Falun Dafa Association of New Zealand Inc.
For immediate release

July 17, 2008

Calling for an End to 9 Years Brutal Persecution of Falun Gong

Falun Gong practitioners will hold activities in Wellington on Thursday 17th July and Friday 18th July, calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The continuing atrocities committed by the Chinese Communist Party, our Olympic hosts, will be highlighted with anti-torture displays and commemorations for the thousands who have been killed.

20 July, 2008 marks the ninth anniversary of the Chinese communist regime's bloody persecution of Falun Gong.

Since July 20, 1999, the Chinese communist regime has waged an unprecedented persecution campaign against Falun Gong practitioners in China. Many are violently beaten, tortured, force-fed, raped and killed by the communist regime, simply for refusing to stop practising Falun Gong.

3144 practitioners are confirmed dead. Over 100,000 have been illegally sent to labour camps. More than 6,000 have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 18 years. Hundreds of thousands have been illegally arrested and detained.

All media in China is controlled by the CCP, resulting in an unparalleled propaganda campaign to defame and vilify Falun Gong since 1999. This campaign has been an extensive effort to turn the public against Falun Gong practitioners by inciting hatred and violence against them.

BACKGROUND:

What is Falun Gong?
Falun Gong is an ancient Chinese spiritual practice based on the teachings of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Practitioners strive to cultivate these universal principles in everything they do. The practice consists of studying the teachings of founder Li Hongzhi and five gentle exercises and mediation.
Before July 20, 1999 Falun Gong was practised freely all over China. Parks filled with practitioners every morning to exercise, and the number practising was between 70-100 million. Today, more than 100 million people around the world benefit from practising Falun Dafa.

Why is Falun Gong persecuted?
Communist ideology does not believe in higher entities and communist China has attempted to eradicate religion and spiritual belief for decades. Former president Jiang Zemin was afraid Falun Dafa would overshadow his own legacy as the numbers practicing soon outnumbered the amount of people belonging to the communist party. Basically, he freaked out, set up a gestapo-like police force and launched a genocide campaign on July 20, 1999.

The activities are as follows and all are welcome to show support:

Thursday 17 July: End the 9-year persecution of Falun Gong in China
9:30am-12:00pm: Performing Falun Gong exercises Manners Mall
12:00pm to 1:30pm: March (through Manners Street, Willis Street, Lambton Quay and arrival at Parliament
1:30pm to 3pm: Rally at Parliament
5:00pm-7:30pm: Candle vigil at the new Courtenay Place park.

Friday 18 July: Supporting the 40 million Chinese who have quit the Chinese Communist Party.
9:30am-12:00pm: Falun Gong exercises at the new Courtenay place.
12:00pm to 1:30pm: March (through Manners Street, Willis Street, Lambton Quay, Bowen street, Tinakori road and arrive outside the Chinese Embassy) with Divine Land brass band leading the group.
1:30pm to 3:00pm: Rally on the footpath opposite the Chinese Embassy.

ENDS

Website links for more information:
www.falundafa.org
www.faluninfo.net
www.cipfg.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkf2u1Umzi4

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