09oct02

MEMBERS of meditation group Falun Gong claim they have suffered religious discrimination after being denied a stall at this year's Chinese New Year festival in Melbourne.

The group applied for an exercise and meditation stall in Russell St during the February party, but claim they were knocked back, without reason, by organisers Concentive Australia and hosts the Federation of Chinese Associations Victoria.

The [group] was banned in China in 1999.

Falun Dafa, the group's spiritual arm, this week took its case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Stall spokesman Michael Pearson-Smith said festival hosts were kowtowing to the wishes of China's consul-general in Melbourne by excluding Falun Dafa.

"We have had phone calls from other members of the federation saying that there is a majority ... which is faithful to mainland China," Mr Pearson-Smith said.

"They say they will have to placate members of the Chinese community (if they include us)."

Federation of Chinese Associations Victoria president Sheng Wang confirmed pressure from the Chinese consulate-general had driven the decision to exclude the stall.

"If Falun Gong was involved, the consul-general would not be a VIP guest at the celebration," he said.

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