(Clearwisdom.net) On October 9, 2008, NTDTV and its supporters from other places held a large-scale assembly in Schumann Square in Brussels to appeal for the European Union to address Eutelsat's shutting down broadcasting from the Sound of Hope Radio Network and the NTDTV into China by falsely claiming a "technical problem." Behind this incident stands the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has used economic incentives to induce Eutelsat to block freedom of the media. Some European Falun Gong practitioners participated in this event in support of NTDTV's broadcasting the truth about the CCP's brutal persecution of Falun Gong.
Display boards show Falun Gong being persecuted
Banners on the stage
Belgian MP Mr. Bart Staes
German MP Ms. Helga Trupel
Spanish MP Mr. Ral Romeva
Representative from Reporters Without Borders Mr. Olivier Basille
Passerby Ms. Alin supports freedom of the media
Passerby Chris: Your matter is our matter
Scottish mother and daughter oppose the Chinese Communist Party's news blackout
Passersby learn the truth about the persecution
Passersby learn the truth about the persecution
Passersby learn the truth about the persecution
Passersby sign petition expressing their support
Passersby sign the petition expressing their support
Quite a few Members of the European Parliament (MEP) appeared at the press conference, including Mr. Bart Staes from Belgium, German MEP Ms. Helga Trupel, Spanish MEP, Raul Romeva, and Spanish MEP, David Hammerstein. Also attending were spokesperson from NTDTV Carrie Hung, a spokesperson from Sound of Hope Radio, the European representative of Reporters Without Borders, Olivier Basille, and Chairman of Belgium Friends of Tibet, Inge Hermans.
At the press conference, the assembly organizer and spokesperson for NTDTV, Carrie Hung, provided some background regarding how and why the European Satellite Company shut off NTDTV's signal unilaterally. Afterwards, she cited the poisonous powdered milk scandal which was exposed recently in China by saying, "This is not about an individual enterprise's failure, it represents the entire industrial system and government's corruption. If there is no independent media surveillance, the problem will not be discovered until after such incidents occur.
Several months ago, Belgian MEP Bart Staes had placed information about the Eutelsat incident on his own official website saying, "What Eutelsat does is wrong, and we as Europeans have the strength to force Eutelsat to change its behavior."
Spanish MEP David Hammerstein said, "If we do not guard the European Union's basic principles of democracy, not only will China have the problem, but this problem will also reflect on Europe."
German MP Ms. Helga Trupel called for France, currently chairing the rotating EU presidency, to pressure Eutelsat to restore NTDTV's signals.
EU Reporters Without Borders representative Mr. Olivier Basille said, "What exactly has the company, which should comply with European values done. This is not only China's problem, but also a European problem."
The chairman of the Friends of Tibet of Belgium, Ms. Inge Hermans, stressed in her speech that NTDTV has been speaking out for persecuted groups and featuring the opinions of different viewers, and they will support unconditionally the restoration of the signal.
A mother and a daughter from Scotland said, "We have heard about Falun Gong being persecuted in China in the UK. I saw many people stepping forward to support the media broadcasts of the truth about the persecution. We should let more people know about the persecution happening in China now and we should stop the persecution together. Such a persecution should not be happening in this age.
The assembly started at nine in the morning and finished at three in the afternoon. During lunchtime, workers from the EU buildings also came out to observe. Passersby listened attentively to the speeches from the loudspeakers. Many people accepted informational materials, listened, and learned why the European satellite company has done this.
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