(Clearwisdom.net) On September 5, the Falun Gong - Iceland Dialogue Committee, comprised of practitioners from the USA, Canada and Europe, launched its first dialogue with high-level Icelandic officials. Ragnar Adalsteinsson, Iceland's number one Human Rights defender and Supreme Court lawyer also took part in the dialogue and volunteered as practitioners' legal counsel.
The dialogue between Falun Gong representatives and the Icelandic Government drew the attention of all Icelandic media. At the scene of the dialogue, the Icelandic TV station broadcast on the spot coverage. After the meeting, reporters from the Icelandic TV station and other media interviewed practitioners and compiled reports about the dialogue process.
Although the Icelandic government has so far made no amends for its wrongful decision to ban Falun Gong practitioners from Iceland during the time of the Chinese dictator's visit, the righteousness, tolerance and compassion displayed by the Falun Gong practitioners in the dialogue process can help the Icelandic government to truly understand the truth of Falun Gong and amend its wrong decision in June.
1. The dialogue that directly targeted one's mind.
At 10:00 on the morning of September 5th, the dialogue began. Five Icelandic officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice participated in the dialogue, which lasted for three hours. Practitioners began their presentation by showing the fifteen-minute video, "SOS! Urgent Rescue Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in China." Then, the practitioners introduced how Falun Gong has been subjected to systematic and brutal persecution by Jiang's regime, how Falun Gong has improved people's health and upgraded people's moral standard and become popular with people. They explained that over the past three years, even though persecuted in China, Falun Gong has been welcomed in over fifty countries around the world, how practitioners' tolerance and compassion has been bringing hope and moral courage to the world's citizens. Falun Gong has been awarded with over 700 prizes with its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi ,being nominated as one of the candidates of Nobel Peace Prize in the successive two years.
Practitioners pointed out that Jiang's persecution is in fact the persecution of the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, persecution of the values underlying the foundation of human society. The persecution is destroying the whole country and threatens all of humanity. Therefore, out of their true love to China and the Chinese people, Falun Gong practitioners stand up for truth and justice, making peaceful appeals around the world for the end of the persecution. With their selfless, peaceful and compassionate appeals, Falun Gong practitioners have earned the respect of citizens around the world. The purpose of Falun Gong practitioners' traveling to Iceland was to appeal to Jiang Zemin to stop the persecution against Falun Gong.
Practitioners also indicated that at least 200 of their fellows were either detained upon arriving in Iceland or barred from entering Iceland. The Icelandic Ministry of Justice imposed the ban on Falun Gong travelers, fearing that the appeal made by Falun Gong practitioners might be "out of control and cause damage to the public." However, the ban not only damaged the reputation and dignity of peaceful and law-abiding Falun Gong practitioners but also suppressed people's freedoms of belief, expression and assembly. The practitioners' presentation at the dialogue proceeded to describe a series of problems arising from by the ban.
The presentation pointed out that Iceland was the first country to deny boarding to Falun Gong travelers attempting to visit their country. The behavior not only suppressed the voice of righteousness but also sent out the wrong message to Jiang's regime, encouraging them to continue their persecution of Falun Gong. Moreover, the deed went against the will of 95 percent of Icelanders, forsook its history as the longest standing democracy and tarnished its reputation as a genuine protector of human rights. Practitioners do not wish to see Jiang use Iceland as an example to continue its suppression and damage of other countries. For democratic countries, it is very dangerous to acquire economic benefits at the cost of the country's righteousness, principles and freedom of belief.
Falun Gong practitioners went on to show that the ban on Falun Gong travelers was not a minor thing. All of the Falun Gong practitioners have been making efforts to stop the most brutal persecution in the human history. Every day, the persecution is being inflicted, which means that more lives are disappearing from this world.
During the one-hour introduction of Falun Gong, no one interrupted the practitioners. The Icelandic officials had been attentive, writing down details of the introduction.
2. "We have received various kinds of weird requests from Chinese government"
During the process of the conversation, Falun Gong practitioners pointed out that they had come to Iceland to appeal to stop the persecution, and to remind Jiang that he has to bear primary responsibility for persecuting Falun Gong. In Germany, in order not to see Falun Gong practitioners and evade living up to his responsibilities, Jiang threatened the German government that he would cancel an interview if he saw people wearing yellow clothes anywhere nearby.
We met an Icelandic citizen working in a hotel, she said, "At the beginning of June, Chinese embassy's officials had come to the hotel where she worked as well as other hotels. They threatened them to cancel all rooms which Falun Gong practitioners reserved." She also pointed out that before Jiang's coming, Icelandic media had reported that if Iceland didn't concede to Jiang's demands, Jiang would cancel his trip to Iceland.
Icelandic government official also revealed, "We have received various kinds of weird requests from the Chinese government."
3. Icelandic officials: We won't treat Falun Gong like this again.
During the conversation, Icelandic government officials had pointed out that their actions with respect to Falun Gong were not due to negative opinions held by the Icelandic government, but rather, the ban was made due to the limited number of police available to patrol the situation.
Practitioners pointed out Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful behavior. No matter how many practitioners come, the number of police should not be a concern. For example, there were no police present when 600 Falun Gong practitioners assembled in Sweden last year. During the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, the police had given prior approval to the presence of only two groups to make public appeals there, an organization representing the disabled, and Falun Gong. In Ottawa, Canada, police are rarely present for practitioners' frequent appeals in front of the Chinese Embassy. In fact, an Ottawa city councilor praised Falun Gong as a model of good order. Practitioners pointed out that during the past three years of brutal persecution, Falun Gong has always followed the teachings, not fighting back when being beaten or cursed. There has been not even one incident of a practitioner reacting to the persecution with violence.
Icelandic government officials also admitted that they had seen that Falun Gong is peaceful and non-violent, unlike many other unstable "causes" that they must deal with.
Practitioners pointed out that since the Falun Gong's peaceful and non-violent nature of any Falun Gong gathering can be ensured, then practitioners should certainly be allowed to enter the country, and the country's police and other resources could be free to manage the protests of groups who don't always choose to appeal peacefully.
When Icelandic officials pointed out that what they had done was in accordance with the international law, practitioners pointed out that the law is for defending justice, not to silence justice. Furthermore, how can the use of law be appropriate when at the same time it violates other laws, such as the rights to freedom of belief, assembly, etcetera.
Practitioners ended the meeting by asking, "Will you treat Falun Gong like this in the future?" An official responded immediately, "No, we won't treat Falun Gong like this."
4. The apology of Lithuanian president caused a great concern between Icelandic officials
What deserves to be mentioned here is that the Falun Gong practitioners pointed out that during Jiang's visit to Lithuania, local police had violently treated some protesting groups. The Lithuanian president and other officials apologized for it on TV the next day.
Media reports of the apology by the Lithuanian president caused great concern among Icelandic officials, because it was a good example for Iceland to consider. The heads of the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs read an article published in the June 23 issue of the Baltimore Sun that practitioners had brought with them with great interest. It said, "Reykjavik (the capital of Iceland) behaved obsequiously."
5. The "blacklist" is the most irksome thing for the Icelandic government
The spokesperson of Falun Gong practitioners said that the Falun Gong practitioners were denied to enter Iceland for their belief, and were even detained illegally. The act obviously violated the international bill of human rights. In addition, the "blacklist" of Falun Gong practitioners is used to "hold up" the innocent Falun Gong practitioners in many international airports and Customs around the globe. These practitioners were identified with the blacklist.
The blacklist used to stop Falun Gong practitioners from boarding aircraft bound for Iceland in many international airports is the most irksome for the Icelandic government, because the Icelandic people thought that it was provided by the Jiang regime. Earlier, officials of the Icelandic government had declared that the "blacklist" came from the Interpol.
Practitioners contacted Interpol in France. Interpol explained that it "only provides information about crimes." Thus, Interpol does not have a name list of Falun Gong practitioners. At the same time, Interpol confirmed that they had never provided any name list of Falun Gong to Iceland.
However, during the recent dialogue, Iceland insistently denied that the "blacklist" had come from the Interpol.
When the practitioners persistently asked the origin of the "blacklist," the Icelandic officials indicated that "it was from the reservations of Falun Gong practitioners as a group at the hotels and their applications for visas."
The practitioners immediately pointed out that the reservations of Falun Gong practitioners had only information of certain individuals, those making the reservations. They could not know the information of all practitioners. Besides, many practitioners didn't need visas.
Meanwhile, the Icelandic officials did not know how to respond. An official admitted, "We have received various kinds of information from China." When the practitioners asked whether it included the "blacklist," the Icelandic officials did not deny it.
6. Iceland Incident caused many Government and Parliamentarians' concerns
The Iceland incident raised concerns in Canada, the United States and many European countries. The U.S. government called on Iceland to give an explanation. The Canadian government presented the Icelandic government with a diplomatic memorandum of understanding along with Falun Gong practitioners' appeal. Several dozen Parliamentarians and Congressmen from the U.S., Canada, European countries and EU Parliament wrote to Icelandic government and other organizations to express their shock at the news that such a democratic country like Iceland would, under Jiang's pressure, suppress the justice voice and violate human rights.
Canadian ambassador to Iceland met Falun Gong practitioners from Canada three times in the course of the negotiation between Icelandic officials and Falun Gong representatives. The ambassador highly praised Falun Gong practitioners' deeds in Iceland and said: "You have done [a great job] in a dignified manner in Iceland." When meeting the practitioners for the third time, the ambassador, referring to the very rare clear sky and warm weather in September, said: "You people have brought the good weather to Iceland." "We side with you." The ambassador also told us that he might see Chinese ambassador in Iceland soon, and he would tell him that Canadian government condemns China's oppression of Falun Gong, and that he would ask China to stop persecuting Falun Gong.
Falun Gong practitioners also visited German ambassador to Iceland and the official of U.S. Embassy in Iceland. They all expressed grave concern over the Icelandic incident.
7. Falun Gong practitioners continue to strive to improve the situation in Iceland
In addition to setting a precedent for future dialogues between Falun Gong practitioners and a government, these practitioners also demonstrated their great kindness and steadfast belief in the Icelandic incident. On the other hand, practitioners took advantage of the dialogue to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to more Icelandic people, government officials and non-governmental organizations. It not only plays an important role in helping the Icelandic government further understand the truth of Falun Gong and dismiss the vicious propaganda orchestrated by Jiang's group, but it is also good for Icelandic government and its people in the future.
Some practitioners from the U.S. and other countries who volunteered to participate in the dialogue between Falun Gong and Icelandic government will continue to do their level best to improve the situation in Iceland.
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