Rally in Washington DC: "Oppose the Persecution of Falun Gong in China; Support the U.S. Resolution before the UN Human Rights Commission"

While the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Commission meeting continues in Geneva, the deterioration of human rights in China has again become a focus of the international community. At noon on April 6, about 100 people from all circles rallied at Farragut Square of downtown Washington DC. The theme of the rally was, "Oppose the Persecution of Falun Gong in China; Support the U.S. Resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission Meeting."

The rally was hosted by the director of the Washington DC Chapter of "Global Coalition against the Persecution of Falun Gong," Jeff Wang. More than 10 representatives of non governmental organisations and individuals gave speeches at the rally, voicing their concerns over the deterioration of human rights in China and the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, political dissidents, religious groups and minority groups. They called on the public to support the resolution proposed by the U.S. at the UN Commission of Human Rights meeting.

Participants of the rally displayed banners and posters reading, "Respect Human Rights, Stop Persecution," "Persecution of Falun Gong is State Terrorism," "Support U.S. Resolution at UN Condemning Human Rights Violations in China," and "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice Worldwide."

The human rights violations and abuse of Falun Gong practitioners in China were the focus of this rally, as speakers in succession condemned the Jiang group's persecution of Falun Gong.

"Arresting peaceful Falun Gong Practitioners is unwise"

John Kusumi, executive of "China Support Network" said in his speech it is totally unwise for the Chinese authorities to arrest peaceful Falun Gong practitioners. Mr. Kusumi also pointed out that Falun Gong practitioners were being forced to do slave labour. After hearing this, an American who works in the downtown area said: "From now on, I have to be careful when I go to Chinese restaurants. Maybe the chopsticks were made by Falun Gong practitioners detained in Labour Camps in China."

Clearwisdom.net has reported that many Falun Gong practitioners are forced to do slave labour when they are illegally detained in labour camps, and many products they make are exported to other countries.

T. Kumar, a representative of "Amnesty International USA," said that the violation of China's own citizens' human rights was unacceptable to the international community.

"Human rights are universal"

D.J. McGuire, chief executive of "China e-Lobby", said that when the Chairman of the Communist Party Military Committee, Jiang Zemin, or his accomplices land on U.S. soil, they will be requested to personally respond to lawsuit of Falun Gong practitioners in a U.S. court." He also told a Clearwisdom.net reporter: "It was about the summertime of 2000 that I saw a news report in the French media. The article reported that a Chinese female practitioner's nose was fractured by police for going on a hunger strike to protest the persecution of Falun Gong. However, the police were still trying to force-feed her through her broken nose. It was terrible. I will never forget. I believe that cases worse than this must be numerous."

Mr. Kusumi later said Falun Gong is the focus of this resolution proposed by the U.S. and we need to remind the world that Falun Gong practitioners are being murdered in China. When he was asked whether proposing this resolution is being anti-China, he said: "I don't think this resolution is anti-China. Human rights are universal; these are issues about being human. 'Anti-China' is propaganda, and it only benefits a few dictators."

"Genocide of Falun Gong Must Be Stopped"

Dan Fefferman, from the Coalition for Religious Freedom gave a speech entitled, "Freedom for Falun Gong." He enumerated some persecution cases of Falun Gong practitioners: Thousands Falun Gong practitioners are detained in prisons, labour camps and mental hospitals, hundreds have died in police custody from abuse and torture. He analysed why Falun Gong has been persecuted from his perspective: When a big group of people started to believe in the existence of a spiritual dimension, class struggle was replaced by the practice of forbearance and peace, and some in the Chinese leadership felt a threat to their political power. He also said: "China is a great nation. However, China won't deserve respect as a leader of world civilisation if China doesn't abide by fundamental human rights norms."

As a representative of victims of the persecution of Falun Gong, New Jersey resident Chen Gang was invited to this rally to give a speech. Mr. Chen came from Beijing after being detained and tortured in Tuanhe Labour Camp in Beijing for 18 months.

On behalf of Falun Gong practitioners, Professor Sen Nieh of the Catholic University of America also gave a speech: "This is the fifth year of the persecution of Falun Gong. The persecution of more than 100 million innocent people in the mainstream society for their belief in 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance' has not stopped or improved. On the contrary, it has become more brutal, evil, covered up and irrational. We call on the U.S. Government and all kind-hearted people, organisations and governments around the world to have a clear understanding of the truth about this persecution, listen to your conscience, bravely take action to support goodness by punishing evilness. Don't remain silent in the face of the Jiang group's atrocities and be forced to follow, don't even try to find an excuse for the evil persecution. Facing this systematic severe human rights violation and state terrorism, the only thing one should do is to condemn it loudly, take immediate action to stop it. "

Morton Sklar, from the World Organisation Against Torture, USA, said: "The genocide of Falun Gong practitioners must be stopped."

Calls for Condemnation of China's Human Rights Record across U.S.

World Daily reported on April 4 that about 100 people from more than 20 non governmental organisations, including "Global Coalition against the Persecution of Falun Gong," rallied at the UN square in San Francisco on April 3, requesting that the UN Human Rights Commission pass a resolution condemning China's human rights record.

Besides rallies in San Francisco and Washington DC, it is said that more cities such as Boston and New York will also stage similar rallies to call on the Human Rights Commission to pass a resolution condemning China's human rights record and to help to end the persecution of Falun Gong.