(Minghui.org) On the evening of July 20, 2023, Falun Dafa practitioners in Melbourne, held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate to commemorate practitioners who died as a result of the CCP’s (Chinese Communist Party) persecution. They protested the CCP’s 24-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa and the Party’s crimes against humanity.
Practitioners held a march and rally in Melbourne on July 15. Human rights activists and community leaders spoke in support of Falun Dafa and others oppressed by the CCP. David Limbrick, Member of Parliament of Victoria, sent a letter of support for the series of activities, in which he condemned the persecution and said he appreciated practitioners’ courage.
Falun Dafa Association Spokesperson: The Perpetrators Will Be Held Accountable
After the march, a rally was held on the square near the State Library, on July 15. Fan Huiqiang of the Falun Dafa Association of Australia, Victoria Branch, said, “For 24 years, tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners in China were detained, imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Many died as a result of the CCP’s live organ harvesting.
“This persecution has been documented in the annual and special reports of the US government, Amnesty International, Freedom House and many other human rights organisations. Twice a year, we submit a perpetrator list to Western countries, including Australia.
“More countries have enacted laws similar to the Global Magnitsky Act of the US. The US, Canada, the UK and the EU have implemented the Human Rights Accountability Act,” Mr. Fan said.
“The Australian Parliament passed the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment Act similar to the Magnitsky Act in December 2021. This Act allows the Australian government to punish human rights abusers, corrupt officials and cyber criminals.”
Member of Parliament of Victoria Admires Practitioners’ Courage
David Limbrick, Member of Parliament of Victoria, stated in his letter, “This is a very sad anniversary, and I would like to send a message to those who continue to be persecuted in China.
“We understand that the Chinese Communist Party does not represent the values of honesty, compassion and forbearance, but Chinese people certainly do.”
Vietnamese Community Chairman: Justice Will Prevail
During his speech, Mr. Duy Quang Nguyen, Chair of the Victorian branch of the Vietnamese Community in Australia, pointed to the banner behind him and said, “Disintegrate the CCP, and justice must prevail.”
He said that when he was studying at the Australian National University in 1989, he met many Chinese students studying abroad, and together they participated in the student democracy movement. “When I saw the scene of Chinese tanks killing students on Tiananmen Square, I felt very sad.
“However, since July 1999, the CCP began killing tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners. Practitioners cannot have their own beliefs and have no freedom.”
He said that communism has devoured the lives of tens of millions of people. “I hope that one day, China, Vietnam, and Hong Kong can all become [non-communist] free countries like Australia,” said Mr. Nguyen.
Human Rights Activist: The CCP Tramples Human Rights
Andrew Bush said, “What we are facing is a gangster who gains power at any cost. The CCP controls the lives of Chinese people, and does not listen to people’s opinions at all.”
He said that Australians can get care, encouragement, respect, support, trust and understanding, but in China, people cannot.
“Falun Dafa is a very good practice with extraordinary significance,” Mr. Bush said. “People who practice Dafa are very good and decent people.”
Bush said that people must unreservedly and unquestionably expose the CCP’s abuse, organ harvesting and killing of Falun Gong practitioners and other innocent people, and expose the CCP’s continuous human rights abuses.
Board Director: Falun Dafa Is the Hope of the Chinese People
“Twenty-four years have passed and the CCP’s persecution continues,” said Gao Jian, Board Director of the China Democracy Movement Melbourne Alliance. “But Falun Dafa has spread across the world. There are more and more practitioners across the world.
“The Communist Party relies on lies and terror to maintain its power. Falun Gong practitioners expose the ugly face of the CCP by raising awareness and advising people to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organisations.”
In today’s society where morals are declining, Gao said that the spread of Falun Dafa from China is, “The pride and hope of the Chinese people.”
Undergraduate Student: The March Exposes the Persecution
Lucas Gow, a mathematics student at Swinburne University in Melbourne, was visiting the city centre with his friend, high school student Mike Oxlong. They saw the practitioners’ march and were moved.
Mr. Gow said, “I think it’s raising awareness for a big issue that a lot of people aren’t thinking about a lot in Australia because we’re so far away from China. It actually is affecting a lot of people here. We’re excited to see this and I think it’s a good way to protest.”
Mr. Oxlong agreed, “It is also interesting to learn about different cultures. At the same time, we understand the real situation of the persecution. As Australians, we have little contact with it, so it is a good thing that the public can learn more about this.”
Falun Gong practitioners at home and abroad have persisted in exposing the persecution for 20 years. Oxlong said, “I think it is really brave to do all this, because the CCP has many ways to keep people silent, and they are terrible ways. I think Falun Gong practitioners are very courageous. Please continue and persevere.”
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is Important for the World
William Irwin, a farmer from central Victoria, and his son Tom watched the march after having lunch in the city centre. They followed the procession to the end, and then listened to the speeches at the rally.
Mr. Irwin said, “It is gratifying to experience different cultures and different beliefs through today’s event, especially to see Falun Gong practitioners presenting the message of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to people.”
He said that every country on earth should allow people to practice their religion, and no government should prevent freedom of belief.
“In today’s world, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance have become more important. Under the control of the CCP, there are cameras everywhere, and the introduction of digital currency, etc., constantly restricting the freedom of Chinese people. In fact, the whole world is going in the direction of communist China. It is a sad thing.
“However, if we all stand up against it together, maybe we can hopefully stop it, as Falun Gong practitioners are doing today, through peaceful protests to show people what freedom means. You are doing great and it’s amazing.”
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, though due to the difficulty in getting information out of China, 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.
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