The Falun Gong cult has been widely condemned for hindering the prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China.

While people around China were sparing no efforts to fight SARS, Falun Gong followers were trying their best to interrupt the measures for SARS prevention and control, said a Xinhua commentary released Monday.

During the past few months, some Falun Gong followers had traveled to many places to distribute printed material promoting the group, some had even deliberately tried to get close to hospitals to contract SARS virus for the purpose of spreading the disease, the commentary said.

Moreover, some SARS suspects of the Falun Gong cult refused to be treated, and some even tried to instigate disorder near SARS hospitals, aiming to disturb the treatment of SARS patients, the commentary added.

At the same time, Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi and the cult's headquarters now hiding overseas, had organized gatherings and issued new doctrines concerning the SARS outbreak.

Li Hongzhi said that he had long ago forecast the outbreak of the disease, calling it "punishment from heaven."

The headquarters had also instructed the Falun Gong followers in China's mainland to carry out activities to hinder SARS control and prevention.

The cult's activities have once again shown their evil intentions of anti-mankind, anti-science and anti-society, the commentary said.

SARS was a new contagious disease little known to medical science, stated the commentary. It condemned Falun Gong of linking the disease to "doomsday" prophecies, and claiming that those who practices Falun Gong could avoid the disease.

The commentary said the Chinese government had done a good job controlling SARS and maintaining social stability.

The recent activities of the Falun Gong adherents have shown their decision to be the enemy of the Chinese people and their goals of sabotaging the Chinese nation.

"They hate to see China's success against SARS and a good economic environment in China," said the commentary.

"Their activities are doomed to fail."

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2003)