August 8, 2001

HONG KONG (AP) -- Members of the Falun Gong meditation group, banned in mainland China but not here, began a three-day protest Wednesday calling for the release of a Hong Kong resident who they say is detained in Beijing.

About 30 people marched 5.2 miles in sweltering weather to Hong Kong's main train terminal on Victoria Harbor, urging China to free fellow Falun Gong member Chan Yuk-to.

The group plans similar marches Thursday and Friday. Afterward, it intends to present a petition to the local Chinese liaison office, said Kan Hung-cheung, a Falun Gong spokesman.

Lau Yuk-ling, Chan's 58-year-old mother, led the silent march. She wore a yellow t-shirt printed with "S.O.S.'' in red letters and held a placard showing her son's photo that read: "My son is not guilty,'' and "Release my son.''

"I am not doing this just for my son, I am doing this for all those innocent Falun Gong practitioners who are being kept in jail and suffering from torture,'' Lau said before setting out.

Falun Gong claims that at least 263 members have been killed in the Chinese crackdown on the popular meditation movement. Thousands of adherents are in jails and labor camps and many have been forced to renounce their beliefs since the government banned the [group] in 1999, denouncing it as a public menace and threat to [party's name omitted] rule.

Hong Kong residents, however, enjoy more freedoms under an autonomy arrangement agreed to when Britain returned the colony to China four years ago.

Lau and other Falun Gong members said police detained Chan last month, and have not informed the family of the reason.

Officials from Hong Kong's Immigration Department and Security Bureau have said they were contacting Beijing regarding Chan's case. Inquiries to the central government's liaison office went unanswered.

Falun Gong combines slow-motion exercises and meditation [...]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Hong-Kong-Banned-Sect.html