by John Allen
 A small part of the banners forming the “Wall of Truth” in Canberra. The Epoch Times |
On a beautiful winter’s
day in Canberra, commuters on their way to work, were treated to the sight of
a “wall of truth” surrounding the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court.
This
wall of colorful banners was held by Falun Gong practitioners, who were supporting
their legal action in the court to stop Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, from
signing certificates each month, that restrict the Falun Gong practitioners from
peacefully appealing outside of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra.
The peaceful
appeals outside the Embassy are to raise awareness of the genocide being committed
by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government, on Falun Gong practitioners in
China.
The wall of banners bore messages condemning the CCP for torture and
murder, and also, asking Mr. Downer to stop turning a blind eye to Chinese human
rights atrocities, because of trade.
This was a second directions hearing of
the court case, and well-known human rights lawyer, Mr. Bernard Collaery, appearing
for the plaintiffs, submitted a revised application to the court, that removed
the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police from being the second respondent
to the action.
Mr. Collaery said that he was happy for the focus to remain on
Mr. Downer, and not the police, who he said were carrying out government orders.
He said that the Commissioner of Police had agreed to abide by any injunction
of the court against Mr. Downer.
The next court hearing is on the 29th August,
and Mr. Collaery said that he was looking forward to presenting evidence to the
court, that proved the existence of the “Chinese Gestapo”, the 610 office, which
was expressly set up to carry out the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and
to show that Falun Gong practitioners had every right to protest peacefully against
the brutal CCP regime.
He went on to say that, “Mr. Downer claims that Falun
Gong appeals outside of the Chinese Embassy, impair the dignity of the Chinese
mission, however, it is not unlawful to call a murderer, a murderer”.
Mr. Collaery,
also represents Mr. Hao Fengjun, a defector from the Chinese 610 office, who last
week, was granted a permanent protection visa, and he believes the two cases could
prompt other high profile Chinese officials to defect, bringing with them secrets
about human rights abuses under China's communist regime. “This sends a message
to other senior officials in the Chinese bureaucracy that they will be granted
protection in this democracy for as long as the ferocious killings, torture and
murders (by the Chinese against pro-democracy activists) takes place,” he said.
Mr.
Hao was attending an open gathering of Falun Gong supporters for the first time,
and he told the media that he knew the names of, and activities of, many of the
Falun Gong practitioners who were present in Canberra, long before he arrived
in Australia, because of his duties as a 610 officer.
“I have personally witnessed
the inhumane treatment towards the Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese communist
authorities,” he said.
He told of witnessing, in the 610 office, a female Falun
Gong practitioner being beaten with an iron rod, which left two 20cm scars on
her back
Mr. Hao said that the Chinese Communist Party government was an “evil
regime”, and that a friend who had driven him to the airport when he left China
for Australia, was now being persecuted in China.
“He has been arrested and
his family home ransacked and the contents confiscated. Until now he has been
under surveillance (and) my family and relatives are also under surveillance and
I have not been able to make contact with them.”
Mr. Hao made a plea for the
Australian government to wake up to the persecution in China, “With all these
hard facts before you, why don't you wake up. I appeal to the Australian government
not to forsake the defenceless people's human rights for trade.”
He also
said that he was shocked that Mr. Downer, Foreign Minister of a free and democratic
nation, has signed certificates, each month, for 42 months, to restrict Falun
Gong.
“(I am surprised Mr Downer) is prepared to help the Chinese communist
regime in banning the Falun Gong from exposing the truth in front of the Chinese
Embassy.”
Another speaker was Professor Yuan Hongbin, a former Professor of
Political Law in China, who has also been recently granted a permanent protection
visa.
Professor Yuan said that he also was shocked by Mr. Downer’s certificates,
and that it was the result of putting trade before human rights.
After the court
hearing and media conference, about 150 Falun Gong practitioners carrying the
banners of the “Wall of Truth”, marched to the offices of the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for a short rally in which several speakers noted the
pressure applied by the CCP regime to the Australian government, to not publicly
criticize China’ s appalling human rights record.
It was confirmed by a DFAT
officer from the China political section, that Mr. Downer had again signed the
certificates to restrict the Falun Gong appeal, on Friday 29th July for another
30 days.
Posting date: 2/Aug/2005
Original article date: 1/Aug/2005
Category:
Media Report
