July 20 marks a solemn anniversary, the day on which one of the most unconscionable persecution campaigns in the history of mankind began. For many years, it was an obscure anniversary, but now more and more people around the world are becoming aware of it.
On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched its persecution campaign against Falun Gong. The spiritual practice, also known as Falun Dafa, is based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance and teaches a set of slow-moving meditative exercises. By 1999, the practice had spread by word of mouth to reach an estimated 70 million to 100 million adherents in mainland China.
The CCP leadership, viewing this popularity as a threat, ordered the eradication of Falun Gong, thus launching a campaign of violent arrests, torture, forced labor, live organ harvesting, and other physical and financial means of persecution that continues to today. It also employed the full force of its propaganda apparatus to defame the practice around the world.
Over these 24 years, more people have come to know the truth about Falun Gong and see through the lies of the CCP.
On July 15 in Manhattan, more than a thousand local Falun Gong practitioners marched through Chinatown with colorful banners, floats, and a marching band to commemorate the anniversary, raise awareness of the ongoing persecution, and voice support for the 415 million Chinese people who have quit their affiliations with the CCP.
Courage and Humanity
Twenty years ago, the practitioners and their parade might have been met with confusion and derision by residents who had never read about Falun Gong beyond what CCP-influenced media parroted. On Saturday, they were met with praise and support from residents and tourists alike.
“I love this parade. I’m so happy it’s making me cry, to see everybody out,” said Marissa Gonzales, who lives in Chinatown. “This is about meditation and believing, and finding our freedom from going more inward, and finding our strength there as people, all people. I’m very emotional and happy to be here.”
Ms. Gonzales said the ongoing persecution was terrible, and Falun Gong adherents’ stand for human rights was important.
“This beautiful parade … brings peace and strength and enlightenment for all of us,” she said.
Led by a large marching band in blue, the first section of the parade was a colorful procession of floats, flags, flowers, banners, demonstrations of some of Falun Gong’s slow and gentle exercises, large book models, and even a dragon dance team. The first of three portions was meant to show truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance—the three principles of Falun Gong—and the second, middle section showed rows of banners calling for an end to the persecution.
“I admire them,” said Mr. Yian, who is from China and has long known about Falun Gong and what adherents face under the CCP. “Everyone here looks so kind. I know about Falun Gong, Falun Dafa, and I hope they can persevere.
“The day when their truth comes to light must come eventually, right?”
Mrs. Lin, who lives in Chinatown with her daughter, came to the United States from China almost two decades ago.
“They represent the true culture of China,” Mrs. Lin said of the Falun Gong adherents. “[With truth, compassion, forbearance], they represent a return to morality, the right path for humanity. This is very important.
“They are the most courageous group of people. And they are the ones who truly love their nation, because they’re willing to stand up to a regime that is corrupt. The government is supposed to serve the people, not the other way around. So, I admire the braveness of Falun Gong’s followers.
“We hope Falun Gong followers can be free. I really admire this group of Falun Gong; they are steadfast in their faith, and they not only have faith, but they’re really actually standing up for all of the Chinese people’s rights.
“Everyone knows this, but they just don’t say it.”
Tuidang: The Movement to Quit the CCP
The last third of the parade celebrated the Tuidang movement. “Tuidang” translates into “quitting the Party,” referring to the CCP. Since the “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party” was first published in Chinese in 2004, it has sparked a movement of people quitting the Party and its affiliated organizations.
To date, some 415 million people have quit the CCP. “Nine Commentaries” has since been translated into 33 different languages and is free to read online.
Song Sanghua said he’s seen signage for the Global Tuidang Center in Flushing , the heart of the Chinese community in Queens—and he’s seen CCP propaganda posted in the neighborhood slandering the movement as well.
“When I came to America, it really felt like I had come to the free world. I felt like I was home,” said Mr. Song, who originates from China. “America really is a land of freedom, where anyone can express their mind. When I set foot in America, I immediately felt a sense of relief. You could feel it in your heart.
“So to attend this 24th anniversary of anti-persecution awareness, 24 years since the CCP’s persecution began on July 20, 1999 … I’m in the land of the free.”
Mr. Song said that while he was in China, he knew about the CCP’s persecution campaign against innocent Falun Gong adherents, but he had never protested against it.
“But coming here, seeing the Falun Gong practitioners in America, you realize that the Falun Gong practitioners in China are really facing such tremendous persecution, that these kind, regular citizens, because of their faith, because they practice Falun Gong, they face such an evil persecution by the CCP,” he said. “It’s hard to express the sorrow I feel.”
“There is nothing one can do in China,” he said. No bystanders in China ever speak out, Mr. Song explained, because the CCP’s presence is felt everywhere, and the fear of it stalks you.
“But coming here, I feel we have to openly speak out about the evils committed by the CCP, that they’ve persecuted Falun Gong for decades and continue to do so. Until the CCP falls, ordinary citizens can’t live an ordinary human life.”
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