United Kingdom: Rescuing the Orphans on London's Trafalgar Square

The usual influx of tourists and Londoners to Trafalgar Square was greeted with something special on the August bank holiday Monday. Nestling below Nelson’s Column, between the famous Lions where tourists clamber for photos, Falun Gong practitioners were showcasing traditional Chinese dancing, music and culture as they appealed for children suffering in China.

The usual sound of splashing in fountains, tourists chatting and the revving of London buses was augmented with the drifting melodies of Chinese music, played live on traditional instruments. The bright sunshine, sparkling in the blue of the fountain basins and refracting rainbows in the cascades of water blown by the wind, picked out the shimmering colours of dancers costumes, as they moved in peaceful harmony across the flagstones.

But, despite the beauty of the event — a mix of performances of songs and dances created by Falun Gong practitioners — the large black banner behind the performers spoke of a more tragic theme: Rescue the Orphans.

Since 1999, Falun Gong has been the subject of intense persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, with estimates of hundreds of thousands being thrown into forced labour camps where they suffer torture. Many have lost their lives to the persecution, leaving thousands of children orphaned.

The focus of the event in Trafalgar Square was part of a global effort to raise awareness of the plight of these children, who have not only lost their parents and other loved ones, but often go hungry, go without shelter, and without education and many other basic needs.

As the performances took place, a dozen or so Falun Gong practitioners were handing out leaflets, collecting petition signatures and taking the time to explain to people about Falun Gong and the persecution in China.

Many people were very responsive, immediately wanting to sign the petition calling on the United Nations to take action to rescue these orphans; they expressed their heart-felt support for the practitioners in China. Some wanted to learn more about the practice and others walked around the area carefully examining the dozens of printed banners which explained about the persecution in China and detailed the suffering of the orphans.

It was perhaps fitting that a good number of the performers were children; the sight of innocent children with the courage to stand and perform in the capital’s most famous square to hundreds of people was played powerfully against the message of the event.

One young boy played the traditional Chinese flute, its melody swirling across the square as easily as it would drift through the morning mists of mountain air in China. Another girl sang a solo, her voice innocent but strong as she sang; “Please lend a hand for compassion and peace”

Even very young children formed part of the Falun Gong exercise demonstrations, which captivated the audience every bit as much as the singing and dancing. One could almost see people’s heart’s melting at the sight of two little Chinese girls sitting like angels in meditation.

As she talked about the background of the event, the announcer explained to the audience that the Chinese Communist Party was persecuting Falun Gong practitioners for their belief in Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, the fundamental principles of the practice. Many people expressed their sense of disbelief at the fact that anyone would want to persecute such a good thing, and asked why the Chinese Communist Party would carry out the persecution. When practitioners explained in more detail about how Jiang Zemin and the party had colluded out of personal jealousy and the wish to strengthen their power over the Chinese people, people nodded in understanding and shook their heads in anger.