September 11, 2001

WOOSTER - Five Falun Gong practitioners from Ohio have been hiking across the state in protest of the persecution their fellow practitioners face in China, and on Tuesday morning, they stopped in Wooster at City Hall.

"Our purpose is to raise awareness," said Tim McDevitt, team leader of a group marching from Cincinnati to Cleveland. The group left Cincinnati on Aug. 29 and expect to arrive in Cleveland on Monday. "We've talked to thousands of people about the situation," McDevitt said. "We want to draw attention to this. It has gotten quite urgent."

According to the Ohio Falun Dafa, there are 130 Falun Gong practitioners who are on a hunger strike in a Masanjia labor camp in China. McDevitt said these people have been on the hunger strike since the beginning of August to protest being detained after their sentences have been completed.

McDevitt also said a U.S. citizen, Dr. Teng Chunyan, has been detained and sentenced to three years in a Chinese prison for "exposing the crimes against the Falun Gong in China."

"This is a human rights violation on a very wide scale," McDevitt said. "People are being abused, they're being beaten to death, tortured to death." Baocheng Pan was born in China, but now lives in Columbus. He joined McDevitt, a Cincinnati resident, in the 360-mile march.

"At the beginning, it was very tough," Pan said. "We do 20 miles a day. But then you think about the practitioners in China. Their lives are in danger." McDevitt said the group was leaving Wooster for Massillon, and would continue towards Cleveland. When they stop, they simply talk to anyone who passes by about the situation in China and ask for help.

"Almost everyone we've talked to has been nice and supportive," he said. "About 99 percent of people are interested in what we're talking about, and that makes it worthwhile for us to do this."

Falun Gong is an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on the mind, body and spirit. It consists of practicing three characteristics, truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance, and five gentle exercises.

Anyone interested in learning more about Falun Gong can log on to the Internet at www.falundafa.org, or www.sos-earthwalk.net.