CP: Falun Gong [practitioners] begin fast to protest repression in China

March 13, 2002

OTTAWA (CP) -- A small group of Falun Gong members began a 36-hour fast on Parliament Hill on Wednesday to protest repression of their [group] in China. áProtest organizers claim Chinese police have been given orders to shoot anyone handing out or posting Falun Gong flyers, and that four devotees have already been shot.

[...] áProtest organizer Jillian Ye called on Canadians to speak out for freedom of religion, as about three dozen supporters meditated and performed relaxation exercises on the lawn of Parliament.

á"The Communist regime is an atheist regime and they fear any type of thinking that is different than theirs," Ye said. "But there's no reason for this persecution."

áYe said the [Jiang's regime] feels threatened by Falun Gong because it has become immensely popular.

áShe added that Chinese government may be seeking to distract public attention from social problems such as corruption and unemployment by demonizing the Falun Gong.

[...]

http://www.canoe.ca/NationalTicker/CANOE-wire.Falun-Gong.html