In a symposium attended by students from the Beijing University, the People's University of China and the Beijing Normal University, participants were appalled by the inhuman suicidal blaze incident of January 23.

The students agreed that the incident fully demonstrates the evil nature of Falun Gong and the vicious intention of Li Hongzhi, founder of the Falun Gong cult.

Liu Xiaochen, a student from the Beijing Normal University, said that the incident shows that Falun Gong has turned into the tool of those who intend to subvert the Chinese Government, and Li Hongzhi has turned out to be a lackey of the international anti- China cliques.

Xing Wei, a student studying law at Beijing University, applauded the government's policy of uniting, educating and helping Falun Gong followers.

Hoodwinked by the malicious fallacies of Li Hongzhi, founder of the Falun Gong cult, five Falun Gong practitioners, including a 12- year-old girl, soaked themselves in gasoline and set themselves on fire at around 2:40 PM on the eve of China's Lunar New Year.

One died on the spot and the four others injured in the suicide attempts. The police on duty rushed to their rescue and immediately sent the injured to local hospital.

The relevant departments of the local government have exerted every effort to save the victims, but in contrast, Li Hongzhi, founder of the Falun Gong, said that the victims are not Falun Gong practitioners in a bid to avoid his crime, Xing said.

Participants at the symposium called upon university students across the country to uphold science and resolutely fight the Falun Gong cult.

(People's Daily 02/01/01)