Even though July 12 is still one month away from the day when the international organization, the "Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong" (CIPFG), will light the Human Rights Torch, this movement has gained tremendous support from Chinese people. The National Alliance of Defending Human Rights and Resisting Violence expressed that they will participate in passing the torch.
Pan Qing, representative for the National Alliance of Defending Human Rights and Resisting Violence and also the Chairmen of the Chinese Freedom and Democratic Party said in an interview with The Epoch Times that these organizations will participate in the passing of the Human Rights Torch. Within this period, they will tell the international community that Chinese people want human rights, not the Olympic Games.
On July 3, the European CIPFG held a press conference in London, formally announcing that on August 8, the global Human Rights Torch will be lit in Athens, Greece. The CIPFG also disclosed that this plan has gained support from the international community, including increasing numbers of Chinese people.
Pan Qing: International Community Should Pay Attention to Crimes of CCP
Pan said, "We will be there the whole way through. Wherever the torch goes, we will spread the news to local governments, congresses, human rights associations and media channels. Also, we will send the related information to people in mainland China, disclosing the various atrocities that CCP has committed against its own people, specially the extremely savage crime of organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners."
Pan continued that the cruel persecution of Falun Gong and the organ harvesting crime have not been completely disclosed to the world. While passing on the Human Rights Torch, these crimes should be made known to our civilization in the 21st century.
Pan thinks that the international community has turned a blind eye to this atrocity, mainly because of the tremendous economic influence China has over them. The international media channels and people with good conscience, along with those pursuing justice, should speak out together to urge the international community to face up to the CCP's crimes.
'Letter to all Fellow Chinese Citizens' and CIPFG's Statement Released on Same Day
On May 30, on Capitol Hill in Canada, CIPFG released the statement that "Olympic Games and Human Rights Crimes Cannot Occur in China Simultaneously." The Chinese Freedom and Democratic Party published its statement on the same day—"Beijing Olympic Games: Crimes under National Spirit—Letter to All Fellow Chinese Citizens."
The letter pointed out that the majority of the Chinese people are still struggling in poverty, and their fundamental education and medical insurance can't be guaranteed. People who tell the truth are sentenced to prison. People can't think freely, nor can they choose their own leaders. "Where are happiness, dignity, and national pride? Right now, holding the Olympic Games is not what our nation needs as far as glory or pride are concerned, instead it is a shame on all of us."
People from Heilongjiang Province: 'We Don't Want Olympic Games, We Want Human Rights'
On June 2, 2007, at least 40,000 farmers in Fujin City, Heilongjiang Province, who have been losing their lands to the government for at least the last 12 years stated, "We don't want the Olympic Games, we want human rights." Within a month, over 11,000 people including miners who lost jobs and farmers who lost their land in Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province as well as people from Shanghai signed their names to support this petition.
The CCP arrested a few farmer representatives in Heilongjiang Province. But at the same time, the local farmers continued to sign the petition using their real names, and the names have been sent overseas without interruption.
The National Alliance of Defending Human Rights and Resisting Violence under the Chinese Freedom and Democratic Party was formed on June 28, 2007. On the same day, they released a public announcement urging people from all walks of lives to build the association of anti-violence to dissolve the CCP's tyranny. Pan said that within a very short period of time, they have received many responses from various areas in China.
Pan Qing said, "We do not need the Olympic Games, we need human rights." Pan thinks it would shatter the image of the Olympic spirit to hold and promote the Olympic Games in China where the current human rights situation has deteriorated to such a horrible extent and the people are miserable.
He said while passing the Human Rights Torch, the voices and the aspirations of the Chinese people would be heard all over the world and responses from the international world would support the Chinese People. "So, we are in support of the Human Right Torch very much," Pan said. He also hopes all people around the world will be touched by the wishes and desires of the farmers from the Fujin region who are being deprived of their lands.
Chinese People Support the Human Rights Torch Initiative
Kelvin Yang, a gentleman from Canada, said that he was very happy that the National Alliance of Defending Human Rights and Resisting Violence decided to join in the Human Rights Torch initiative. He also disclosed that the plan has also been supported from a lot of people from mainland China since the beginning.
According to a report by Radio Free Asia, Zhou, a woman from Shanghai, said that it would do nothing nor facilitate any pride for the Chinese people to hold the Olympic Games if the human rights of the Chinese people were not guaranteed. She wishes she may get the chance to pass the Human Right Torch and let more people see it.
Mrs. Li, a farmer from Fujin County, Hei Longjiang Province, who has signed in support of the Human Rights Torch, said, "We are not interested in the Olympic Games at all. What's the point of the games if we have no human rights?"
Many people have expressed their views about the Human Rights Torch through posting articles on the Internet. Siqin Li, a doctor in Liaoning Province, said, "Boycott the 2008 Olympic Games. Do not allow the CCP to hold the Olympic Games and kill its own people at the same time." Qiming, an Internet user said, "Boycott the Bloody Olympic Games in Beijing. Return my human rights and freedoms."
Xiao Wang, an engineer in Mainland China said, "I love my home country, but I dislike the CCP. China, under the rule of the CCP, is not eligible for holding the Olympic Games."
Baiqiao Tang, a responsible member of the China Peace Organization, whose general headquarter is located in New York, said that it was absolutely acceptable for the Chinese people whose human rights were deprived to exert pressure on the Chinese regime.
Background of the Human Rights Torch Initiative
On May 30, 2007, Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka, chairman of the CIPFG in Canada, announced that if a satisfactory response to CIPFG's requests is not received from the CCP before August 8, 2007, the organization will join forces with supporters from around the world to call for a boycott of the 2008 Olympic Games. This is the "Human Rights Torch" initiative.
Three requests were made to the CCP authorities: 1) release all detained and imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners; 2) stop the persecution of friends, supporters and defense lawyers of Falun Gong practitioners (Gao Zhisheng, Li Hong, etc.); 3) allow the international society to freely investigate the issues of organ harvesting of live Falun Gong practitioners.
The director of the CIPFG in Asia, Lai Ching-te, said that the Human Rights torch will be lit up in Europe. The torch then will be passed through dozens of cities in five continents, and arrive at a destination in Asia. It will take several months.
