Speech from Friends of Falun Gong Europe on World Human Rights Day Calls for Release of Zhao Ming

Today is a very important day in the political calendar of the world as a whole. ‘Human Rights Day’ is a global symbol of hope and solidarity for all the world’s oppressed people, those who have been denied their basic dignity and freedom of expression and belief. It is a day when those of us who are lucky enough to live in a democratic society can join together and express our views about human rights issues.

This sort of gathering, if it were to take place in some undemocratic countries of the world, would be ruled illegal, and everyone here would be immediately arrested and imprisoned. An example of this occurred only three weeks ago in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, when 35 western Falun Gong practitioners were instantly arrested, detained and, in some cases, badly beaten, simply for demonstrating against the Chinese government’s brutal persecution of Falun Gong. That incident was a clear indication that the Jiang Zemin regime is showing no signs of relenting in its cruel and violent crackdown against Falun Gong.

Falun Gong has been persecuted in China by the Jiang Zemin regime for over two and a half years. The death toll increases almost daily; 320 is the latest figure we have. Many more are unaccounted for and, with countless thousands of practitioners in jails, labour camps and mental institutions all over China, it is for this very reason that this special day means so much for Falun Gong practitioners in China. They have no hope of making their feelings known to the world, they are voiceless. Only we can speak for them. That is why we must grasp every opportunity to put pressure on the Jiang Zemin regime to end the persecution. That is why we are here; to ask all kind-hearted people and organisations to unite to help Falun Gong practitioners in China, to help stop the persecution.

We therefore repeat the following demands on the Chinese government:

1/ to end the killing and torture of innocent Falun Gong practitioners immediately.

2/ to release all Falun Gong practitioners currently being held in China.

3/ to engage in a peaceful dialogue with representatives of Falun Gong in China.

4/ to release Zhao Ming, a Falun Gong practitioner and Chinese student at Trinity College, Dublin, who has been imprisoned and tortured in a Chinese jail since his arrest in December 1999.

This persecution goes against all the principles of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance, which are followed by all Falun Gong practitioners, and which should be at the heart of all human existence and thought.

The persecution must stop immediately.

Friends of Falun Gong Europe
10th December 2001