ABC: Falungong followers launch Washington hunger strike

A group of followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement have begun a hunger strike in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, appealing for the release of practitioners held by Beijing.

The group camped in a small park across the street from the embassy, which they lined with banners protesting against the government crackdown.

China banned the movement in 1999 after it stunned the leadership by [appealing] outside the top officials' Beijing compound to demand official recognition of the movement.

The Washington protesters said they started their hunger strike yesterday to press for the release of an estimated 130 Falun Gong members from a labour camp in the northeastern province of Liaoning.

(19/08/01, 11:51:52 AEST)

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newsdaily/s348733.htm

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