Today marks the 8^th anniversary of the day when 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners spontaneously gathered at Zhongnanhai in Beijing to appeal peacefully to the Chinese government to release practitioners who had been arrested in Tianjin.

         Since then the Chinese government has been responsible for the worst series of organised persecution ever perpetrated in the history of mankind. Over 3,000 practitioners have been tortured to death in prisons and labour camps across China, while thousands more have been subjected to a horrific variety of abuse and torture with little hope of freedom or justice.

It is remarkable to think that just seven years before that day Falun Gong had been introduced to a Chinese public that was clearly ready for a major change to replace the drudgery of everyday life imposed by a government and a party intent upon hanging onto power and subjugating its people.

         The popularity of Falun Gong, which resulted in about 100 million people practising it, suddenly posed a huge problem for the government, as they now had a rival for the attention of the masses.

         What we have witnessed since however goes against all right-minded thinking and humane behaviour. But should we really be surprised by the attitude of the CCP? After all they had already built themselves a reputation for brutality which has now cost the lives of over 80 million Chinese citizens since 1949.

         Not satisfied with the cruel physical and mental torture of millions of people over the last eight years, we have now heard of course of the more sinister practice of organ-harvesting from live practitioners, whose bodies are then disposed of to destroy the evidence.

The CCP's cruelty knows no bounds. We shudder to imagine what new form of persecution may be festering in the minds of those calling the shots in Beijing.

         We must all contribute towards bringing these atrocities more into the public domain, especially with the huge propaganda platform presented by the Olympic Games next year. Now is the time to bring pressure to bear on the Chinese authorities to end the persecution and to release all those illegally detained against their will.

         We urge all governments of the world to do all they can to put pressure on China to end the persecution, and not to allow their own economic and political interests abroad to rule over freedom and justice for Falun Gong practitioners.

         To the Chinese government, we urge you to end the persecution and to release all those being held immediately.

       European Friends of Falun Gong

       28^th April 2007