Report from Falun Gong-Icelandic Dialogue Committee (Part I)

On September 5th, the Falun Gong-Iceland Dialogue Committee, formed by the Falun Gong practitioners from America, Canada and Europe, launched its first dialogue with the high-level Icelandic officials. Ragnar Adalsteinsson, the Icelandic number one Human Rights defender and Supreme Court lawyer, also took part in the dialogue and volunteered to be the law consultant for Falun Gong practitioners.

The dialogue between Falun Gong representatives and the Icelandic Government drew attention of all Icelandic media. On the scene of the dialogue, the Icelandic TV station had on the spot coverage. After the meeting, the Icelandic TV station and media reporters also interviewed and made reports about the dialogue process.

Although the Icelandic government made no immediate amendment to its wrong decision in June, the righteousness, tolerance and compassion displayed by the Faun Gong practitioners in the dialogue process would help the Icelandic government to really understand the truth of Falun Gong and amend its wrong decision in June.

I. The dialogue that directly spoke to people's conscience.

At 10 on the morning of September 5th, the dialogue was carried on. Five Icelandic officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice participated in the dialogue that lasted for three hours. Falun Gong practitioners started with playing the fifteen-minute tape, “SOS! Urgent Rescue Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in China.” Then, the Falun Gong practitioners introduced how Falun Gong has been subjected to systematic and brutal persecution by Jiang’s regime, how Falun Gong has improved people’s health and upgraded people’s moral standard and become popular with people. Additionally, in the past three years, though under persecution, Falun Gong has been welcomed by over fifty countries around the world, whose tolerance and compassion has been bringing hope and moral courage to worldwide citizens. Falun Gong has been awarded with over 700 prizes with its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi ,being nominated as one of the candidates of Nobel Peace Prize in the successive two years.

Falun Gong practitioners pointed out that the persecution against Falun Gong by Jiang’s regime is persecution against the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, moreover against the foundation stone of human morals. Furthermore, the persecution is destroying the whole country and even all humans. Therefore, out of their true love for China and the Chinese people, Falun Gong practitioners stand up for truth and justice, making peaceful appeals around the world for the end of the persecution. Particularly, in the past three years, with their selfless, peaceful and compassionate appeals, Falun Gong practitioners have earned the respect of worldwide citizens. The purpose of Falun Gong travellers to Iceland was to call for Jiang Zemin to stop the persecution against Falun Gong.

Falun Gong practitioners also indicated that at least 200 practitioners, based on the informal statistics, were detained upon arriving in Iceland or barred from entering Iceland. The Icelandic Ministry of Justice imposed the ban on Falun Gong travelers, fearing that the appeal made by Falun Gong practitioners might be “out of control and cause damage to the public.” However, the ban not only damaged the reputation and dignity of peaceful and law-abiding Falun Gong practitioners but also suppressed people’s freedoms of belief, expression and assembly. Falun Gong practitioners proceeded to present a sequence of problems caused by the ban.

Falun Gong practitioners also noted that Iceland was the first country to deny Falun Gong travellers entry at the airports outside of its territory. The behaviour not only suppressed the voice of righteousness but also sent out wrong message to Jiang’s regime, encouraging them to continue their persecution of Falun Gong. Moreover, the deed went against the will of 95 percent of Icelanders, forsaking its history of longest standing democracy and tarnishing its reputation of a genuine respecter and protector of human rights. We are unwilling to see Jiang use Iceland as an example to continue its suppression and damage of other countries. For some democratic country, it is very dangerous to acquire its economic benefits at the cost of their country’s righteousness, principle and freedom of belief.

Falun Gong practitioners went on to show that the ban on Falun Gong travelers was not a minor thing. All of the Falun Gong practitioners have been making efforts to stop the most brutal persecution in the human history. Every day, the persecution is being inflicted, which means that more lives are disappearing from this world. This is also related to the moral principle.

During the one-hour introduction of Falun Gong, no one interrupted the practitioners. The Icelandic officials had been attentive, writing down details of the introduction.

Part II to follow...