(Clearwisdom.net) On August 17, 2001, six Falun Gong practitioners started a hunger strike sit-in in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC, protesting the cruel persecution of millions of Chinese Falun Gong practitioners by the Jiang Zemin regime. They called for the immediate release of the 130 practitioners illegally detained by the Masanjia Labour Camp, who have also been hunger striking for their freedom, as their detentions had been extended arbitrarily.

Since August 17, other Falun Gong practitioners who took part in the hunger strike appeal, and kind-hearted people who offered support have been coming one group after another; they all had but one compassionate and peaceful wish: to stop the killing of the innocent, and to awaken mankind's longing for justice.

Sadly, the Chinese Embassy turned a blind eye and showed a total disregard of the invaluable lives of human beings (its own people). Our peaceful appeals and keen expectations were ruthlessly rejected time and time again, and our benevolent hearts and tolerance were met with hostile monitoring and interference.

Twenty-one days have passed; there was not a single sign of the Jiang Zemin gang's willingness to treat the lives of others with respect. On the contrary, they continued to intensify the brutal persecution against a group of peaceful people who practice the belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, resulting in the steep climb of the tortured-to-death toll to 277.

We have lost all hope of being able to awaken the consciences of Jiang Zemin and his accomplices, or the consciences of their representatives overseas. But at the same time, it has been comforting to see that more and more kind-hearted people in the world, having realised the evil nature of this regime, are giving their most sincere support to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

From this day on, Falun Gong practitioners appealing in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC will suspend the meditation/hunger strike, and will start on a new journey -- SOS RescueWalk, to urgently call for the rescuing of Falun Gang practitioners who are suffering in China. We will use the first of our steps that will cover the whole world, to call for moral support from every kind-heart, and let Jiang Zemin's evil be exposed to the world, until the arrival of the day of final judgement in history.

Statement by: Falun Gong Practitioners on Hunger Strike in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC