Issued by Clearwisdom Net

On the evening of July 30, the Seafair Torchlight Parade, one of the top ten parades in the U.S., was held in downtown Seattle. The parade dates back to 1950, celebrating the culture of the Pacific Northwest. Seafair has more than 40 activities, with the parade being the climax. About 250,000 people from the greater Seattle area and tourists came out to watch the parade. TV station KIRO-7 broadcast the parade live, and it is estimated that about 700,000 people watched the parade at home.

The Falun Dafa Boat

The Falun Dafa Boat

For the very first time, spectators saw a grand "Falun Dafa Boat" in the Falun Gong procession. Practitioners from Portland, Oregon, Vancouver, Canada and Washington State participated in this parade. Two practitioners holding a "Falun Dafa" banner lead the procession. Then came two practitioners performing a traditional Lion Dance. After the dancers was the exciting "Falun Dafa Boat." Practitioners displayed "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" banners on the boat. The tail of the boat was a decorated float on which several practitioners were doing the Falun Gong exercises and meditating in lotus flowers.

Falun Gong exercise demonstration

Demonstrating the exercises on the "Boat"

People were watching the practitioners' banners, the Lion dance and other dance programs with their eyes wide open. When they saw the giant "Falun Dafa Boat," they applauded and cheered.

Waist Drum Troupe

Waist drum troupe

Lion dance

Right behind the "Boat," came the practitioners' waist drum troupe. Many children applauded in time to the drumbeats, and they quickly surrounded the practitioners to play the drums when practitioners took short breaks. The drum team performed repeatedly, accompanying the song, "Falun Dafa is Good" and the music, "Joy." Behind the drum team was a group of practitioners demonstrating the exercises. At the end of the practitioners' group was another banner reading, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."

When the practitioners passed by the reviewing stand, the images of the "Falun Dafa Boat" taken from high above were magnificent. The golden "Falun Dafa" characters and website address on the boat were shown prominently on TV.

One of the three Master of Ceremonies introduced the practice: "Falun Dafa is a traditional Chinese meditation practice and has four standing exercises and one meditation. It is based on the principles of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance'." The MC continued, "I feel that all of us should learn the exercises and the meditation." Another Master of Ceremonies said, "Their float is so peaceful!" The first MC added, "I felt that all our spectators are learning meditation! This is what impresses me-their powerful influence!" The third MC said, "I now feel that I have calmed down."

The parade lasted about three and a half hours and was broadcast live. Later, news about the parade was reported by different media outlets. Among the more than 100 groups that participated in the parade, images of three groups, including Falun Gong were selected by the news. In addition, on the morning of the parade day, a local media outlet interviewed practitioners when they were decorating the float.

During the Seattle Seafair Torchlight parade, practitioners walked 2.5 miles through downtown Seattle. They hope that more people will see the beauty and greatness of Falun Dafa.

Around 2 pm on July the 22nd, Falun Gong practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in France to condemn the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong and to commemorate the more than 2,600 Falun Gong practitioners who have lost their lives during the six-year persecution. The practitioners also appealed to the public to help stop the persecution and urged the Chinese Embassy officials not to assist the evil CCP in continuing the persecution and cruel torture of Falun Gong practitioners.

The persecution was spearheaded by Jiang, who launched it out of his personal jealousy. In order to expose the CCP and Jiang's crimes, Falun Gong practitioners in France have been continuously conducting activities to disclose the persecution and clarify the truth in the past six years. On July 20 of every year, they gather at the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the practitioners who have died in the persecution and to appeal for an end to the persecution.

A western practitioner reads a statement calling for an end to the persecution

A French lady signs a petition to support Falun Gong

A corner view of the appeal site

The practitioners displayed banners such as "Falun Gong -- Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" and posters detailing the methods of torture used in China against practitioners; they also placed flower wreaths in mourning for the practitioners who died in the persecution. Practitioners played recordings in both Chinese and French continuously calling for attention to the ongoing brutal persecution and help to end the persecution.

There were many people waiting in line outside the Chinese Embassy to apply for visas or passports. When they saw the banners and pictures, they read them carefully and discussed the persecution among themselves. A practitioner then approached them to distribute truth-clarifying leaflets and most of the people were happy to take a copy. Some French people said "Thank you" in Chinese when receiving the leaflets and the practitioners replied in French "Je vous en prie" ("You're welcome") with a smile.

Many passers-by stopped to view the pictures. Some signed their names on a petition and asked questions. People who understood the truth would say, "Keep it up. We support you," "Only the Communist Party's autocracy can do such savage things to harm its own people," "It is hard to believe that this kind of atrocity is happening in China. Propaganda of the CCP covers the truth, I support you," and "Only when the persecution ends can China have hope."...

A passing-by Frenchman who lived nearby told a practitioner: "You Falun Gong practitioners are great. I have seen you appealing for your noble cause for six years. I support your human rights!"

A Vietnamese asked practitioners questions upon seeing the pictures. When he learned the truth, he said that people in Vietnam were also persecuted by the Communist Party and a lot of people had consequently died. He said that he would join practitioners' activities to disclose the communist party's atrocities.

Passersby stop to find out more information about the persecution

During the activity, an incident occurred while the practitioners were playing a recording clarifying concepts purposefully misused by the CCP so that people can understand the truth of persecution. A Chinese embassy staff member walked out of the embassy and told practitioners: "The recording is too loud and you are disturbing our work. You know this is a country with laws and freedom."

A Falun Gong practitioner replied, "It is just because France is a country with laws, human rights and freedom that we can come here to disclose the truth of the persecution and clarify the truth to people like you. The recording is not loud at all. People in China are being illegally persecuted and many have been murdered. We play the recording to help you know more about the brutality and grave consequences of the persecution."

The staff member from the Consulate said loudly, "That's politics and is beyond us. We are just staff members of the embassy and have nothing to do with it."

The Falun Gong practitioner again replied, "It's impossible for you not to get involved. You say you are not involved, then why do you not issue visas, marriage certificates, or renew the passports of overseas Falun Gong practitioners?"

The Consulate staff member tried to deny the fact: "Is that the case? There never was such a thing."

The Falun Gong practitioner replied: "Of course it is the case. Mr. Wu and his wife, standing next to me, their passports are being held back by your embassy refusing to grant renewal. Isn't that so, Mr. Wu?"

Mr. Wu: "Yes. We practice Falun Gong, then the embassy refused to renew our passports. Now we do not have our passports and it's very inconvenient."

The Falun Gong practitioner went on to say: "Think about it, if your relatives were persecuted, do you have any responsibility to tell them the truth? It's the staff members of the embassy who have been routinely refusing to renew our passports, how can you say that you guys are not involved in the persecution?"

This official couldn't say anything. He acted as if nothing happened and said, "I do not know that."

The practitioner replied: "Then you should look at these truth-clarifying pictures carefully. Find out how many Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death."

The official started to change: "I've seen it before. I've traveled to many countries and I've seen it."

"You know the former Chinese diplomat in the Sydney Consulate, Mr. Chen Yonglin, has publicly quit the Chinese Communist Party and disclosed the truth of the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party. We hope you can choose to do the same thing for your own sake."

Upon hearing these words, the official smiled.

Another Falun Gong practitioner brought a photo to the official. Pointing at the photo, the practitioner said: "Look at it. This Falun Gong practitioner was persecuted to death by the CCP."

Facing the facts, the embassy official didn't say anything and walked away.

After he left, practitioners continued to play the recordings. About half of an hour later, a French policeman came.

The policeman told a practitioner: "Can you lower the volume? Your recordings are not related to your activity." Obviously the Chinese Embassy had called the police to interfere with practitioners' truth-clarifying efforts.

The practitioner told the policeman: "The Chinese people have been deceived and persecuted by the CCP since 1949. Exposing the CCP's lies and clarifying the truth is to help people who have been deceived and bewildered by the CCP so that they can be freed from the CCP's control and persecution. Of course, we also want to help the Chinese Embassy officials to learn about the truth."

The practitioner also told the policeman many persecution cases, and showed him some photos of persecuted practitioners. "More than 2000 practitioners have been persecuted to death, many are being detained in the CCP's prisons, and forced labor camps, while a lot practitioners' children have become orphans as their parents have been persecuted to death."

When the policeman learned the truth, tears filled his eyes. He said, "We sympathize with your suffering and support you. Keep it up."

The Falun Gong practitioner said: "Thank you."

The satisfied policeman then left the appeal site.

It has been six years since the persecution started on July 20th 1999. The Falun Gong practitioners in Paris have been continuously raising awareness of the persecution and clarifying the truth. In the course of the six years, they have seen the changes in the public: more and more people are coming to learn about the persecution and their conscience is awakening..

Source http://clearharmony.net/articles/200508/28080.html

By July 20, 2005, the persecution of Falun Gong, which was started by Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party, has lasted six years. Persecution, however, will never change Falun Gong practitioners' belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance". On the contrary, with the continuous efforts of the Falun Gong practitioners, more people have learned about the goodness of Falun Gong and the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The appeal site

On July 20, 2005, from 12 noon to 11pm, some Czech practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Prague to condemn the persecution and clarify the truth to the people and the media.

A practitioner reads a statement calling for an end to the persecution

Torture re-enactment

The people living in the houses opposite the embassy were the first to learn the truth of the persecution. They then let practitioners use the wall of the complex to hang truth-clarifying materials. During the process of hanging up the banners, a photographer from the Czech TV Station also came and said, "The media is here to support you!" He filmed the torture exhibition pictures as well as the practitioners' meditation.

Before 3 pm, many people came to the embassy to get visas or to renew their passports. The practitioners used this period of time to hold a press conference and talk about Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Gao Rongrong, whose face was cruelly disfigured by torture and who was later killed. People listened carefully. One photographer from a local newspaper said, "I'm sorry that this kind of thing is happening. I hope your efforts will get results."

Two girls aged seven and eight painted many pictures entitled "Falun Dafa is Great" at home. When a Chinese officer came out, one of the younger girls happily presented one of her works to this officer who refused it rudely. However, she still put the painting into the embassy's mailbox later on.

Candlelight vigil

That night, the practitioners sat quietly during a candlelight vigil. We hope the righteous belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" can awaken these Chinese officials' consciousness.

Good Afternoon. I take off my hat to you for the amazing strength you demonstrate with your brothers and sisters in China in the face of terrible persecution.

Rev. Dr. Clark Lobenstine

It is wonderful to see so many people gathered here today and it reminds me of a promise of Jesus in my Christian tradition that "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Of course today we are gathered in the name of pluralism, tolerance, and religious freedom. As I look around, it is clear to me that these tenets are born and nurtured among us.

My name is Dr. Rev. Clark Lobenstine, Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (the IFC). The IFC is a twenty-six-year-old organization that unites the Baha'i, Hindu, Islamic, Jain, Jewish, Latter-day Saints, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Sikh, and Zoroastrian faith communities in this region. We come together to celebrate both our similarities and our differences and to affirm the autonomy of the individual, equal before God, and to join hands as a voice in this world that cannot be broken down into historical, dogmatic, or geographical differences. We join hands as a voice for social justice.

The persecution of the Falun Gong movement in China is something that is dear to my heart and to the heart of the IFC. Personally, my father grew up in China, the son of a Presbyterian missionary there for nearly 40 years who was the Foreign Secretary of the National Christian Council of China from 1915 when it was founded to 1935 when he left China.

For IFC, all of the faith traditions that we represent have experienced persecution at some time and in some place. We empathize with the Falun Gong practitioners who are being unjustly persecuted in China. We share the challenges that this community faces, for an attack on one individual's freedom of religious or spiritual choice is an attack on all of us.

We understand that the persecution of the Falun Gong community may threaten the fabric of this community, but as I look around here at this gathering in Washington, DC, it is clear that this threat is in vain. What the Chinese government and those responsible for this persecution do not realize is that the attempts to suffocate a community and practice that is grounded in principles of peace, wholeness, and self-improvement only lead to a stronger unity and the publicity of the Falun Gong movement.

As witnessed by the growing support for the Falun Gong cause throughout the world, this persecution has stimulated the practice of universal life energy, not stifled it. We pray that Falun Gong practitioners and others will continue to use this injustice to deepen the practice of qigong.

I would like to commend the U.S. Congress for its unanimous support of resolutions that criticized the Chinese government for its oppression of Falun Gong. China has signed onto the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and it is our responsibility as fellow citizens of the world, as legislators, and as practitioners of religious freedom to hold the Chinese government accountable to this declaration. This is not a matter of China's autonomy, but a matter of inherent rights granted to, and deserved by, all individuals. We call on our legislators, our Congressional representatives and Senators, to continue to urge our government to persuade the Chinese government to end this terrible persecution and to support the grassroots efforts that have made this movement grow into the success that it has become. Again, many thanks for the privilege of joining you today.