On the 21st of July, 2005, in front of the Capitol Hill, Washington DC, more than a thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world held a grand rally to protest against the Chinese communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong over the past six years. Several American Congressmen and renowned human rights organisation leaders came to attend the rally and condemn the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution. Ms. Faith J.H. McDonnell, Director of Religious Liberty Programs of the Institute on Religion & Democracy condemned the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong at the rally.
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| Ms. Faith J.H. McDonnell |
The follow is the text of Ms. McDonnell's speech.
Statement by Faith J. H. McDonnell
Director, Religious Liberty Programs
July 21st, 2005
Stop Persecution in China!
Thank you for inviting me to sharing this important moment with you. I am honoured to be here at the U.S. Capitol with so many courageous and good people. But I am full of sorrow that it is necessary for us to be here.
It is necessary for us to be here today because yesterday, July 20th, as you all know, was the sixth anniversary of the banning of Falun Gong by Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin. Six years ago, Falun Gong joined Chinese Christians and freedom fighters, North Korean refugees, Tibetan dissidents, and others, in the ranks of those who are persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.
The great Russian human rights hero Natan Sharansky has revealed to the world that it was when the policy of appeasement stopped, that the days of the Soviet Union were numbered. The Institute on Religion & Democracy urges the United States government to fully reject the policy of appeasement. Appeasement enables the murderous thugs of the Chinese Communist Party to continue to harass, arrest, imprison, persecute, torture, and kill the most peaceful and honourable citizens of China - those who believe in truth and freedom, those who follow Jesus Christ, and those who practise the principles of truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance. Appeasement enables the Government of China to defy universal covenants on refugees and forcibly repatriate desperate North Korean refugees to almost certain death.
We also urge U.S. churches that have relationships with only state-sponsored churches in China to stop their contribution to appeasement. By stating that human rights and religious freedom are improving in China, they are shutting out the voices of the Falun Gong, the Chinese house church leaders, those who are fighting for democracy in China, and the North Koreans escapees.
We are grateful to the many heroes in the United States Congress who have fought against persecution in China. We urge our government to continue to work for human rights and religious freedom for China, always linking human rights with trade, with security, and with every other relationship we attempt to forge with the Government of China.
If we stop the appeasement, the days of Chinese Communist Party persecution will be numbered. The Institute on Religion & Democracy will continue to do everything in our power to call attention to the persecution and to condemn every sign of appeasement with those who persecute.
Original file: http://minghui.tv/pics/0006/Jul/27/IRD_FaithMcDonnell_Speech.pdf
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