Message from Ms Patricia McKenna, MEP from Ireland, for Falun Gong Demonstration, Saturday 20 July:

I am sorry I cannot be here today to commemorate the third anniversary of the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

I convey a message of deepest sympathy to the victims of persecution in China. This massive clampdown on practitioners of a spiritual, completely peaceful and historic practice is one of the greatest tragedies of our times. There are over 100 million people practising the simple exercises of Falun Gong worldwide. Meanwhile in China, everything has been done since 1999 to crush the movement seen as subversive by the Chinese Government. It was reported recently that over 415 people have been tortured to death.

However, according to Government officials inside China, the actual toll is over 1600. Over 100,000 practitioners have been arrested and detained in labour camps in China.

The great lobbying work by the Irish network supporting Trinity College student and Falun Gong practitioner Zhao Ming secured his release as the Irish Government eventually intervened in his favour.

But there is much more to be done as persecution can take many daises. Chinese Falun Dafa [practitioners] throughout the world are at the mercy of the Chinese Embassies and some have reported being denied passport renewals and could be facing deportation. This is the case of Dai Dongxue, who was not able to attend her mother's funeral because the Chinese Embassy in Ireland refused to renew her passport unless she renounced her practice. This totally abusive behaviour is unacceptable and has no place in Ireland.

The Irish government must put more pressure on the Chinese authorities and urge them to stop persecuting innocent people and denying them the right to exercise their basic human rights. Irish businesses should not trade with China and turn a blind eye to the barbaric methods used by the Chinese regime against Falun Gong practitioners. I call on the bodies representing business to publicly condemn this persecution and urge Irish companies to stop trading with China until these terrible abuses are stopped.

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Patricia McKenna MEP

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Category: Voices of Support Worldwide