New Zealand: Falun Dafa Practitioners’ Parade in Taupo Rings in the Chinese New Year

(Minghui.org) To celebrate the Chinese New Year, Falun Dafa practitioners held a parade in Taupo on Saturday, February 5. They introduced the spiritual practice to local residents and wished them a Happy New Year.

Practitioners held a parade in Taupo.A woman imitates the movements as practitioners demonstrate the exercises.

One of New Zealand’s prime recreational destinations, Taupo is located next to Lake Taupo in the middle of North Island. The area boasts the country’s largest freshwater lake, which is the size of Singapore and is in the Taupo Volcano crater. Because of the area’s unique geography, Taupo is popular for skydiving and paragliding.

Practitioners’ Peaceful Efforts to Expose the Persecution Praised

Tom Watson

Tom Watson is a zoologist who has taught animal breeding techniques in China. He and his wife were vacationing in Taupo when they noticed the Tian Guo Marching Band rehearsing. They said they enjoyed the beautiful music that seemed to combine West and East, which set it apart.

Tom said he knew about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa and hopes the CCP stops persecuting its own people.

“Falun Dafa practitioners use this peaceful way to express themselves and encourage people to pay attention to the CCP's persecution of human rights. They face difficulties. It is hard. I wish more New Zealanders could know what’s happening in China,” he commented.

Former High School Principal: The Principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Are Important

John Lamond, former high school principal, condemned the CCP for harvesting organs from practitioners by force.

John Lamond was pleased to see the Tian Guo Marching Band and enjoyed the performances. He said that Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are important. He indicated that such values were needed now more than ever because in today’s world, family members are pitted against each other, refuse to compromise, and don’t respect their elders.

He also said that the persecution of Falun Dafa in China was bad and should not have happened. He called the CCP’s organ harvesting barbaric and said it reminded him of what the Nazis did during World War II. He said he wanted to know more so that he could share it with his friends.

“There are still a lot of people in the world who don’t know anything about it,” he said. “When more people know, they will pass it on by word of mouth.”

Psychologist: Practitioners Exude Strong Energy

Kim Kaukau

Kim Kaukau is a Māori psychologist. She said, “I just watched a video about Falun Gong on the Internet yesterday and saw how the CCP tortures and kills practitioners. In the video, practitioners held banners in a peaceful protest, and a group of people snatched their banners and chased them. Then I saw practitioners were imprisoned, tortured... I really couldn’t stand it.”

She said that she didn’t know anything about Falun Dafa before, but after watching the video, she understood. She was pleased to see the parade. She said she would post parade photos on social media to let Maori people know and support the practitioners.

Kim also said, “They (practitioners) stand up for human rights and peace, and I am proud of them. I can feel the strong and good energy emanating from them. I am happy they have freedom of speech in New Zealand and they won’t be killed for meditating.”

Police: This Event Should Get Attention

Dave Tidmarsh pictured with a member of the Tian Guo Marching Band

Dave Tidmarsh, one of the police officers in charge of security for the parade, said, “Our job is to make sure today’s march is safe and to help and take care of the group. I’m happy to help them and become a part of their activities.”

He said that the band played well and the music was great. He said that the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance benefit everyone and are also the principles that police officers uphold. He also said that there were many people on the street and this event should get good attention.

Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP persecuting it?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and learned the five exercises have experienced improved health and well-being.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, issued an order to ban the practice.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 22 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.