Show Mayor Mayor- of Beijing Sued by Falun Gong i By Brian J. J Shaw Editor Editor Chief Chief in SALT LAKE CITY Liu CITY Liu Qi mayor of Beijing whose city was awarded with the 2008 Summer Olympics recently has been sued in US U.S. District Court by the Falun Dafa organization Beijing has been awarded the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic the first to be g given ven to to a communist nation since Moscow was a part of the Soviet Union in 1980 And Qi's detractors are here in small but vocal numbers numbers numbers num num- bers to express their disapproval at his treatment of practitioners practitioners practitioners of Falun Gong a traditional traditional Chinese spiritual practice with exercise and meditation among its core principles According to US U.S. News and World Report over 70 to million Chinese have been tortured tortured tortured tor tor- beaten or killed for their beliefs In setting up shop outside outside outside out out- side of the downtown Shilo Inn for what will be the duration of ot the Olympics the protesters are getting their message out to Olympic patrons and though the demonstration seems to be more educational than confrontational some have traveled from as faras far faras faras as mainland China to inform the world of the allegations against the Chinese government Qi was served with a law suit according to Sherry Zhang spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Information Center in Berkeley California for his responsibility in overseeing severe human rights abuses against Chinese and international al I Falun Gong atthe at atthe atthe the San Francisco International Airport upon his arrival The suit was brought by six of whom practice Falun Dafa also called Falun Gong They were severely beaten by Beijing police as was made public in a press release on Saturday February One of the plaintiffs Lemish also appeared at the conference in Salt Lake City acco accompanied by a lawyer A representative of the protesters protest protest- ers who stressed that their method is not to protest Beijing having been awarded the Summer Olympics but to promote promote promote pro pro- mote a peaceful resolution expressed her disapproval of the Chinese delegation who declined comment on the situation situation situation situa situa- tion regarding the alleged abuses es of humanity in China He Qi doesn't want the truth to come out of his country said Dr Qi MD M.D. leader of the Salt Lake City protest and a supporter Falun Gong as a doctor doctor doctor doc doc- tor of medi medicine from Boston Massachusetts If you continue to exercise your belief in Falun Gong you'll lose your house your job and become poor said Dr Mu In a 2001 I Reuters report the Beijing mayor stated that the city would crack down on Falun Gong and other evil cults Qi the president president president dent of the Chinese Olympic Committee COC should in Zhang's estimation be held accountable for the crimes against humanity stated Zhang in an exclusive interview with the Globe We will also hold any Chinese officials accountable accountable accountable account account- able if they choose to enter the United States she said The lawsuit against the Chinese delegation was the third in two years The previous suit was served in February of 2001 against officials of the Hubei province in China in Zhang assured the Globe that the officials officials officials who allegedly perpetrated the acts of human indecency will eventually be punished On the flip side the Chinese government government gov gov- has accused Falun Dafa of self self immolation which according to Zhang is false None of the accusations have been independently identified and justice will be served she continued Telephone calls to the Chinese delegation were not returned A i |