained in the Tianjin Qinpowa Forced Labour Camp, my elder sister Li Hong, who is detained in Tianjin Banqiao Women Forced Labour Camp and many other Falun Gong practitioners."

Her fiancé Australian citizen Li Qizhong, thanked the Australian Government for giving him such a wonderful Christmas gift. He said: "Now Ying can stand aside me and share in the freedom enjoyed by every Australian. However, we cannot ignore the fact that in China 7 family members of Australians, as well as many more Falun Gong practitioners, are still being persecuted and facing death at every moment. "

Senator Andrew Bartlett attended the rally to give a speech. He said that the people's basic human rights couldn't be ignored. The Australian Democratic Party would continue to support Falun Gong practitioners to rescue their relatives and request the Chinese government to stop the persecution immediately. He said that we have seen some encouraging results. Some people who had been rescued have already arrived in Australia. Our appeal was not limited to Australian citizens' relatives. It also extended to all Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China. We will work with you together.

Mr. Chin Jin, chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China (FDC) Australian Chapter, attended the rally to express support from his organization. He said: "I know that several hundred Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death. The Chinese regime is an autocratic dictatorship. However, the reason that the regime can continue this persecution so wildly is partly because of the indifference of the public. We need to awaken the people's conscience to save this society and this world. "

"I am not a Falun Gong practitioner. However, I come here to speak out for Falun Gong. This is because my friend Oyang Yi's younger brother Oyang Ming has been tortured to death by the Chinese Communist Party. This tragedy deeply touched me. I believe that every Chinese with a conscience should speak out on this issue." said Mr. Yuan Jie, chairman of Chinese Labour Party Australian Chapter.

The rally concluded at 3:30pm, and at around 4pm the Senate passed the motion.

When interviewed by a reporter, Li Ying said that she now knows what freedom really is. She said: "Physical freedom is relatively easy to obtain, but spiritual freedom is the real freedom. Here I see so many Falun Gong practitioners freely practicing Falun Gong in the public. However, every Falun Gong practitioner in China is in great danger and they could be arrested at any moment. Upon detention, Falun Gong practitioners are typically punished to sit continuously for three days. If they don't give up Falun Gong, they would be put into a 15-day brainwashing session. If they still don't give up the practice, they would be confined in a tiny solitary compartment for torture. "

Li Ying acknowledged that she was very lucky. She said: "I am a lucky one and have been rescued to here. However, my younger brother and elder sister, as well as many other Falun Gong practitioners, are still being detained in China and suffering from inhuman treatment. Working with the Australian Government, I would like to join our Falun Gong practitioners here to rescue them so that they can also enjoy real freedom. "

Li Ying added: "I didn't sign any paper to denounce Falun Gong because I believe there is nothing wrong with trying to be a good person. To live by Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is not wrong and all the kind-hearted people wish to live in a compassionate environment. The slander against Falun Gong was made up by the Jiang regime. I won't give up my practice in Falun Gong and my belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."