To Mr. Jacques Chirac
President of the Republic of France
Dear Mr. President,
Re: International Concern Over Falun Gong Practitioners Arrested in Paris
On behalf of the Falun Dafa Association of New South Wales, Australia, we wish
to express our deep concern regarding the recent treatment of Falun Gong practitioners
in your country during the visit of President Hu. In particular, we are deeply
concerned that the French authorities have been deceived and coerced by foreign
propaganda spread by Jiang Zemin’s regime in the persecution of Falun Gong.
We share this concern with you to help restore the reputation of the French
government so that it will not continue to be accomplice to the genocide of
Falun Gong practitioners in China or the extension of the persecution overseas.
As you may be aware, in the past week close to 20 Falun Gong practitioners
of various nationalities were wrongfully arrested by police in Paris, seemingly
on the grounds of their clothing being either of yellow colour or showing the
words "Falun Dafa" or "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance". This
is not the first time that this has occurred in a western democratic country.
In April 2002, Dictator Jiang Zemin, the person responsible for the persecution
of Falun Gong, visited Germany. To avoid facing overseas Falun Gong practitioners
and supporters, Jiang infused German police with many lies slandering Falun
Gong initiating Berlin police to check the streets and arrest Falun Gong practitioners
wearing yellow clothes or scarves. This action aroused indignation among local
kind-hearted people. Later, the Berlin government formally wrote to Falun Gong
practitioners to apologise and promised that there would be no similar incidents
in Berlin in the future.
Similarly in Iceland, during Jiang’s visit in June 2002, a number of Falun
Gong practitioners went to peacefully appeal to Jiang to end the persecution
of Falun Gong. However, the Icelandic Government had been provided with a ‘blacklist’
from Jiang’s regime, which was used to refuse entry or illegally detain many
practitioners on entry. The visiting practitioners clarified the truth of the
situation to the local authorities and public and the Icelandic people staged
a large public demonstration. The Icelandic government then allowed the practitioners
to enter. Several hundred local community leaders placed a notice in the largest
local newspaper to apologise to the practitioners for the wrongful treatment.
Falun Gong, also know as Falun Dafa, is a practice of self-improvement composed
of five simple exercises and the improvement of one’s moral qualities according
to the universal principles of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance in all situations.
Since Falun Gong’s public introduction in 1992 in China, by Mr Li Hongzhi, all
Falun Gong activities and appeals in every country (now over 50 worldwide) are
voluntary and always remain peaceful. However, the four years of persecution
in China against Falun Gong have been vicious and brutal.
In appeals to end the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners and supporters
target only the Chinese dictator, Jiang Zemin, and his accomplices who instigated
and continue to fuel the persecution in China and pressuring overseas government
and media agencies. Jiang is also the target of a number of lawsuits around
the world, including a lawsuit filed with the International Criminal Court,
charging him with genocide, torture, and crimes against humanity.
Despite the large amount of propaganda disseminated by Chinese Embassies and
Consulates around the world aimed at inciting hatred in the community against
Falun Gong, various governments have stood upright against the pressure from
Jiang’s regime. On 24 July 2002, the US House of Representatives passed Resolution
188 (H. Con. Res. 188) calling on the Beijing regime to stop persecuting Falun
Gong practitioners and it confirmed that;
"Jiang Zemin’s regime has created notorious government ‘610’ offices throughout
the People’s Republic of China with the special task of overseeing the persecution
of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder".
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ea/uschina/falun188.htm
In December 2003, the Australian Senate passed a motion recognising the right
of Falun Gong practitioners to freely practise their beliefs and expressing
the resolve to obtain the early release of the relatives of Australian Falun
Gong practitioners’ relatives currently incarcerated in China.
We urge the French government to not bow to interference from Jiang’s regime,
to not compromise the values of peace and justice of the country of France and
its people, and to apologise for the wrongful arrests of innocent citizens due
to pressure from Jiang’s regime.
Yours sincerely,
Kay Rubacek,
Falun Dafa Association of NSW Inc.
1st February, 2004
