September 15, 2001

JAKARTA (JP): In protest to the repression of Falun Gong members in China, around 40 Indonesian members are conducting a seven-day walk from Bandung, West Java, to Jakarta.

It will end on Tuesday in front of the Chinese embassy here.

The SOS Global Rescue Walk of some 180 kilometers is aimed at gathering support for the Falun Gong movement.

"We start by meditating each morning before starting the days walk"... said Joko Buntar.

He added that most of the participants are men in their forties.

Joko said that the walk started on Wednesday with 20 people but the number doubled as others joined on the way.

Not all took part until the end of the walk. Joko himself, for example, said that he walked in the first two days of the event as he had things to do in Jakarta on Saturday.

According to Joko, the walk is not sponsored by any organization and participants are expected to provide for themselves during the walk.

"None of our members are allowed to receive any kind of donations, [except] for moral support," he stressed.

Thus far, there has been no reaction to their activity, and Joko said that a lot of people on the street encouraged participants in the walk.

According to Falun Gong association data in Jakarta, there are about 3,000 practitioners across the nation with most residing in the capital.

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