April 29, 2002

Practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement rallied to remind the Rutgers and local communities of what followers believe are injustices happening to over 100 million members of Falun Gong movement in China,

Thursday's rally in front of Brower Commons on the College Avenue campus featured a video presentation that informed attendees about the practice of Falun Gong and the current conflict in China. The event lasted for three hours, culminating in a thirty-minute practice of Falun Gong exercises.

Supporters of the movement were protesting what they believe to be atrocities committed by the Chinese government that does not "allow the practice of religion", said Gordon Lee, a former native of China and current resident of New Jersey.

On July 22, 1999, the [party's name omitted] banned Falun Gong, and the government, led by Jiang Zemin, arrested thousands of followers according to the Friends of Falun Gong Wed site. The police responded to the Falun Gong practitioners' opposition by mass arrests and beatings, according to the Web site.

In a letter titled, "My Experience Going to Tiananmen Square," Bart A. Carlucci alleged that, "Persecution against Falun Gong has been ongoing since July 20, 1999." During that time "thousands upon thousands of Chinese families have bore the consequences of [Jiang Zemin's] irrational and despicable plot to subjugate his people so he can further preserve his political power," Carlucci said.

A government clerk named Li Hongzhi introduced the movement, according to the FOFG Web site. "The practice grew rapidly in size such that by 1999 a Chinese government survey estimated that between 70 and 100 million people were practicing in China." Currently the movement can be found in nearly 40 countries, according to the Web site.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, was introduced to the world in 1992. It "is a traditional mind and body practice that combines meditation, gentle exercises, and moral teachings," Lee said.

Falun Gong is based on the three basic ideals, Lee said. These guiding principles are "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." According to the "Forbearance," a Falun Dafa reader, the practice of Forbearance "involves enduring hardship and difficulty without any anger, resentment or despair," according to the reader.

"Falun Gong has been recognized widely in the West for its health benefits and positive character. Particular support and recognition have come over the past two years while Falun Gong has been persecuted in China," according to the fofg.org Web site.