(Minghui.org) On the 23rd anniversary of the Chinese communist regime’s launch of its campaign to persecute Falun Gong, practitioners in Perth, Australia, held a rally to raise awareness about the on-going human rights atrocities in China. Practitioners also held a candlelight vigil the following evening, on July 21, 2022, to commemorate those who lost their lives during the persecution.

Senator Jordon Steele-John and his letter of support

Senator Jordon Steele-John and the Greens Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, sent a letter of support prior to the event.

He wrote, “I support this movement and recognise the importance of spreading awareness of what is happening in China to Falun Dafa practitioners. We must continue to call out human rights abuses in China where they occur and ensure that in maintaining our economic and trade relationship, we are not ignoring the violation of the rights of so many.

“I welcome and appreciate the contributions of Falun Dafa practitioners here in Australia. It is cultural diversity and multiculturalism that make this country so prosperous.”

Public Speak Out

Practitioners talk to the public

Many passersby stopped to talk to practitioners and were shocked to learn about the severity of the persecution. Some Chinese people stopped to talk to practitioners and asked for more information about the persecution, because information is strictly censored in China. One person said, “I’m like you. I don’t like the Chinese Communist Party either.”

“A Quiet, Silent Protest”

Justine

Justine, who works for a public relations company, said she had heard about the persecution for many years. She commented that practitioners were hosting “a quiet, silent protest” to deliver their message and didn’t force the information on anyone.

Justine condemned the communist regime for torturing practitioners, who merely want to keep fit and enjoy life by doing the practice. “They [the practitioners] didn’t harm anyone. It’s the Chinese government that is persecuting people. The most disgusting thing they did was harvest organs from living practitioners.”

The Terrible Human Rights Record of the Communist Regime

John Davey

John Davey, a retired psychologist, didn’t know much about the persecution before. He thanked practitioners for hosting the event.

Davey said he was very concerned after hearing about the forced organ harvesting in China. He said the Chinese Communist Party has a terrible record regarding human rights violations and everyone knows about the massacre of students at Tiananmen Square. He said he would help spread the word to his friends and people in the community.

“I encourage all people, including Chinese people, to look within themselves and to look at what various religions call the Heaven within you, because that spirit will lead them to the future, giving them courage and hope. Without this spirit, we will achieve nothing,” he said.

The Communist Party is the Root Cause of Everything

Sean

Sean said it shocked him to hear about the CCP’s human rights atrocities. The practitioners didn’t do anything to harm others. They just do meditation and because of that, they are persecuted.

Sean said that the reason the Communist Party persecutes practitioners is because it doesn’t like people to join with each other, even if they are doing something good.

“The dictatorship in China is dangerous because it is not good for the people. Australians have a bad impression about China. But the problem is certainly not caused by the Chinese people, but by a few top leaders of the Communist Party itself. The decisions of the Chinese government [the Communist Party] can’t represent the majority of the Chinese people,” he said.

Another passersby, Kim, also shared the same opinion as Sean that the Chinese Communist Party doesn’t represent the Chinese people. It’s just that people are afraid of the Communist Party and they don’t dare to speak their mind, or they would be persecuted.

Davy joined practitioners during the rally

Davy, after hearing about the persecution, joined practitioners in the rally. He said, “There is no human rights, no dignity and no care. People are being mistreated, and this is hard to describe with words.”

Candlelight vigil on July 21, 2022

The next evening, despite the rain, practitioners in Perth held a candlelight vigil to commemorate practitioners who have been persecuted to death.

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Category: July 20 Events