Friday, 15 June, 2001, 12:43 GMT 13:43 UK

More than 100 Falun Gong members have gathered outside Hong Kong's government headquarters to protest at the territory's leader, Tung Chee-hwa, branding them "[slanderous term omitted]". Wearing trademark yellow tee-shirts, they performed slow-moving exercises, while some brandished banners denouncing Mr Tung's comments as preposterous.

Mr Tung on Thursday told parliament the spiritual movement was a well-organised [slanderous term omitted] with a political agenda.

The group was banned in mainland China in mid-1999, but Mr Tung said he had no immediate plans to propose similar legislation in Hong Kong.

Our correspondent in Hong Kong says Mr Tung has stepped up his rhetoric against the meditation movement in recent weeks.

"All we do is exercise either at home or in a park to improve our health, and study the teachings to upgrade our moral standards," the group said in an open letter.

"As a result, we have become mentally and physically healthy people. Mr Tung, why is that [slanderous term omitted]?"

'Vicious'

Ho Yi Han, a spokeswoman for Falun Gong, said: "We came here mainly to show our deepest concern concerning Mr Tung's derogatory remarks against Falun Gong. To show our dissatisfaction at his totally groundless libel against us.

"We have been calling for dialogue between us and government officials and Mr Tung these few months, but we have only received negative responses.

"We are again here to ask for this open dialogue between Falun Gong practitioners and the government."

The group also said it was "vicious" for a senior government aide to have compared the movement recently to the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo cult, whose nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995 killed 12 people and injured thousands.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to China in 1997 with the promise of broad freedoms and a high degree of autonomy.

On Friday several Hong Kong newspapers criticised Mr Tung's comments.

The South China Morning Post said his remarks were "alarming and unnecessary" and "would raise doubts about Hong Kong's willingness to protect freedoms of religion and assembly".

Earlier this week China announced a swathe of new regulations aimed at strengthening the [party's name omitted] campaign to stamp out the activities of Falun Gong, which it says is [slanderous term omitted].

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1390000/1390296.s tm