(Clearwisdom.net) (Minghui correspondent Li Jingfei from DC) On the afternoon of April 25, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners in the Washington DC region held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the April 25th peaceful appeal.
On the rally venue, practitioners held banners reading, "4.25 Peaceful Grand Appeal", "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Forges the Milestone of Moral Nobility", and "The World Needs Truth-Compassion-Tolerance".
Falun Gong practitioners rally in front of Chinese Embassy to commemorate 4.25
Words on banner: 4.25 Peaceful Grand Appeal
Truth-Compassion-Tolerance Forges the Milestone of Moral Nobility
Why appeal?
Ms. Zhang Nianying, nearly 80 years old, participated in the 4.25 appeal in 1999. She narrated her experience on April 25, 1999. When talking about the reason for the appeal, Ms. Zhang said, "Because Tianjin police arrested 45 Falun Gong practitioners, we requested the government to release them, allow us to have a peaceful practice environment, and permit bookstores to sell the book Zhuan Falun."
"She said, "We did not besiege Zhongnanhai, the communist compound, or get political, but just let the Chinese leaders know the facts of Falun Dafa."
Protesting the Persecution for Eight Years
Zhang Tianliang, who participated in the April 25 appeal in 1999 and is now a columnist for the Epoch Times, said "Eight years ago, we felt that the government did not know us, as the government arrested Falun Gong practitioners. We went to have a dialog with it. For eight years now, we have experienced many adversities, brutal persecution and suppression. We know the CCP does know us and yet it still wants to suppress us. Under such a scenario, we explain the facts to the Chinese people and each government."
Ms. Lisa Tao from Maryland said, "We have passed more than 2800 days and experienced many strong winds, rains, cold winters and hot summers. We have never stopped protesting the persecution and calling on righteousness and kindness from the world's people. Under hardship, we explain the grace and the facts about Falun Dafa to the world. Now that more and more people know the facts, the CCP's evil nature is exposed in the daylight. People also know about the CCP's brutalities and atrocities - slanders, fabrication, torture, imprisonment, and even harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners, the unprecedented evil on this planet."
CCP Persecutes Falun Gong and Causes its Own Disintegration
Mr. Zhang said, "Jiang Zemin decided to suppress Falun Gong on April 25, 1999. From this day, the CCP stepped into its own destruction. Falun Gong stepped onto international stage on this day. More and more people and countries now know and accept Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners become mature, steadfast and rational, while the CCP has lost people's trust, had its crimes exposed, failed in the suppression, and stepped into destruction. More than twenty million Chinese have quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations."
Guo Huifu, and expert in biological science, said while facing the embassy, "We Falun Gong practitioners experienced such brutal persecution, even organ harvesting, but we don't hate you. We practitioners are compassionate and have no hatred. We only wish you would awaken. You know the CCP's persecution is doomed. We all know the destiny of all thugs. Falun Dafa and Truth-Compassion-Tolerance always benefit people. You have done terrible things toward Falun Gong, practitioners and the Chinese people. You should make up for it quickly. Don't assist the evil CCP and sacrifice yourselves for it."
Practitioners' Inner Feelings
Jim Giragosian: We believe Falun Dafa is righteous Fa
Mr. Jim Giragosian, a consultant on management in Washington DC, said that practitioners were commemorating a special day. The CCP is afraid of peace and freedom for the people. Only evil fears freedom and peace. Dafa practitioners validate the principle of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. We believe Falun Dafa is righteous Fa. Falun Dafa is good.
Student Wang Jinwei from American University said, "Why do so many people step forward? Because in our inner hearts, we keep Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. More than ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all walks of life in China went to appeal. People should think for themselves about the current times, the world, and the country's future. Without Truth-Compassion-Tolerance, where will China go?"
Ms. Wu: Falun Gong practitioners' spirit becomes hope of human beings
Ms. Wu, a Falun Gong practitioner who graduated from Qinghua University in China and came to study in the US, said, "Everyone should remember that the persecution has existed for eight years. Is it a simple persecution of humans against humans? Is it simply bad people persecuting good people? It is the contest between righteous and evil forces in the world. Under the suppression of the CCP, no one could survive without righteous belief. Why have Falun Dafa practitioners stood for eight years against the persecution? Because Falun Dafa practitioners have righteous belief. In China or overseas, Falun Gong practitioners' spirit has become the hope of human beings."
Fact Changes People's Minds
Ms. Shi Wei; I see people's change
Ms. Shi Wei from Virginia observed that during the last few years the Chinese people have changed after learning the facts. "Initially many people did not know the facts about Falun Gong. In China, people's only news source is the CCP-controlled media. The public did not know the facts. When they learned the truth about the staged Tiananmen Self-immolation incident, they changed. Some Chinese people received truth-clarification phone calls at home or faxes at the office. Some directors of the Department of Public Security quit the CCP after learning the fact. Some units quit the CCP together. I see people changing."
Ms. Wu hoped that Chinese people will read the "Nine Commentaries on Communist Party", recognize the party culture, not view things on the basis of the party culture, and not look at Falun Gong and practitioners from the point of view of the party culture.
Category: Rallies & Protests
