PureInsight | June 16, 2020
[PureInsight.org] On April 25, 1999, tens of thousands of mainland Falun Gong practitioners went to Beijing to protest peacefully, which caused a sensation around the world. However, this event was framed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the "siege of Zhongnanhai". This year marks the 21st anniversary of the "4.25" peaceful appeal. Four Hong Kong representatives expressed their opinions regarding the incident during the interview.
He Junren, Member of the Standing Committee
He Junren is a lawyer who served as the former chairman of the Democratic Party, former member of the Legislative Council, and former chairman of the Standing Committee. He currently serves as a member of the Standing Committee.
He Junren said that suppressing Falun Gong with various violent methods is an anti-civilization and extremely inhumane crime that not only suppresses freedom of thought, freedom of religion, and freedom of belief, but also tramples basic human rights. The entire persecution used very cruel methods, especially including the atrocities of live organ harvesting. He believes that in the future, this truth will be revealed.
He Junren said, "The CCP regime maintains rule by means of terror. If one flinches because of fear and escapes, one will become a slave unable to enjoy the freedom of belief and lose one’s dignity. Therefore, I believe that not only the followers of Falun Gong, but also many people with different beliefs, including today ’s underground church, Muslims in Xinjiang, and Buddhists in Tibet, will not succumb. Everyone will continue to adhere to their beliefs and dignity and go on. Thus, all oppressed people should be united together. Now that Hongkongers have become a suppressed group, we should support each other even more."
He also said, "Now everyone sees that Sun Lijun, the Chinese Deputy Minister of Public Security, who suppressed Falun Gong and whose hands are full of blood, has been laid off as retribution. The Communist Party has suppressed Falun Gong and religious believers. It’s inhumane, and we must change this system. It’s not just someone stepping down; it’s not that simple. If our entire humanity wants to live together peacefully and move towards a civilized world, we should have a common goal, which is to eliminate the Chinese communist autocracy – this authoritarian system!"
“What do you admire most about Falun Gong practitioners?” He Junren said, "I most admire that these practitioners are firm and unyielding through such a tough situation and continue to fight. This is really a very difficult thing, and it has persisted for so many years. I hope everyone will continue to work hard and not give up!"
Liang Yaozhong, Member of the Legislative Council
Liang Yaozhong is a member of the Legislative Council and KuiQing District KuiFang District Council, executive supervisor of the Neighborhood Workers’ Service Office, and member of the Hong Kong pan-democrats. He said in an interview with our reporter that Falun Gong practitioners firmly do not give up their claims and insist on their beliefs, which is very valuable and worthy of admiration. At any time, Falun Gong practitioners maintain the spirit of persistence regardless of whether they are subject to violence or arbitrary and unreasonable persecution.
After the public turned against the Hong Kong extradition bill, more people started supporting Falun Gong or changed their opinion towards Falun Gong. The reporter asked Yaozhong’s opinion regarding the changes.
Liang Yaozhong said that under the rule of the CCP, the people's freedom, democracy, and human rights are all deprived and suppressed. Falun Gong practitioners dare to speak up and certainly deserve the respect of all the Hongkongers.
Regarding the previous Hongkongers who did not believe in Falun Gong practitioners, such as doubts about live organ harvesting, etc., they felt that these things were true after protesting against the Hong Kong extradition bill. The reporter asked Liang Yaozhong to share his thoughts.
Liang Yaozhong said, "I think everyone understands one thing. Under the governance of the CCP, anything can happen. For example, recently, how could you have questions about Article 22 of the Basic Law? Questions people previously had diminished as they understood that this is normal.”
When asked what was most admirable about Falun Gong practitioners, Liang Yaozhong said, "I saw that Falun Gong practitioners did not cringe under the tyranny of the CCP. In Liang Zhenying's time, they used a lot of thugs to suppress Falun Gong. The Qingguan Association harassed Falun Gong practitioners and stopped them from going to the streets to practice and promote Falun Gong. These are very provocative behaviors, and Falun Gong practitioners have not given up their faith and still persist."
In the end, Liang Yaozhong mentioned that the media outlets organized by Falun Gong practitioners defend the freedom of the press and let everyone see the real news and understand the current situation, which played an important role in Hongkongers’ fighting for democracy and resisting the tyranny of the CCP.
Mai Yecheng, Vice Chairman of Yuanlong District Council
Mai Yecheng, Vice Chairman of the Yuanlong District Council, said, "I heard the CCP claim that Falun Gong practitioners besieged Zhongnanhai. At that time, I was confused. Didn’t the mainland have an appeal department? Couldn’t people go to the appeal department to seek cooperation? Why was it called besieging Zhongnanhai? I think this was an act of slander by the Beijing government."
When asked about the role of Falun Gong’s belief of "'truthfulness-compassion-forbearance" for human society, Mai Yecheng said, "Why is Falun Gong suppressed by mainland China? Simply because the CCP regime itself is atheist, so all religions are suppressed, and Falun Gong was particularly suppressed at that time.
"I think the Hong Kong government should treat them fairly. If the Hong Kong government is fair to Christianity, Catholicism, and Buddhism, why do they discriminate against Falun Gong? I think this is unreasonable. I think the Hong Kong government was following Beijing’s instructions to suppress or treat Falun Gong unfairly. Falun Gong cultivates 'truthfulness-compassion-forbearance' which only benefits society without any harm."
As for the defamation and harassment of Falun Gong by the Qingguan Association, Mai Yecheng believed that it was driven by money. The members of the Qingguan Association may have collected money from the mainland and deliberately suppressed Falun Gong. "We have all been discredited recently, including the District Council Chairman Huang Weixian (defamed)."
Mai Yecheng said, "I think this is their usual leftist approach, which is the so-called CCP's usual practice. We kind people are discredited by them, so we ignore their behavior."
Mai Yecheng blessed Falun Gong practitioners to continue to adhere to their beliefs and fight for their human rights because this is the right granted to every citizen by the Constitution and a gifted human right.
Lu Junyu, Tunmen District Councilor
Tunmen District Councilman Lu Junyu said, "I really appreciate Falun Gong. For many years, Falun Gong practitioners have firmly stood against the CCP to insist on their beliefs regardless of how much persecution they suffered. At the same time, their perseverance also gave Hongkongers a good example and let us know that we must stand against this evil regime of the CCP."
As for appealing against the Hong Kong extradition bill, the slogan "Annihilate the Chinese Communist Party" has blossomed everywhere. Lu Junyu said that this trend shows that more and more Hong Kong citizens are becoming dissatisfied with the Chinese Communist Party to the point of intolerance. Whether they are Falun Gong practitioners or Hong Kong citizens, everyone must stand up to eliminate this evil regime of the CCP.
Lu Junyu also said, "I believe that the CCP’s annihilation will definitely come. Otherwise we would not participate so wholeheartedly in the community and politically. I hope that I can do my best to connect the citizens in order to combine the power of the people and groups to eliminate the CCP."
Speaking of the Falun Gong 4.25 peaceful appeal, at that time, 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners went to appeal. When Falun Gong practitioners left, they didn't even leave a single piece of trash, but the persecution against Falun Gong began three months later.
Lu Junyu said, "Falun Gong practitioners are high quality citizens. It is not simple to leave no trash after such a large assembly. Compared to our Blue Thread in Hong Kong, where they usually throw the five-star flag in the trash can, this is a very obvious contrast."
As for the Qingguan Association, its members recently hung slanderous banners that read, "Falun Gong is more toxic than the novel coronavirus (CCP virus)" all over the streets.
Lu Junyu said, "I believe that the CCP is more toxic than the coronavirus because it slanders and suppresses. I think the Hongkongers are clear about who brought this element of violence, slandering, and fighting to Hong Kong. Whether we are Falun Gong practitioners or Hong Kong citizens, we adhere to freedom of speech and peaceful and rational appeal, and we use no violence."
Chinese version: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/258619
