Letter to the Prime Minister of Ukraine from Irish Falun Dafa Association

I am writing to you on behalf of Irish Faun Dafa practitioners to voice our concern regarding recent events that have transpired in Kiev. We are aware that 23 local Falun Dafa practitioners were arrested on charges of ‘illegal assembly’ for practising peaceful mediation exercises in a public park. They have practiced for many years in this park, why is there now a problem? The police who arrested the practitioners suggested it was because of pressure from Beijing following the Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s recent state visits to Europe.

Perhaps you know nothing about Falun Dafa and were deceived by the lies the Chinese government spreads throughout the world about Falun Dafa. Falun Dafa is an ancient Chinese spiritual practice. It is free to learn and the advantages to health are considerable. When practising Falun Dafa, one raises ones morality to truth, compassion and forbearance and thus contributes more to society. Everyone can learn the practice, the young, the elderly, the rich or the poor, whoever shares the common goal of health and enlightenment is sure to gain a lot from the practice.

Yet the Chinese government banned the practice and in the past three years, they have used every means at their disposal to coerce Dafa practitioners in to giving up their peacefully held belief. Now they even dare to manipulate foreign countries in to persecuting the people who practice Falun Dafa outside China. They use the promise of trade to cloud the good judgement of free western states. All Falun Dafa activities are open and free for everyone to see. As a practitioner, I invite you to investigate Falun Dafa and I am sure you will conclude that this practice is good and should be commended. Those who know the truth of the persecution are routinely shocked by the lengths the Chinese government go to torture its own people and we are saddened when those who fail to investigate the practice for themselves echo the actions of the Chinese Government. Do not tarnish your countries international reputation but instead join the righteous voices that are condemning this illegal persecution. This persecution will not last indefinitely; please do not assist the Chinese government in prolonging it.