Canadian Press: Despite ban on Falun Gong, China finds [group] still a force to be reckoned with

Sheryl Ubelacker

Monday, July 9th 2001

TORONTO (CP) -Every weekday morning and Saturday evening, at least 20 people gather outside the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, where they silently begin a series of slow, rhythmic movements.

Men, women and often children, mostly Chinese-Canadians, come to practise the meditative exercises of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement that began a decade ago in China and has spread around the world.

Please see below for facts and quotes on Falun Gong

Despite the tranquillity of those assembled, their presence has a more pressing motive, proclaimed by placards exhorting the Chinese government to "Stop Persecuting the Falun Gong," replete with grisly photos of alleged victims.

Adherents have accused China of torturing thousands of their members and killing more than 250 since 1999 when the [party' name omitted] government began a crackdown on what it called an "[Jiang Zemin government's slanderous term omitted]." [...]

Last week, it was disclosed that up to 14 female practitioners died in a Chinese labour camp in June. The movement says they were tortured to death. [...]

News of the latest deaths came at a critical time. On Friday, the International Olympic Committee will announce which city - Beijing, Toronto or Paris - will host the 2008 Summer Games. Beijing has been seen as the front-runner but concerns over human rights in China may hinder its bid.

"The persecution is escalating," says Joel Chipkar, a Toronto practitioner who likens Chinese President Jiang Zemin's targeting of the Falun Gong to Hitler's persecution of the Jews. "We are out calling for an international investigation into the deaths and torture."

So just what is Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, and why is China so afraid of it?

Roughly translated, Falun Gong means "power of the wheel." Falun refers to a cosmic intelligence symbolized by the wheel. Gong refers to a practised skill - physical or mental. Through the exercises, meditation and a life of "truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance," practitioners believe they can connect with the cosmic entity and reach enlightenment [...].

Falun Gong owes its existence to one man, Li Hongzhi, who began disseminating his ideas in 1991 when China relaxed religious controls. [...]

The number of his adherents snowballed in China, reaching an estimated 100 million, including top-ranking Politburo members. Li, feted across China, was honoured even by the government.

But with his followers outnumbering [party' name omitted] party members two to one, the Chinese government began to view the [group] as a powerful threat. In July 1999, [...] Falun Gong was outlawed.

Li [...] is said to be living in New York. But his followers have continued the movement in China and abroad. There are groups across Canada, although membership is hard to determine.

[...]

"Everything in Falun Dafa is absolutely volunteer-based," insists Jillian Ye, who became a practitioner about six years ago when her family moved from China to join her in Toronto.

"How Falun Dafa has been spreading in China and around the world has always been family through friends, friends to colleagues . . ."

"We all feel . . . a kind of upgrade on the body, mind and spirit," says Ye, 35. "We take the tribulations in daily life more lightly. . . . so we have a more positive, kind and open-minded attitude."

Ye stresses there are no rituals, places of worship or godhead, and the collection of money is forbidden. Li's teachings can be downloaded from the Internet or purchased to lend to others.

Ian Adams, co-author of the book Power of the Wheel: The Falun Gong Revolution, dismisses the notion that Falun Gong is a cult. "There's no drive to create masses of wealth for the leader, the leader is not exhorting his people to go out and carry out terrorists acts."

[...]

http://www.ab.sympatico.ca/news/Fullstories/n070950.html

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