(Clearwisdom.net) On July 23, 2004, more than one thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world formed a two-mile-long "Great Wall of Courage" in Washington, D.C. They use this special way to demonstrate Falun Gong's unyielding courage in the face of five years of persecution by Jiang's regime and to strongly protest against the regime's terrorist acts targeting overseas Falun Gong practitioners.
The "Great Wall of Courage" began at the World War II Memorial and ended at the Chinese Embassy. More than one thousand Falun Gong practitioners of different ethnic groups, dressed in T-shirts printed with "Falun Dafa Is Great" and "Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong," neatly lined up along the sidewalk. They held banners showing the facts of the persecution, demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises and distributed truth-clarification materials. The activity lasted five hours.
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Mr. Huang from Washington, D.C. told the reporter, "We are inspired by the peaceful 'April 25 Appeal' when more than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners petitioned the government in Beijing five years ago. However, Jiang Zemin, out of his jealousy, launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999 and attempted to wipe out Falun Gong within three months. Today, in this free land, a 'Great Wall of Courage' is formed with the spirit of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.' And it is formed by Falun Gong practitioners from more than sixty countries and different ethnic groups. It is a demonstration that no force will be able to shake Falun Gong. No measure will be able to change it."
Among the participants were some who were present at the 'April 25 Appeal' five years ago. Ms. Xu said, "It reminds me of the peaceful scene of the appeal in China five years ago. It was the first time that I had ever witnessed how more than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all walks of life showed the best kindness in human nature, without any major planning or instruction. I strongly believe that Falun Gong practitioners will never be defeated. The 'Great Wall of Courage' is just one more proof after five years of persecution."
Mr. Huang told the reporter of the meaning of this activity: "In the past five years, Jiang has not only resorted to physical and mental tortures in the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, but he also extended the state terrorism to overseas Falun Gong practitioners. Harassments, attacks and confiscation of passports have been escalating. They even hired gunmen to shoot Falun Gong practitioners in South Africa. We overseas Falun Gong practitioners should stand up to call for the end of the persecution."
Ms. Yang, a sixty-six-year-old Australian, witness the whole shooting incident in South Africa. She said the terrorist act would not deter Falun Gong practitioners who hold themselves to "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." She would go to South Africa again to bring Dafa to the people if she got a chance.
Mr. Jian from Hong Kong said, "Jiang's regime has hired unidentified people to attack Falun Gong practitioners at their truth-clarification activities in tourist spots in Hong Kong. We turn to the law to bring these people to justice. We are working together with Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world to end the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners."
At the starting point of the "Great Wall of Courage," hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners from Taiwan covered more than twenty blocks. Ms. Huang said, "In the past five years, more and more Taiwanese have learned about Falun Gong. There are three hundred thousand Falun Gong practitioners in Taiwan. We have the responsibility to spread the truth of Falun Dafa throughout the world."
A practitioner named Christian from Austria said that more than one hundred Falun Gong practitioners from European had come to Washington D.C. for this activity. Every country in Europe has Falun Gong practitioners. He came to speak up for Falun Gong practitioners under persecution in China.
More than thirty practitioners from Korea joined the "Great Wall of Courage." Ms. Wang said, "Though most Korean Falun Gong practitioners didn't come this time, we always share the same wish to bring Falun Dafa to the world, wherever we are."
This was the first time that overseas Falun Gong practitioners held a truth-clarification activity by forming a wall. Many passersby stopped to get truth-clarification materials and to look at the banners. Many of them expressed their appreciation of Falun Gong practitioners' unyielding courage.
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Category: Rallies & Protests
