In the August board meeting of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at University of Technology, Sydney, SRC executives unanimously passed a resolution to condemn the persecution of Falun Dafa in China and it being extended to Australia.

In the resolution, the SRC showed their support for the rights and freedom of belief of Falun Dafa practitioners. They expressed their deep concern about the widespread torture and deaths of Falun Dafa practitioners in China, and for the harassment and interference in Australia conducted through Chinese Embassy and Consulates.

In particular, the SRC was concerned about pressure from the Chinese Communist Party on the Australian government to violate the rights of Australian Falun Dafa practitioners and supporters. An outstanding example of this is the monthly certificates that are signed by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, banning Australian Falun Gong practitioners and supporters from holding any sign or banner in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. The Foreign Minister started this process only days before the visit of Chinese Foreign Minster Tang Jiaxuan in 2002.

The SRC agreed to write letters to the Australian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and to the Australian Chinese Embassy, to express their concerns and urge the Australian government to speak out against this persecution. The SRC resolution is enclosed as follows:

UTS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION

Preamble

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is a traditional self-improvement practice for body and mind based on the universal principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance", and is commended for its devotion to public service and commitment to improving health in mind, body and spirit;

All Falun Dafa activities, including classes and conferences, are offered by volunteers and are opened to the public free of charge;

The 6-year long persecution of Falun Dafa in China severely violates the fundamental human rights enshrined in Chinese constitutional law, and has caused at least 2,671 deaths of Falun Dafa practitioners;

The Chinese Embassy and consulates in Australia continue to monitor and harass local Australian Falun Dafa practitioners and send defamatory and slanderous anti-Falun Dafa propaganda to schools, libraries and government offices, which is unacceptable interference with our supporting Falun Dafa practitioners' rights of practice, and serves to incite hatred and/or contempt towards Falun Dafa;

For the past 39 months, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has signed a monthly certificate, specifically banning Australian Falun Gong practitioners and supporters from holding any sign or banner in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberra due to the strong political pressure and economic temptation of the Chinese Communist Regime;

Motion

That the UTS STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION

a) Supports Falun Gong practitioners' freedom of belief and expression;

b) Condemns the persecution of Falun Gong in China and harassment in Australia;

c) Urges the Chinese Government to release all Falun Gong practitioners who have been illegally detained, tortured, and persecuted in prisons, detention centers, labour camps, mental hospitals and re-education centers in China;

d) Will write a letter to the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to urge him to stop signing the monthly certificate immediately;

e) Will send a letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, urging him to speak up for an immediate end to the murder, torture, abuse, and other cruel and inhuman treatment of practitioners of Falun Gong in China and help to continue to rescue Australians' family members who are illegally jailed and persecuted in China for practicing Falun Gong;

f) Supports efforts to bring Jiang Zemin to justice in the courts for his crimes in genocide, crimes against humanity and crimes of torture.

g) Will write a letter to the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Australia to urge them to stop harassing Falun Gong practitioners and inciting hatred in Australian communities to defame Falun Gong;

h) Will send copies of this resolution to The Honorable Prime Minister of Australia; The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulates in Australia.