MESSAGE TO THE FALUN DAFA PRESS-CONFERENCE 18.2.2002

First of all I'm shocked in general by the way the Chinese Government is threatening the Falun Gong practitioners who are non-violent and peaceful people. Besides of the violation of human rights, which can be interpreted as a typical "western" way of thinking, there are nevertheless general human values that are not put in practice by the Chinese Government towards the Falun Gong practitioners. There are two examples in which Belgium is involved:

- The non violent and peaceful appeal on Tian-an-Men Square in Beijing with a group of Western practitioners , because of the unwillingness of the Chinese Government to listen to Falun Gong, is not a disturbance of social order and Chinese law, it's a normal democratic rule, even in communist ruled countries. For example, the case of Mr. Slaats.

- The exhibition organized by the Chinese authorities inside the Chinese Embassy with testimonies and photographs of the so-called "massacres" of Falun Gong to prove that it is an "evil sect" without any objective proof, is a pure propagandist brain-washing method, which can not be accepted in Belgium. I was personally invited to the exhibition one month ago.

Secondly it is time now to take legal action on Belgium level to study the problem and to ask the Chinese Government for explanation of the matter. Therefore:

- I've already informed personally our Minister of Justice Verwilghen. who asked me to prepare a dossier for him

- I'm preparing an interpellation to the Belgian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice to ask them to open the diplomatic channels to discuss the Falun Gong case with the Chinese Government.

Thirdly I will ask his Excellency the Chinese Ambassador in Belgium to discuss the matter personally.

á

Michiel Maertens, senator

Member of the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the Belgium Senate

International Parliamentary Union (IPU)-group Belgium-China

Parliamentairians for Global Action (PGA) Belgium