By a practitioner from Australia
Falun According The Falun Plaintiff Ms. Another plaintiff, Ms. Some reporters asked, “Why didn’t Former Falun Gong practitioners’ attorney Many major media outlets in
Gong practitioners Ms. Zhang Cuiying and Ms. Jane Dai, two plaintiffs in the lawsuit
against Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and Australian federal
police, held a press conference in front of the Australian Capital Territory’s
Supreme Court in Canberra on June 10, 2005. Mr. Yuan Hongbing, former professor
of law in China addressed the conference as a witness.
Reporters interviewing Ms. Zhang Cuiying
Ms. Jane Dai and her daughter Fadu
to New South Wales Falun Dafa Association spokesperson Kay Rubacek, on March 16,
2002, the day before Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited the Australian
capital, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Alexander Downer first issued
certificates which prevent the use of banners and amplified music within 100 meters
from the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. Australian federal police implemented Minister
Downer’s order and forcefully removed practitioners’ banners appealing
against the Chinese communist regime’s persecution, and the amplifiers which
they had used in peaceful appeals in front of the Chinese Embassy for nine months.
confiscated banners included ones reading, “Falun Dafa is great”, “Truthfulness,
Compassion, Forbearance”, “Stop the persecution of Falun Gong”, and “Bring Jiang
Zemin to Justice”. This certificate can only be valid for 30 days. However, since
March 2002, Minster Downer has issued 38 certificates in succession, each for
the maximum period of 30 days, under the 1992 Diplomatic Privileges and Immunity
Regulations.
Numerous media outlets attend the press conference.
Numerous media outlets attend the press conference.
Gong practitioners’ attorney Mr. Bernard confirmed on June 9 that the Australian
Capital Territory’s Supreme Court accepted Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Zhang
Cuiying and Ms. Jane Dai’s complaint against Minister Downer. They are seeking
an injunction from the Supreme Court to prevent Mr. Downer from abusing the Foreign
Affairs Minister’s power to prohibit Falun Gong practitioners from unfurling
banners and playing music in front of the Chinese Embassy.
Zhang Cuiying wore a T-shirt which is full of Chinese characters. She recounted
to media the persecution and threats she experienced in China and in Australia
from the Chinese communist regime. When giving the interview, she said that she
believed Australia’s law is supposed to protect citizens’ legal rights.
The reason she introduced her experiences here today was to let people know that
the ongoing persecution against Falun Gong practitioners should not be covered
by economic interests. She said that filing the lawsuit against Minister Downer
is for the purpose of stopping the persecution of Truthfulness, Compassion and
Forbearance as soon as possible and allowing more people to understand the viciousness
of the CCP and its attempt to manipulate Australia.
Jane Dai and her five-year-old daughter Fadu, held in their hands the only family
photo they have. Ms. Dai said that it was because of the CCP persecution of Falun
Gong that her husband went to Tiananmen Square to appeal. There, he held a banner
with the words, “Falun Dafa is great”. As a result, police arrested him and six
months later, he died from the persecution. Now, Ms. Dai and her daughter want
to appeal for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong. Unfortunately, because
of Minister Downer’s certificates, she is unable to unfurl banners in front
of the Chinese Embassy. She said that her daughter Fadu lost her dad. In China,
numerous children lost their fathers, mothers or even both parents just like Fadu.
Those orphans are in a really miserable situation. Ms. Dai hoped to call upon
more people to pay attention to this persecution. However, Minister Downer’s
actions exactly assist CCP to persecute Falun Gong practitioners in Australia.
These kind of actions must be stopped.
you take legal action until today after the certificates have been issued for
three years?” Ms Rubacek answered, “Over the past three years, we have tried different
ways to tell Minister Downer that these certificates not only hurt our Falun Gong
practitioners but it also harms Australian people. We even went to his election
district to talk with him, and peacefully appealed and distributed related materials
outside the Foreign Ministry. However, all these efforts obviously did not have
the desired effect. Mr. Downer has still continuously issued the certificates
every month and he did so again last month. Under this circumstance, we have to
take legal actions to stop him from continuing this kind of illegal actions.
university professor of law in China, Mr. Yuan Hongbing, currently a refugee in
Australia said in his speech, “I come here to bear the witness that in China there
is indeed a fascist organization – ‘610 office’. Australia should not
assist the tyrant to do evil…”
Mr. Bernard Collaery expressed, “The Australian Government’s response to
the persecution of Falun Gong has been disgraceful. The desire to advance bilateral
relations with China including economic relations has resulted in a supine position
on human rights and is a national disgrace.”
Australia including Channel 9, Channel 10, ABC, SBS, NTDTV, Sydney Morning Herald,
The Age, AAP, and Sound of Hope Radio Network came to cover the event.
Posting date: 13/Jun/2005
Original
article date: 12/Jun/2005
Category: Australian
News
