By Ben Hurley
The Melbourne council has been questioned about the integrity of a China official who has sanctioned torture and killing in his area of jurisdiction.
According to a statement by Melbourne Falun Gong practitioners, at least 33 Falun Gong adherents have died from torture during the reign of Mayor of Tianjin city, Dai Xianglong, who addressed a Melbourne City Council meeting on Tuesday (May 24) evening.
The group held a demonstration outside the council building during the meeting, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Melbourne-Tianjin sister city relationship.
Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Li Ying was at the event. Her sister, brother and herself have all been held in Chinese labor camps for their beliefs. Her brother, Liang Li, is currently detained at a camp in Tianjin.
“Since 1999 I haven’t seen my brother, and since 2001 I haven’t been able to see my sister,” she said. “My brother is only two years younger than I am and we grew up together. After I heard the tortures he had suffered, I could hardly imagine that these tortures could even be done to my brother, my dearest brother. More than 20 policemen beat him together, until he was disfigured. Sometimes he was beaten with electric batons until he was unconscious.”
Ms. Ying says people who have no regard for human life and freedom of belief should not be welcomed into the democratic country of Australia.
Melbourne City Council is unable to comment at this stage.
Falun Gong is a Chinese meditation practice based on slow movements and the principles of truth, compassion and tolerance.
The Chinese Communist Party outlawed the practice in July 1999 after government estimates placed the number of practitioners at between 70 and 100 million people, far exceeding CCP membership numbers of around 60 million. A brutal crackdown has followed with over 2200 people reported dead to date.
Posting date: 28/May/2005
Original article date: 24/May/2005
Category: Media Report
