Wednesday, Jul 17, 2002

Falun Gong Poster

A diplomatic row is brewing over Auckland Airport's decision to remove a spiritual sign which China says holds a sinister message.

The ad was placed by [practitioners] of the Falun Gong spiritual movement which is [suppressed] in China.

The Chinese consulate wrote a letter to the airport protesting the mini-billboard and the airport took it down.

But Airport Chief Executive John Goulter says the sign was removed purely because he says it did not fit with the airport's policy of being politically neutral.

[...]

Rebecca Lineham of Amnesty International says it is surprising and appalling that any authority in New Zealand should join in a Chinese Government campaign against freedom of expression.

Auckland Airport says the sign was removed before it got the letter from the Chinese Consulate, asking that it be taken down.

Falun Gong [practitioners] in New Zealand believe the airport bowed to pressure from the Chinese government.

Barry Wilson of Civil Liberties says: "This is a spineless act of appeasement by the airport authority. It's allowing itself to be dictated to by the Chinese embassy. It's a basic interference on freedom of expression."

Shelley Shao is a spokesperson for the Falun Gong movement in New Zealand.

"I think New Zealand should stand on its own feet and don't get any influence from another authority or country," she says.

Falun Gong is a world-wide movement promoting meditation and high moral standards but China is still persecuting it].

[...]

"They should not take it down because it is not a political thing because we just deliver the message about truth, compassion and tolerance," Zhu says.

In May, a similar incident occurred during the Dalai Lama's tour of New Zealand.

Chinese officials complained about a banner promoting the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit.

The Auckland City Council took it down saying the banner was inappropriate as it conveyed a political message.

The Human Rights Commissioner says she will write the Chinese Embassy and the airport over the Falun Gong sign.

ONE News sourced from TVNZ, RNZ, Reuters and

http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,117100-1-7,00.html