(Clearwisdom.net) At about 4 p.m. on July 20, 2005, Australian Falun Gong practitioners gathered in front of the Melbourne State Capitol and exposed the six-year persecution of Falun Gong in China. Practitioners also called upon the Australian government and the public to condemn the atrocities committed by the Chinese communist regime and help stop the persecution.

Candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate

Spokesperson of the New South Wales (NSW) Falun Dafa Association said, "Since the Chinese communist regime officially began its overall persecution against Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, more than 2,700 practitioners are known to have died from the persecution over the past six years. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has employed nearly one quarter of the country's resources to suppress Falun Gong. Nevertheless, Falun Gong practitioners have peacefully and rationally resisted the violence and deceit, and filed lawsuits against the perpetrators including Jiang Zemin and Luo Gan to international courts. Up to this point, Falun Dafa is practiced in more than 70 countries throughout the world. More and more people have learned about the truth of Falun Dafa.

Mr. Ruan Jie, Chairman of the NSW chapter of the Chinese Labor Party and Mr. Zhang Weiqiang, Secretary of Australia Chapter of Chinese Democracy Movement, addressed the rally and expressed their support of Falun Gong practitioners in opposing the persecution. They called upon the Australian people to support these just actions.

Exposing the persecution in front of the NSW capitol

Some parliament members who work in the NSW capitol came out of the building to watch the rally and live reenactment of the torture methods used against practitioners in China.

Clarifying the truth

Parliament members coming out of the building to watch the rally

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the practitioners went to the Chinese Consulate and held a candlelight vigil there to commemorate fellow practitioners who have died from the persecution. Practitioner Ms. Wang said, "It is the fifth time that I came here to attend the candlelight vigil outside the Chinese Consulate. More and more calls against the persecution can be heard from all over the world. I've seen that more and more practitioners are coming here to join the candlelight vigil. The power of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" can overcome all evil."