DATE=12/10/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=HONG KONG - FALUN GONG (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257022
BYLINE=GRACE CUTLER
DATELINE=HONG KONG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Overseas members of the Falun Gong spiritual
group began arriving in Hong Kong Friday for an annual
two day conference. Grace Cutler reports from the
Chinese territory, the sect, which is outlawed in the
rest of China, is nevertheless legal in Hong Kong.
TEXT: They are arriving in Hong Kong from as far away
as Britain and the United States. Falun Gong
practitioners from several countries, including China,
will attend talks, exchange information and
participate in exercises as part of a two-day
conference.
Falun Gong blends slow-motion meditation exercises
with ideas from Buddhism and Taoism. Members say it
promotes peaceful thoughts and good health.
The annual meeting will be the first large-scale
gathering in Hong Kong of Falun Gong members, since
Beijing banned the group in July. Since then, Falun
Gong supporters say, some 30-thousand of their members
have been detained or imprisoned. But because Hong
Kong has a separate legal system from China, Falun
Gong is not outlawed in the territory.
Several Hong Kong Falun Gong followers have been
camping out -- in protest-- at the headquarters of
China's Xinhua News Agency since the end of October.
Patrick Kwong is a Falun Gong practitioner from
Australia who is in Hong Kong to attend the
conference. He joined other members, from Hong Kong
and overseas, outside Xinhua's offices.
//KWONG ACT//
It is a sad thing that they have done those kind of
things. Put a ban on Falun Gong and torture the
people and put them in jail. We have done nothing
wrong, so we don't deserve that kind of treatment.
//END ACT//
Organizers of the meditation conference say they are
planning to stage another gathering in front of
Xinhua's offices on Saturday. About one thousand
people are expected to participate.
Pro-Beijing politicians in Hong Kong have criticized
plans for the international conference, calling it
inappropriate and a slap in the face for China.
Observers here say Chinese officials are concerned
about Hong Kong becoming a base for operations and
agitation by the group. (SIGNED)
NEB/GC/FC/PLM
10-Dec-1999 06:35 AM EDT (10-Dec-1999 1135 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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