On August 2, the global Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) officially announced the "Global Human Rights Torch Relay."
Initiated by the CIPFG and supported by a number of human rights groups, the relay will launch its torch lighting ceremony in Athens, Greece on August 9—one year before the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games.
It is estimated that once the relay activity starts in Athens, it will find its way to over a hundred cities in ten countries and on five continents within the next year.
CIPFG is hoping that the human rights torch relay can call on the international community to face up to the fact that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is against the Olympic spirit and is violating human rights.
CIPFG is urging the international community to stop the CCP from persecuting Falun Gong practitioners and removing their organs while they are still alive.
According to CIPFG, the practice of profiting from organ harvesting by the CCP is an atrocity against humanity. The 2008 Olympic Games should not become the "Bloody Olympics."
On August 2, the Asian branch of CIPFG simultaneously held press conferences in five countries and regions and announced its activities for the Global Human Rights Torch Relay.
At Chater Garden in Hong Kong, the participants condemned the Chinese Communist regime's trampling on human rights and debasing of the Olympic spirit.
A Taiwan member of the Asian branch of CIPFG, former Director of the Health Department Tu Xing, emphasized, "The human rights torch relay activity is not against the Chinese people, it only is against the evil communist regime."
He also mentioned that people should clearly distinguish the Chinese people from the Chinese communist regime.
"By passing the global human rights torch, we are calling on China to stop the persecution and we are trying to save the Chinese people from living in an abyss of misery," Tu said.
In Hong Kong, Vice Chairman of the Asian branch of CIPFG, Szeto Wah, pointed out, "The human rights torch activity is calling on the CCP to stop trampling on human rights and it will also encourage mainland China to promote democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law."
After the human rights torch activity finishes its relay in Europe, it will have passed through many cities in Oceania, Africa and North America. It is expected to reach Asia after April next year and it will arrive in Hong Kong in the middle of next year.
The Asian branch of CIPFG will hold a "Human Rights Torch Night" at the 228 Park in Taipei on the evening of August 10, and is asking people to participate and pay close attention to the human rights and other disasters that have been brought to the world by the Chinese Communist Party.
Besides the support that the human rights torch activity has received from many international human rights groups, it is also receiving support from more and more Chinese people.
The "National Citizen's Association for Anti-tyranny and Rights-Protection," which stands up for human rights for people living in mainland China, will be participating over the whole course of the human rights torch relay.
It will also let the whole world know the voice of the Chinese people: "Human Rights Wanted, Not Olympics Games."
A list of the torch transfer "ambassadors" were also announced during the recently held press conferences.
They are 1988 Olympic silver medalist Huang Xiaomin, 2006 Winter Olympics bronze medalist Martin Lubinnishi, 1964 Tokyo Olympic swimmer Jan Becker and former Chinese national basketball team player Chen Kai. They will pass the torch in Asia, Europe, Oceania and on the west coast of the United States. The torch is expected to arrive in Taiwan in June 2008.
On June 8, CIPFG sent a letter to Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao in the hope that they will stop the persecution of Falun Gong before August 8, otherwise CIPFG will begin to call for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games held by the CCP.
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