Local Falun Gong practitioners gathered in meditation Sunday in front of the Chinese Consulate to plead for an independent investigation of a self-immolation Jan. 23 in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Five people who had been doused with gasoline set themselves on fire in what was billed as a protest of China's ban on the Falun Gong spiritual movement. One woman died in the tragedy, which marred the beginning of the Chinese lunar new year. The Houston group said the five Beijing victims were not Falun Gong followers. "This act of suicide goes against all that we believe in," said spokeswoman Diana Roberts. "We are nonviolent." The group meditated quietly, ignoring honking horns on Montrose and the occasional flash of cameras from passers-by. "We are urging for a complete investigation to find out the truth behind the incident," practitioner Rae Song said. Group member Howard Song said Falun Gong wants the United Nations to investigate the Beijing tragedy. He said the organization believes the Chinese government staged a protest to smear Falun Gong. Roberts says the five who set themselves ablaze in Tiananmen Square could not have been Falun Gong members because they were not in the correct mediation stance. Also, fire has no significance in Falun Gong, she said. A banner behind the group read: "Release all jailed and detained Falun Gong!" The Houston group said it has nearly 200 practitioners. It follows the teachings of founder Li Hongzhi. Falun Gong members do not worship a god but rather try to achieve inner spiritual growth. Through slow-motion exercises [...], the group tries to cultivate truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, Roberts said. "What we want is for people not to believe everything the Chinese government says," Roberts said. "We need to take a critical look at what is really going on." "China is a country that signed the international treaty of human rights," Falun Gong member Jason Wang said. "It is reasonable and legal to have an independent party investigate."
Category: Falun Dafa in the Media