Falungong members fight negative image in Indonesia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Falungong members in Indonesia are in a public
\nopinion battle to convince the public that the organization here
\nis apolitical and merely teaches about meditation and health.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, Indonesian Falungong
\nAssociation Chairman Joko Buntar refuted descriptions of the
\ngroup as a sect or spiritual movement, as its main endeavor is to
\npromulgate a healthy lifestyle and patience.<\/p>\n
\"We practice every Wednesday and Friday in several places in
\nthe capital. The point of the exercise is to increase one's
\nmorality and patience. No religion is affiliated to the
\nassociation,\" Joko said.<\/p>\n
He conceded that some here have misperceived the group, when
\nactually it does not pose any threat to the people or to the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"If we were so awful, why have about a hundred million people
\naround the world joined the group,\" Joko further remarked.<\/p>\n
Falungong began to make international headlines in July 1999
\nwhen the Chinese government banned it for the reason that the
\nmovement regularly defies the government.<\/p>\n
It was officially banned after thousands of its members
\nbesieged Chinese government offices in several cities there to
\nprotest the arrest of their leaders.<\/p>\n
The Chinese authorities arrested thousands of practitioners
\nafter their attempt to circle a government building in Beijing on
\nApril 25, 1999 and charged them with either disrupting social
\norder or subverting the government.<\/p>\n
There were claims at that time that falungong members can
\nacquire supernatural powers and no longer need the aid of
\nphysicians to cure their ailments.<\/p>\n
Falungong grew out of a form of martial arts known as qigong
\n-- an array of breathing exercises and meditation based on the
\ntheory of inner energy.<\/p>\n
The Falungong Association here was set up five years ago and
\ncurrently claims to have around 500 members around the country.<\/p>\n
They practice the meditation and movement every Wednesday and
\nFriday afternoon in Senayan sport complex and at the National
\nmonument compound.<\/p>\n
Joko pointed out that members here come from a variety of
\nsocial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.<\/p>\n
\"Some of our members are Muslims, Christians, and some are
\nSundanese, but most are of Chinese descent,\" Joko added.<\/p>\n
The association's Secretary Liman Kurniawan told the Post that
\nthe association was officially established and registered last
\nyear in compliance with government regulations.<\/p>\n
\"We usually just practice among ourselves, but last year we
\nobtained legal registration papers to comply with the government
\nregulation,\" Liman, a Buddhist who has been practicing falungong
\nfor three-years, said.<\/p>\n
Liman underlined that the group only has one teacher named Li
\nHongzhi who is based in the United States. He added that there is
\nno organizational linkage between the Indonesia and the China-
\nbased groups.<\/p>\n
Despite attempts to assure the public, there was still some
\nobvious wariness about its existence.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah deputy chairman Malik Fadjar told the Post that
\nthough the government does not have the right to ban the movement
\nit should keep a close watch on the association.<\/p>\n
\"I am not going to say it must be cautious, but the government
\nshould watch the movement just to make sure that it will not
\ncause public disruption,\" Malik, a former minister of religious
\naffairs, said.(dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/falungong-members-fight-negative-image-in-indonesia-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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