Australia: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Press Conference Prior to Australian Foreign Minister's Visit to China

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will visit Beijing on the 16th of August 2004 for a two-day state-visit. On the 13th of August, Falun Gong practitioners in Australia held a press conference in Canberra and delivered an open letter to Mr. Downer as well, as a list of Australian residents' family members who are currently been subjected to persecution in China for upholding their practice of Falun Gong. The Foreign Minister was called upon to openly condemn the continuous persecution of Falun Gong in China during his state visit to China. They hoped that the Minister would request China to release those Australian residents' family members.

Talking to an officer before handing in the open letter	Delivering an open letter	Ms. Jane Dai speaking at the press conference
Kay Rubacek of Australian Falun Dafa Association speaking	demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Practitioners peacefully practised the Falun Gong exercises and sent forth righteous thoughts outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The press conference began at noon.

Kay Rubacek represented the Australian Falun Dafa Association to read the open letter to Minister Downer. The open letter expressed Falun Gong practitioners' appreciation towards the Australian Government for their effort in rescuing Australian Falun Gong practitioners and their family members who were persecuted in China. At the same time, they hoped that the Australian Government would continue to uphold justice and prevent the Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin and his regime's state-run terrorism from exporting to other countries. The letter said, "Australia's silence would prolong the suffering of those innocent Falun Gong practitioners. Australia has the responsibility to openly condemn and help stop this brutal suppression." Up to present, there are still three Australian Falun Gong practitioners' family members being unlawfully imprisoned in labour camps or jail. Ms. Rubacek said, "We request Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs to urge China to unconditionally release them." Ms. Rubacek said that if China improves its human rights situation, then China's society would become more stable, which in turn will benefit the mutual trade between the two countries.

Falun Gong practitioner Jane Dai, who had just returned to Sydney from Athens on the 13th of August, also went to Canberra with her daughter. Ms. Dai tearfully recounted how her husband was tortured to death in China for upholding his belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance and for not giving up his practice of Falun Gong. In order to prevent such a tragedy from happening again, Ms. Dai became one of the plaintiffs of several lawsuits filed in different countries against Jiang Zemin, the chief perpetrator of the persecution. Over the past two and half years, Ms. Dai and her daughter travelled to nearly 40 countries to tell people her family's plight. She said that people should not keep silent for the sake of economic interests. She said that silence would not only tolerate but also support the persecution. Four months ago, Ms. Dai's mother passed away. Her mother's last wish was to see granddaughter little Fadu, but the Chinese Consulate denied Ms. Dai and her daughter Fadu's visa application because they practice Falun Gong. Similar tragedies are still taking place in the human world. Ms. Dai called upon all people to bravely stand up to stop the killing of those who practise Falun Gong.

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Xie Yan who was just rescued from China and came to Australia two weeks ago expressed her thankfulness to the Australian government and officials for their great support and help to allow her fiancé and her to reunite. In the meantime, she hoped that the Australian Foreign Minister would raise China's human rights issue during his state visit and urge the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Ms. Xie Yan said, "True free trade can only exist in a country where there are freedoms of expression and belief."

After the press conference, Kay entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building and delivered the open letter and related materials.

There are still three Australian Falun Gong practitioners' family members currently imprisoned in China's forced labour camps and prisons. They are:

Ms. Tao Yuelan, 47 years old, younger sister of Ms. Tao Yuefang, resident of Sydney.
Detention time: unlawfully sentenced to 8 years in prison
Detention place: No 6 division of the Beijing Woman Prison
Phone: (86)-10- 60276833; (86)-010-60276688, ext: 8061 or 8062.

Ms. Li Hong, 39 years old, sister-in-law of Australian citizen Mr. Li Qizhong
Detention time: September 2002, sentenced to two and half years in forced labour camp.
Detention place: Tianjin City Dagang Banqiao Woman Forced Labour Camp. Zip code: 300270
Phone: (86)-22-63251823; (86)-22- 63251619 (office), (86)-22-63251069 (section of education)

Mr. Wang Jianping, 46 years old, Australian citizen Christine Hond's ex brother-in-law.
Detention time: September 2000, sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Detention place: Shanghai City Tilanqiao Prison 082-026, zip code: 200082