Athens: Awakening Conscience

(Clearwisdom.net)

The voice of Simma Holt echoes in Athen's Syntagma Square: "Thank God, people from different parts of the world are expressing concern over this unprecedented genocide. It is more evil than Hitler and Stalin's acts put together. Leaders of the Chinese Communist Party label Falun Gong practitioners, the kindest people in the world, with fabricated charges, arrest them, and carve out their organs to make a profit. It's hard to imagine how the international community could praise the moral values and humane principles that the Olympics supposedly stand for under these circumstances...The human rights torch is saying to China: 'The international community will jointly boycott the 2008 Olympics if the genocide does not stop.'" Simma Holt is a former Canadian Parliament Member for Vancouver-Kingsway and a member of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG).

This is also where human rights torches lit up the evening of August 9, 2007. The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, a non-profit organization, hosted this event. Its members include more than 300 political dignitaries, including doctors and lawyers, from around the world. More than 27 groups from five continents concerned about the human rights conditions in China gathered and witnessed the grand ceremony that was held to encourage an effort to end the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Locals and tourists alike, who happened to pass by, also joined in the activity and expressed support for boycotting the Chinese Communist regime's blood-stained Olympics and for stopping the persecution of Falun Gong.

"Everyone should come here"

Sami, an Athens member of Amnesty International said, "We all hope to live in a peaceful place where our rights are respected. We are glad the human rights torch is first lit in Athens, and I hope that more and more people will take part in these activities. It's highly significant that people from five continents have come to Athens to support human rights. I felt obligated to participate in this event, and in fact, I think everyone is."

China must stop harvesting organs

Tourlas Charalampos, an economics student and also a member of Amnesty International, shared his opinion on the Communist Party's harvesting Falun Gong practitioners' organs: "I believe the allegation is true. China must stop human rights violations such as live organ harvesting, regardless of the motive! I'm truly concerned about the human rights situation in China. In order to improve it, people must constantly pressure the government, and the international community must keep stepping forward and voice protests in order to end organ harvesting."

The Communist Party is villainous and shameless in persecuting Falun Gong

Mr. Wang walked by the square pushing a small cart filled with merchandise. He stopped to take part in the activities when he saw the opening ceremony. He said to the interviewer that he had learned about the human rights torch event from the Epoch Times newspaper and wanted to join, but did not know the time or location. Miraculously, he passed by the square at the right time. He could have earned some money by selling his merchandise, but he decided instead to stay and participate.

Mr. Wang said, "The Communist Party has never done anything good and would persecute anyone who threatens its power [Editor's note: Falun Gong is non-political and does not seek political power]; on the other hand, the Party would hand out official positions to whoever praises it, regardless of their character. The Party is truly villainous and shameless. It has used every nice word and done every evil deed. The Party often boasts of its achievements such as 'freedom, democracy and a happy life for the Chinese people,' but it's all lies. When I read the subtitles in the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, I thought they were excellent because they were so true."

What were you doing when you heard about it?

Ms. Dai Zhizhen's husband was tortured to death in China for practicing Falun Gong, leaving behind her and her young daughter. When asked about her thoughts on the Party's harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners' organs, Ms. Dai answered, "I think mankind absolutely cannot tolerate it. I feel anyone who remains silent on this issue is disrespecting the dignity of mankind. One day, when our children ask us, 'What were you doing when you heard about it [organ harvesting]?' We will then have to face our conscience. Traditional Chinese culture believes that goodness is rewarded and evil deeds are punished. I believe we will face a final trial of conscience. I think if everyone steps forward, then this crime will end. This is an urgent matter, and we must end it as soon as possible."

Ms. Dai continued, "We would not tolerate it if one person's organs were harvested, not to mention that this is happening on such a large scale; it's systematic genocide. I have a seven-year-old daughter. If someone is killed by the Communist regime, what would happen to his wife, children, parents, relatives and friends? The Party is not just persecuting one person; it is hurting everyone.

"When I first learned about the organ harvesting, I took my daughter and we flew to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Many people visited, and the entire world once promised, 'Never again!' Photos of rescued people from the camp showed blank faces and no one was smiling. It was horrible. Now, it is happening again in China, in the 21^st century. I hope more people can pay attention and together end this atrocity. Bring the criminals to justice!"

The Athens police side with justice and conscience

A little known fact is that the local police courageously counteracted pressure from the Communist regime concerning the human rights torch lighting ceremony. A CIPFG spokesman told the interviewer that the highest police bureau in the south of Greece had approved the event. One hour before the activities began, however, the police suddenly were pressured to cancel the event. In response, the organizers calmly explained the widespread persecution and large scale human rights violations in China, including the mass organ harvesting, which touched the police officers present at the site of the activities. One high-ranking officer was even moved to tears. In the end, with their conscience and sense of justice, the police officers resisted orders from their superiors and ensured the success of the torch lighting ceremony. Needless to say, the pressure came from the Communist Party, which proves with each vicious attack the truth contained in the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.