Australia: Chinese Consulate in Sydney Forces Chinese Citizen to Seek Asylum from Australian Government

My name is Zhao Xiulian. I am 68 years old, and I was born in China. I came to Australia to visit my son on November 7th, 1997. At that time, my health was poor. I had high blood pressure, heart disease, nerve problems, and rheumatism. I started practising Falun Gong in January 1998, and my health improved dramatically shortly thereafter. All my diseases disappeared without any medical treatment. After seeing this miracle, one after another all of my family members started to practise Falun Dafa. Now that we all practise, always trying to adhere to the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," my family has become ,much more harmonious.

On February 4th, 2004, I went to the Chinese Consulate in Sydney to apply for a passport renewal, but the consulate officials turned down my application. The reason given was that I practise Falun Gong. The Deputy Consul Chen told me: "Practising Falun Gong and conducting appeals to the Chinese Consulate are actions against the Party and the government. Don't dream about going back to China--go apply for asylum." I gave my best to China for 33 years, and now I can't go back to my homeland and have been forced to seek asylum! Where is the justice!

I don't believe that conducting appeals at the Chinese consulate is against the Party and Chinese government. As a Chinese citizen, I see our nation being hijacked by a dictator to persecute innocent citizens. Isn't it my responsibility to speak out against such atrocity? Many people know that Falun Gong is good, and that the persecution is based on lies. Why can't we appeal to our government, and relay the truth? A vast number of innocent Chinese have been deceived by the propaganda, and the same thing occurred during the great cultural revolution. The persecution promotes lies, evil, and violence, and countless people have been forced to act against their own conscience. Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his followers have put their jobs and personal interests at stake. In China, if one doesn't echo Jiang's propaganda, he can be tortured and even killed. While abroad, my name was found on a blacklist, and my passport renewal was turned down only because I practise Falun Gong. Where is justice? If everyone is forced to lie, and everyone casts a blind eye to injustice and even murder, how dangerously will our Chinese people be positioned? The compassion of the Chinese is being eliminated by the persecution! Seeing this, I can't stay silent. For the sake of the generations to come, I must speak out. I have done nothing wrong.

I hereby call upon all kind-hearted people around the world to help me regain my right to possess a Chinese passport, and help us end the ongoing brutal persecution of those who practise Falun Gong.