Australia News
Mr. Tang Xianhui, 42, a former democracy activist and current Falun Gong practitioner of six years, has been blacklisted in China for his democratic activities several years ago and is currently facing severe persecution for his practice of Falun Gong if he is deported back to China.
After the success of launching Jennifer Zeng’s book “Witnessing History – One Woman’s Fight for Freedom and Falun Gong” (Allen & Unwin) on the Sunshine Coast in early April, Falun Gong practitioners once again invited the author to attend further activities in late May to further share her story in China.
Hundreds of Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) practitioners travelled from all parts of Australia to participate in the national World Falun Dafa Day celebrations in Sydney from Friday to Sunday. The annual Grand Parade took place on Sunday, May 15 and the practitioners from Queensland, Victoria, ACT, South Australia and regional NSW attended the event.
On May 1, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from Australia gathered in front of the Singapore Embassy to hold a peaceful appeal and a news conference. They were protesting the Singapore court’s unjust conviction of Falun Gong practitioners.
Australian Prime Minister Mr. John Howard will visit China at the end of April and sign trade agreements between the two countries. Before his departure, Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney held a candlelight vigil and urged Mr. Howard to put forward the Falun Gong issue to the Chinese government during his visit.
Hundreds of people who visited the exhibition were deeply moved as they learned of the persecution that is being experienced by the countless and innocent Falun Gong practitioners in China. They were shocked that such a cruel and widespread persecution is happening in the 21st Century.
Witnessing History is a tale of courage and conviction over the most grueling adversity, revealing a hidden tragedy that is continuing to this day behind closed doors in Mainland China.
I write to you concerning some recent contributions I have made in the Parliament on Falun Gong and the freedom of speech.
On April 5, 2005, Wu Jialong, the deputy Mayor of Chonqing City and his delegation visited Brisbane, the Capitol of Queensland. Falun Gong practitioners took this opportunity to conduct a peaceful appeal calling for an end to the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Falun Gong seek justice to end censorship of appeal in Canberra
The Australian Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, has used the Vienna Convention in an unprecedented manner regarding the Falun Gong appeals outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. Australia is the only democratic country that restricts Falun Gong appeals.
Since 16 March 2002, Mr Downer has interpreted any Falun Gong signage to “impair the dignity” of the Chinese mission according to the Vienna Convention, Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities (DPI) Regulations. Mr Downer has signed DPI certificates every month preventing the display of any Falun Gong banners, including “Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance” and “Stop the Killing”.
