United States: Rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago Calls for Action to End CCP Atrocities

Practitioners held a rally at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago at mid-day on June 23rd. The theme was to call on the international community to pay close attention to the Chinese Communist regime’s (CCP) brutal persecution of the practice and to investigate the atrocities of harvesting organs from living practitioners. An anti-torture exhibit, a demonstration of the live-organ removal, and a photo display were staged. The brutality revealed by the programme was shocking and attracted the attention of many passersby.

Call for full investigation of all Chinese labour camps and prisons which are used to detain Falun Gong practitioners.

The rally site: People viewing truth-clarifying photos

Over the past 7 years, Falun Gong has been relentlessly persecuted in an unprecedented campaign launched by the CCP and former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Jiang Zemin. To coerce practitioners to give up their belief in the practice, the CCP used every means at its disposal including propaganda and torture.

This past March, sources revealed that the CCP has at least 36 concentration camps designated to detain Falun Gong practitioners. In those camps, the CCP harvests organs from live practitioners for profit and then cremates the remains to destroy evidence. In addition, investigation showed that such inhuman crimes are happening in many labour camps and prisons as well throughout China. The CCP hurried to slaughter detained practitioners to destroy evidence once news of the camps' existence broke. Unfortunately, to date, the world has not yet given enough attention to this urgent issue.

Anti-torture exhibit attracts much attention

Ms. Wenyi Wang, an alumnus of University of Chicago, cried out during President Bush’s welcome ceremony for the Chinese leader Hu Jintao on April 20th, urging the two heavyweights to end the persecution. Ms. Wang is a Falun Gong practitioner and a practising doctor. During the rally, Ms. Wang once again called on the public to pay close attention to the genocide happening in China.

Practitioner Stephen Gregory spoke at the rally. He said:

"The Persecution of Falun Gong is a direct attack on principles that constitute our very humanity. Truthfulness, Compassion, and tolerance are illegal in Communist China. The attempt to live by these principles invites abuse, torture, and murder. The Chinese regime aims to eradicate the hold these principles have over the hearts of humankind.

"Could there be any greater disaster for humankind than for such a persecution to succeed? And could there be any greater disgrace for humanity than allowing such persecution to continue?"

Though the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong has lasted nearly 7 years, Falun Gong has not disappeared as the party wished. Instead, the practice has spread more widely around the world. At the rally, Dr. Xu from Michigan shared his joy with Falun Gong. Xu once had many illnesses. However, Falun Gong helps him regain a healthy body and, more importantly, gives him a compassionate and peaceful heart. While striving to live up to the "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance" principles at home and at work, he has become a good husband, father and employee. In his company, many Xu’s coworkers and some senior executives have started to read Zhuan Falun [The main text of Falun Gong]. One of the top executives told Xu: He couldn’t understand why the CCP would persecute Falun Gong as all the teachings in Zhuan Falun guide practitioners to become better people.

The rally attracted many passersby. Across the street, four young ladies watched the activity for a long time. They then crossed the street to inquire more information. Some took photos of the exhibit and photo display with their cameras or cell phones. Many watched the anti-torture exhibit and viewed the photo display attentively. Their expression clearly showed that they were shocked and dignified by the atrocities of the CCP.