Belgium: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Candlelight Vigil in Memory of Those Who Died in the Persecution

On July 20, 2009, Falun Gong practitioners in Belgium held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy. They mourned the death of their fellow practitioners and called on people with a sense of justice and conscience to help to stop the persecution.

On the evening on July 20, 2009, practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium

Practitioners held up banners saying "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance," "Falun Dafa," and "Dissolve the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Stop the Persecution." They arranged candles to form the letters in "FALUN DAFA". Everyone had a candle lit up in his or her hands to mourn their fellow practitioners who have died in the persecution.

Dominique De Mees, China Coordinator of Amnesty International in Belgium

Dominique De Mees, China Coordinator of Amnesty International (AI) in Belgium, and her husband joined the candlelight vigil to show their support for Falun Gong's peaceful protest. She said that AI has been concerned about Falun Gong practitioners (in China) since 1999. According to Ms. De Mees, AI believes that practitioners in China express themselves in peaceful ways and there is no reason to arrest and torture them. She condemned the persecution.

She did not understand why the CCP continues to suppress and torture Falun Gong practitioners. She believes the practitioners are not dangerous and are simply following their beliefs. She knows that China's Constitution allows freedom of belief and was horrified to learn about the torture in secret prisons and organ removal from living practitioners. She said AI would try to help condemn and stop these criminal acts.

Qu came from China. He has practised Falun Gong since 1996 and experienced the brutal persecution after July 20, 1999. "The very next day after the persecution started, my wife and tens of thousand practitioners and I went to our local governments to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong. We hoped the government would listen to our voices and understand that we were a group of kind and peaceful people.

"The CCP would not. My wife and I were locked up for two days. In the following years of persecution, my two aunts were taken to forced labour camps and a co-worker of mine was sentenced to 11 years for practising Falun Gong. Another co-worker of mine died as a result of torture three days after he was taken away by the police."

As a practitioner, Qu hoped that kind people worldwide would support, understand, and listen to the voice of Falun Gong. "If people can understand the facts of the persecution and help to stop it, it will be over soon."

Nina came from Ghent. She came to the vigil to show her support for practitioners' continuing effort to stop the persecution. "I truly feel it's about time Falun Gong practitioners should win their freedom after ten years of persecution."

Background

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline for mind and body. The practice involves slow, gentle movements and meditation. It is easy to learn, enjoyable to practise, and free of charge. Its principles are based on Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice began in China in 1992 and quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China and then beyond. Its beneficial effects in uplifting an individual's physical health, spiritual well-being and moral character, not to mention its positive influence in the community and society as a whole, have been undeniable. In fact, Falun Gong is practised by over 100 million people in 110 countries. The main works of Falun Gong are available in over 30 languages.

On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal persecution of Falun Gong. Since the start of the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners throughout the world have been constantly speaking out about the truth of Falun Gong and exposing the CCP's crimes in a tireless effort to end the persecution.