Published by the Albany Times Union

Earlier this summer, I attended a rally of more than 1,500 people in Washington, D.C., to promote awareness and encourage the United States to condemn the Chinese government’s practice of persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners. This persecution includes harvesting organs from healthy prisoners.

The Falun Dafa is a Chinese practice that combines meditation, slow-moving exercises and moral philosophy through its central beliefs in truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, aspiring to better health and, ultimately, spiritual enlightenment.

The Chinese government routinely arrests and tortures Falun Dafa practitioners. A number of countries and human rights organizations are working diligently to put an end to this abhorrent abuse. Many members of the U.S. House of Representatives have already co-sponsored Resolution 281 expressing concern over the abuse.

It is time the U.S. government publicly acknowledges this violation of human rights and call for an end to this appalling exploitation. I encourage everyone to call your congressional representative to support HR 281.

Helena Cheng

Delmar (New York State, USA)