item 6: “Racism, Racial discrimination, Xenophobia and other forms of discrimination”
delivered by Lily
Li
Mr. Chairman, distinguished Ambassadors:
My name is Lily, and I am 16 years old and I speak on behalf of the Transnational
Radical Party on a case of discrimination, I am here today to tell you
my personal story as a Falun Gong practitioner. In China the regime rules
that young people, who practise Falun Gong, are not allowed to go to university.
As I am a Falun Gong practitioner, my parents cannot see any future for
me in China. This is the main reason why I am studying in the UK.
My mum and dad are also Falun Gong practitioners. Both of them were watched
closely by the local authority, even when my mum went shopping. My dad
was arrested on 23 July 1999, right after the crackdown on Falun Gong
began. He spent one month in jail. After he was released, it was not possible
for my dad to travel out of town to do his business because he had to
report to the police regularly. The pressure put on my parents became
more and more. In the end, my dad's name was put on the local authorities'
wanted list. If he were caught again practising, he would go to prison
or a labour camp for at least 5 years. Recently, he escaped from China,
leaving my mum, my grandmother and my 2 sisters and one brother behind.
My mum's life became even more difficult. To escape more persecution,
my family moved out of our house to hide. But, the local policemen heard
about this. They went to my sisters and brother's schools. The policemen
forced them to show where my family was hiding. When the policemen found
my mum, they forced the landlord not to rent accommodation to my family.
Our family had to stay with relatives for a short time before they found
another apartment. But, the policemen were still not satisfied with the
location of the new apartment for my family, because it was still in the
area under their control; they would lose their bonus if my family stayed
there.
Just after New Year's Day, my mum telephoned me. She said that she was
looking for accommodation in other areas and would move soon. The last
words she said to me on the phone were "It's been terrifying!" Since my
dad left China, the police have been questioning my mum for his whereabouts.
My mum's situation is becoming increasingly more difficult. She has to
look after my younger sisters and brother and my grandmother without my
dad's help.
For the Chinese New Year in 2000, our family did not stay together as
I was in the UK. For this Chinese New Year 2001, our family was forced
to be apart in 3 different countries. I have not seen my mum and dad for
more than a year.
On Behalf of the Transnational Radical Party, I plea with all of you here
to help millions of Chinese families like mine so that we can live together
again in peace. And I hope that this UN Human Rights Commission will initiate
concrete measures such as a special repporteur to investigate Beijing's
discrimination of Falun Gong practitioners so that this modern-day atrocity
in China can come to an end soon.
Thank you.