October 21, 2003

A PETITION to stop the persecution of Falun Gong devotees in China has been started by Falun Gong followers in Invercargill.

Southern Institute of Technology student Tahu Parkinson said the petition was to create awareness of the situation in China and to "try to get it stopped, more support the better." Falun Gong or Falun Dafa was a system of exercises first introduced in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi and had spread to more than 40 countries with more than 100 million followers, Mr. Parkinson said.

The aim is to improve one's heart and mind through the careful study of universal principles, based on truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.

Falun Gong has no religious rituals, donations, fees and no racial or cultural boundaries.

There is no hierarchy, rank or formal organisation.

The practice was supported and lauded by the government agencies for its health-giving properties.

However, since July 1999 Chinese President Jiang Zemin has ordered the persecution of Falun Gong, many people have been beaten tortured and killed.

Ordinary citizens as well as judges have been put in labor camps, mental hospitals and detention centers.

Mr Parkinson said new Chinese leader Hu Jingtao was coming to New Zealand later this month and the petition would be presented to him.