Carmen Paolercia, founder of Shine A Ray of Hope Campaign for Dafur

WHITE PLAINS – Timed with the running of the Olympic Torch, a local group in Westchester Saturday held their own rally, the Human Rights Torch Relay.

About 100 people braved the chilly light rain in the morning to raise awareness of the Chinese community regime’s “human rights crimes” prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Human Rights Torch Relay strongly condemns the Chinese regime’s ruthless crackdown in Tibet; the underwriting of genocide in Darfur; the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong and arrest of nearly 2,000 followers since January 1, 2008; support of corrupt regimes in Myanmar, N. Korea and Zimbabwe; and persecution of Christians, lawyer, reporters and all who have effectively become ‘prisoners of the Olympics’ as a consequence of China’s pre-Olympic whitewash,” said White Plains HRTR coordinator Jeanne Mitchell.

Several speakers addressed the gathering from The Garden of Remembrance. That was followed by a four-mile run through the streets of White Plains – the Human Rights Torch Relay.