Argentina: Dafa Practitioners File Lawsuit Against Assailants in Argentina

On December 14th, while conducting a peaceful protest in front of Argentinean Congress against visiting Chinese official Luo Gan, Dafa practitioners were assaulted by thugs deployed by the Chinese Embassy. The assailants also grabbed practitioners' banners and truth-clarification photo displays. When the incident happened, Argentinean police stood by and didn't take any action to stop the violence. On December 16th, the assaulted practitioners retained attorney Alejandro Cowes to sue the assailants and the police officers who refused to take action to protect the practitioners.

Amnesty International Argentina Holds press conference: Left: Pablo Marsal, chair of AI; Middle, attorney Aalejandro Cowes, Right: a local practitioner

CCP thugs assault practitioners in Argentina

Since 1999, Falun Gong practitioners have been brutally persecuted in Mainland China. Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Politburo, is one of the chief perpetrators of the persecution. On December 13th, 2005, while Luo Gan was visiting Argentina, Falun Gong practitioners in Argentina, on behalf of all Falun Gong practitioners who have been suffering persecution in China, filed a criminal lawsuit against Luo in federal court, accusing him of committing the crimes of genocide and torture during the persecution campaign against Falun Gong. The very next day, outside the Argentine Congress, practitioners were assaulted by thugs deployed by the Chinese Embassy.

On December 14th, during Luo Gan's visit to Argentina, the Chinese Embassy sent thugs to assault practitioners who were protesting the persecution. They wore white or red clothing with a green tag (Photo by Carlos Carbone)

When the assault occurred, Luo Gan was about to go to the Congress to meet with Argentina's vice president. Practitioners displayed banners to protest the persecution and in particular, Luo's crimes. They also distributed information about the lawsuit against Luo and evidence of Luo's crimes to members of congress. All of a sudden, Chinese men appeared and violently took away practitioners' banners, truth-clarifying fliers and personal property. They also rampantly assaulted practitioners, right in front of the media. Some Argentineans tried to stop the violence; however, they were assaulted as well and some were injured.

A number of Argentineans tried to stop the assault and were also attacked; some were injured. (Photo: Carlos Carbone)

Surprisingly, on-duty police officers didn't take any action to stop the violence. Reportedly they were ordered by higher authorities not to stop the assailants.

While the Chinese Embassy to Argentina and the assailants were the direct perpetrators of the assault, the chief culprit behind-the-scenes was Luo Gan.

Luo Gan, as Secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and head of the 610 Office, directly planned, deployed and directed the persecution against Falun Gong. In order to gain personal political capital, he arbitrarily murdered Falun Gong practitioners, implicated, coerced and threatened millions of families, and created countless family tragedies and wrongful arrests. He manipulated the political and judiciary system, and made use of the country's propaganda machinery to spread lies to the world to distort and demonise Falun Gong cultivators, to mislead the public. He also wantonly arrested and detained Falun Gong practitioners on a large scale across the country to inhumanly and ruthlessly persecute them.

After Jiang stepped down, Luo Gan continued to push the persecution of Falun Gong so as to force the new leaders to take responsibility. This year, he directed a new round of arrests of Falun Gong practitioners, which has led to frequent torture and death cases. Many extremely despicable cases have occurred. In addition, he brings persecution and injustice to wherever he goes.

Amnesty International Supports Falun Gong

Initially, there was some confusion among Argentinean media about this incident. Some reported that the assault was a fight between two groups of Chinese who had different opinions. Regarding this confusion, on the afternoon of December 16th, Amnesty International (AI) held a press conference to clarify the facts of the incident. The representative of AI said that AI cannot tolerate the fact that a criminal guilty of genocide came to Argentina and directed thugs to assault Dafa practitioners. Citing an eye-witness, a spokesperson said: "This is Argentina, not communist China."

In a statement issued at the press conference, AI Argentina Chairperson Mr. Pablo Marsal stated "Amnesty International has always supported Falun Dafa. It is also not the first time that this group was assaulted in our country. Amnesty International's annual reports, which are well known around the world, relate the human rights violations in China against different spiritual and social groups. The most striking fact in our country is that, for the second time, we see that a certain group connected to the officials of the Chinese government, assaults with impunity, in Argentine territory, in front of the Congress of the nation, a peaceful group which is known all over the world as a spiritual group. For this reason, it is totally incomprehensible.

We really want the Argentine authorities to investigate this incident. This incident has attracted a lot of attention from human rights organisations.

After the last incident, Falun Dafa protested to the police. They filed a lawsuit which did not lead anywhere. They are filing now another lawsuit against these aggressors. The officials of another country are violating our Argentine sovereignty in our country. This is something which may not continue. Of course it is true about what is happening in China and, apparently, the persecution has begun to extend to a country like ours, Argentina, a country which is proud to defend human rights."

The Desperate Struggle of the Perpetrators Will Not Prevent its Disintegration

The assault of practitioners in Argentina and the police violence in Thailand instigated by the CCP both highlighted the unscrupulous nature of the CCP and its desperate struggle before its disintegration. However, the tide of history has put the CCP between the beetle and the block. The conspiracy of the CCP persecutors that include Luo Gan, Zeng Qinghong and others can't harm Falun Gong any more. On the contrary, anything they do only lets more people recognise the evil nature of the CCP and makes them abandon the party.

Practitioners said that the CCP's persecution of innocent Chinese, especially the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, has been recognised by more and more people around the world. The unstoppable tide of withdrawals from the CCP indicates that the CCP will collapse. Practitioners hope that the Argentine government will safeguard human rights and justice for the sake of its own people and not to be confused by the CCP's lies. Practitioners call on the government to hold the assailants accountable and investigate the behind-the-scenes culprits.

Reportedly, practitioners have sued the assailants for physical assault and verbal death threats. At the same time, they also sued federal police for not fulfilling their responsibilities to protect citizens.