FLUSHING, New York City—David Gao says that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has seized on the recent Sichuan earthquake opportunistically. Violence has been directed against Falun Gong practitioners on the streets of Flushing the past two weeks.
The CCP, he says, is "using this as an opportunity to persecute people."
"The whole thing [in Flushing] is because the CCP tried to direct people's attention away from the earthquake disaster. They are inciting hatred against Falun Gong with lies."
Yet the earthquake has stirred the feelings of more people in China against the Party. As president of the Global Service Center to Quit the CCP, Gao says, "Since the earthquake, we have received thousands and thousands of statements of quitting the Party from the disaster area."
He said that many people in their statements are asking why the CCP did not report the predictions of the earthquake. They are also reacting strongly to the collapsed school buildings in Sichuan. There were many cases of school buildings having collapsed while adjoining buildings held up under the earthquake.
People who live near the school building said there were "no steel frames in the school buildings, only thin wires. For these 'Jell-o buildings,' who was responsible?" Gao asked.
"We give the earthquake victims a platform to speak. We support them at the spiritual and emotional level."
Gao spoke at Saturday's rally, and like other speakers, he dismissed the allegation that Falun Gong practitioners are somehow blocking earthquake relief donations. Indeed, they are trying to help victims.
"Falun Gong practitioners, dissidents, and others were arrested when trying to arrange relief donations in Guizhou, my home province," he said.
The Global Service Center to Quit the CCP has been receiving the resignation statements of CCP members in Flushing since 2005.
About the Center's mission, Gao says, "We are helping people to step into a real awakening. We have no interest in political power; we only care about how many people can step out of the shadow and the control of the CCP.
"The CCP has died in the hearts of the people. Even high-level officials in the government, military, and Party no longer acknowledge the CCP."
Events at the May 17 rally, where violent protesters first assaulted Falun Gong practitioners in Flushing, surprised Gao. "They were well-organized and well-orchestrated, all chanting the same slogans."
The rally participants, mostly Falun Gong practitioners, observed three minutes of silence for the earthquake victims. Yet, says Gao, the mob was yelling, "Long live the CCP" during the silence, and ignored the host who, with tears in her eyes, asked for silence.
Gao says the Center is "calling for all Chinese people to quit the CCP, including Party officials, government, military, and consular officials."
Speaking about the Consul General in New York, Peng Keyu, who was recorded admitting that he encouraged the mob to pick a fight with Falun Gong practitioners, Gao had a message.
"I am worried about him because he leaked the secret" of what the CCP is doing in the United States. "We want to help him step away, like Chen Yonglin," he said, referring to the consular official who defected from the CCP in Australia in 2005.
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