Reuters: Falun Gong Says China Crackdown Driven by Fear

Wednesday April 25, 2001 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese President Jiang Zemin cracked down on the Falun Gong spiritual movement because he saw its emergence as "the most serious incident" since pro-democracy protests in 1989, the group said on Tuesday. U.S.-based adherents of Falun Gong, which combines meditation and exercise, quoted from what they said was a leaked [party's name omitted] document to support their contention party officials were motivated by fears of renewed unrest. "The issue of Falun Gong has very deep political and social background and even a complicated international background... It is the most serious incident since the political turbulence in 1989," Jiang was quoted as saying. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people were killed when the army moved in in June 1989 to crush demonstrations centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square. But the group did not produce copies of the document quoting Jiang or provide proof of its authenticity. It said it was leaked by unnamed [party's name omitted] officials. Falun Gong followers released the excerpt at a news conference to mark the anniversary on Wednesday of a big 1999 gathering by its followers in Beijing which shocked China's leaders and led to its being banned as an "[Chinese government's slanderous term omitted]". The group said Jiang made his remarks in a speech to the Politburo on June 7, 1999 -- three months after 10,000 practitioners gathered at the Zhongnanhai government compound in Beijing. Members also said that the gathering was not a highly organized protest, as has been portrayed by the Chinese government and western news media, but part of an appeal to the government by followers countrywide over beatings and arrests of 45 practitioners in Tianjin. Falun Gong said the document had circulated secretly in the [party's name omitted] and that its title referred to "Handling and Resolving the 'Falun Gong' Issue 'Without Delay.'" Also known as Falun Dafa, the movement combines meditation and exercise [...]. It was banned in China in July 1999, although it remains legal in Hong Kong. Beijing has accused Falun Gong of trying to overthrow the government. Since the crackdown, human rights groups believe about 190 practitioners have been tortured to death in China, hundreds given lengthy prison terms and 50,000 detained in jails, labour camps and mental hospitals. As part of its effort to challenge the Chinese government's portrayal of the movement, the U.S.-based Falun Dafa Information Center also released a report Tuesday on alleged police torture, beatings, rape and sexual abuse of women practitioners. The report "Women of Conscience" details incidents around China in which police have tortured women with electric stun devices applied to their breasts, genitals, mouths, heads and anuses. It said some endured forced injections of higher than normal drug doses that damage the central nervous system. Others have endured prolonged and daily beatings, said the report, which contains graphic photographs of their injuries.