Canada: Wen Jiabao Continues His Visit to Canada, Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal in the Rain

On December 11, 2003, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao continued his visit to Canada. In the morning, Wen Jiabao met Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien at Parliament Hill. Falun Gong practitioners from across Canada peacefully performed the exercises on the lawn of Parliament Hill. When Wen Jiabao's motorcade entered and left Parliament Hill, he saw the Falun Gong practitioners, who were appealing in the rain.

On the west side of Parliament Hill, Falun Gong practitioners lined up and performed the exercises to the peaceful music and held banners in the rain. An RCMP officer told a few practitioners that he was quite aware and confident of Falun Gong practitioners' peacefulness, so he could rest easy during the appeal.

For the future of the Chinese people

Falun Gong practitioner Li Zhuofu from Toronto said, "Though it rains today, it cannot prevent us from conveying our message of peacefully opposing the persecution. We hope Wen Jiabao and more Chinese people can get this message."

Canadian resident Zhang Li's husband Mr. He Lizhi, a civil engineer at the Chinese Construction Department, was illegally sentenced to three and a half years of imprisonment in China because he mentioned the truth about Falun Gong in emails to his friends. He is still detained in a prison in Tianjin City. Zhang Li said, "In the past few years, what Falun Gong practitioners have appealed for is to have a free and legal environment for practicing Falun Gong. We do not get involved in politics. But, since July 20, 1999, the persecution Jiang Zemin launched has not ended. Our loved ones--Falun Gong practitioners in China, including my husband, are still suffering torture in prisons. They have contributed a lot to the country's development, and they are the foundation stones of the country's development."

Zhang Li said, "Jiang claims that suppressing Falun Gong is to protect the country's stability. However, Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong has become the biggest unstable element in China. He throws in prison those good citizens and the country's foundation stones." Today, Wen Jiabao, first visited Canada as premier. It is also a good opportunity for him to witness Falun Gong practitioners' peacefulness and rationality. We hope he can make a wise choice--stop persecuting Falun Gong.

Bringing the head criminal of the persecution to justice, but not targeting any government

Falun Gong practitioner Li Jinman was illegally detained twice in China for his peaceful appeal for Falun Gong and suffered force-feeding. When mentioning the torture he suffered, Li Jinman stated that force feeding of Falun Gong practitioners in labour camps is not a so-called humanitarian act, but a brutal torture. Li Jinman said, "When four to five people, including police guards, prisoners and mentally ill patients in a hospital held my four limbs and inserted a tube into my nostril repeatedly, it was excruciatingly painful." Li Jinman said that in China, more than hundred thousand fellow practitioners are still suffering these kinds of tortures in labour camps, detention centres and brainwashing centres.

Falun Gong practitioner Li Xun said in an interview, "Jiang Zemin single-handedly started the persecution, he targets people's conscience and morality and brings tremendous disaster to the country. He also forcibly places the responsibility of the persecution on the Chinese people and government officials. So we must bring the chief culprit who tramples morality and conscience to justice."

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Zhu Ying from the "Cross-Canada Van Tour for Justice" just arrived in Ottawa yesterday. She said, "Falun Gong practitioners' appeal is to stop the persecution, and to strive for the most fundamental right of freedom of belief. We do not target any government, but pursue the chief culprit, Jiang, and his accomplices."

"Coming for you"

Li Xun said, "When the morality of a society is destroyed, the persecution will go on and on, so when people gradually learn about the truth, they will be stunned and think it over. We sincerely hope that people can be responsible for their future when they learn the truth about Falun Gong."

According to people from the Chinese community, the Chinese Embassy organized groups of the elderly, students and other Chinese groups to come to welcome Wen Jiabao. They deceived these overseas Chinese that Falun Gong is against the Chinese government. A Chinese student said to the reporter, "Falun Gong welcomes the premier's visit to Canada, and Falun Gong is not against the motherland. I'm really puzzled why Jiang Zemin persecutes Falun Gong."

At this moment, the song "Coming for You" reverberated at Parliament Hill, "Precious Chinese people, please listen to me quietly, Falun Dafa is good! Do not be deceived by the lies..."

Voices from Canadian MPs

Canadian MP Svend J Robinson sent a letter on International Human Rights Day on December 10 to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, requesting him to raise the Falun Gong issue with Wen Jiabao during Wen's visit in Canada. Robinson said in his letter, "Because tomorrow the Chinese Premier will visit Ottawa, I believe you will take the opportunity to reiterate the bilateral talks. I request you to especially point out that the Canadian people pay attention to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Just as you said in the statement, 'International Human Rights Day reminds us what we should do, that is, to guarantee all people's human rights and basic freedom be respected.' I hope you can think of this point when you meet Mr. Wen."

On December 10, when Wen Jiabao arrived in Canada, and when people from the Liberal Party met Falun Gong practitioners before attending the dinner with Wen Jiabao, they expressed that they would tactfully bring up the persecution of Falun Gong in China during the dinner.

On December 9, Amnesty International, Canada Branch, published a statement urging the Canadian government to pay attention to the persecution of Falun Gong, including the torture and abuse, during Wen Jiabao's visit to Canada.