By Rona in Sydney
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit
is being held on September 3 to 9, 2007, in Sydney, Australia. Falun Gong practitioners
from different states of Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand and
other places gathered in Sydney. They held a series of activities every day
in Darling Harbor Park and Hyde Park in downtown Sydney. The activities included
group practice, an anti-torture exhibit, a Great Wall of Truth, photo exhibit,
candlelight vigil and other activities. The purpose of the activities is to
expose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners over the past eight
years in China and call on the international community to help end the persecution
of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The media show concern about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong
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Falun Gong practitioners in yellow clothing could be seen in downtown Sydney
in small groups of three to five people holding display boards, distributing
handouts and collecting signatures in the main streets. Yellow T-shirts become
a notable scene on the streets during the APEC summit, catching the attention
of international media organizations such as Reuters, AFP, VOA, AP, Central
News Agency, Channel Ten, Channel Seven, Australia Broadcasting Corporation
television (ABC), the Sydney Morning Herald, the News Agency of Japan, Taiwan
Macro TV station, Philippines media, NTDTV, and the Epoch Times. Many media
organizations conducted interviews and covered the practitioners' events.
On September 4, Australian Falun Gong practitioners went to consulates of
the APEC member countries in Sydney to deliver an open letter and an independent
investigation report on the CCP's organ harvesting from living Falun Gong
practitioners. They called on these nations to be concerned about the brutal
persecution of Falun Gong group in China, and to help stop the catastrophe that
has persisted for eight years in China.
Ms. Zhao from the New South Wales Falun Dafa Association said that Falun Gong
does not participate in politics, nor does it oppose any government. Our activities
held during the APEC summit and our letters delivered to leaders of different
countries are aimed at calling on governments of different countries and the
media during the APEC summit to pay attention to the persecution that has persisted
for eight years and the CCP's atrocity of harvesting organs from living
people. We hope that when governments of different countries meet Chinese leader
Hu Jintao and other Chinese officials, they can express their concerns over
the Falun Gong human rights issues in China, in order to help stop the persecution
of Falun Gong immediately. Falun Gong practitioners who delivered letters were
well received by staff working at consulates of different countries. Consulate
staff expressed their willingness to relay the information to the relevant departments,
and transfer the open letter and investigation reports to leaders of their countries.
Practitioners who handed out materials on the streets often encountered members
of delegations from various countries and the media. The yellow T-shirts everywhere
together raise great concern about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong.
The media came every day to Falun Gong practitioners to take photos and conduct
interviews.
Posting date: 8/Sep/2007
Original article date: 7/Sep/2007
Category: Australian News