PureInsight | July 28, 2013
[PureInsight.org] Argentina, the second largest Latin American country located in the southeast of South America near the East Atlantic Ocean, has been labelled by western media as being at “the end of the world”, because it is the southernmost point in the world. A little over ten years ago, Argentina only had a few early Taiwanese immigrants; there were very few mainland Chinese immigrants. However as Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) has spread across the globe, this place has also become bathed in the Fa’s light.
On April 16 2002, the Falun Dafa association of Argentina [Asociacion Civil Estudio de Falun Dafa] was formally established. In 2004, the Spanish edition of Zhuan Falun was published in Argentina. Five-thousand copies of Zhuan Falun were quickly sold out and more were needed. Just like this, Falun Dafa spread to this country at ‘the end of the world’. The number of local Falun Dafa practitioners increased daily.
Falun Dafa Banners at the Lunar New Year Garden Party
Buenos Aires is one of the most bustling cities in Latin America and its name translates to “Good Air” in English. It has been called the “Paris of South America”.
Each year there is a Lunar New Year Garden Party in Buenos Aires, and Falun Dafa practitioners always attended. There were some twists and turns in the 2013 Garden Party that led to more people learning about Falun Dafa.
The Garden Party is held at a large park two blocks away from Chinatown at which Falun Dafa practitioners perform and teach the exercises every morning on weekends. Upon receiving formal permission from the government, Falun Dafa practitioners were allowed to perform and teach the exercises as usual during the two days of the Garden Party.
On the first day of the Garden Party, just as practitioners had put up a banner reading “Falun Dafa is Good”, people sent from the Chinese Embassy and so-called ‘persons in charge’ immediately came to threaten them. Bribed Chinese Embassy officials forcefully took down the banner even though the practitioners had received permission to be there.
During a discussion that night, practitioners recognized that this was a free country. They could not let the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) do whatever they wanted and extend their persecution in mainland China to Argentina. Falun Dafa teaches people ‘Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance’. Predestined people should have the opportunity to hear the blessed sound of Falun Dafa and benefit from taking up cultivation. The “Falun Dafa Is Good” banner should not be removed.
On the morning of the second day, practitioners put up the banner again. The administrators immediately arrived and threatened to destroy the banner. This time, the practitioners firmly responded that they would not remove the banner no matter what. At the same time, other practitioners clarified the truth to Argentines through loud speakers, revealing that some people were trying to steal the banner. Those people from the Chinese Embassy quickly left.
Shortly after, the Chinese Embassy sent a so-called city government marshal to deal with the spread of Falun Dafa. Practitioners magnanimously clarified the truth to this marshal with an air of righteousness, saying, “If you want to remove this banner, then send people to do so yourself. However, you should first see what we are actually doing and whether you have the authority to touch our private property.” The marshal left without a word.
Due to practitioners’ efforts, the city government reserved a written spot for Falun Dafa on the activities brochure that day, which worried the Chinese Embassy so much that it wanted to denounce Falun Dafa, saying, “There must be [Falun Dafa] people in the government.” Practitioners request and receive permission in a dignified manner, whereas the CCP sends spies to various overseas institutions to gather information. At a glance, this can be described as the difference between righteousness and evil.
Spreading the Truth in Chinatown
Argentina has a vast wealth of natural resources. The social and political environment is quite complex. The collusion between the CCP and local gang forces has created difficulties for Falun Gong practitioners in spreading the Fa. The newspapers distributed by practitioners were thrown out, and some practitioners even received death threats over the phone.
Even so, practitioners did not back down and instead firmly persevered, especially those who go to the main intersection in Chinatown every weekend to put up Falun Dafa banners, display brochures and spread the truth. Because of the large influx of Chinese immigrants in Argentina, Chinatown is a sea of people on the weekends. Practitioners continuously present the practice, which has a very nice truth clarification effect.
When it just began, bribed Chinese Embassy officials prevented banners from being put up again and again, so practitioners requested a one year permit from the city government to put up banners. In 2012, the city government changed the intersection into a sidewalk, so practitioners wore yellow Falun Dafa shirts and performed and taught the exercises in the middle of the street. The traffic police saw this and acquiesced. Today, Falun Dafa has become an integral aspect of Chinatown. Many new practitioners began cultivating through this window into the practice.
Aside from Chinese people, tourists in Argentina also go to Chinatown. They can see Falun Dafa practitioners and be exposed to the truth. The city government officials understand the practitioners very well; they immediately approve any permit request made by practitioners. Chinese people who have just arrived in Argentina are shocked to see Falun Dafa practitioners performing and teaching the exercises in the middle of the street. Many of the CCP’s lies are exposed.
Falun Dafa Spreads to the World’s Biggest Book Fair
The annual Argentina International Book Fair is the largest book fair in the world. It attracts over 400 publishers and bookstores from around the world and over a million audience members. The international book fair is not only a popular world-class cultural event, but it is also an opportunity for different countries and organizations to share their own culture. In 2004, Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the international book fair for the first time. Bookstore promoters from Mexico, Columbia and Uruguay asked practitioners for advice on how to market Zhuan Falun in their countries. Because Uruguay borders Argentina, through the book fair, a practice site has also been created in Uruguay.
Since 2004, Falun Dafa practitioners attend the Argentina International Book Fair each year. At the book fair, the Falun Dafa booth has a steady stream of people each day. Once the Falun symbol was put up, several people saw the Falun turning from afar and came over to learn more about Falun Dafa. Some people thus obtained the Fa.
In 2006, the Epoch Times in Argentina attended the book fair for the first time and promoted the Spanish edition of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, allowing Spanish readers to learn more about the CCP’s violence in the past 60 years. The crime of live organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners was also revealed through the book fair.
Each year, the Chinese Embassy attempts to prevent Falun Dafa practitioners from attending the book fair. At first, they unreasonably demanded that the Cultural Sector of the Department of Education in Argentina forbid Falun Dafa practitioners from participating. The Cultural Sector responded that the book fair is a private event in Argentina separate from the government. The Chinese Embassy then exerted extreme pressure on the directors of the book fair, but to no avail. In the end, the Chinese Embassy threatened that if the book fair did not revoke the Falun Dafa booth, then it would withdraw. Because this unreasonable demand was not accepted by the committee, the Chinese Embassy cancelled its culture seminar and withdrew from the book fair. The book fair committee expresses indifference towards the Chinese Embassy’s participation. Because this is Argentina, any nonviolent participant will have freedom of speech. Furthermore, the committee’s objective is to uphold human rights.
As a result of the CCP’s withdrawal, this international book fair no longer displays any CCP books.
Free China Played at the University
Since its release in 2012, the award winning truth clarification documentary Free China - The Courage to Believe has been played at Universities in Argentina by Falun Dafa practitioners. Many professors and students have seen it. Once the film ends, many students stay behind to discuss and eagerly pose questions. Professors also express support for Falun Dafa practitioners clarifying the truth. As a result, the university has invited the Falun Dafa committee to hold a half-month-long seminar on Chinese culture. In order to encourage more students to attend, those who do are given the chance to receive course credits. More predestined people will have the opportunity to learn more about the truth.
Translated from: http://news.zhengjian.org/node/17647
