The residents, who were interviewed shortly after the suicide incident, held that the suicide attempts of seven Falun Gong practitioners further exposed the evil nature of the cult and the fact that Li Hongzhi, the cult's ringleader, does not hesitate in attaining his political goals at the expense of the lives of cult members.

Under the disguise of keeping practitioners' bodies fit, the cult tried very hard to organize its members to disturb social stability and fight against the government and the people, some residents said.

After mass media made public the suicide incident in the past two days, some governmental bodies and universities held talks on condemning the Falun Gong Cult, which led one person involved in the suicide attempt dead and four seriously injured.

Most people showed their utmost sympathy for the 12-year-old girl and the 19-year-old student at the Central Conservatory of Music, both of whom were seriously burnt.

Liu Xiangyan, headmaster of the primary school affiliated with the Central Conservatory of Music, said that Chen Guo had started her music education at the age of 11.

The pretty girl from Kaifeng, central Henan Province, was chosen from hundreds of applicants across the country. Chen entered into the conservatory two years ago and specialized in Pipa, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, said the headmaster.

The heinous cult leader Li bewitched Chen and made her step into hell, Liu said.

Li deluded his disciples to believe in him and even kill themselves, however, he and his families fled to the United States and are enjoying the good life, said Zhang Xiaosong, another teacher at the conservatory.

With the most treasured property of life, people should make their own contribution to the progress of the society. Credulousness of cults and destruction of life are extremely ridiculous, said Zhang.

More and more evidence has proved that the Falun Gong cult, which is more vicious than other cults, has close links with Western anti-China forces, said a retired government employee Wang Chunming.

He suggested that Chinese should fight against the cult mercilessly.

People in Henan, where all seven of the people who committed the suicide attempts come from, expressed their indignation after knowing the incident and its fact.

"The Falun Gong cult not only runs against traditional Chinese ethics but also results in mishaps for its practitioners and their families," Zhang Yong, a provincial legislator said.

Gao Lingzhi, a delegate to the peoples congress in Zhoukou, said, "The Falun Gong Cult would not safeguard human rights and freedom."

"Why does Li Hongzhi ask his members to burn themselves?" said Gao, citing that Li is clever enough not to burn himself.

Yang Kexing in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region said he was very sad after viewing the 12-year-old girl burning herself. "The Falun Gong cult cheated its members, therefore, the government must root it out," said Yang.

Residents in Chengdu, capital of southwest Sichuan Province, also condemned Li Hongzhi and manipulators of the suicide incident.

Wu Xiuying, who lives in the Shuangqiao neighborhood, shed tears after seeing the miserable situation resulting in the serious burn of Chen Guo.

"Li Hongzhi obviously shows his nature of fascism," said Wu.

Chen Zhongsu, who works for the provincial fire brigade, called on all the people with conscience in the world to jointly combat the vicious cult which is led by Li.

Huang Yuanzhi, head of the provincial trade union in central Hubei, urged all workers in the province to help the Falun Gong practitioners out of the mire.

A national model worker Ma Xueli warned the cult members against further believing in Li and his ridiculous heresy.

Liu Shuqian, a lecturer at Guangzhou University, said that the suicide incident gave us a serious lesson. He said if there is no effective crackdown on the cult, it would affect the whole nation.

Li Hongzhi and his cult wish to control the minds of practitioners and order them under his evil baton, said Mi Ruqun, a teacher at Nanjing Normal University in Jiangsu Province.

The cult has competed with us for the new generation, said Mi, adding that the education bodies must keep the new generation far away from the cult and Li's heresy.

"We pledge to fight against the demon Li Hongzhi and his cult," said Xie Dehai, who lives in the Huanggu neighborhood in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

(Xinhua 02/01/2001)