Hong Kong: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Rally and March to Protest Hong Kong's Use of CCP Blacklist

On June 26th, 2007 Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong gathered at Charter Gardens to strongly protest the Hong Kong authorities' use of a blacklist provided by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), to refuse entrance of Taiwanese human rights lawyer Theresa Chu and other Falun Gong practitioners. The practitioners were also treated with violence during the repatriation.

Later, the practitioners and their supporters marched to the Hong Kong government headquarters, handed an open letter to procurator Donald Tsang, called on the Hong Kong authorities to consider the future of the Hong Kong people, to immediately stop and correct their wrong attitude, comprehensively maintain human rights, and avoid becoming a scapegoat for the CCP, which is close to disintegration.

Hong Kong Falun Gong practitioners read open letter outside government headquarters

The congressmen and democratic activists in attendance condemned the Hong Kong government for violating human rights and the rule of law, and cooperating with the CCP in suppressing dissent. Central west area congressman Lin Songran criticised the government for catering to the CCP leaders to suppress different voices in society. Democratic activist Sun Bin also accused Donald Tsang for cooperating with orders from the CCP, causing the Hong Kong government to abuse freedom and human rights, just like the CCP regime.

Kan Hung-cheung, Hong Kong Falun Gong spokesperson reads the open letter to Donald Tsang from Falun Gong practitioners. The full text is as follows:

Mr. Donald Tsang:

Regarding the Hong Kong Immigration Department's violently repatriating human rights lawyer, Falun Gong practitioner Theresa Chu on Monday, we bring forward to you our strong protest. Before the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong returning to mainland China, the Hong Kong authorities have abused their power to infringe upon Falun Gong practitioners' human rights; they have cooperated with the Chinese Communist Party's blacklist operation to blindly please the CCP dictatorship without distinguishing between good and evil. We feel indignation and sorrow.

Attorney Theresa Chu is the CEO in Asia for the US Human Rights Law Foundation. She represented Taiwan in the "Global Coalition Against Article 23", and she is also a Falun Gong practitioner. Attorney Chu came to Hong Kong for business on June 19th, and departed on the 20th, however after four days, she was denied entry into Hong Kong on the night of June 24th, with the excuse of "not conducive to public good". But the authorities could not give any detailed reasons. Theresa Chu stayed at the airport for the night, and at noon on the 25th, she was forcibly wrapped up in an "anti-violence blanket" and repatriated to Taiwan. This was the first time that Attorney Chu suffered violent mistreatment when entering Hong Kong.

While Attorney Chu was questioned by the Immigration Department, her passport and visa to Hong Kong were confiscated. The immigration officers kept asking the purpose of her trip to Hong Kong and who she was going to meet. Attorney Chu said she simply came to undertake lawful activities, and witness the "one country, two systems" activities during July 1st. Kan Hung-cheung, who is her contact person in Hong Kong and person in charge of the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association also assured the immigration officers that Theresa Chu would participate in peaceful and lawful activities. He hoped the Immigration Department would allow her entry.

Attorney Chu requested to see a lawyer many times in the detention room; however, the immigration officers received orders from their superiors and changed their attitude. Originally they agreed to let her see a lawyer and discuss an appeal; however before the lawyer arrived, riot police held up Attorney Chu's hands after 8 a.m., and planned to violently repatriate her. Attorney Chu considered her dignity, and walked to the parking area herself, but the plane had already departed, so she was brought back to the detention room.

Thereafter, senior immigration chief Chen Wenhao demanded that Attorney Chu depart on the plane leaving at 11:20 a.m. Attorney Chu asked to call her lawyer, and entrusted lawyer Albert Ho Chun-yan to negotiate with Chen Wenhao on the phone. Albert Ho urged the Immigration Department to re-consider and allow Theresa Chu's entry, but Chen Wenhao said that the order of repatriation was from the highest sources, and he was unable to change that decision. At around 12 noon, Attorney Chu was wrapped up in an "anti-violence blanket" by six policewomen, put on a wheelchair, and forcibly escorted to the plane to Taipei at 12:20 p.m.

Falun Gong faces brutal persecution in mainland China, numerous happy families have been broken up and destroyed, large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners are illegally detained and suffering torture, thousands of practitioners have been killed in the persecution - even their organs were removed while they were alive and their bodies cremated to eliminate the evidence. In Hong Kong, Falun Gong practitioners have encountered different levels of suppression and unfair treatment over the past years. They have also seen spies sent by the CCP moving around actively in recent months, surreptitiously monitoring and filming Falun Gong activities, collecting a blacklist, even creating violence. Without the authorities' cooperation and connivance, it would be impossible for them to be so rampant. If the government wants to turn Hong Kong into the capital of CCP spies, then they should not expect Hong Kong to become an international city.

This illegal and violent repatriation of Attorney Theresa Chu, and denial of visa or entry of at least 100 Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners recently, is further proof of the CCP's continuing blacklist operation. The Hong Kong authorities not only disrespect human rights, freedom, and law, they do not join the global righteous forces to condemn the CCP's atrocities; instead they abuse their power to assist the CCP in doing evil, sacrifice the moral foundation that Hong Kong depends upon, vainly attempt to ingratiate themselves with the CCP regime prior to the visit of Mr. Hu Jintao, and suppress large numbers of people participating in Falun Gong activities. This is really the biggest condemnation to "one country, two systems".

Overriding human rights and breaking the law not only smears Hong Kong's reputation, even worse, it destroys the moral foundation of the Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong. If this can't be corrected in time, it will cause huge problems for the Hong Kong people. The CCP regime does not represent China. It is an evil and brutal regime that's been anti-humanity, anti-nature, anti-Chinese culture from the beginning. The tide of people quitting the CCP is the symbol of the Chinese people's conscience awakening. The CCP continues to exhibit its doomsday madness. People of conscience at high levels of the CCP are looking for a way out for the country, for the people and for themselves. The Hong Kong government has a good foundation; there is no need to follow the CCP diehards to do bad things. We sincerely appeal to the Hong Kong government: consider the Hong Kong people's good fortune, immediately stop and correct this attitude, comprehensively maintain morality, conscience and human rights, create a wonderful future for Hong Kong and its people, and contribute to creating a new China without the CCP.

Falun Dafa Hong Kong practitioners