overseas media on Falun Gong

Non-Communist parties in China, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and outstanding figures without party affiliation Wednesday condemned Falun Gong for the suicide attempts in central Beijing.

Leading members of the parties, the federation and outstanding non-affiliated figures said the self-immolation attempts by seven Falun Gong followers revealed the "anti-humanity, anti-society and anti-science" nature of the Falun Gong cult.

Voicing their support for the measures and policies adopted by the Chinese government on Falun Gong, they predicted the fight against the cult will be a long-term, complicated and political one.

Among those attending the seminar were Wang Guangying, Cheng Siyuan, He Luli, Ding Shisun, Cheng Siwei, Jiang Zhenghua, all vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress, the country's top legislature.

They represent All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce ( ACFIC), Taiwan Studies Society, the Revolutionary Committee of Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK), China Democratic National Construction Association (CDNCA), China Democratic League (CDL), Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP).

Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, Sun Fulin, Jing Shuping, Luo Haocai, Zhou Tienong, Wang Wengyuan, vice chairmen of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) were also present at the gathering.

They described the fact that the cult members set themselves on fire on January 23 at Tiananmen Square in central Beijing as an astonishing move organized by the cult.

All of the cults in the world are a source of terror threatening the lives and property of the general public and social stability, and their leaders often organize such cruel and terrifying incidents like group suicide, kidnapping, murder at the expense of their followers, they said.

The move by Falun Gong is a gross violation of human rights and an infringement on the freedom of the followers and other citizens, they added.

The Chinese government has been safeguarding human rights by handling the issue of Falun Gong according to law and offering a helping hand to hoodwinked Falun Gong practitioners through education, they said.

Facts have shown Li Hongzhi and his cult, Falun Gong, have thrown themselves into the lap of international anti-Chinese forces in a bid to create chaos in China, sabotage the Chinese government and the country's development, they said.

The seminar was presided over by Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and head of United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Wang said the self-immolation incident by the Falun Gong practitioners helped China better understand the nature of the cult backed by Western anti-China forces, which have never given up their attempts to "westernize" or "split" China.

He called on all those at the gathering to better understand the nature of the struggle against Falun Gong in order to make due efforts to save the Falun Gong addicts through education.

Chinese youth and women from all walks of life also gathered this week denouncing the self-immolation incident and Falun Gong in a gathering organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and All-China Youth Federation.

(Xinhua)