Sweden: Falun Gong Practitioners Hold Peaceful Protests at the Thai Embassy and Consulate

On December 22nd, Swedish Falun Gong practitioners held peaceful protests at the Thai Embassy in Stockholm and the Thai Consulate in Gothenburg, requesting the Thai government to stop persecuting Falun Gong.

Protest at the Thai Embassy in Stockholm
Protest at the Thai Consulate in Gothenburg

After the criminal event, in which a Chinese policeman in Zhuozhou City of Hebai Province, named He Xuejiang, raped two female Falun Gong practitioners publicly and was exposed to the outside world, Falun Gong practitioners in Thailand have been sitting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand protesting since December the 6th. The purpose is to expose the criminal conduct of the Chinese police, and to urge the international community to restrain the brutal persecution against Falun Gong in China. Such a vicious persecution has been ongoing for more than six years. On December the 10th, policemen and plain clothes policemen crossed the street from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and forcibly searched practitioners’ backpacks, took away identification cards, confiscated the banners and dispersed the practitioners violently leading to injuries and damage of personal belongings. On December the 15th the Thai police arrested eight Falun Gong practitioners who conducted a peaceful protest at the Chinese Embassy. For the time being all of the detained Falun Gong practitioners, except a young child are on hunger strike.

While every country around the world condemns the Chinese communist regime for its brutal persecution, such unjust treatment against Falun Gong practitioners should not have occurred in Thailand. Not only is it a shame to the Thai government, it is also goes against the kind-hearted nature of the Thai people.

An official associated with the Thai Embassy in Stockholm met the practitioners. He said the practitioners’ letter of petition and material has been handed over to the Ambassador and the Thai government. The message from the Thai government is that those who hold a refugee status or a traveller visa in Thailand are not allowed to participate in protests. Especially, Falun Gong demonstrations have put the Thai government in a very awkward position as it negatively impacted on the friendly relationship between the Thai government and the Chinese communist regime.

Practitioners told him: What actually embarrasses the Thai government is not Falun Gong practitioners. Instead, it is the evil persecution by the Chinese communist regime. The cruel beating and vicious rapes committed by He Xuejiang against two female Falun Gong practitioners in China recently is a perfect example. Isn’t this a humiliation against modern civilisation? Everyone with a conscience will stand up and voice their objection. Those Falun Gong practitioners in Thailand just escaped from the brutal suppression of the Chinese communist regime. They have lost their closest family members and suffered severe hardships. After hearing about the evil conduct of the Chinese police, how could they simply stay at home instead of standing up to expose the persecution? In fact, their action in Thailand was not a typical demonstration. What they did there was sitting in meditation in front of the Chinese Embassy and displayed banners quietly. Talking about sitting in meditation, doesn’t the Thai government also encourage westerners to practise it in your country?

The Thai official nodded his head, signalling his agreement.

Another practitioner added: In fact, it is the Chinese Embassy in Thailand that did not allow Falun Gong practitioners to expose the persecution. All Chinese Embassies around the world are applying pressure on the government of the country where they reside. When I promoted Falun Gong in Iran, the Iranian government imprisoned me for two months under pressure from the Chinese Embassy even though I didn’t do anything wrong. Those were horrible days. In addition to Iran, all of the other Chinese Embassies are pressurising the local government to persecute Falun Gong. Isn’t it a fact?

“Yes, it is.” The Thai official acknowledged. Practitioners asked him to pass to the Thai Ambassador and the Thai government a copy of the lawyer Mr. Gao Zhicheng’s letter addressed to Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. Practitioners urged the Thai government to recognise the real intention of the Chinese communist regime in persecuting Falun Gong practitioners is to destroy the conscience and morals of mankind. They hoped the Thai government would not yield to the Chinese communist regime, which is crumbling in the overwhelming wave of party withdrawals. Instead, the Thai government has to choose a bright future or face the consequences.

The Thai Consulate is located in a business district of Gothenburg. Passers-by stopped in their tracks to receive the truth material distributed by Falun Gong practitioners. When they drove by, many drivers slowed down to view the banners more carefully. After understanding the truth, a gentleman who came here for business purpose told practitioners, “What you are doing is excellent!”