China – Falun Gong
Civil conflict in China, now quiet. Secular government vs Taoist-Buddhist sect.
Falun Gong is a modern non-violent movement teaching traditional Chinese spiritual and fitness practice based on Taoism and Buddhism, founded by Master Li Hongzhi. In the 1990s it grew so large (70m members in China, 30m abroad) that the Chinese government saw it as a threat, banning the movement in 1999. Thousands dead and tortured. The movement was rooted in the spiritual vacuum arising from 1970s decline of Maoism and 1980s growth of capitalism in China. Similar suppression has occurred for other religious groups too, amongst Asian traditional faiths, Christians and small sects.
LINKS:
Wikipedia: Falun Gong
Falun Dafa
Religious Tolerance: Falun Gong