Taiwan: Mid-Taiwan Practitioners Hold Candlelight Vigil in Memory of Ms. Gao Rongrong and Demand Punishment for the Murderers

Upon learning that Mainland Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Gao Rongrong was disfigured and tortured to death, people around the world who enjoy democracy were shocked. Activities in memory of Ms. Gao Rongrong and to protest against the persecution have been conducted around the world. On the evening of June 25, 2005, more than 200 Falun Gong practitioners from Mid-Taiwan gathered in the Stone Park in Yunlin County to hold candlelight vigil to mourn for Ms. Gao Rongrong and strongly protest the Chinese communist regime's killing of Falun Gong practitioners. They also urged that murderers Luo Gan, Tang Yubao and Jiang Zhaohua who are directly responsible for Ms. Gao's death, be brought to justice.

Candlelight vigil to commemorate Ms. Gao Rongrong

The vigil site was decorated solemnly. Photos of Ms. Gao Rongrong were displayed in the front. One photo showed her original pretty face, the other one showed her disfigured face after 7-hour-long continuous electric shock torture.

Honoured guests including Mr. Chen He-shan, Supervisor of the Linnei Town, Yunlin County, legislator Mr. Chang Shuo-wen's sister Ms. Chang Ying-chuan and Principal of Guilin Elementary School Ms. Chen Ying-tsong delivered speeches. Supervisor Mr. Chen He-shan said that he has practised Falun Gong for nearly four years. In addition to upgrading his xinxing, he also abandoned his attachments to smoking and alcohol. The illnesses that he had suffered before, including high blood-pressure and sciatica, disappeared. Therefore, under all kinds of situation, he always strongly recommends to people that Falun Dafa is good. He feels sad and indignant toward the Chinese communist regime's ruthless persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. He wishes that the entire world would pay attention to the Chinese communist regime's human rights violations.

Legislator Mr. Chang Shuo-wen who always maintains a sense of justice and cares about vulnerable people was unfortunately hospitalised and unable to attend the vigil in person. He asked his sister Ms. Chang Ying-chuan to represent him to deliver the speech. In it, she said that Ms. Gao Rongrong's death will definitely awake more worldly people's attention to the Chinese communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Because of people's attention, the communist regime has to restrain its cruel measures to eliminate people whom they don't like. Otherwise, how would the Chinese communist regime be able to continue luring foreign investments? Therefore, although Ms. Gao Rongrong was only a vulnerable lady, her death has brought the CCP pressure that as heavy as Mountain Tai. Here through candlelight vigil in memory of Ms. Gao Rongrong, we call upon the Chinese leaders to respect people's lives and demand those murderers manipulated by CCP to immediately put down their butcher knifes, otherwise, what awaits them will be trials in hell.

Ms. Chang Ying-chuan choked with sobs and talked about her feelings: Last November at the Falun Gong anti-torture exhibit held at the religious expo in Yunlin, I played the role of Ms. Gao Rongrong who was tortured through the method called, Tiger bench. As soon as I sat on the "Tiger bench", tears streamed down my face. At that point, I felt that my heart was connected to Ms. Gao Rongrong and I could deeply feel the piercing pain that Mainland practitioners have been suffering. Unfortunately, only six months later, Ms. Gao Rongrong is now dead from the persecution. It is really hard to accept this fact.

Principal Ms. Chen Ying-tsong introduced Ms. Gao Rongrong's plight: Mainland practitioner Ms. Gao Rongrong went on hunger strike to uphold her freedom of belief. Unfortunately, she died on June 16, 2005 in the emergency room at the No. 1 Hospital affiliated with the China Medical University in Shenyang City. She was only 37 years old. Ms. Gao was the 2575th Falun Gong practitioner who was verified to have died from the persecution. It was reported that Luo Gan, head of the 610 Office, a secret police organisation dedicated to the persecution of Falun Gong, personally directed the murder of Ms. Gao Rongrong. In addition, the Chinese communist authorities exerted pressure to Ms. Gao's family members in attempt to cremate Ms. Gao's body so as to eliminate the evidence of their crimes. In fact, the photos showing Ms. Gao Rongrong's disfigured face were released a year ago and shocked the international society. Ms. Gao's case was listed as the first case in the "2004 United Nations Reports on China's Persecution of Falun Gong".

The candlelight vigil held by practitioners was solemn. In addition to condemning CCP crimes, calling upon people to pay attention to the tragic killing and protesting against CCP for owing another blood debt, practitioners also expressed their deep condolences upon the death of Ms. Gao Rongrong who steadfastly upheld her belief in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance even after suffering all kinds of tortures.