Norway: Rescued Falun Gong Practitioners Hold a Press Conference to Express Thanks to the Norwegian Government

At noon on the 25th of February 2006, eleven Falun Gong practitioners who had been granted asylum by Bodoe city government in Norway held a press conference at the International Centre in Bodoe to express their appreciation to the people and government of Norway. The eleven Falun Gong practitioners came from various parts of mainland China; eight of them arrived in Norway via Thailand one month ago while the other three came to Norway via Japan half a year ago. The press conference participants included a Canadian worker of the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group called Jan, Norwegian Falun Gong practitioner Terese, Bodoe city media and some local residents.

To start off Terese read an appreciation letter on behalf of the eleven Falun Gong practitioners, which thanked the people and the government of Norway for kindly helping them escape brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Two practitioners demonstrated the five exercises accompanied by the beautiful Falun Gong music. One after another, eleven practitioners from four different families introduced in detail their experiences in practising Falun Gong, the benefits Falun Gong brings to people and the persecution they suffered in China. Everyone listened attentively. The conference finished with questions from the reporters. A few residents wanted to learn Falun Gong. A reporter who was very interested in the experience of one of the practitioners took down his details so as to arrange an interview. Practitioners handed out Falun Gong leaflets and Video-CDs. The press conference drew to a successful close at three o’clock in the afternoon.

Here is an English translation of the letter of appreciation from the eleven rescued practitioners to the people who helped them:

Dear Norwegian Government, Bodoe City Government and Asylum Office and All Residents of Bodoe,

Today we are very honoured to have the opportunity to hold a press conference in the free land of Norway. We thank the Norwegian government, Bodoe city government and Asylum Office and the Norwegian people for the kind help that they have offered us.

The eleven people of our four families are from different regions and social strata in China. We each led different lives in China. One thing we had in common, however, was that we were all forced to escape from China as a result of the CCP’s brutal persecution of cultivators of Falun Gong and believers in “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance”. Eight of us obtained asylum status from the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Thailand. On the 15th of December 2005, while protesting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand against the rape of two female Falun Gong practitioners by Chinese policemen, four of us were illegally arrested and detained by Thai police acting under pressure from the Chinese Embassy. In such a predicament, the Norwegian government extended a helping hand. With the help of UNHRC, we came to this beautiful country of Norway. In the short month since our arrival, the Norwegian government has provided us with comfortable living conditions. We are deeply moved by the kind-heartedness of the Norwegian government staff and the Norwegian people. We feel at ease like never before.

In today’s world, economic benefit has become the number one goal many countries have in mind. Some so-called democratic countries have traded their founding principles of human rights, democracy and justice for economic benefits. Their bowing to evil power has blemished their nations’ history. The heroic act of the Norwegian government in receiving us eleven Falun Gong practitioners has set a good example for those countries. You’ve demonstrated to the whole world the power of righteousness, the preciousness of upholding democracy and human rights, the magnificence of pursuing freedom of believe and the kind nature of Norwegian people.

Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is an ancient form of cultivation system originated from China. Combining the principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance” with five easy-to-learn exercises, Falun Gong promotes great benefits to both mind and body. Within a short decade since its introduction to the general public, it has spread to over seventy countries in the world with over one hundred million practitioners. Falun Gong has gained more than one thousand awards and recognitions from various governments and other organisations all over the world.

In China, however, Falun Gong has suffered a brutal persecution of by the CCP since July 1999. Over seven years, nearly three thousand Falun Gong practitioners have lost their lives through persecution, hundreds of thousands have been tortured mentally and physically in labour camps and brainwashing classes, thousands have been forcibly injected with toxic drugs in psychiatric hospitals, tens of thousands have been beaten to disability and countless families have been broken.

Many kind-hearted westerners do not understand why the CCP would persecute a group of good people believing in “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance”. This is because the CCP believes in “Lies, evilness, and tyranny“. In order to maintain its evil and atrocious rule, it insanely persecutes anyone with a belief. The communist movement is a disaster for mankind. The Communist Party is the biggest threat to the peace of the world. The world is starting to pay attention to a phenomenon in China to quit the Chinese Communist Party as a result of a magic book called “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party”. Since December 2004, more than eight million people have willingly withdrawn from the CCP after seeing through its evilness. Recently, the CCP’s new round of persecution of the Chinese public has initiated a global relay hunger strike to fight for human rights, which has attracted attention worldwide. In the not so distant future there will definitely be a new China without the CCP. At this special historic juncture, every country and every organization faces a choice: righteousness or evil? We appreciate the Norwegian government’s choice of righteousness. We deeply believe that your kind-heartedness will bring you a magnificent future!

Our sincere thanks once again to the Norwegian government, Bodoe city government and Asylum Office and all residents of Bodoe!

Eleven Falun Gong practitioners: Li Jian Hui, Dai Ying, Wang Ya Jun, Liu Ying, Wang An Qi, Hua Feng, Miao Miao, Hua Yu Chen, Tan Zhen Qi, Zhang Chun Hua, Tan Fa Yuan.