— Sun News reports: ” Authorities are investigating a case of harassment at a Myrtle Beach kosher restaurant and store, according to a police report released Thursday.”
— “The manager of the Jerusalem Restaurant on 1007 Withers Lane in Myrtle Beach said that when she opened the store around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, there was a piece of cardboard with “KKK”, a swastika and a hood drawn on the front, officials said.”
— Anti-semitic drawing taped to Jewish restaurant
— WDPE reports: “Myrtle Beach Police launched an investigation after a Myrtle Beach woman found drawings of a swastika and KKK symbols taped to the door of her Jewish restaurant.”
— “Dalia Falcon found the drawing just before 11:00 a.m. Tuesday as she opened the Jerusalem Mediterranean Restaurant on Withers Drive.”
— “‘I just hate racism,’ Falcon said Wednesday afternoon during a brief interview.”
— “The drawings included a KKK-style hood, the letters Kn, Kn, Kn and an attempted swastika (though the symbol was backwards). They were drawn on a piece of cardboard and tacked to the front door.”
— New motion filed in Franklin County Juvenile Court
— Columbus Dispatch reports: “The motion says: ‘The parents now believe the entire deal should be thrown out because of misrepresentation and fraudulent inducement.’ It adds that the Barys now object to all decisions made on Jan. 19 and want a trial on the dependency case.”
— “Two separate motions ask the court to remove Lloyd as Rifqa’s counsel and Bonnie Vangeloff as her guardian ad litem.”
— “Tarazi also filed an emergency motion that all contact between Rifqa and those who ‘assisted in her unruly behavior’ be prohibited because of a pending criminal investigation.”
Rifqa Bary, 17 - reports say she is threatened with death by her family in Ohio for converting from Islam to ChristianityColumbus, Ohio - Rifqa Bary (right) talks to attorney Angela M. Lloyd (left) at December 22 hearing (Columbus Dispatch / Tom Dodge)
Congo: How one man gave Congo’s women hope
— London Times reports: “Why are the lives of African women worthless? It’s a question that Denis Mukwege asks every day that he works with the raped and mutilated women of the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
— “As a young doctor he treated women in far-flung villages who would otherwise have had little chance of survival. He had wanted to deliver babies. Instead, he saw things he had never expected: the women who came to him had untreatable conditions, caused by torture and rape. There were old women, young girls, babies. The villages he visited had been devastated by planned outbreaks of sexual violence; the men murdered and the women made outcasts for ever. He saw his country plundered in an endless conflict, and his own life turned upside down by stories too horrible for nightmares.”
— “Dr Mukwege found that he was now working in the worst place in the world for women — and virtually no one was interested in their plight.”
Dr Mukwege with women survivors at Panzi Hospital (Photo: London Times)
– The application is the result of various months of silence and hard work among the principals involved: Mr. Ashraf Edward, Egyptian attorney of record, Dr. Grégor Puppinck, Director of ECLJ and Dottore Architetto Ashraf Ramelah, President of Voice of the Copts, a human rights organization with offices in the USA and Italy.
– Mr. Ashraf Edward announced a press conference to be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at the Middle East Forum for Freedom, located at Cleopatra Street, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
– The conference will start at 12:00 noon, Cairo time. Mr. Edward will be present along with Mr. Mohamed Bishoy Hegazy. Dr. Puppinck and Dottore Ramelah will join by teleconference.
For additional information in Cairo, please contact Mr. Edward at the following telephone numbers:
22905931
22905932
0125226887
Or send your inquiry to the following email address:
On a bitterly cold day, Chinese Americans and their supporters protested in Washington DC today outside the Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Representative Office (HKECRO). They called on the Hong Kong immigration authorities to permit the Shen Yun Performing Arts to perform their Chinese cultural music and dance show in Hong Kong. On Wednesday, January 27 at press conferences at the National Press Club and on Capitol Hill, supporters of the Shen Yun Performing Arts described how the group’s key production staff were denied visas to support the show for sold-out audiences in Hong Kong.
Washington DC: Supporters of the Shen Yun Performing Arts Protesting Outside Hong Kong Office on January 29, 2010
The supporters of the Shen Yun Performing Arts group told of the importance of allowing artistic freedom to permit the show in Hong Kong, which includes traditional Chinese cultural music and dance, as well as stories about modern-day persecution in Communist China of the Falun Dafa and others that seek human freedom. Falun Dafa supporters stated that the Shen Yun show would provide a message of hope to the Chinese people in Hong Kong through the values of truth, compassion, and tolerance.
Dr.Sen Nieh and other leaders spoke in support of the need for the Hong Kong immigration authorities to grant the visas necessary to allow the Shen Yun Performing Arts show to be seen by the Chinese people in Hong Kong. Falun Dafa leader Dr. Shan-Tao Lai presented a letter to the Washington DC Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Representative Office with the Falun Dafa request to allow such necessary visas to be granted. Dr. Lai was accompanied by Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)‘s Jeffrey Imm from the protest group. The Falun Dafa letter was accepted by the Hong Kong office.
Dr. Sen Nieh Speaks Outside Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Representative Office Calling for Approval of Visa for Shen Yun Performing ArtsAnother Shen Yun Performing Arts Supporter Calls for Artistic Freedom in Hong Kong
A key message of the Washington DC protesters was to show that they stood as one in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Hong Kong.
On Sunday, January 31, 2010, supporters of the Shen Yun Performing Arts will hold a “grand march and rally” to protest the Hong Kong immigration department’s denial of the visa to seven key members of Shen Yun that has caused the forced cancellation of seven sold out shows. Falun Dafa and Shen Yun supporters anticipate global protests around the world to demonstrate their desire to see the Shen Yun Performing Arts have the opportunity to perform in Hong Kong.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)‘s Jeffrey Imm also spoke at the protest in support of the Shen Yun Performing Arts, stating that such artistic freedom of expression was a vital way of defending our universal human rights. He called for the Hong Kong authorities to change their decision on banning Shen Yun show staff from traveling to Hong Kong so that they can provide their Chinese cultural show to the Chinese people. He also urged Americans to contact their government officials to address the Hong Kong government on this. He stated that the values of truth, tolerance, and compassion shown in the Shen Yun performance was a key part of values essential to our universal human rights, and shared respect for one another. He stated that R.E.A.L.’s motto for the world is “Love Wins.”
Wiesenthal slams Ukraine award to nationalist, alleged to be Nazi collaborator
— AP reports: “Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko once commanded such respect that hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Kiev when he lost a fraudulent election.”
— “But the former hero of the Orange Revolution could hardly have sunk any lower. In his bid for re-election this month, he drew just 5 percent of the vote. And now his posthumous honor for a nationalist leader – who was also, according to some, a Nazi collaborator – has led many to say Yushchenko has disgraced himself in his last weeks in office.”
— “On Friday, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights group, denounced the Hero of Ukraine award Yushchenko bestowed on Stepan Bandera last week. Bandera was a leader of Ukraine’s nationalist movement, which included an insurgent army that sided with Nazi Germany during part of World War II.”
— “The Wiesenthal Center said Bandera’s followers were linked to the deaths of thousands of Jews. It also noted that the award came shortly before International Holocaust Memorial Day, which was observed Wednesday.”
On January 27, 2010, the Shen Yun Performing Arts group held a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC, regarding the refusal of Hong Kong authorities to allow members of their pro-human rights Chinese cultural show to perform in Hong Kong. Days before the Shen Yun Performing Arts was scheduled to perform in Hong Kong, visas for their production staff were denied, preventing their production staff with specialized knowledge of how to manage the Shen Yun performance and choreography from entering Hong Kong. The result of the visa denial was the cancellation of sold-out shows of the Shen Yun performances, affecting 7,700 ticketed audience members.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is a U.S.-based non-profit organization that provides performances of traditional and regional Chinese dance, music, and culture, including recounting both traditional and modern stories of life in China. In addition, its performances includes discussions of values of truth, compassion, and tolerance, Buddhist religion, and Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) practices. These modern stories told in dance and music, also include references to oppression of the Falun Dafa in Communist China.
Banner of Shen Yun Performing Arts 2010 World Tour
Questions were raised as to whether Hong Kong’s stated political environment of “one country, two systems” was being eroded by the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to pressure Hong Kong immigration authorities from preventing Shen Yun Chinese cultural show from being performed in Hong Kong. Within Communist China, the city of Hong Kong has in the past been an island where free expression was allowed in the vast totalitarian Communist-ruled nation. However, with the recent efforts to stymie the Shen Yun show from performing in Hong Kong, some believe that things may be changing in Hong Kong.
Washington DC: Shen Yun Press Conference at National Press Club (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
The panel of artists and production staff on Shen Yun Performing Arts each told stories of how their efforts in preparing to share traditional Chinese cultural dance, stories, and values in their planned show in Hong Kong. The Shen Yun Performing Arts held shows at the Washington DC’s Kennedy Center in recent weeks that were enjoyed by an audience of many thousands of Washingtonians, and was listed among the “Top 10” entertainment choices in a local Washington DC magazine.
Shen Yun submitted their visa application on October 13, 2009 for the January 27, 2010 performance, and was told of the visa denial on January 20, just days before the performance was to start. On January 21, U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis contacted the Hong Kong immigration authorities on behalf of the Shen Yun Performing Arts group. The Hong Kong immigration authorities claimed that the visa denial was to demand that Shen Yun hire a “local production staff” when it is standard for major performances to bring their trained production staff with them to performances, a problem that Shen Yun has not had in performing in over 100 locations around the world in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Shen Yun Production Manager Gregory Xu explained how knowledge of the specific choreography and aspects of the performance were essential to such a major production, stating that even when Shen Yun submitted supplementary documents explaining the need for such production staff, the Hong Kong authorities ignored their request. Mr. Xu concluded in frustration that “I can see the black hand of the Communists behind this.”
Panel at Shen Yun Press Conference (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
Shen Yun performer Cindy Liu spoke as to how shocked she was at the Hong Kong immigration authorities decision. She expressed how the Shen Yun cultural performance was designed to revive the Chinese culture which has been damaged by the Communist Chinese Party. Ms. Liu said that one of the goals of the Shen Yun shows were to bring back such traditional Chinese culture of dance, stories, and values back to the Chinese people. She expressed her concern about the apparent change in tone regarding freedom in Hong Kong, stating that “the freedom in Hong Kong is getting less and less.” ” If principles such as truth, compassion, and tolerance can be blocked, what else can be blocked?”
Cindy Liu - if Principles of Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance can be blocked , what will happen to freedom in Hong Kong? (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
Shen Yun danger Hoiwa Lee, a native of Hong Kong, spoke of the disappointment among those she had spoke to in Hong Kong. She had looked forward to performing for forty of her family and friends. She had received an email from one friend who was “very shocked that this could happen in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong Native Hoiwa Lee Says that Hong Kong Residents Are "Very Shocked That This Could Happen in Hong Kong" (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Company Manager and Choreographer Vina Lee stated that she grew up in China and says that you can’t see any traditional Chinese cultural dance and performances there. Ms. Lee stated that the performers were shocked by the Hong Kong immigration authorities’ decision. But she remained optimistic that Shen Yun will perform in Hong Kong and Communist China mainland someday, stating “We want to bring Chinese culture — truth, compassion and beauty – back to China.” Vina Lee also pointed out that the Communist Chinese government had previously attempted to disrupt Shen Yun performances in other places, recounting an attempt to influence government officials in Australia.
Vina Lee : "We want to bring Chinese culture -- truth, compassion and beauty - back to China." (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
Leeshai Lemish, the emcee of the Shen Yun Performing Arts, spoke of the importance of the Shen Yun show in helping to preserve traditional Chinese culture. He said that Shen Yun communicated such culture and values through its dance and music, and that the denial of the Hong Kong visa was a “threat to artistic freedom.” Mr. Lemish stated that such Chinese culture has been destroyed to a large extent by the Chinese Communist Party, first by the Communist “Cultural Revolution” designed to undermine such culture, and then over the years of preventing the Chinese people from celebrating such culture. A U.S.-Israeli citizen, Mr. Lemish has a college degree in Asian Studies, and spent extended periods conducting research in Asia, and has served as the emcee of the Shen Yun shows since 2006 around the world. In November 2001, Mr. Lemish was put in jail in Communist China for joining activists in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square for a sit-in meditation underneath a banner with the Falun Dafa principles of “Truth, Compassion, Tolerance.”
Mr. Lemish spoke of other harassment and intimidation tactics regarding Shen Yun performances by the Communist Chinese government in cities throughout the United States, and in locations around the world, which he has documented on a web site, including performances throughout Europe, Canada, Russia, Australia, Malaysia, Korea, and the United States (New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Arkansas, Florida). Regarding a recent Shen Yun tour in Canada, Mr. Lemish also spoke of a recent attack on a Shen Yun show’s bus, where the front tire had been cut in a way, not so that it would go flat, but so that it would burst on the highway while en route.
Leeshai Lemish Speaks of "Threat to Artistic Freedom" in Blocking Shen Yun's Show on Traditional Cultural Dance , Music, and Values (Photo: Lisa Fan/Epoch Times)
Washington DC’s Shen Yun dancer Leon Chao urged the American people to pay attention to acts by the Hong Kong immigration authorities to effectively block the performance of the Shen Yun show; Leon Chao is a principal dancer in the show. Mr. Chao stated that the Hong Kong show is a “very important first step” in ultimately Shen Yun performing in mainland China to allow the Chinese people to see the traditional Chinese culture and values incorporated in the dance and music by Shen Yun Performing Arts. It was because this show is so important to the Chinese people, that the Shen Yun performers had been rehearsing for many months, he stated. Leon Chao urged the Hong Kong authorities to give the Shen Yun Performing Arts a chance to perform in Hong Kong as soon as possible.
As a fellow American concerned about the ability to suppress an artistic message of tolerance, compassion, and truth, Leon Chao urged the American people “to take a stand and not take our freedoms for granted.”
Washington DC's Leon Chao to Americans: "I ask Americans to take a stand and not take our freedoms for granted"
After the press conference at the National Press Club, there was a follow-up press conference on Capitol Hill at the House Cannon Office Building in the afternoon, which was attended by Congressman Joseph Cao and Gus Bilirakis.
Hong Kong: Demonstrators held a press conference outside the Immigration Department (Photo Source: Voice of America, REN Jing-Yang)
We note that the Voice of America is reporting on protests by the Hong Kong people regarding the decision of the Hong Kong immigration authorities preventing the Shen Yun show. Americans and those people who support freedom around the world should support the efforts of the Hong Kong protesters and those who seek truth, tolerance, and compassion around the world.
