Springfield News-Leader: 'In China, they have no voice' Members of the Falun Gong visit area to spread story of oppression

July 8, 2001

Followers of the Falun Gong [group] traveled to southwest Missouri Saturday to highlight the plight of fellow members in China.

Jian Tang, a St. Louis software engineer, Chinese immigrant and practitioner of the [group], visited Phelps Grove Park to denounce the treatment of herself and fellow [group] members at the hands of the Chinese government, which has outlawed the group.

"In China, they have no voice," said Tang, 40, who said she was jailed for her membership on a visit to China. "We have to raise a voice for them."

The visit comes on the heels of the announcement that up to 15 [group] members died or were killed in China this week. [Group] members say they were tortured to death. [...]

As she spoke, other members of the [group] - none from Springfield - demonstrated the fluid body movements practiced by the [group].

[...]

Falun Gong says 250 followers have died from police brutality since July 1999.

http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/news/falon070801.html