Sep 23, 2004
Falun Gong practitioners hold a press conference and rally in front of the U.N. building. (Epoch Times) |
As heads of state from around the world gathered for the 59th Annual General Assembly debate, Falun Gong practitioners also gathered to raise awareness of the five-year long crackdown on Falun Gong in China, which has seen hundreds of thousands of Chinese practitioners arrested, incarcerated in slave labour camps, and tortured; many have been tortured to death. Because of the Chinese government's stranglehold on Chinese media, and its enormous influence on Western media covering China, many people still do not know Falun Gong is or what is happening in China.
Falun Gong is a meditation and exercise practice based on the principles of Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance. When a 1999 government survey revealed that 70-100 million Chinese were practicing, far outnumbering Communist Party membership, then-dictator Jiang Zemin, acting against the advice of many in government, ordered a nationwide crackdown aimed at eradicating Falun Gong in China, coupled with a worldwide propaganda effort aimed at vilifying Falun Gong in order to justify the increasing violence of the persecution.
(Epoch Times) |
The rally began with a press conference featuring many practitioners who have directly experienced the persecution in China.
Jane Dai and Fadu |
Also speaking was Amy Lee. Ms. Lee was arrested, tortured and forced into slave labour in a Chinese prison for practicing Falun Gong. Her husband was forced to divorce her, and after she was released from prison, she was forced to flee the country, leaving behind her ex-husband and young daughter, to avoid re-arrest and possible death from torture.
Yeong Ching Foo (Epoch Times) |
Dr. Charles Lee |
In the afternoon, practitioners set up several Anti-torture Exhibits throughout the downtown area. The tableaux graphically depict the various abuses used against practitioners in China. Meanwhile, practitioners distributed information and answered the many questions of the curious passersby, and also demonstrated the five Falun Gong exercises.
The Falun Gong practitioners have displays and other events planned for the rest of the week throughout the downtown area.
Source: http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-9-23/23404.html
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