SCMP: Tung '' fails to deter Falun Gong (excerpt) Stella Lee Friday, April 27, 2001 Falun Gong members pressed ahead yesterday with plans to demonstrate during President Jiang Zemin' visit next month, notifying police of their intentions in the face of criticism from Tung Chee-hwa. The spokesman for the [group], Kan Hung-cheung, said the movement would continue with its peaceful activities despite the Chief Executive' statement on Wednesday night. […] "Mr Tung is taking a stronger line and what he said contained elements of a threat," Mr Kan said. "But we' continue to use a peaceful, reasonable and legal approach to express our views." He said members had told Wan Chai police yesterday about their plans to conduct certain activities to protest against the suppression of Falun Gong on the mainland. About 200 followers are expected to hold a rally and conduct activities such as a group exercise when Mr Jiang and business leaders meet at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Chief Inspector Tse Kwok-wai of Wan Chai District said police could only determine whether the Falun Gong request would be met after security arrangements had been finalised. "Lawful demonstrations will be accommodated," said Chief Inspector Tse. "We' balance the factors concerned like overall safety as there will be heads of state attending the forum." The organiser of the Fortune Global Forum, which will be held between May 8 and 10, said it would not ask police to restrict Falun Gong members. Forum spokesman Terry McDevitt said in New York: "We are part of the media. We support the free expression of opinions. But we hope these expressions will remain peaceful." She said Hong Kong was chosen to host the annual forum as organisers believed there would be many people interested in knowing more about the opportunities presented by Hong Kong and the mainland, especially as China was poised to join the World Trade Organisation. Mr Jiang is expected to arrive in the SAR on May 8 to address the opening dinner, while former US president Bill Clinton will deliver closing remarks on May 10. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will also attend. Mr Tung' remarks were raised yesterday at a UN committee meeting on human rights in Geneva. Lai Wing-yiu, a member of Human Rights Monitor, told the United Nations Committee on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the comments were a "mere threat". […]

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April 27, 2001 Human rights watchers are legitimately concerned that Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa two days ago suggested Falun Gong adherents amount to dangerous insurgents because of their beliefs. Hong Kong, however, is a religious sanctuary when compared to the continuing persecution of spiritual groups in mainland China. On April 13, Good Friday -- the day Christians observe the crucifixion of Christ -- Chinese authorities arrested 79-year-old Catholic Bishop Cosmas Shi Enxiang. Seven Catholic priests also were detained during the days surrounding the Easter holidays. Bishop Shi had already spent 30 years in jail for his faith. This conduct is part of intensified crackdown on believers who belong to church bodies not officially recognized by the [party' name omitted] regime, as are a number of unofficial Christian churches. On Christmas last year, hundreds of unregistered Christian churches were bulldozed by the government. Just two days ago, more than 30 Falun Gong members were seized and beaten on the second anniversary of their first major public campaign, in which they held mass meeting in areas around the Forbidden City to protest non-recognition. To date, 190 members of the group reportedly have died in custody in China. On April 19, the Chinese government was exultant after the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva rejected a U.S. motion to censure the PRC for its abuses. China, as usual, had taken great pains to lobby developing countries to vote against the measure. It succeeded despite the fact that China' human rights record has actually gotten worse over the last year. And Beijing still has a good chance of winning the bid to host the 2008 Olympics. So much for international pressure. Eventually, however, Beijing may learn that persecution only encourages spiritual movements to grow. In the days when the early Christians lived in catacombs and were fed to lions in the Roman Coliseum, it was an article of faith that, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." That' one thing that hasn' changed in 2,000 years.

[Minghui Net] The "No Action" motion proposed by the Chinese delegation was passed at the 57^th Meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on April 18. This meant the "China Human Rights Resolution" submitted by the United States would not be reviewed or discussed. Even though this outcome didn' surprise me when I heard the news, I still had a sinking feeling. I was shocked by the paralytic insensibility of those uncaring human beings and the wantonness of the wretched. At one point, I couldn' even calm down to study the Fa or practice the exercises. When I finally calmed myself down, I discovered my own strong attachments: I was attached to a speedy conclusion to the Fa rectification process, to a normal cultivation environment, and to some external force that would propel things forward…