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| Chinese Movement Falun Gong Holds Demonstration. |
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July 16, 2001 |
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A group of practitioners from the spiritual Chinese movement Falun Gong held
a demonstration at the Statehouse on Monday. The group, from San Francisco, is
traveling across the United States. They're trying to raise awareness about what
they describe as the brutal torture, persecution and murder of Falun Gong members
by the Chinese government. American member and spokeswoman Estelle Morgan, said
in the past two years more than 10,000 members have been sent to jails and labor
camps, and almost 270 murdered. She described four killings that occurred in the
last month. |
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Estelle Morgan (0:26) 
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| Li Yang, a Chinese citizen, pediatrician and Falun Gong practitioner, was arrested in March of 2000. Through a translator, she described the living conditions and torture she endured during her month of captivity. |
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Estelle Morgan (0:19)
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| The group began it's campaign in San Francisco early this month. The final destination is Washington D.C., where they will meet up later this week with other American members for a major rally. The group hopes their efforts will result in international diplomatic and legal pressure against the Chinese government. Falun Gong members refused to take a stand on the International Olympic Committee's decision to award the 2008 Summer Games to Beijing, only to say, the international spotlight is now shining on China. |
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Li Yang (0:28)
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| Spokeswoman Estelle Morgan says at last count more than 70 million Chinese were practicing Falun Gong. She describes the movement as a peaceful, spiritual one that practices truthfulness, tolerance and compassion. But she says, the Chinese government feels threatened by such a large group, declaring Falun Gong an evil cult. |
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