- Title: CHINA: AN EXHIBITION AGAINST THE FALUN GONG SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT OPENS IN HONG KONG
- Date: 17th March 2001
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (MARCH 17, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS PEOPLE WATCHING VIDEO ON BIG SCREEN (3 shots) 0.15 2. VARIOUS PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE EXHIBIT (3 shots) 0.28 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIONA CHING, FALUN GONG PRACTITIONER, SAYING: "Look at these pictures, I mean these people are tortured to death, to such extent that it i
- Embargoed: 1st April 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City:
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics:
- Reuters ID: LVA8Y5KCQ21VZ26739V6U2LZRWLU
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: A three-day exhibition aimed against the Falun Gong
spiritual movement has kicked off in Hong Kong, where the
movement is legal, though outlawed in mainland China.
The display, which opened on Saturday (March 17),
shows more than 200 pictures and photographs organised by
pro-Beijing groups in the former British colony.
The exhibition classed Falun Gong with some of the world's
deadliest cults, such as Japan's doomsday Aum Shinri Kyo.
The controversial movement has become the biggest test to
date of the freedoms that Beijing granted Hong Kong when
Britain's colonial rule ended in 1997.
Outside Hong Kong's City Hall, where the exhibition is
being held, Falun Gong members distributed leaflets about the
movement, known as Falun Dafa, which blends Taoism and
Buddhism and traditional Chinese physical exercises.
Fiona Ching, a Falun Gong practitioner, criticised the
exhibit.
"Look at these pictures, I mean these people are tortured
to death, to such extent that it is really horrible. And so
many people haven't seen these stories yet, so I am afraid
they might be misled," Ching said.
Ching was later forced out of the venue by security
guards.
Falun Gong on Friday (March 16) said it regretted that
Beijing was vilifying the movement with such an exhibition in
the territory.
Beijing has warned it will not allow the group to turn
Hong Kong into an anti-China base.
Hong Kong's security chief Regina Ip hit out at the group
earlier this month, calling it a heretical organisation whose
preaching encouraged superstition.
Beijing has stepped up its attacks on Hong Kong's Falun
Gong movement after about 1,000 adherents from around the
world held protests and a conference at the city hall.
At the two-day conference in January, adherents blasted
Chinese President Jiang Zemin, thus discomfiting Chinese
officials and pro-Beijing figures in Hong Kong.
Falun Gong claims to have millions of followers in China
and has shocked the Communist Party by its persistence and
ability to organise mass protests.
The exhibit ends on Monday (March 19).
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