Two Scottish practitioners were invited to give a workshop on the human rights abuses against Falun Gong at Dumbarton Academy in Dumbarton on Thursday 17th November.
They visited a 5th year class, who were studying China and were particularly interested in the persecution.
Firstly, one practitioner explained what Falun Gong is: five gentle exercises including a meditation, based on universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance. The practitioners explained that many people have enjoyed the benefits that arise from from practising Falun Gong, including good health, harmony, improved relationships and better behaviour towards others.
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| A practitioner talking about Falun Gong's benefits whilst children gather round another practitioner to find out more |
Next, the practitioners demonstrated some of the exercises and explained the effect they have on the body. One of the pupils was interested to know about the sitting meditation.
The history of the persecution was explained next. It was initiated by the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Jiang Zemin, in July 1999, when there were approximately 70 to 100 million people practising Falun Gong, which was more than members of the Communist Party (CCP). This excited his jealousy and fear that Falun Gong would become a threat to his own power. The Communist Party also had a history of targeting groups of people, so Jiang Zemin managed to persuade the CCP to mobilise support at all levels of government, with the aim of eradicating Falun Gong.
The practitioner described how practitioners in China refused to give their belief in Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance and were consequently detained without a fair trial, sentenced to forced labour and brutally tortured, leading to the confirmed deaths of 2,780 practitioners, with the true figure thought to be thousands more.
The pupils then watched a DVD about rescuing Falun Gong practitioners’ orphaned children in China. So many children have lost their parents. The pupils were visibly moved.
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| Signing a petition to call for an end to the persecution |
Posters were put up describing the torture methods used on practitioners in China. The pupils wanted to know more about them. They all signed petitions to rescue the orphans of Falun Gong practitioners who lost their lives.
Before they left, the practitioners gave the pupils leaflets and Video-CDs featuring information about the persecution, which they gladly accepted. One girl specifically asked if the VCD had more information about the persecution than the leaflet.
The class warmly thanked the practitioners. The teacher enthusiastically thanked them saying the presentation had been excellent. She suggested that they visit other schools in Scotland and although she was shocked to find out about the persecution, she was glad that they had come to raise awareness about this issue.
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