Falun Gong followers want to explain the goals of the movement with their SOS march
The three young people stand out in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Market – they walk along Ostenhellweg and carry backpacks from which poke out yellow flags. Those who will look closer might recognize them as followers of the Falun Gong movement.
Ostenhellweg is the starting point of their long walk. This so-called SOS march is an opportunity for the trio – Lu Yang, Xiahu Chen and the Ukrainian, Andreas Meyerson – to inform people about Falun Gong and to raise awareness of the persecution of this movement in China. They plan to do this at the “Brook.” Their plan is to walk up to 40 kilometres per day and hope to arrive in Munich on January 19th, 2002.
For a few months now worldwide SOS-walks have been held for Falun Gong. The impetus came from the persecution reports and the torture information received about the practitioners at the hands of the Chinese government. A good example of how roughly the Chinese government machine deals with Falun Gong was the incident a few weeks ago when foreign practitioners went to Tiananmen Square and were promptly arrested.
“And the movement is actually peaceful,” says communications-major Lu Yang, a female student in Dortmund. “At the centre of the teachings are Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. The exercises lead people to inner harmony.”
When the movement became public in 1992, the Chinese power brokers first considered it with benevolence. “They even issued several awards,” mentioned Ms. Lu and showed a folder with documents and photos which will be used to aid in their efforts to transmit to people the goals of Falun Gong and bring the ideals closer to people through this SOS walk. The ban [of the movement in China] in 1999 seems to be based on the Chinese government’s fear of sheer numbers – 70 million people in China practise this system.
“When people find out the truth about Falun Gong, the situation in China will change,” so the followers are convinced.
(Original text in German)
* * *
You are welcome to print and circulate all articles published on Clearharmony and their content, but please quote the source.
more ...