Latvian Government Rejects Slander against Falun Gong and Declares that Falun Gong should be Congratulated, Honoured and Respected

Translation of Letter from the Latvian Republic Ministry of Justice Religious Affairs Office:

Address, Telephone / Fax, Document Reference No
September 28, 2001

Poltava Falungong and Falun Dafa Association Person in Charge - Antonio Abanierjinshen

The Religious Affairs Office, in response to the inquiry application that you submitted on September 25, 2001 about "New Religious Movements and Investigative Research into Religious Sect" and Expert Committee member Nigel Gudeleidefucaifu demeaning Falun Gong cultivation practice to be an "Asian (respectfully omitted) sect " in Latvian television station's programme "Family Public Square", has carried out investigations and research.

The Religious Affairs Office think that "Falun Gong cultivation practice" and "Poltava Falun Gong and Falun Dafa Association" should not be labelled with the terminology "sect". At the same time we think that this organisation's efforts towards devoting its energy to guide the development of society towards the direction of noble moral standards should be congratulated, praised with honours and respected.

The reason why we set up the expert committee is to look into the registration and problems of re-registration of new religion movements and sect organizations, and to analyze if its activities comply with the laws of Latvia and international law regulations. Its purpose is to promote the work of Religion Affairs Office and to do surveys to gather public opinion on religious activities that violate the law or undermine moral standards. According to the stipulation of rule 12 of Expert Committee, if an official statement is to be expressed formally, it has to go through certain procedures, meeting minutes has to be drafted, the committee will then use the views of the majority of the experts who are present at the meeting as a basis to determine the official statement, the members present at the expert meeting will have to sign on the "official statement".

In conclusion of the above, the views that committee member Nigel Gudeleifucaifu expressed on Latvian television station are purely his personal views and have no relationship with the officials of Expert Committee.

Head of Religion Affairs Office : Ringolds Balodis

Translated on 26 October, 2001 from Chinese version at http://www.yuanmingeurope.net/articles/2091.html