Media Release
28 November 2008
Falun Dafa Association
Panmure Chinese Association Brings Chinese Communist Politics to Santa Parade
In a letter sent to the Panmure Santa Parade Committee, The Panmure Chinese Association (the Association) has called for
the exclusion of the Falun Dafa (aka Falun Gong) Association's Divine Land Marching Band from the 2008 Panmure Santa
Parade.
In language which bears a striking similarity to that which the Chinese Communist Party uses to defame and slander Falun
Gong, the Association, without even attempting to substantiate its claims, attacks the character and integrity of Falun
Gong. It makes no reference whatsoever to the fact that the practice of Falun Gong has benefited millions of people
physically, mentally and spiritually neither does it mention the fact that the Chinese Communist Party persecutes Falun
Gong practitioners, and that this fact is confirmed by respected independent authorities such as Amnesty International,
Human Rights Watch and the United States Department of State in its Country Reports on Human Rights practices.
Even worse, it claims that it is concerned with the possibilty of an "...unpleasent outcome during (sic) parade, which
Chinese onlookers may have confrontation with the Divine Land Marching Band". In the seven years that the Falun Dafa
Association has been participating in Christmas, and other, parades throughout New Zealand and overseas there has never
been any confontation of any kind. Falun Gong is a peaceful, non-violent spiritual practice which condemns viloence. The
Panmure Chinese Association's allusion to confrontation is entirely inappropriate to the spirit and nature of Christmas,
which is a time of goodwill, benevolence and harmony.
The Falun Dafa Association has participated in the Panmure Santa Parade having won three prizes for its entry over the
years. Clearly, the Falun Dafa Association's entry fits perfectly with the spirit of Christmas. As Falun Gong
practitioners cultivate the virtues of truthfulness,compassion, forbearance we celebrate the life and example of Christ
who called upon his disciples to live according to these same virtues.
We therefore hope that the New Zealand media now enables the New Zealand people to learn of the existence of this
misleading, harmful and entirely inappropriate communication from the Panmure Chinese Association.
ENDS