(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held a parade in downtown Brisbane on July 15, 2023, to mark the 24th year of practitioners peacefully countering the persecution of their faith by the communist regime in China and to call on the public to help end the persecution.
The parade consisted of three sections:
The first section introduced Falun Dafa through banners and flags with messages including “The World Needs Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”
The second section highlights the CCP’s persecution. Practitioners dressed in white carried banners with the messages, “The Torture and Killing of Falun Gong Began in July 1999 and Never Stopped” and “In Memory of Falun Gong practitioners killed by the Chinese Communist Party.”
The third part of the parade showed people the beauty of Falun Dafa and how practitioners have benefited from it.
Practitioners held group exercises and other activities in Brisbane Square to raise awareness of the persecution and mourn practitioners tortured to death for their belief in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. Many people were shocked to learn of the atrocities and signed a petition condemning the persecution.
Letter of Support from Vietnamese Community in Australia – Queensland Chapter
Dr. Cuong Bui OAM, President of the Queensland Chapter of the Vietnamese Community in Australia, sent practitioners a letter of support. He wrote, “Jiang Zemin started the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999 to wipe out the group of cultivators in China. The brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners continues to this day, except it is more secretive.
“China is the only country in the world to trade in human organs. These organs come from prisoners of conscience, Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghurs.
He emphasised, “We must continue to work hard for the release of all Falun Gong cultivators and speak out for the more than one billion people who continue to be suppressed under the rule of the CCP. Let us pray for the victims of Communist ideology.”
“The Whole World Should Come Together” to Oppose the Persecution
Olivia works at a school. Her husband Dallas is a sales manager. They took their daughter to the city on an outing and happened to pass by the area where practitioners held activities. They watched the parade and read the messages on the banners. A practitioner told them about Falun Dafa and gave them flyers, which they immediately read.
Olivia said Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are just what the world needs now. She said, “As Australians born and raised here, it is hard to imagine how evil the CCP is. They even dare to commit organ harvesting crimes. These are things only the devil would do!”
Dallas said, “This persecution has gone on for 24 years. It is too long! The whole world should come together to oppose this!” Olivia and Dallas both signed the petition.
Appreciation for a Peaceful Parade
Lanya works at a company. She stopped in front of a display board and listened as a practitioner told her about the persecution.
She said, “The energy field from your exercise music is powerful. The meditation exercise looks peaceful and calm. Your have been oppressed for 24 years, yet your parade is rational and peaceful! I will read your brochure carefully when I go home.”
She also said, “The world is in trouble today. This is how to deal with the threat from the CCP.” She hopes practitioners can spread the truth far and wide, stop the persecution, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“This Is Too Evil”
Joshua Fits works at a factory. He happened to attend a social gathering at the library in the city when he was drawn to the practitioners’ parade. He came over to find out what was going on.
A practitioner told him about the terrible torture practitioners in China had suffered during the persecution for 24 years as well as organ harvesting. He said, “I know that in the hospital, you need the person to consent to donating their organs. It is murder to take the organs of Falun Gong practitioners without consent. This is too evil.”
Parade Helps More People Learn About the Persecution
Angus works at a bank. He and his wife saw the parade on Adelaide Street. He said, “I have been following news on Falun Gong for several years, and the persecution is very worrying. They are simply practicing meditation and exercises, yet nearly all of them are arrested, their organs are even taken by force. This is frightening.”
He said, “There is a serious human rights problem in China. The law cannot protect Chinese citizens. In China, practitioners cannot express their views freely. Australia is a democratic country, so it’s a great idea to let more people know about the persecution through a parade like this.”
CCP’s Dictatorship and Tyranny “Should Be Condemned”
Pavle is from Yugoslavia. He moved to Australia with his parents when he was six. He is a musician, guitarist and singer currently studying music composition at TAFE (Technical and Further Education). He was moved by the parade.
He said Falun Dafa’s principles resonated with him and aligned with Australian values and universal human values. He could not understand why the CCP targets practitioners and said, “Persecuting such a beautiful mind and body practice, to victimise so many good people who practice Falun Gong, this is foolish!”
Pavle also said, “Yugoslavia was a communist country, and my parents went through brainwashing and human rights violations because of the communist ideology. The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and ignoring human rights is because of its communist nature. Everyone has the right to choose their belief. The CCP’s dictatorship and tyranny should be condemned!”
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide.
Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organisation with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.