Issued by Clearwisdom Net

A series of events was held by 37 human rights organizations in Indonesia to mark the United Nations' International Day In Support of Victims of Torture (June 26). A parade on June 26 brought the events to a climax. Friends of Falun Gong Indonesia Chapter invited dozens of Falun Gong practitioners to participate in the parade. The practitioners' group was unique and very peaceful and was highly commended by the participating human rights organizations.

Practitioners' procession

At 9:30 a.m., on June 26, the crowd gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to kick off the parade. The Falun Dafa procession consisted of about 60 practitioners. Some reenacted the torture methods employed in China in the persecution of Falun Gong, some displayed huge banners, some participated in a waist drum troupe, while others were part of the "Celestial Maidens" and flag troupes. The focus of the parade was to demonstrate the beauty of Falun Dafa and to protest the persecution.

The practitioners walked about 5 kilometers in nearly two hours. The procession ended at a hotel where reporters were waiting. Dozens of reporters from local and foreign media outlets surrounded the practitioners who were reenacting the tortures used against practitioners in China. They took many photos and interviewed the practitioners.

The Falun Gong procession attracts many reporters

About 40 minutes later, in the baking sun, practitioners walked another 2 kilometers to the plaza in front of the presidential palace.

One member of the organizing committee thanked the practitioners for their participation. He said that Falun Gong was a group that has been severely persecuted. He said that since being against persecution has no boundary of race or nation, all people should condemn the persecution.

In a prepared statement, Indonesian practitioners said: "In this modernized age, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been relentlessly persecuting Falun Gong, resulting in at least 2,500 confirmed deaths of practitioners. Practitioners, regardless of their age or gender, have been subjected to torture. Today, we show you the photos of Ms. Gao Rongrong as evidence of this brutal persecution. Ms. Gao was arrested in 2003 and was then shocked with electric batons for 7 continuous hours, resulting in severe facial disfigurement. Even so, she never gave up her belief in Falun Dafa. Despite mounting international concern over her case, the CCP tortured Ms. Gao to death on June 16, 2005. We call upon all kind-hearted people around the world to pay close attention to the persecution of Falun Gong and help us stop it as soon as possible."

Finnish practitioners held a peaceful protest outside the Chinese embassy in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, June 26, 2005. The purpose of this activity was to expose the facts of the CCP's cruel persecution of Falun Gong, and call for the severe punishment of the murderers of Falun Gong practitioner Gao Rongrong.

During the activity, several elderly people out strolling passed by. One of them asked us if we were protesting. A practitioner replied yes, and told him how the Chinese Communist Party and Jiang's evil regime tortured Gao Rongrong to face disfigurement and eventually murdered her just because she practiced Falun Gong. The old man said he hoped that the Embassy could hear the practitioner's voice.

Finnish practitioners protest in front of Chinese embassy.

The CCP and Jiang Regime Tortured Gao Rongrong to Death

Ms. Gao Rongrong, an accountant at the Luxun Fine Arts College in Shenyang City, was abducted from her home by local police on June 22, 2003, and taken to Longshan Forced Labor Camp. On June 16, 2005, Gao died in the emergency room of China Medical University Hospital of complications stemming from torture and abuse in custody following nearly two years of incarceration, brainwashing, and torture for her beliefs. During the illegal incarceration and forced labor, she lost hearing in one ear, her face was disfigured from seven hours of electric baton shock torture; her bodily organs were atrophying, and she was left as only skin and bones. Her life was in grave danger.

After she was successfully rescued by Falun Gong practitioners in October, 2004, and her disfigured face was publicized to expose the brutal persecution, the Public Security Department labeled Ms. Gao's escape the "Number 26 Case." At this point, 610 Office system head Luo Gan personally took charge of the continued persecution plan. Instructed by Luo Gan, the Liaoning Province CCP Political Judiciary Committee, the Procuatorate, the Department of Justice, and the Police Department collectively concealed information about Ms. Gao Rongrong's case. Those practitioners thought to have been involved in Ms. Gao's rescue were rounded up and cruelly tortured.

Ever since then, the Shenyang City Police Department, State Security Division has been using all their resources in tapping into phone lines, and monitoring, detecting, and following local Falun Dafa practitioners. Gao Rongrong was unfortunately rearrested in March 2005, and detained until she died as a result of further persecution.

Anti-torture exhibitions in streets of Manhattan have helped many learn the truth about Falun Gong and the ongoing brutal persecution

1. UPS Employees

It was around noon when two Americans with IDs from UPS passed by our exhibition. The lady smiled at me and said, "I already signed." As the man passed, he said, "It is only happening here."

I hurried up to catch him and asked, "Sir, wait a second, what do you mean?"

He replied, "You are just performing on U.S. streets, while no such things are actually happening in China."

I said, "Sir, please think about it. Although an exhibit like this couldn't exist on the streets in China, why couldn't such torture be happening in Chinese forced labor camps and prisons? You know that Chinese media outlets are all controlled by the Communist Party, so how can everyday Chinese know the truth?"

The lady said, "Yes, what she said makes a lot sense."

I then told them the truth of the Tiananmen Self-Immolation Incident, which was set up by the CCP to frame Falun Gong. The lady nodded her head to show her agreement, while the gentleman said, "I heard about Falun Gong from my Chinese friend."

I told him, "Your Chinese friend has also been misled by the CCP's propaganda. The self-immolation incident alone has deceived countless Chinese. You should tell him the truth."

He nodded his head and said, "O.K. I will tell my Chinese friend about this." In the end, he took some truth-clarifying materials with him.

2. Falun Rotates

One day, a Tibetan Lama and his friend passed by our booth. A fellow practitioner approached him and told him about the persecution. In broken English, the Lama said that he knew the history of the CCP's killing of innocent people and that Tibetans had also been severely persecuted. Without any hesitation, he signed his name. The practitioner then showed him the Falun Emblem in a copy of Zhuan Falun. The Tibetan was very excited and talked with his friend in their native tongue. Facing the emblem, he then drew many circles with his hands and said, "Falun rotates, rotates!"

3. Precious Chinese, Please Sign your Name

A Chinese man passed by our anti-torture exhibition. I handed him a copy of truth-clarifying material. He didn't take it, saying, "I know, I know. I have read your materials and I know about the persecution."

I then told him, "Since you know about the brutality of the persecution, please sign your name to support us."

He laughed and shook his head.

When he saw the practitioner who was re-enacting the Tiger Bench torture, however, he asked me, "Is this torture really happening?"

I said, "You know that we Falun Gong practitioners cultivate 'Truth-Compassion-Forbearance' and thus have to tell the truth and do things truthfully. So many of us have dedicated so much time and money in order to clarify the truth to New Yorkers every day, rain or shine, hot or cold. Why do we do it? Don't you remember we were sitting here during the coldest days of this past winter?"

Hearing this, he didn't say a word, but signed his name in Chinese.

4. "I Will Call the CEO of That TV Station"

A well-dressed white-collar worker stopped at our exhibition. He asked me what was going on. I told him briefly about the truth. He said that he had never heard of Falun Gong. I then told him more details. His expression became more and more dignified. He said, "What happened? How could all the media remain silent, and why has the U.S. government remained silent?"

I said that some western media had been misled by the CCP's propaganda such as the "Tiananmen Self-immolation Incident." I stressed, however, that more remained silent because of commercial interests.

He then turned around and, while pointing to the office of a media outlet, asked if that media had interviewed us. I said that we had been at the site for two weeks and that no one had come to interview us. He said that he would call the CEO of that company, "My company does business with them, and my voice can be heard on TV any time."

I then said, "Please help us through the connections you have, and please help hundreds of thousands Chinese practitioners being persecuted in China."

Three years ago, Professor Hsiao Songshan of National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) in Keelung, Taiwan ran into health problems. He felt dizzy and couldn't sleep well. In the classroom, he often felt dizzy when turning his head after writing on the blackboard. He visited many doctors and hospitals, but none of them could diagnose the real cause. His health was declining day after day.

His elder brother who lived in mid Taiwan practiced Falun Gong and felt this exercise was very good. So he introduced Falun Gong to professor Hsiao. After Hsiao attended a nine-day-lecture session, he no longer needed the medicine for dizziness and insomnia. He continued to practice Falun Gong and changed completely. He slept well and was very energetic at work.

Hsiao's own experience convinced him that the principle of Falun Dafa "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance" is very good and he wished he could introduce it to more people. Once he talked about the "Water Crystal Experiment" done by a Japanese scientist. The experiment proved that goodwill can change substances. The students were amazed by this finding. At the end of last year, he read an article on the internet about how the "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance International Art Exhibition" has been circulating among universities and colleges in Taiwan. He thought that many people still didn't know about the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong and didn't know the beauty of Falun Dafa. So he wrote a proposal to host the art exhibit at NTOU to the chancellor. The chancellor confirmed the fruitful result of the Art Exhibition in dozens of other universities and agreed to hold this meaningful exhibition.

The entrance to the Art Exhibition

VIPs give speeches at opening ceremony

VIPs take a photo together

On June 20, many city government officials and elected representatives attended the opening ceremony and affirmed the value of the Art Exhibition and commended the Chinese practitioners' perseverance. Director of Keelung City Education Bureau Mr. Hsiao Jingli said in his speech that the art exhibition and "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance" could purify the mind and uplift the spirit. He also said that promoting the artworks can have a positive effect on the youth and lead them away from delinquent behavior. Many media reported the event. Chairman of Taiwan Falun Dafa Association Mr. Chang Qingxi accepted interviews from China TV and Keelung TV.

Interview from CTV

Interview from Keelung TV Station

During the week-long exhibition, most of the visitors were shocked after witnessing the truth of the persecution. Strong emotions appeared on their faces. They were astonished that the Chinese Communist Party could be so cruel and vicious. One visitor said Falun Gong must have a special power that the practitioners can be so steadfast under such tortures, so he wanted to learn Falun Gong. One visitor said he was a Christian and he shared the experience of his friend who was illegally detained for three days while visiting Mainland China. Some people had learned Falun Gong before and quit. After they viewed the art exhibition, they said they wanted to cultivate again.

Visitors listening to the introduction

Many came on the weekend

Playing Master's lecture video at "Life Education Camp"

Falun Gong exercise demonstration

On Jun 25 and 26, the last two days of the art show, there was a "Life Education Research Camp." At the camp, they played the lecture videos from Master Li and invited experts to give talks.

Professor Hsiao said his students have been very supportive of the Art Exhibition. The students volunteered to distribute Art Exhibition fliers. At noon on June 26 when the Art Exhibition closed, many students volunteered to help take down the exhibit. The students said that professor Hsiao was very kind and they were very impressed with the art exhibition.

From June 17 to 19, Falun Gong practitioners from Germany, Switzerland, and Grenoble in southern France, along with Falun Gong practitioners in Besancon, held activities at the Besancon City Center to promote Falun Gong and raise awareness about human rights abuses in China.

Besancon is the capital of Le Doubs Province in eastern France and is known as the biggest garden city in France. The eye catching jade green makes people feel pleasant and joyful. In July 2004, the famous bicycle race Tour de France allowed the world's people to take note of this beautiful green city. This year in the same city, Falun Gong, a traditional cultivation practice rooted in Chinese traditional culture, made a profound impression on the people there.

At 9 o'clock in the morning on June 17, Falun Gong practitioners had already set up an information booth on the square in front of the City Hall in the City Center and started to hand out leaflets to people. The warm-hearted people unceasingly came over to learn the truth about Falun Gong and signed their names on the petition form.

After learning about the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, people felt extremely shocked. They could not believe that in the 21st century such a bloody persecution could be happening. Many kind-hearted people signed their names to support Falun Gong. After a young girl and her mother signed, they had tears in their eyes and said: "We hope our signatures can help to rescue those people who are suffering."

Telling people about the persecution
People sign their names in support

On the second day, two young men came over and said: "Do you know, I have some Chinese friends, and they have a very negative attitude towards Falun Gong." A practitioner told him, "This is not difficult to understand. In China, people are blocked from the truth and consequently many Chinese utter these kinds of negative remarks because they are deceived by the CCP's propaganda. You think about it, in a country where people don't have the right to say 'No' to the government, how could they get the truth about Falun Gong? Most of them got their information about Falun Gong only from the government controlled state-run media. People don't have the chance to hear a different voice or express their own thoughts. Therefore, the only thing people often choose to do is to always follow the government line. Under such a system, no wonder your Chinese friends say things like that."

The young man replied: "Oh, yes, what you said makes sense." Then he also asked, "What is Falun Gong? Why does the CCP persecute Falun Gong?" After listening to practitioners' detailed explanation, the young man suddenly understood and said excitedly, "Give me some Chinese leaflets, I will take them to my Chinese friends to read." This young French man also expressed that he had been interested in Chinese Qigong for a long time and wanted to further study Falun Gong. Before leaving, he said to practitioners, "You are very brave, thank you and keep going!"

In 1999, Jiang Zemin's group launched the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China, which has now lasted six years. The persecution experienced by Falun Gong practitioners is shocking. During the last six years, in order to help more people not be deceived by the CCP and to help them know the truth about Falun Gong, practitioners have made unremitting efforts all over the world without any complaint or regret. Now Falun Gong has already spread to over seventy countries and regions. More and more people know about Falun Gong and have learned the truth of the persecution.