From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Falun Gong in Hong Kong
Falun Gong in Hong Kong
Falun Gong is a system of beliefs and practices. In 1996, gather practitioners to practice “qigong” at Victoria
members of Falun Gong registered the Hong Kong Associ- Park.[10]
ation of Falun Dafa as a legal society.[1] Hong Kong Falun
Gong practitioners have been active since 2001.[2] Truth-clarification sites
But it was outlawed in China in 1999. Falun Gong The practitioners of Falun Gong in Hong Kong set some
practitioners in Hong Kong insist that they are a non- sites called The “Truth-clarification sites”. Those sites
profitable and charitable association.[3] are mainly located in urban business districts and
tourists spots, for example, pedestrian areas of Sai Yeung
Brief history Choi Street South in Mong Kok, Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha
Tsui, walkway in front of the Immigration Tower (also
The first time people in Hong Kong heard of Falun Gong Golden Bauhinia Square) to the MTR Wan Chai station.
or Falun Dafa was on 13 May 1995,[4]when Li Hongzhi, the There is also a site at the cross-border bus terminus at
founder of Falun Gong, gave a lecture about Falun Gong Lok Ma Chau, a site near China. These sites are made up of
on Lantau Island.[5] On April 25, 2001, Hong Kong Associ- banners and boards placed in public places that promote
ation of Falun Dafa for the first time[6] held a group prac- Falun Gong and criticize the Chinese Communist Party
tice to mark the second anniversary of the Zhongnan- (CCP). “God destroy CCP, God bless China” and “Falun
hai incident, when more than 1,000 accused Falun Gong Dafa is good” are examples of slogans prominently dis-
followers staged a demonstration outside Zhongnanhai, played at those sites. The sites provide information about
China’s central government in Beijing, on April 25, 1999. atrocities said to be done by the CCP to Falun Gong prac-
Sixteen Falun Gong followers were found guilty on 15 Au- titioners in China, such as the “removal and trade of or-
gust 2002 of causing a public obstruction during a protest gans of people that are still alive” in labor camps alleged-
outside China’s main office in Hong Kong.[7] It marked ly operated by CCP. The sites also show pictures of al-
the first time criminal charges had been brought against legedly tortured Falun Gong practitioners. “Quitting the
members of Falun Gong in Hong Kong.[8] CCP for safety” and “rising number of people quitting
CCP” are also main arguments made at the Truth-clarifi-
Falun Gong and “Article 23" cation sites.
In February 2001, Hong Kong’s former Chief Executive,
Tung Chee Hwa, declared that Falun Gong had "char- Sit-in Protest
acteristics of an evil cult". Another official, Regina Ip, Before 2003, Falun Gong practitioners gathered at the Li-
Hong Kong’s former Security Chief, branded Falun Gong aison Office of the Central People’s Government every
as a devious organization holding heretical views.[9] In Sunday to perform silent sit-in protests to support other
2002-2004, the discussion around “Article 23,” a proposal Falun Gong followers of the controversial spiritual move-
for an anti-subversion law, worried Hong Kong people, ment who are imprisoned in China. But after the criminal
including Falun Gong members. The latter considered charges were brought against Falun Gong members on 15
that the legislation of Article would regard them as sedi- August 2002,[11]they now gather at the Police station of
tious and illegal since the Central People’s Government Western Division.
had declared Falun Gong as “heterodox religions” on
20th July1999. After approximately 350,000 - 700,000 peo- Media
ple protest demonstration on 1 July 2003, the bill was
The Falun Gong runs different media such as World Falun
withdrawn from the Legislative Council, ensuring that
Dafa Radio and The Epoch Times. Volunteers from Falun
Falun Gong practitioners would still have the right to as-
Gong distribute The Epoch Times freely outside MTR sta-
semble.
tions including the ones in Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau im-
migration control stations. They also use the Internet
Public Activities to spread views of Falun Gong. They post the locations
of practicing sites, the responsible contact persons and
Annual Mass Qigong Practice their telephone numbers on the website. The Hong Kong
Every year on 20 July, the day Falun Gong was outlawed Falun Gong Association also holds sharing conferences,
in Mainland China, the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association symposiums and seminars in order to reach the pub-
lic.[12]
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Falun Gong in Hong Kong
Difficulties Faced by the Falun Epoch Times has asked 11 printing firms to print their
paper but all the firms refused because of alleged politi-
Gong practitioners in Hong cal pressure from Beijing.[20]
Kong Falun Gong and the Media
Government actions Hong Kong Falun Gong holds different social movement
Although Falun Gong in Hong Kong is a legally registered activities such as rallies, parades, long marches and sit-
organization, it has faced different kinds of difficulties. ins regularly. These rallies are protesting what Falun
For example, in 2003 they tried to book a venue managed Gong practitioners believe to be unfair treatment to-
by the Leisure and Cultural Service Department in order wards Falun Gong by the Hong Kong Government. On July
to hold an experience sharing conference, but their ap- 1, 2007, the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association marched
plication was rejected with the reason that the Associa- from Victoria Park to the Central Government Offices.
tion of Falun Dafa was “not rated highly enough” to book There are estimated 20,000 practitioners who marched
the venue since the Leisure and Cultural Service Depart- in the parade, playing different music instruments and
ment claimed it had its own internal and confidential for- holding a huge banner that read, “Heaven destroys Chi-
mula to calculate the rating of each association.[13] nese Communist Party”.[21] Yet none of the three local
On 15 January 2001, Falun Gong organized a major television channels reported this in the evening news
conference in the city. Before the conference started, broadcast.[22] Also, not a word or picture of the marchers
Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association claimed that 13 mem- appeared in any of the local newspapers, including the
bers from Taiwan had been refused entry to Hong Kong supposedly more progressive Apple Daily.[23]
because they were Falun Gong members trying to attend
conference.[14] The Hong Kong Immigration denied ac- Reference
cusation that they were refused entry because of their
[1] Quinton Chan Shadow over sect’s HK future
ties with Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners believed
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
that Hong Kong immigration officials were denying ac-
menuitem.06f0b401397a029733492d9253a0a0a0?vgnextoid=db4ae5
cess based on a blacklist supplied by Beijing.[15] The Hong
South China Morning Post 22 Jan 2001
Kong Immigration Department admitted in May 2001
[2] Ta Kung Pao, Hong Kong,(BBC Monitoring Service),
that it kept a "blacklist of unwanted people."[16]
Chinese Official says Falun Gong uses Hong Kong as
Again in 2003, 80 Taiwan Falun Gong members tried
"base for subversion". February 2001
to attend an experience sharing conference in Hong
[3] Quinton Chan Shadow over sect’s HK future
Kong. They were not allowed to enter Hong Kong even
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
though they had already received a visa. The Hong Kong
menuitem.06f0b401397a029733492d9253a0a0a0?vgnextoid=db4ae5
Association of Falun Gong applied for a judicial review.
South China Morning Post 22 Jan 2001
The lawsuit continued till 2009 when the court ruled
[4] Pureinsight.org A chronicle of Major events of
against the Hong Kong Association of Falun Dafa. Chief
Falun Dafa ( 3rd edition) http://pureinsight.org/
Judge Geoffrey Ma Tao-li criticized the government in
node/2097
the judgment for not disclosing information about the
[5] Pureinsight.org A chronicle of Major events of
ban.[17]
Falun Dafa ( 3rd edition) http://pureinsight.org/
In 2010, six members, most of whom are Falun Gong
node/2097
members from the US-based dance troupe “Shen Yun
[6] Stella Lee Sect asks UN to censure Beijing for
Performing Arts”, were invited by Hong Kong’s Falun
crackdown http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/
Groups to give a performance. Their employment visa
SCMP/
applications were turned down by the Immigration
menuitem.06f0b401397a029733492d9253a0a0a0?vgnextoid=046b53
Department a week before the show was scheduled to
South China Morning Post April 18, 2001
begin in January 2010. The dance troupe criticized the
[7] Hong Kong convicts Falun Gong members
authorities’ last-minute rejection of the visa applica-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/
tions.[18]
2193796.stm 15 August 2002
[8] Hong Kong convicts Falun Gong members
Private Sector actions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/
Apart from the government, private sectors in Hong 2193796.stm 15 August 2002
Kong also make Falun Gong in Hong Kong difficult to [9] Hong Kong’s Freedom Is Facing a Crucial Test
practice. Amy Chu Tung-pan, a spokeswoman for The http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news1/
Epoch Times, a newspaper affiliated with Falun Gong and an010429-09.html
founded by some Falun Gong members,[19] said that The
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Falun Gong in Hong Kong
[10] Pureinsight.org A chronicle of Major events of #Revolution of the wheel – The Falun Gong in China and
Falun Dafa ( 3rd edition) http://pureinsight.org/ in exile A report derived from the CIPU China Country Assess-
node/2097 ment http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/china/in-
[11] Hong Kong convicts Falun Gong members d0902_china_falungong.pdf
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/ #Wall Street Journal, Falun Dafa finds it is facing a less-tol-
2193796.stm 15 August 2002 erant Hong Kong 15 January 2001
[12] 香港慶祝大法日遊行 廣獲中外民眾支 #Reuters News Service, HK acknowledges blacklist of un-
持,http://www.zhengwunet.org/zhengwunet/ wanted people, 22 May 2001
article/2009/5/13/77843.html 13 May 2009 #Asia Sentinel Hong Kong Media Ignore Falun Gong
[13] 社區建設、文康及旅遊事務委員會第二次會會議 Marchers http://www.asiasentinel.com/in-
紀錄http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/south_d/ dex.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=566&Itemid=35
chinese/doc/CBTC/CBTC%20Mins%202.pdf
[14] 港事港非 警察新式武器-攝錄機 External links
http://www.com.cuhk.edu.hk/ubeat/030456/ 1. The official website of Falun DaFa Association
56pol.htm 2. 港事港非 警察新式武器-攝錄機
[15] Wall Street Journal, Falun Dafa finds it is facing a 3. 13 May 2009香港慶祝大法日遊行 廣獲中外民眾
less-tolerant Hong Kong 15 January 2001 支持
[16] Reuters News Service, HK acknowledges blacklist of 4. Sarah Crompton. Shen Yun: Propaganda as
unwanted people, 22 May 2001 entertainment.
[17] Frank CHING. If documents vanish, so does 5. 社區建設、文康及旅遊事務委員會第二次會會議
Government credibility. South China Morning Post. 紀錄
22Feb 2010 6. Website of Falun Gong
[18] Frank CHING. If documents vanish, so does 7. Pureinsight.org A chronicle of Major events of Falun
Government credibility. South China Morning Post. Dafa ( 3rd edition)
22Feb 2010 8. March 18 2001 Center for study on new religions
[19] "The gospel truth: Falun Gong". The Sunday Star- 9. Hong Kong’s Freedom Is Facing a Crucial Test
Times. 2 March 2008. http://www.stuff.co.nz/ 10. Rebecca MacKinnon Falun Gong members set selves
sunday-star-times/features/295092. Retrieved 30 on fire; 1 dies January 23, 2001
September 2011.
[20] Gary CHEUNG. Local firms afraid to print Falun Newspaper
Gong paper. South China Morning Post. 12May2005
1. Austin CHIU. Six Artists in Falun Gong show denied work
[21] Asia Sentinel Hong Kong Media Ignore Falun Gong
visa. South China Morning Post A2. 23Jan 2010.
Marchers http://www.asiasentinel.com/
2. Frank CHING. If documents vanish, so does Government
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=566&Itemid=35
credibility. South China Morning Post. 22Feb 2010.
4July 2007
3. Gary CHEUNG. Local firms afraid to print Falun Gong
[22] Asia Sentinel Hong Kong Media Ignore Falun Gong
paper. South China Morning Post. 12May2005.
Marchers http://www.asiasentinel.com/
4. Quinton Chan Shadow over sect’s HK future
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=566&Itemid=35
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
4July 2007
menuitem.06f0b401397a029733492d9253a0a0a0?
[23] Asia Sentinel Hong Kong Media Ignore Falun Gong
vgnextoid=db4ae56bc2951110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=Archive
Marchers http://www.asiasentinel.com/
South China Morning Post 22 Jan 2001
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=566&Itemid=35
5. Ta Kung Pao, Hong Kong, (BBC Monitoring Service),
4July 2007
Chinese Official says Falun Gong uses Hong Kong as "base
for subversion". February 2001
Book and journals
6. Stella Lee Sect asks UN to censure Beijing for crackdown
#David. OWNBY (2008). Falun Gong and the future of China. Ox- South China Morning Post April 18, 2001
ford University Press.
#John WONG, William T. LIU(1999). The Mystery of China’s
Falun Gong Its Rise and Its Sociological Implications East Asian
Institute National University of Singapore.
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Categories:
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Falun Gong in Hong Kong
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