Liu Jing, head of the State Council Office for the Prevention and Handling of Cults, told a press conference that the treatment currently focus on the curing of the burnt parts and nutritive support to prevent the occurrence of burn syndrome.

Five Falun Gong followers from central China's Henan Province set themselves on fire in the square on January 23. One died immediately, and the other four were rushed to hospital with serious burns.

Among the four injured are Chen Guo, a 19-year-old music student, and Liu Siying, a 12-year-old girl.

Falun Gong has done as much harm to its practitioners and the society as drug to those drug addicts, said Liu.

A similar incident took place once again in Beijing on February 16. A 25-year-old male Falun Gong practitioner from central China’s Hunan Province burned himself to death.

Bewitched by Falun Gong, Liu noted, nearly 1,700 people in China died because they refused medical treatment when ill, or they committed suicide or self-mutilation in order to “enter the heaven” and achieve the “real completion.”

Falun Gong is an evil cult that has developed in some regions in China in recent years. Li Hongzhi, the cult leader, has fabricated heresies, advocated the coming of a doomsday, created an atmosphere of terror, exercised spiritual control and destroyed lives. The Falun Gong organization, in contempt and violation of law, claims that “Falun Dafa” stays above anything else.

The Falun Gong teaches practitioners to abandon their love for family members and relatives, claiming that anyone, including parents and children who do not practice Falun Gong, could become the enemy.

The Chinese government classified Falun Gong under the category of evil cults on basis of the fact that it has given the destructive consequences to society, Liu said. A string of criminal activities of Falun Gong have fully exposed its anti-human, anti-society and anti-science nature.

Cults have become obstacles to social progress and brought disaster to numerous families and individuals, and communities all over the world, he said, adding that any responsible government would not hesitate to take actions to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

At the request of the general public, the Chinese government has banned Falun Gong in order to maintain social stability and safeguard fundamental human rights and freedoms. China's ban on Falun Gong cult has helped its people get rid of the spiritual shackles from the cult and return to normal life, the official said.

(CIIC by Shan Xingmei 02/28/2001)