By Geng He, Epoch Times
July 18, 2009
Geng He is the wife of prominent Chinese human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng. Gao is known for representing a range of groups being persecuted by the Chinese regime. Gao's whereabouts is currently unknown in China, he was arrested in February. Geng He and their two children escaped to the U.S. earlier this year.
Below is Geng He's speech at Capitol Hill, Thurs. 16 July, in Washington D.C.
Today, I am here as Gao Zhisheng's wife, standing together with so many Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world. I can speak out what is on my mind without any danger, I can't tell you how significant this is.
It is another July 20th, the Chinese communist government has been persecuting Falun Gong for 10 years! Attorney Gao Zhishen found out about the facts on persecution of Falun Gong in the summer of 2004.
Thousands of people were persecuted to death, millions have been taken into the brain-washing classes, concentration camps, labor camps, jails, and mental institutes, tens of millions of people faced with fines, being monitored at all time, discrimination, being harassed, have their families and homes taken away, and have their children kicked out from school.
The persecution against this big group of people is beyond anyone's imagination. All of this shocked Gao and made his heart extremely heavy.
I remember the day when he learned about all of this, he locked himself in his room for a long time. He was reading through all of the materials he obtained. He was in tears the whole time when he was reading. When I saw him after he finished, his eyes were all red and swollen. From that day on, he was determined to take on the responsibility to seek justice for this group of people.
Gao said: 'It is unfortunate that we live in China now, we witness and experience all of the suffering and disasters that others won't see! We are, however, fortunate to live this China now, because we are going to experience and witness the process of the great nation ending its suffering and disaster.'
Gao has helped many disadvantaged groups to protect their civil rights. In that process, he witnessed the tens of thousands of ordinary citizens suffering greatly because of the vicious regime.
From October to December 2005, he risked his life to go to Shandong, Hebei, and Northeast China to investigate the facts of persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. From each persecution case, Gao deeply felt that the Chinese communist regime has continued to create life-long pain for this group of people. What saddened Gao even more, was that he saw the victims were no longer just the practitioners of Falun Gong and their family members.
The continued policy on the persecution of Falun Gong has affected many people in different professions in the society. It made them lose their humanity, lose their morals, and the feeling of guilt, shame, and the most fundamental values and basic judgements. This is a terrible thing and the most unfortunate thing for this nation.
Though through these investigations, Gao established new hope for our nation, that is the group of Falun Gong practitioners who have demonstrated resistance, peacefulness, and great forbearance. Gao has told us more than once, our nation now has hope. When we are drinking tea, or when we are sleeping, the Falun Gong group continues to work to disintegrate the Chinese Communist Party. As a result, Gao has viewed the Falun Gong group as the most trusted allies to dissolve the Chinese communist regime.
Though the same persecution as those done to the Falun Gong practitioners happened to our family and Gao himself because of his three open letters, and Gao's whereabouts is not known currently, we have never regretted. Gao has said, to end this nation's sufferings, we must need people with high morals, Falun Gong practitioners have done it, we must also do our part. Not to mention that there is also God, whose will can not be resisted. When God is standing with us in this battle, dawn won't be too far away.
Only when we disintegrate the Chinese communist regime, we can end all sufferings and disasters. On this day marking the 10-year anniversary of persecution of Falun Gong, I also call on all kind-hearted people to stand hand-in-hand with the Falun Gong practitioners as well as those whom were persecuted because of their support of Falun Gong. I believe that this is not only the wish from me and the kind-hearted people, but also the wish from Gao.
Thank you!