Page 24 - C.A.L.L. #38 - Summer 2014

her their real objection to New Oasis that it violated laws on marriage,
was that “what we’re doing is against the forestry and education.
status quo of our country.”
At the same time, they have mounted a
The Communist Party has never had campaign of unrelenting harassment.
much tolerance for independent After thugs in plain clothes roughed up
organisations
of any kind.
While it has
loosened
restrictions
on religious
worship in
recent

decades, the
government
has moved to
crush
unsanctioned
Christian
churches,
Buddhist
teachers
with their Tending a garden. New Oasis has unnerved officials in Yunnan Province.

own
followings and disciples of the Falun commune members and smashed water
Gong. Even small groups such as New pipes and electricity generators, the
Oasis run afoul of the party’s deep commune complained to the police, but
fears of independent movements, was told that there were no clues to
especially when they are led by identify who was behind the attacks.
charismatic figures.
Ms Cui Wenzhen, 67, had left behind a
Certainly, some aspects of the group’s life of subsistence farming in Henan
structure and practices are rather province four years ago to join New
unorthodox. Members are known as Oasis, weary of poverty. Her husband
celestials, all property is shared and quickly followed.
couples sleep apart. Marriage, money,
supervision and punishment are all Asked what they would do if they were
proscribed, because residents believe evicted, Ms Cui said: “We sold all our
that those things impede happiness. belongings to come here. There’s no
home to go back to and no way to
For the past year, officials have been survive.”
pressing New Oasis to disband, claiming

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