PRESS CONFERENCE:
1pm, Tuesday 6 December 2005
Federation Mall, Parliament House, Canberra
Guest Speakers: Former Chinese officials, Mr Chen Yonglin and Mr Hao Fengjun
On Tuesday 6 December 2005, a motion will be moved in the Senate by Senator Bob Brown, that the Senate:
• Requests the government to seek an end to the persecution of Falun Gong members in China.
• Calls on the government to lift restrictions on Australian Falun Gong practitioners’ peaceful appeal outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra.
“We hope that the members of the Senate will vote with their conscience,” said John Deller, Spokesperson for Falun Gong.
“There is no need for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to keep signing certificates to restrict the free and legitimate protest of Falun Gong practitioners with signage outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, since the loud-speakers and erected banners outside the Chinese Embassy were removed three years ago.”
“Such certificates, used as a form of preventive control, send a wrong message to the Chinese authorities – that the persecution and torture of innocent Falun Gong practitioners are supported in our free country.”
“Over the past three years (46 months) that the certificates have been signed, the persecution of Falun Gong has become more severe. As of December 2005, nearly 3,000 Falun Gong practitioners in China have died as a result of the persecution, as many as 6,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been sentenced nationwide, between 100,000 and one million have been sent to labour camps and mental hospitals and a large number of Falun Gong practitioners have been kidnapped and sent to “brainwashing classes” for physical and mental persecution.”
“Moreover, the Chinese Embassy and consulates in Australia have continuously monitored and harassed Australian Falun Gong practitioners, and sent slandering materials against Falun Gong to government officials at various levels, media and the Australian community, especially the Chinese community, to deceive the people, stirring up hatred and causing disharmony in Australian society.”
Email: news@falunau.org
