April 23, 2001

By CNN's Kirsty Alfredson

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong are planning to show their strength on the second anniversary of a large rally in Beijing that sparked the banning of the sect in China.

Falun Gong followers told CNN that their public practice in Central, Hong Kong, is to draw attention to the latest crackdown in China where they claim more than 190 people have been killed by authorities.

On April 25, 1999, more than 10,000 Falun Gong members staged a peaceful protest outside the Beijing compound where China's [party's name omitted] leaders live and work.

The size of the protest -- the largest since the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest that was crushed by the army -- shocked the government.

Falun Gong practitioners had been seeking official status and a guarantee they could practise their beliefs free from interference. Instead they were outlawed in July, 1999.

On Wednesday up to 200 Falun Gong members are planning to practise in Hong Kong's Chater Gardens and have obtained a police permit for their demonstration.

Spokesperson Hui Yee Han told CNN that practitioners would also hand in a petition to China liaison authorities, asking Chinese President Jiang Zemin to stop the persecution of practitioners in China.

Second protest

It's the second protest in as many weeks in Hong Kong. Last week followers staged practice demonstrations to highlight the United Nations resolution on human rights in China. The U.S. sponsored resolution failed.

Another Falun Gong demonstration is being planned for next month when Jiang visits Hong Kong for the Fortune Forum, a gathering of economic, business and political leaders.

Hui said, "We won't protest, we'll make a peaceful appeal".

"Because the persecution has been escalating this month, we want to do everything we can to speak for those who can't speak in China.

"So it is not we who are acting, just reacting to the brutal crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners," she said.

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