Reader's Letter to a Swedish Newspaper Bohusl'ningen: “Falun Gong and Freedom in China”

On February the 20th 2004, Swedish newspaper “Bohusl'ningen” carried the following letter to the editor:

Recently, I was shocked by the incidents that happened in Paris during the Chinese Spring Festival. France is a nation known for upholding freedom and justice. However, why were more than seventy Falun Gong practitioners, including two Swedes, detained during the Chinese leader’s visit to France? Only because they wore yellow clothing or scarves imprinted with the words “Falun Gong”.

It is known to everybody that Falun Gong is a peaceful and non-violent cultivation practice.

It is no secret that there are serious human right abuses happening in China. Many countries’ governments have already raised this issue to the Chinese leader’s representatives. Their reply is always, "You may comment on our human rights, but you should not talk about it publicly."

In China, many groups are being persecuted, but the most serious is the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Because they refuse to give up their belief in Falun Dafa, they are imprisoned in forced labour camps or mental institutions, and even tortured to death. Because China’s former President is jealous of the fact that Falun Gong has its roots in people’s hearts, he thus initiated a large scale persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Each country should urge China to improve its human rights in their commercial exchanges with China.

What does it mean if all European countries urge China to pay attention to human rights? It can demonstrate our courage that we won’t sacrifice our soul for economic reasons. Now we are paving the way for the future. What kind of society do we want in the future? What kind of world will our children live in?