The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has locked a non-government
organisation out of human rights talks because it planned to protest outside the
building where the discussions are taking place.
The Falun Gong movement has
been protesting against what it describes as persecution and torture of its followers
in China.
The group had been invited to today’s annual summit on human
rights issues, held by DFAT in Canberra.
However, Falun Gong organiser
Daniel Clark says when the group organised a protest for the same day, the Government
withdrew its invitation.
"When we arrived at the front desk we were
told we were no longer welcome at the forum," he said.
"When
we asked for a reason we were basically told that because you’ve set up a display
outside DFAT that shows examples of the persecution in China, we were told for
that reason we were no longer welcome."
Posting date: 12/Mar/2005
Original
article date: 9/Mar/2005
Category: Media Report
