A full meeting of Leeds City Council heard a deputation on July 11 from five Leeds Falun Gong practitioners concerning human rights abuses of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong in China.
This comes at a particularly sensitive time following the arrival of the Chinese Olympic Team in Leeds on July 9th where they will stay and train in the lead up to the London Olympics.
Mary Man presented the deputation which highlighted cases of persecution in Leeds’ twin city in China, Hangzhou; Amnesty International’s recent call for urgent action to prevent the torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China; and the wide ranging persecution of Falun Gong in China.
The council had fears that an appeal for Falun Gong would strain relations with Hangzhou and have a negative impact on the Chinese Olympic Team, whose presence in the city is part of a £250,000 hosting deal.
Chinese officials had already expressed displeasure at Leeds City Council following the Dalai Lama’s invitation to speak at the Yorkshire International Business Convention in June. It is understood they threatened to withdraw their athletes should the visit go ahead.
The visit went ahead with the council pointing out that the event was organised by independent businesses.
Council members were still fearful of the CCP. However, after exchanging emails with Leeds Falun Gong pracitioners and making other enquiries, the council took a brave step and agreed to hear the deputation.
Falun Gong is a spiritual meditation practice banned by the Chinese government in July 1999. Thousands of practitioners are reported to have been tortured and imprisoned for continuing to practice in China. There are also more serious allegations of forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong followers.
“I just want to tell people what Falun Gong is, and why it matters. In terms of Leeds twin city, Hangzhou, and victims now living in Leeds, the city council has the responsibility to uphold civil liberties and human rights,” Mrs. Man said in a press release.
“Suppression of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance [the core tenets of Falun Gong] is challenging the bottom line of the whole human race.”
The deputation ended by asking the council to make a call to stop the persecution and to follow other cities’ example in naming a “Falun Dafa Day” in recognition of the courage and sacrifices of practitioners in China and abroad and to visit an exhibition at the Corn Exchange called The Art of Zhen Shan Ren concerning the practice of Falun Gong and its persecution in China.
Leeds Council will consider the requests in its General Purposes Committee.
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