The Falun Gong organization in Canada has held the so-called Falun Dafa Week from August 21 through 27, 2000 in cities such as Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Edmonton, and has spread all kinds of falsehoods. Therefore, we cannot but clarify the facts and reaffirm the stand taken by the Chinese government on the Falun Gong issue.
Many facts have proved that Falun Gong is an anti-science, anti-humanity and anti-society cultist organization. Up to now, more than 1,600 persons have lost their lives as a result of practicing Falun Gong. Even more persons have become disabled or lost their mind. Falun Gong has destroyed the normal life of many practitioners families and has done very grave harm to the Chinese society. The Chinese government has banned Falun Gong in order to protect the basic human rights and freedom of religion for all the citizens in China and has won firm support from the people of the whole nation. Here we should point out that the banning of Falun Gong by the Chinese government is also part of international effort to crack down on cult activities and has been understood and supported by the majority of countries in the world.
In dealing with Falun Gong, the Chinese government has been trying to win over the overwhelming majority of the practitioners through persuasion and education. Only a handful of die-hard core members who cause social disorder are punished according to the law. There is no question of so-called persecution in China whatsoever. After patient and strenuous work of persuasion by the Chinese government and people, more than 98% practitioners have seen through the nature of Falun Gong and have broken away from the cultist organization so far. Falun Gong in China has already disintegrated. The influence of Falun Gong out of China is dwindling as well. However, Li Hongzhi and his followers will not resign themselves to defeat and are varying their tactics to linger on in a worsening condition. On the one hand, they have incited the practitioners in China time and again, to despise the law and deceive innocent people and make troubles in the society. On the other hand, they have made attempts to legalize Falun Gong organization in other countries. They try to win sympathy from the people of foreign countries by deceiving them into believing that Falun Gong can make people healthy both physically and mentally. They intend to undermine the friendly relations between China and other countries concerned. However Li Hongzhi and his followers can only hoodwink a few people for a short period of time. They will never succeed.
Finally, we advise the Falun Gong practitioners in Canada to see through Li Hongzhis ulterior motives, not to participate in Falun Gong activities any more and to break away from Falun Gong organization. We also hope that personalities of various circles in Canada will ignore sweet words uttered by Falun Gong and continue to make contributions to the friendly relations and cooperation between our two countries.
(Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada, August 28, 2000)
