DATE=10/25/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / FALUNGONG (L)
NUMBER=2-255434
BYLINE=STEPHANIE HO
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Authorities have detained dozens of defiant
members of a banned spiritual group near Tiananmen
Square, in the center of the city. As V-O-A's
Stephanie Ho reports, the detentions come as China's
top legislative body Monday began a week-long debate
on a bill that would ban organizations the Chinese
government deems to be cults.
TEXT: The people taken into custody are members
Falungong, a group that blends Buddhism and Taoism
with meditation and traditional breathing exercises.
The Chinese government launched a nationwide crackdown
on the spiritual group in July. Since then, police
around the country have detained hundreds of people
for refusing to leave Falungong or for trying to stage
protests against the government ban.
On Monday, the standing committee of China's
parliament, the National People's Congress, began
discussing a bill that would curb religious cults,
including Falungong.
Official media say the bill urges courts, prosecutors
and police to be on full alert to guard against
possible cult activities. It asks local government to
take necessary measures to re-educate cult followers
and punish cult leaders who have committed crimes.
Just outside of the Great Hall of the People, where
the debate is taking place, police arrested dozens of
practitioners of Falungong.
Ms. Zhang, a 49-year-old accountant from the nearby
coastal city of Tianjin and a Falungong follower who
came to Beijing, said she saw police take at least 16
people into custody.
// ZHANG CHINESE ACT - IN FULL, FADE UNDER //
She says Falungong members truthfully identified
themselves, so police apprehended them. An officer at
the Tiananmen Square police station confirmed dozens
of detentions and said the government is dealing with
the situation.
Mr. Sun, a 26-year-old teacher, is another Falun Gong
practitioner who came to Beijing from northeastern
Jilin province.
// SUN CHINESE ACT - IN FULL, FADE UNDER //
He says he has come to Beijing to appeal to the
central government because he believes Falungong
founder Li Hongzhi is a good person. He says the
Chinese government has not only declared Falungong an
illegal organization, followers have been arrested and
beaten.
Falungong says it has 100-million members, but the
government says the group's membership is closer to
two million.
State media have said leaders of the movement face
prosecution. A Hong Kong-based human rights group
said more than 50 key members of Falungong were
expected to face charges ranging from disturbing
public order to subversion and leaking state secrets.
If charged and convicted, they face up to life in
prison. (Signed)
NEB/HO/KL
25-Oct-1999 08:26 AM EDT (25-Oct-1999 1226 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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