(13 May 2000) English/Nat
XFA
Falun Gong, the spiritual movement outlawed in China, but permitted in Hong Kong, celebrated its eighth anniversary on Saturday.
Around 150 members of the movement assembled in the territory's business district to meditate and to march.
The Beijing regime banned Falun Gong last July as a public menace and a threat to communist authority.
Followers of Falun Gong celebrated the eighth anniversary of their outlawed spiritual movement on Saturday, with meditation exercises and a march.
With two large red banners as a backdrop, members lined up in six neat rows to meditate, moving in slow motion and with their eyes closed in Chater Garden in Hong Kong's central business district.
Beijing banned Falun Gong last July as a public menace and a threat to communist authority, but followers in Hong Kong are allowed to practice freely.
A spokesperson for the movement suggested Beijing was taking too harsh a line on a Falun Gong, which she described as essentially harmless to the state
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think I feel a better understanding with telling the government how much we benefit out of this. You know, there's practitioners in China, you know, they have no intention of getting into any political events or to interfere in any state affairs. The only thing they want to do is to have a public area for them to do the practise. You know, to gain their rights, of course there is a lot of arrests, a lot of detention, a lot of forced labours. You know they sacrifice themselves to tell the government what they benefit out of this, and what they are trying to achieve, which is one thing, to do it in public"
SUPER CAPTION: Sophie Xiao, Spokesperson, Falun Gong
She said that although Falun Gong is permitted in Hong Kong, many adherents to the movement were likely to feel intimidated by the proximity of China.
SOUNDBITE:(English)
"I guess there are a number of people, you know, probably being scared. Of course they always, because China is so close, you know, Hong Kong is so close to China, and that's of course, there are people felt this kind of pressure. But there are still people who wouldn't come out today, but they still come out to the normal practise site in the morning. But they probably felt this was a bit too, it would draw too much attention"
SUPER CAPTION: Sophie Xiao, Spokesperson, Falun Gong
Some 150 Falun Gong adherents took part in the anniversary, which organizers called the first World Falun Dafa Day.
Falun Dafa is the sect's other name.
It was founded in 1992 by a former Chinese government clerk who later moved to New York.
Falun Gong has attracted millions of followers with its blend of slow-motion exercises and Taoist and Buddhist-based ideas.
Saturday's events in Hong Kong were also to include a parade, a 45-minute march and other meditation exercises in different parts of the territory.
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