The following is an invitation sent from Canadian practitioners for the July 20 press conference at Parliament Hill, Ottawa.
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The upcoming July 20, 2002 marks three long years of persecution of Falun Gong in the People's Republic of China. Supporters and practitioners of Falun Gong cordially invite you to participate in a gathering in Ottawa on July 20, 2002, entitled "Together We Will End the Persecution."
We would be pleased if you would present a short speech. We are always appreciative of any form of support you can offer. The involvement of the Canadian people has already freed three Falun Gong practitioners from illegal detention in China-- Professor Kunlun Zhang, Ms. Ying Zhu, and Mr. Shenli Lin are now living in Canada and freely practising Falun Gong. For this we are truly grateful.
Falun Gong, a peaceful mind/body meditation practice based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, was introduced to the public in China in 1992 and quickly spread throughout the populous nation. According to a Chinese government survey in late 1998, between 70 and 100 million people were enjoying enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual well-being from the practice. Alarmed by how quickly the practice had spread, Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin banned Falun Gong and initiated a brutal campaign of repression on July 20, 1999. Outside China, Falun Gong is freely practiced in over 50 countries.
Since July 20, 1999, tens of millions of innocent men, women, and children who practise Falun Gong have been ruthlessly persecuted in the PRC, hundreds of lives have been lost, while untold thousands still suffer in jails and labour camps. Among them are fifteen family members or relatives of twelve Canadian citizens and residents. One of them has been missing for over a year; three have been persecuted to death; twelve are still in jail or labour camps. A nation-wide rescue campaign will be launched.
Please read the following poem to know what is in our hearts.
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A Lotus Flower
*
A lotus flower grows out of the mud and filth,
rises up through foggy waters and,
after passing through all of this,
emerges on the surface a beautiful flower.
*
Through the last three years of brutal persecution,
we Falun Dafa practitioners in China have endured humiliation, torture, imprisonment,
rape, the loss of all our rights, and
vicious defamation in state-run propaganda and
thousands of deaths...
*
Through all of this, however, there is something we have not lost.
We have not returned the violence, lies and hate.
We have endured all of the evil for our determination in following the universal principle of
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
This is what those who persecute us,
no matter how violent they are,
no matter how cunning and vicious,
will never be able to succeed in taking from us.
*
People of the world:
Do not lose hope,
no matter how vicious, dark or hopeless things may seem.
Put trust in goodness,
in the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Righteousness can never be defeated.
*
For those who have stood up in support of Falun Gong,
practitioners in China all know the immense efforts of
governments and people around the world to stand up for justice
on our behalf.
You have also faced pressures and difficulties.
You have touched our hearts.
*
Your efforts are not for nothing.
After passing through the cloudy waters,
a beautiful, noble lotus flower will emerge.
Your efforts to support goodness are bringing a wonderful future to many.
The evil will not last long.
*
Together we will end the persecution.
*
--On behalf of the persecuted Falun Dafa practitioners in China
* * *
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