European Practitioners Tell the Facts about Falun Gong to French Government Departments

In order to express their serious concerns regarding the Paris incident in which police arrested Falun Gong practitioners without just cause, representatives of the European, Nordic and French Falun Dafa Associations visited the French President's Office, Primer's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice and Ministry of Domestic Affairs on February 9, 2004.

Wearing yellow scarves, the representatives first came to the doors of the French Ministry of Domestic Affairs. After indicating to the guard the purpose of their visit, eight or nine policemen came and surrounded them. The atmosphere became tense, as the policemen were uncertain as to whether the orders from the last few days had been withdrawn.

Practitioners expressed their serious concerns regarding the Paris incident and recounted the purpose of the visit by presidents of the European, Nordic and French Falun Dafa Associations and all others. Police started to pay attention to the visit and made appropriate arrangements, including an escort with a police wagon. The practitioner representatives met officials concerned in all five departments or offices listed above within two and a half hours and explained the facts to them face to face.

The representatives expressed their protest against the recent rough treatment and unreasonable arrests of dozens of Falun Gong practitioners on the streets of Paris. They also asked the officials to let their leadership know: please don't ever allow anyone to betray the traditional values of France: freedom, equality, fraternity, in exchange for short term economic benefits. Every official in each department or office listened intently and accepted materials explaining the facts of the persecution and introducing Falun Gong and read them carefully.

Before leaving, the Dafa practitioners gave every government department a letter of protest, requesting those concerned apologise to Falun Gong practitioners.

It was learned that on the morning of February the 9th, the representatives went to the Police Department to explain the facts and deliver a letter of protest.

The practitioner representatives said that they would continue to contact the French government to help them understand more about Falun Gong, and pursue a reasonable solution to the Paris incident.