France: President of the French Falun Gong Association Spoke at the Prayer Meeting of Asian Democracy and Peace

The President of the French Falun Gong Association, Mr. Tang Hanlong, made the following speech at the prayer-meeting of the Asian Democracy and Peace Organisation on the 9th of July 2005.

Mr. Tang Hanlong makes a speech at the Prayer meeting of Asian Democracy and Peace

Mr. Wang, chairman of the prayer meeting, and all friends who are here to protect human rights and democracy.

Most of you already know that Falun Gong is a cultivation practice of the Buddha school. It is similar to Tai Chi or Yoga. Falun Gong is beyond the limitations of race and culture. It helps people to find their true selves and lead more peaceful lives through the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Falun Gong’s five sets of exercises elevate people’s wisdom and strengthen their energy. They are part of traditional Chinese culture.

Falun Gong has been taught by Mr. Li Hongzhi since May 1992. The practice has received many awards around the world, including in China before the persecution began. Falun Gong spread fast and wide because it is free of charge and because of its positive effects. By the end of 1999, according to statistics from the Chinese Main State Committee for Physical Culture and Sport, there were eighty million people practising Falun Gong in China.

The practice has been spread in France for ten years since the Chinese Embassy in Paris invited Falun Gong in March 1995. We can see Falun Gong practitioners in many parks and gardens in Paris.

In China, because the eighty million Falun Gong practitioners far exceeded the membership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and because the CCP is the most despotic political party in the world, the remarkable development of Falun Gong made the former president and general secretary of the CCP Jiang Zemin restless. Out of jealousy, Jiang ordered all levels and social classes in China to participate in the oppression of Falun Gong. The CCP started to comprehensively slander Falun Gong and used illegal trials, reformation through labour (physical persecution) and the brainwashing of Falun Gong practitioners. Since 20th July 1999, all methods of persecuting Falun Gong practitioners have become “legal.”

In foreign countries, Jiang Zemin leads the CCP to slander Falun Gong between international communities. Through economic and diplomatic means, this puts pressure on the countries that want to have economic benefits from China. Although many non-official organisations have held meetings against the persecution and many European Parliaments have had different ways of condemning the cruel and inhuman persecution, Jiang and the CCP still keep using violence and slander against Falun Gong. However, Falun Gong has never succumbed to violence.

Now, we know that there have been more than 2,700 Falun Gong practitioners persecuted to death. But do you know the real [undocumented] figure is five times greater? Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are imprisoned in labour camps and mental hospitals. Thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are forced to do physical labour. Some people ask, “Why is Falun Gong persecuted in China?” We can find the answers in history. The CCP has persecuted one million Christians and other religions, and it persecuted individuals during the Great Cultural Revolution. It performed a mass massacre of students in the 1989 Tiananmen Square Democratic Movement. The CCP makes people believe that when it wants to kill, it is always correct.

So we will continue to expose and condemn the crimes committed by Jiang and the CCP. We have to be aware that all the CCP is capable of is lies and violence. When people who are deceived by it know its evil history, they will no longer be cheated. More and more people stand out to expose its crimes, and more and more people yearn for peace. It results in the fact that there have been more than three million members who have withdrawn from the CCP.

During the past seven months, the Chinese Epoch Times newspaper helped people to clearly recognise what the CCP is through a series of editorials entitled “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.” It has also been published in English, French, German, and other languages. All these tell us that the CCP is disintegrating. We appeal to all democratic governments, all non-official organisations, and all people with positive ambitions to help us end the persecution as soon as possible!

Thank you! (Enthusiastic applause).