(New Haven-WTNH, Feb. 17, 2002 6:30 PM) Two Connecticut men are watching to see what the president will do on his trip to China. They're hoping he will urge the Chinese government to end its crackdown on the spiritual practice of known as Falun Gong.
Two local men were detained just this week by Chinese authorities while visiting Tiananmen Square.
To its millions of practitioners, Falun Gong is an exercise designed to better the mind, body and spirit.
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Scott Roberson says, "Anyone who knows any Falun Gong practitioner knows that this is not a
threat to anyone, any government, that it's just a very good thing."
But this week, it got Scott Roberson and his friend Benjamin Zgodny in a lot of trouble.
The two Connecticut men traveled to China to take part in an international appeal to the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
They wound up in jail.
Roberson says, "We were stopped and they searched our bags and found that we had a Falun Gong book, which is considered illegal."
Benjamin Zgodny says, "I was detained, interrogated. They held us for more than 24 hours."
Falun Gong began in China ten years ago. Though it is based on ancient Chinese teachings it is now practiced in 40 countries around the world and many of those countries, including the US, have called China's crackdown on Falun Gong which began in 1999 a violation of human rights.
Zgodny says,"You think of the Constitution. Freedom of speech and stuff like that. So I couldn't believe that people who practice this peaceful thing. It makes you a good person -- they would be persecuted for doing it."
"We're just trying to make ourselves into better human beings, better husbands and wives.. better employees.. better students.. just better community members.. by adhering to the three principles of Falun Gong -- Truth, Compassion and Tolerance," says Roberson.