Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, originated in China on the principles of truthfulness, benevolence and tolerance. It’s a tai chi-type exercise that involves meditation to give the practitioner a sense of ease and inner peace. Despite the fact that the group is completely apolitical, but philosophical and spiritual, the Chinese government continues to persecute its followers. In the meantime, the University continues to strengthen its ties with China.

The Chinese government not only persecutes and tortures people for practicing Falun Dafa, it also has arrested demonstrators defending the group’s right to practice and bulldozed over literature about the group. China’s reaction to Falun Dafa’s popularity reinforces the country’s connotation of intolerance. Falun Dafa is powerful, but is nothing that should be considered threatening. Perhaps there is something in the practice, such as the teachings of benevolence and tolerance, which the Chinese government needs to learn about itself.

Corruption exists wherever people are tortured and beaten because of a spiritual practice that does not infringe upon the safety or rights of others. Falun Dafa members have been subject to various forms of torture. Methods include, but are not limited to, burning, electric shock, persecution of children, exposure to extreme conditions and savage beatings. Most of these atrocities take place in labor camps, detention centers and mental institutions set up by the Chinese government.

The University has a strong relationship with China because of the “Minnesota China initiatives,” which includes academic, economic, artistic and humanitarian ties. The University has a large population of Chinese scholars, more than any other campus on this continent. Diversifying the University and working with different types of people is a good thing. At the same time, having a connection does not mean agreeing with everything that a particular group does. The University should express its dissent toward China on the subject of the wrongful detention and persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners.