(Clearwisdom.net) The Voice of America reported on May 14th that U.S. Falun Gong practitioners are arriving in Chicago, traveling from the West Coast and East Coast in car tours to garner sympathy and support from the public for their lawsuit against former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin.
Gathering support through car tours
Over a dozen Falun Gong practitioners joined the car tour from the Los Angeles and San Diego areas of southern California. They held demonstrations in both of those cities, with photo displays and also staged dramatizations, graphically portraying the torture of practitioners that is taking place in the persecution in China. These activities raise awareness among the people in the U.S. about the many years of persecution Falun Gong practitioners have suffered in China. The coordinator of this activity said that not only did The World Journal, China Press and New Tang Dynasty Television Network cover these demonstrations, but local English-speaking media such as the Los Angeles Times, FOX Television Network and some local radio stations were also present to interview practitioners and photograph these activities.
During an appeal held outside Los Angeles City Hall, one of the participants of the car tour, Huang Yiyan, talked about the car tour, including their goals and routes that they will travel.
Huang Yiyan said, " Jiang Zemin has already been sued in over 15 countries, and Chicago's Seventh Circuit Court has meanwhile entered the final hearing stage. This car tour is in support of this case. One of the reasons we are suing Jiang is for torture. He has committed genocide and crimes against humanity. We will depart from San Francisco and continue to the south of California, to Arizona, New Mexico, then north to Colorado, and further north-east until we reach our final destination, Chicago. It will take a total of 11 to 12 days."
According to introductory information, another group of Falun Gong practitioners is coming from New York to hold similar activities. Additionally, some young Falun Gong practitioners are riding their bikes from Washington D.C to Chicago; this tour is called the "Pedals of Peace."
Fu Yeong-ching, "This is not just for rescuing my husband"
U.S. citizen Charles Lee's fiancé Fu Yeong-ching is also one of the car tour members from the West Coast. The reporter noticed her white attire, and that she tied herself to a long bench, to represent what she has described as the "Tiger Bench," [a particularly sinister form of torture] while the man in the police uniform simulated the action of force-feeding. Fu Yeong-ching, from Malaysia, said that because Charles Lee is unwilling to give up his belief in Falun Dafa, he was sentenced to three years in prison. Although his sentence is already half over, she won't stop the rescue effort for Charles and other Falun Gong practitioners that are being detained.
Fu Yongying continued, "Doing this is also rescuing them; such efforts have rescued many Falun Gong practitioners. It is not only just for Charles Lee. If the hearing on May 27th in Chicago's Seventh Circuit Court is successful, then it will benefit everyone."
Bian Xuzhuang has finally obtained the freedom of belief
Falun Gong practitioner Bian Xuzhuang is also recreating the suffering of torture in front of Los Angeles City Hall, attracting many people's attention. This over 60 years old former national bureau employee said that both he and his spouse practice Falun Gong and have been persecuted by China's police. He emphasized that citizens should have the freedom of belief.
Bian Xuzhuang said, "Just like me, many of our practitioners are highly educated, and worked in a national bureau. I should be able to have freedom of belief. So, I need to clarify the truth, allow people to understand the truth of this persecution and help bring Jiang Zemin to justice."
Bian Xuzhuang also told the reporter that he and his wife had fled to Thailand and arrived in the U.S. with the help of the United Nations Refugee Organization. Once in the U.S. they were able to practice freely. He also indicated that he wished for the re-establishment of the right to practice freely in China, as he would like to return in the future.
Bian Xuzhuang continued, "I would like to return to China because I love China. I am not against the government. Actually, Falun Gong does not take part in politics or in anti-government work. Falun Gong is merely a belief, and one needs to have the freedom to practice it legally. This is a human being's basic right. I hope China will continue to develop prosperously, but it should not have this cruel persecution."
The U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois dismissed the case against Jiang Zemin last September on the basis of a Head of State's immunity protection. The plaintiffs have recently filed an appeal with the Appeals Court in Chicago.