Letter to the Argentinean Ambassador in UK from European Friends of Falun Gong

This letter was sent by European Friends of Falun Gong to the Argentinean Embassy in the United Kingdom Embassy. European Friends of Falun Gong is a non-governmental organisation of people who don't practise Falun Gong but support freedom of belief for practitioners. For more information on recent events in Argentina, please see http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200512/30426.html

The Ambassador
Embassy of Argentina
65 Brook Street
London W1Y 1YE

16th December 2005

Dear Ambassador,

We wish to express our deep concern at the assault and theft perpetrated against Falun Gong practitioners in Buenos Aires on December 14. The assailants were described as ethnic Chinese, all wearing suits, and driven by car and van to the scene of the crime; photo evidence has confirmed these descriptions.

The incident took place in broad daylight beginning at 10:30A.M.outside the National Congress building. Several members of the Falun Gong group were injured in the assault, including women. Banners and poster displays documenting human rights violations in China were wrestled from them and stolen by the assailants. The nature of the stolen items strongly suggests a political motive and backing from the Chinese authorities. The assaults themselves were terrible enough, linked as they were to the serving of a lawsuit on Tuesday against the top-ranking Chinese official, Luo Gan, who formerly headed China's secret Falun Gong ‘6-10’ Control Office.

However we wish to draw to your attention the fact that the Argentine police did little to stop the assaults. Police, though at the scene, were said to respond "very timidly," and didn't react even when they themselves received blows from the Chinese attackers. One witness even told of police shielding an assailant after upset bystanders tried to intervene. Police did not arrest or question any members of the attacking group.

It is our belief that the non-intervention of the police was under instruction from Chinese officials. Wednesday's assault fits into a disturbing pattern of violence, intimidation, and human rights violations in connection with visits by Chinese officials around the world over the last three to four years. It appears that in each case Chinese authorities have used economic and political clout to pressure host-country governments into assisting them in the subjugation of Falun Gong practitioners and their supporters, often with the use of violence or arrest.

We hope therefore that you can use your influence to challenge your own government to explain why the incident of December 14 took place, with a prompt and thorough investigation. You must not allow Argentina to bow to the undue political and economic pressure put on it by China in their pathetic attempt to cover up the abuses carried out by their leading officials against Falun Gong practitioners. Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

John Dee (Vice-Chairman)