(Clearwisdom.net) Clearwisdom.net Correspondent Kelly Huang and Ying Wang report from San Francisco -- On July 11, at San Francisco's Union Square, several groups including Falun Gong practitioners in the Bay area and the "Grand Global Coalition against the Chinese Party's Extension of State-run Terrorism" held a rally and parade to raise awareness of the fact that members of Jiang's political group hired gunmen to shoot Falun Gong practitioners in South Africa. They condemned Jiang's political group for exporting the persecution of Falun Gong and their state-terrorism to countries outside China.

Parade

Parade

Rally

Torture re-enactment: forced abortion

Cary Wang, representing overseas Falun Gong practitioners persecuted by Jiang's group, gives speech at the rally

Mr. Zuo Geyuan, commentator from "San Francisco Free Forum" addressing the rally

Mr. Ma Youzhi representing "Press Freedom and Human Rights League" speaks at the rally

Mr. Giovanni representing "Friends of Tibet" speaks

Representative from UC Berkeley's "China Forum" speaking at the rally

Spectators

Spectators

Clarifying the truth

Mr. Pan Jun, representing the "Grand Global Coalition against Chinese Party's Extension of State-run Terrorism" spoke at the rally. He said that the establishment of the coalition is to stop the Jiang group's extension of state-run terrorism. Jiang places himself above the constitution and manipulates the entire state machinery and social resources to conduct terrorist activities in both China and other countries.

Mr. Pan said that on June 28, some Australian Falun Gong practitioners arrived at Johannesburg and planned to file a lawsuit against Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong during his state visit to South Africa. They were attacked by a gunman with an AK47 on the highway. Mr. David Liang was hit and his feet suffered injuries. This incident was not an isolated one. In Australia, San Francisco and other places, there have been quite a few violent incidents against Falun Gong practitioners.

Representing the grand coalition, he called upon the Chinese people, governments from all countries in the world, all international organizations and groups and people from all circles to work together to stop the Jiang group's terrorist activities. He called on all people to be vigilant to the Chinese ruling party's exporting of state-terrorism. He said that we should cooperate with each other to prevent tragedies similar to the South Africa incident from occurring.

Mr. Cary Wang, representing overseas Falun Gong practitioners who have encountered persecution, said in his speech that during Zeng Qinghong's visit to South Africa on June 28, Falun Gong practitioners were shot by hired thugs. This was the first shooting attack targeting Falun Gong practitioners overseas. In recent years, when Jiang and his accomplices visited other countries, they have constantly faced lawsuits against them. Therefore they hate and fear Falun Gong practitioners for taking legal action against them. At such a dead end, they have used this last move, that is, they hired thugs to shoot practitioners. This act of terrorism exposes the evil nature of the Jiang group.

Mr. Wang said that in October 2000, in the Garden Corner Park in San Francisco's Chinatown, some Falun Gong practitioners were attacked by hired thugs. On that day, nearly 100 Falun Gong practitioners peacefully practiced the exercises and distributed truth-clarifying materials. Suddenly, more than a dozen thugs hired by the Chinese Consulate tore up practitioners' truth-clarifying flyers. They also besieged practitioners and attempted to stop them from distributing the flyers. Even worse, they beat some practitioners, including Mr. Wang himself.

Mr. Wang said that when he saw other practitioners being attacked, he wanted to take photos of the scene as evidence. But when he held up his camera, several thugs surrounded him and broke his camera. They even hit him in the eyes and smashed his eyeglasses. Another two thugs tightly held his arms to prevent him from moving. One of them stuck a finger into his face and verbally accosted him. Fearing to have left evidence, they violently stomped on his camera and smashed it. They also took the camera away with them. Later, the one who stole Mr. Wang's camera was arrested by police officers.

These incidents are not isolated. Mr. Wang said that since 1999 when the persecution began, Jiang's group has utilized Chinese Embassies, Consulates, secret agents and hired thugs to continuously harass and interfere with practitioners and incite hatred among Chinese people against Falun Gong.

Mr. Zuo Geyuan, representative of "San Francisco Free Forum" said that state-run terrorism is the most severe violation of fundamental human rights and it is not allowed by heaven's law. During Zeng Qinghong's state visit to South Africa, Falun Gong practitioners went there to protest against him, as he is a close follower of Jiang Zemin in persecuting Falun Gong. One of the Australian Falun Gong practitioners' vehicles was deliberately attacked by a hit man. This was the most severe incident.

Mr. Zuo said, "This was absolutely not an attack based on individual hatred. Apparently, it was an act of terrorism in which state power was abused and local thugs were hired to export the bloody persecution of Falun Gong to other countries. This kind of thing, which has also taken place in San Francisco and Chicago is long-standing and has been intensified." He expressed that this was the most severe act of terrorism taking place overseas. We believe that Jiang and Zeng Qinghong's terrorist group will eventually be brought to justice for the crimes they committed in suppressing Falun Gong.

Mr. Ma Youzhi representing "Press Freedom and Human Rights League" pointed out, we gather together to condemn the shooting incident against Falun Gong practitioners. This incident exposes the Jiang group's nature as terrorists. It was an evil action to openly suppress freedom of expression and violate human rights. It was an extension of the state-run terrorism.

Mr. Ma said that this incident occurred when Falun Gong practitioners went to hold a peaceful protest against Zeng Qinghong and Bo Xilai's visit to South Africa. People could not help asking, if these people even dared to hire gunmen to shoot people overseas, to what degree they would violate the law and persecute people in China?

Mr. Giovanni, a representative of "Friends of Tibet" said at the rally that it was unfortunate that a government deems the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance as a threat. He hoped that people would take peaceful, nonviolent means, just like Falun Gong practitioners have been doing to oppose the violence.

Ms. Mi Xue, representative from "China Forum", a student organization in UC Berkeley said in her speech, "We first strongly condemn the act of state-run terrorism that took place in South Africa. This shocking incident was targeting the five Falun Gong practitioners rather than an ordinary attack. We further condemn the crimes against humanity committed by the Jiang group in torturing Falun Gong practitioners in China." She continued, "We urge the South African authorities to investigate the incident and bring the criminals to justice."

Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Bian Xuzhuang said, "Today, as a Falun Gong practitioner from Mainland China, I came here to attend this rally against the Jiang group's extension of state-run terrorism. Jiang's persecution of Falun Gong has reached an extremely furious state. In March 2002, Jiang issued order to 'kill (Falun Gong practitioners) without pardon'. Several practitioners were shot on the streets by police officers.

Mr. Bian pointed out that this kind of act of terrorism has been exported to countries outside China. The recently occurring South Africa incident further exposes the evil nature of the Jiang's group. We call upon governments from all countries, international organizations and people with a sense of justice to see through the Jiang group's nature and condemn its state-run terrorism.