DATE=7/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA-FALUN GONG (L)
NUMBER=2-264609
BYLINE=LETA HONG FINCHER
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: More than 90 protesters from the banned
Falun Gong spiritual movement have been arrested
in Beijing's Tiananmen Square (Thursday), as they
marked the first anniversary of a Chinese
government crackdown against their group. As
VOA's Leta Hong Fincher reports from Beijing,
China's leaders admit that they are finding it
difficult to control the activities of the sect.
TEXT: Scores of Falun Gong protesters were
arrested Thursday morning within seconds of
striking a meditative pose or attempting to
unfurl a yellow banner decorated with the red
Chinese characters from their movement.
Hundreds of plainclothes and uniformed police
scoured the square, arresting most of the
protesters peacefully. But one man was kicked
repeatedly by police after being shoved into a
waiting van. Another middle-aged woman sitting
in a lotus position was grabbed by two
plainclothes police who pushed her head down, and
pinned her arms behind her back as they forced
her away from the Square.
/// ZHU ACT 1, EST. IN CHINESE, THEN
FADE ///
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao
defended the arrests at a regular press briefing
Thursday afternoon. Mr. Zhu says the Falun Gong
protesters were part of what he called an evil
sect, which has caused calamity to the Chinese
people. He says the government remains resolute
in its determination to crack down on the group.
But for the first time since the sect was banned
a year ago, the government is acknowledging that
it is having trouble wiping out the movement.
///ZHU ACT 2, EST. IN CHINESE, THEN
FADE///
Mr. Zhu says China's leaders recognize that the
fight against the Falun Gong will be what he
called a long-term, complicated and very acute
struggle.
Police have been arresting scores of Falun Gong
followers every day for the last week, as
protesters converge on Beijing from all over the
country to mark the first anniversary of the
crackdown on their group. Protests are expected
to continue for the next several days.
(signed)
NEB/HK/LHF/JO
20-Jul-2000 06:11 AM EDT (20-Jul-2000 1011 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
NEWSLETTER
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|