Taiwan: Signature Drive Appeals to Peoples Conscience

The drive-by shooting of an Australian Falun Gong practitioner in South Africa on the 28th of June, 2004 marked a new level of violence and recklessness in former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin's worldwide persecution of Falun Gong. In response to this incident, Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners started a signature drive to raise the awareness and to call for an end to the state-run terrorism.

Collecting signatures at the Chong-Shan Station and people sign the petition after learning the facts

On a hot afternoon, Falun Gong practitioners from Taipei went to the Chong-Shan Station and a well-known shopping centre to raise the awareness of the South Africa shooting incident, expose the persecution and collect signatures in support of Falun Gong. Many people were shocked at the shooting incident, especially when looking at the photos showing the injured practitioner. After listening to practitioners' explanation, they became clear about the Jiang group's exportation of state-run terrorism and immediately signed the petition to condemn these kinds of violent acts. In only about two hours, three petition cloths were full of people's signatures.

A lady and her two sons passed by. She was very shocked at the shooting incident illustrated on a poster and kept asking, "How could this be possible! They even commit such acts of violence openly! What can we do for you?" Her sons also said, "I want to sign the petition!" A man drove by and especially parked his car at the roadside in order to carefully read the poster. A gentleman said that he would visit the Mainland in a few days and he would tell the facts to his friends in China. He said that he would let them know about what Jiang's group has done and how they exported the state-sponsored terrorism to other countries. A young lady said that she must sign the petition because the incident was too ridiculous.

A lady leading a group of girls who had just finished their music classes passed by. After learning about our appeal, she took the initiative to sign the petition. She said that she knew about the persecution and she acknowledged our signature drive. With her approval, the young girls with her also signed. They also asked many questions. We explained to these children about the persecution encountered by Falun Gong practitioners in China and told them that this terrorist act was initiated by Jiang's group. We told them that as long as more people stand up to expose these crimes, they would not dare to continue their evildoings.

People from all walks of life sign the petition

In the shopping centre, some people signed the petition and then asked their wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends or children to come to sign it as well. A young lady said to us, "You've been working so hard!" Practitioners felt that people are all kind at the bottom of their hearts and they all long for the happy and peaceful life and oppose violence and threats.

Taiwan Falun Gong practitioners hope to allow more people to realise Jiang group's nature through exposing their hiring thugs to commit murder. On July 17, practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial to express their admiration for those fellow practitioners who sacrificed their lives for upholding the truth. They also held a live exhibition of the torture endured by practitioners in China to call for people's conscience to condemn this persecution and help stop it.