Breaking News – The Global Human Rights Torch Relay arrived in Sydney from Europe
On 27th October 2007, the global Human Rights Torch Relay, initiated by the Coalition to Investigation the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), arrived in Sydney from its leg of journey in Europe, calling on the Communist Regime to end persecutions before the 2008 Olympics.
The Torch was received at a ceremony in the Sydney Town Hall at 10:10am. The woman, in the Greek Goddess’ dress that symbolizes freedom and peace, ran to the Town Hall Square with the Torch, which denotes the hope of Chinese people for human rights. Several tens of supporters wearing the same dress surrounded her while the Tong-Song Choir sang the theme of the Human Right Torch Relay. The ceremony attracted many pedestrians who stopped to watch the event with some signing the petition for support.
The event was partaken by the Deputy Mayor of Waverly Dominic Kanak, MP John McInemey, Green Party Senator Kerry Nettle, MP Gordon Moyes, MP Ian Cohen, MP Jamie Parker, and Dr Sev Ozdowski (Human Rights Commissioner)
The Torch arrived at the First Fleet Park, Circular Quay at 11:45am, when Steven Sim (the MC) acknowledged the presence of the VIPs, Community leaders, representatives, and Jan Becker as the Torch Ambassador. They expressed in their concise speeches respectively at the park, their stance calling for the end to the persecution and genocide on Falun Gong practitioners, political dissidents and religious groups by the Chinese regime before the 2008 Olympics.
In the interview Dr Sev Ozdowski told an SOH reporter that the Communist regime should stop persecuting Falun Gong people and other groups immediately and to observe the spirit of the Olympics.
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Jan Becker said in the interview with Sound of Hope Radio that China failed to deliver its promise in upgrading its human rights record and she felt that she has a responsibility to stand up against those abuses and violations, especially on the issue of live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners.
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Jan Becker also expressed her concerns over the recent incarceration of the renowned human rights Attorney Gao Zhi-Sheng.
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Based on the aggravated human rights abuses in China, Jan proposed:
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To the SOH audience in China, Jan stated that
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The event had also received support messages from Senator Andrew Bartlett, Senator Stott-Despoya, MP Chris Bowen, The Edmund Rice Centre, Phil Glendenning, The Vietnamese Community, and Dr. Tien.
Following Circular Quay, the Human Rights Torch Relay was received with ceremonies consecutively at The Opera House, Manly and Queenscliff.
From 27th October, the Human Right Torch Relay will tour over twenty cities in Australia in it’s month and a half campaign in Australia before it sets off to South Africa.
The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) who sponsored the global campaign “The Human Rights Torch Relay” states that “the Olympics and Anti-humane Crimes Cannot Co-exist in China”, and also called on the international society to be concerned with human rights in China. They asked people to help end the persecution of Falun Gong, especially live organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners, release all prisoners of conscience, and to help establish the allowance of investigations at detention centres and military hospitals.
Ignited in Athens, Greece on 9th August 2007, the Torch Relay plans its tour of 150 cities across five continents before the 2008 Olympics in a one-year long campaign to end the Communist regime’s violations on human rights. It has toured over twenty cities in Europe since its ignition in August.
The above news is brought to you by Chris Thomas and Jen Settle for Breaking News on SOH Radio Network.
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