Germany: Practitioners from Northern Germany Raise Awareness about Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong Practitioners in China

The weather was beautiful and despite the forecast having predicted rain, it only drizzled very briefly. Eight practitioners from Northern Germany set up a table in Kassel. A large poster with reproductions of artworks from the “Truth, Compassion, Tolerance” art exhibition was displayed next to the table. The inscription “Chinese concentration camps, unsavoury trade in organs from Falun Gong practitioners” was visible in large print from far away. In addition to the banner, additional posters were placed on the street. On the table, we offered two petitions for signature, one against the organ trade in China and the other in support of a family of practitioners deported from Germany to China. On the right side of the table, we demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises.

Once again, we generated a lot of interest. Often, our table was crowded with people and sometimes clusters of people formed in front of the banners and posters. Many told us how upset they were about the organ trade in China. One lady left crying after visiting our information stand. One young man didn’t want to believe us. He postured in front of us and demanded some proof. We were not able to convince him even after offering lengthy explanations. However, his friend next to him seemed to have understood the terrible situation of Falun Gong practitioners in China and about the difficulties involved in collecting information about human rights violations. He thanked us in his friend’s name for all the information and convinced him to leave.

Another gentleman came to our stand and told us that he did not want any more information about the persecution of Falun Gong because it was affecting him too much. Still, he wanted to help and also signed for his father who was visiting him at the time but unable to come to the stand. Some youngsters were clowning around and a practitioner asked them directly to look at the pictures. After a lengthy conversation, they were very touched, accepted one of our bookmarks and even the abridged version of the “Nine Commentaries” for their teacher.

Many of the passersby stopped to talk to us and thanked us politely. Some of the Kassel citizens had already heard from us before and only stopped briefly, to sign the petition.