Representatives from Sydney's Chinese community and speakers from various organisations gave public support to a rally in Dixon Street, Chinatown on Saturday March 10 to mark 19 million people who have publicly stated their withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
It was one of many such rallies around the world marking the 19 million landmark, as part of a growing movement that involves tens of thousands of people each day peacefully withdrawing their membership from the CCP and its affiliated organisations. Withdrawals are registered through various channels by phone, in person at various "Quit CCP registration sites" or via the Internet.
"This is a movement of the Chinese people in their thoughts and their spirituality," said Professor Yuan Hongbing, a former law professor at Beijing University and a well-known Chinese dissident now living in Australia.
"It's a rising up of the spiritual slaves; it's a spiritual emancipation, a movement of freedom of thoughts and conscience.
"Quitting the CCP, this action itself, is a very peaceful way to end the CCP's control over China."
The Quit CCP movement began after the publication of The Epoch Times' editorial series Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, a study of the atrocities committed by the CCP upon China and the Chinese people.
For security reasons, those submitting withdrawal notices generally use a pseudonym to identify themselves. However, among the 30,000-odd individual withdrawal notices appearing on the Tuidang ("Withdraw from the Party") website each day, many claim to be government officials or commissioned officers of various ranks.
"I believe it." says Professor Yuan. "To my understanding of China, in the minds of the Chinese people, the CCP has no moral high ground or authority anymore.
"So many people in their hearts deeply loathe the Party, to the point of having the wish to eliminate the Party. It's a common understanding and a common wish of the people."
Quit CCP spokesperson Kelly Zhan said such rallies, like that held in Sydney on the weekend, were held to support those who stepped forward in China and abroad, as well as to raise awareness of the large scope of the Quit CCP movement within China.
"Those that [quit the Party] will be undoubtedly subject to persecution. It's really important that these people know that they are supported."
High profile Chinese defector Hao Fengjun, a former National Security Bureau officer who fled to Australia in 2005, revealed that one of his principal duties in China was monitoring Party-withdrawals registered on the website. He said that if any of those individuals quitting the Party were found, they were immediately given labour camp terms.
Mr Hao also brought into Australia secret documents that contained orders from the chairman of the Tianjin People's Political Consultative and secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee to "firmly block the entry of and severely punish the spreading of any Nine Commentaries [material]."
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