Chinese political advisors have called on the nation's
legislature for drafting a systematic anti- cult law as early as
possible to provide a solid legal foundation in the fight against
cults.
The call was aired during the ongoing annual session of Chinese
People's Political Consultative Congress (CPPCC), the top advisory
body of China.
Master Gen Tong, vice chairman of the Buddhist Association of
China and a CPPCC member, urged the legislature to sift through the
existing laws and regulations of the country before giving a
clear-cut definition of cults for the drafting of an anti-cult
law.
"We really have some legal stipulations in some legal documents,
but I don't think they are enough for providing a sound legal basis
in our fight against cults," said the Buddhist monk.
One of the most important legal documents was a decision issued
by the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress
(NPC) in October 1999 on quashing cult organizations and preventing
and punishing cult activities.
The Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate
also issued legal interpretations on the decision, and the Ministry
of Public Security formulated stipulations on handling cases
related to cults.
"All this provides certain basis for the fight against cults,"
said Master Gen Tong.
However, he said, the absence of a complete anti-cult legal
system cannot meet the need for the fight. "What we're going to do
is to build a systematic and complete anti-cult legal system as
early as possible."
He said that the abolition of cults is an important task to
respect the international norm of human rights and protect people
from the harms of cults.
France passed an anti-cult law in June 2001. Many other
countries also have promulgated their laws on fighting cults, he
noted. China should learn from their successful experience.
In July 1999, the Chinese government banned according to law the
Falun Gong cult that claimed more than 1,500 deaths.
(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2007)