Communist Party members prohibited from practising

THE Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) yesterday published a circular forbidding Party members from practising Falun Gong.

The circular asks CPC members who currently practise Falun Gong to separate themselves from such organizations and make a clean ideological break from them.

It also calls for the launch of educational activities against Falun Gong for the entire party.

The circular says the Falun Gong organization has developed and spread in recent years. Falun Dafa, as concocted by Li Hongzhi, has propagated a set of malicious fallacies, seriously corrupting the minds of some people.

The Falun Gong organization deceived some practitioners into holding illegal gatherings outside Party, government and media organizations, the circular says. Such activities have seriously disturbed public order and jeopardized the stable situation of reform and development.

The fact that some CPC members have also taken part in such activities has tarnished the image of the Party and made a very bad impression on society, according to the circular.

The circular prohibits all Party members from practising Falun Gong, attending any activities arranged by the Falun Gong organization, assuming any positions in the organization, spreading materials, or providing places, funds, or other facilities for any activities of the Falun Gong organization.

The circular asks Party members to expose and contradict Li Hongzhi and his Falun Dafa, and aid party organizations and relevant departments to help people understand the issue.

The circular says that, for those Party members who practised Falun Dafa, but break ties with the organization on their own and make a clean ideological break, no questions will be asked.

Those who have engaged in organizing and publicizing Falun Gong as key members will not be investigated or held responsible if they break away from the organizations on their own, and draw a clear ideological line demarcating themselves from Falun Gong and exposing its problems.

Party members who are key members of the Falun Gong organization and have committed serious mistakes will be given disciplinary punishment according to Party disciplinary procedures, the circular says. But those who repent or render meritorious service will have their disciplinary punishment reduced or not be investigated.

Those who refuse to correct their mistakes after repeated education will be asked to give up their Party membership, the circular says, and those who refuse to give it up voluntarily will be expelled from the Party.