Finland: Parliament’s Human Rights Commission Appeals to the People to Pay Attention to Human Rights in China

On August the 13th 2005, the World Track and Field Championship was heading to its final stages in the Finish capital. A parade supporting 3.6 million people who withdrew their membership from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was held in the city centre. After the parade finished, people held a rally at Esplanade Park in the city centre, which drew the attention of many citizens and tourists.

Some local Falun Gong practitioners chose to take part in and support these activities due to the controlling role that the Chinese Communist Party has taken in the six-year genocide against Falun Gong practitioners.

The rally supporting 3.6 million people who withdrew from the CCP

Finnish MP Mrs Sari Essayah gave a speech at the rally on behalf of the Finish Congress of Human Rights Commission. As a former athlete and an MP of the host country of the World Track and Field Championships, Mrs Essayah was very busy. However, in order to improve the human rights situation in China, she still managed to participate in this rally and read the statement of the Finnish Congress of Human Rights Commission.

She said that, “Recently the European Union intended to end the arms embargo on China, which has applied since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Although the initial arguments have already ceased, we think we should not end this embargo. The European Union should revise the existing situation for arms exportation and promote a stricter policy to the member nations. No doubt a stricter policy for arms exportation can prevent the selling of weapons to those countries who abuse them for carrying out human rights violations.”

Mrs Essayah condemned the CCP’s suppression against people who have different religious pursuits. She pointed out that China is the country which carries out the most death penalties in the world and she urged the Chinese government to improve the human rights conditions. In addition, another two Finnish MPs also sent letters to express their support and encouragement for the rally.

Mrs Essayah reads the statement of the Finnish Congress of Human Rights Commission at the rally