Switzerland: Introducing Falun Gong and Exposing the Persecution in the city of Thun

On August 7th, 2005, Swiss Falun Gong practitioners held an activity to promote Falun Gong in the famous tourist city of Thun. Following the sound of traditional Chinese music we found the Falun Gong booth. Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises and people stopped to watch. Some sighed and said, “This music is so wonderful. It’s like the music from heaven.” However, when people saw the display boards disclosing Falun Gong practitioners’ being cruelly tortured, they were shocked. Some said, “This is terrible. It’s horrible. Such miserable things happen today in the 21st century. Is this real?” Our fellow practitioners said, “These are those being persecuted with names and home addresses. What these disclose is only the tip of the iceberg. There remains a great number of persecutions hidden from the public knowledge.”

Through practitioners’ careful explanations about Falun Gong and the persecution, people gradually came to understand the situation and asked for leaflets. They signed their names to rescue those persecuted in China. Some asked where the exercise sites were and said that they’d like to learn to practise Falun Gong.
“I'm touched by your patience.”

At first, two middle-aged females did not understand Falun Gong and said something bad. When fellow practitioners explained to them, they said that they did not understand China and they are not interested either. They did not sign their names and did not take leaflets. They did not leave either. Fellow practitioners think that they two are nice people and the reason why they acted this way is because they do not understand Falun Gong. So, they said, “Could you patiently listen to me about Falun Gong?” They did not say a word. Our fellow practitioner started to say how Falun Gong cures illness and make people healthier, and how Falun Gong raises people’s level of morality. Falun Gong teaches “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance”. Whenever something happens, they look inward and try to be nice people and think of others. As these two ladies began to listen, they asked, “Do you feel tired when practising Falun Gong?” The practitioner pointed at those demonstrating the five sets of exercises. They nodded their heads and said, “It is a good thing. But why is the Chinese Communist Party persecuting Falun Gong?” The practitioner pointed at Jiang Zemin’s photo and said, “The former Chinese Head of State was terrified when he saw so many people practising Falun Gong. So, he ordered the persecution.” Various propaganda, such as TV stations, newspapers, etc, are used to make up stories about Falun Gong; and a large-scale, nationwide arrest campaign started. Currently, the number of Falun Gong practitioners persecuted to death is 2,739.

By this time, a lot more people had come to listen to the introduction about Falun Gong. The two ladies said, “The ex-President is a bad guy. How can we help you?” A practitioner said, “Please sign your name to rescue the mother of the student studying in Switzerland. She was put in jail only because she is a Falun Gong practitioner and because she wants to be a good person. At that time, everyone signed their names. The two ladies gave their thanks again and again to our practitioner for such a detailed introduction. They said, “Your patience makes us feel touched, which enables us truly understand Falun Gong. It is our first time to meet a group of nice people. Falun Gong is magnificent. You are magnificent.” Our practitioner responded, “It is Falun Gong that is magnificent. Please remember that Falun Gong is good!” “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance is good!”

The Whole family support Falun Gong

A few families came altogether to have their names singed to support Falun Gong on this particular day. Among all, one who brought the aged and the young to the Falun Gong booth said to our fellow practitioners, “Finally we found you. We were all in tears watching the information VCD. It is so miserable. So many nice people are cruelly killed. What a wonderful practice being persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party. There are no rights in China. It is hard to accept no freedom of belief. Every one of our family members feel they want to help Falun Gong. Please let us know how we can help you.” Our practitioner said, “Please sign to support the rescue of the mother whose child is studying in Switzerland. Please tell your friends and family the truth about Falun Gong and appeal to people to help to stop the Chinese authorities’ persecuting Falun Gong. This is the greatest help to us.” They agreed one after another and all signed the petition. They gave their best wishes to Falun Gong and wished Falun Gong success.

“The Chinese Communist Party goes crazy!“

A middle-aged lady was seen around our booth several times. A practitioner went to tell her about Falun Gong. She said, “I know all those practising Falun Gong are nice honest people. The Chinese Communist Party loves to humiliate people. We farmers are no exception. The Communist Party occupied the farms by force and ordered over a hundred policemen to suppress those who resisted. When farmers go to meet with the higher authorities in Beijing, they are abused and sent to prison by policemen.

She also mentioned that she was in Beijing when the so-called immolation at Tiananmen Square happened. Some Falun Gong practitioner told her that it was made up by the Jiang regime to slander Falun Gong. She said, “The Chinese Communist Party is crazy. You Falun Gong practitioners are great to endure such suppression and insist in your belief of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. I admire you. Please give me some Chinese materials.” Before she left, she also said, “I hope to see your insistence till the last minute. The victory definitely going your way.”

After a day, though the practitioners were tired, everyone felt happy from their heart to see so many people learn the truth about Falun Gong.