(Clearwisdom.net) Rob Anders, a Member of Parliament from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, first learned about Falun Gong reading a 1999 article in the National Review. Not long after, he had the opportunity to meet practitioners at one of the first peaceful appeals on the lawns of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. Recognizing them immediately, he walked right up and said, "I support you."
During preparations for a July 20 commemorative event in his home constituency of Calgary, Alberta, Mr. Anders graciously accepted practitioners' hand delivered lotus flower card, with an invitation to attend as a special guest.
At the event, Mr. Anders recalled that when the persecution first began, very few people knew or understood Falun Gong. Today there are many more who know and support Falun Gong, but Mr. Anders recognizes it is still not enough. With welling emotion during his speech he said, "We have to keep going. Don't give up the faith!"
He let us know that he is doing everything he can to encourage more of his colleagues to take a stand and support Falun Gong publicly. With tears coming to his eyes, he told the story of Professor Kunlun Zhang's reception home after being released from detention in a Chinese forced labor camp. He recalled that at that time there were 60 Members of Parliament in attendance. He encouraged them; "Practitioners need your support when they are demonstrating on Parliament Hill and in their local cities. Falun Gong practitioners need to know that they have your continued support."
Mr. Anders continued, "I think this is the single greatest human rights tragedy in the world right now. Absolute brutality and torture is being perpetrated on the practitioners in China and you are not going to find a more peaceful example of resistance. They remind me of Mathatma Gandhi."
Mr. Anders continues to offer his most heartfelt support to Falun Gong. Taking the initiative to do more, Mr. Anders mentioned to practitioners that he plans to educate the public about Falun Gong using all means available to him, and graciously offered to have his views represented at the Washington DC rally for Falun Gong at the United States Capitol on Tuesday.
Responding that he felt Canada's government could do more in support of Falun Gong, he said of China. They can issue threats..." but they should not intimidate Canadians who have learned the truth."
Category: Voices of Support Worldwide