Reyes said this allegation is in violation of the Covenant.
“We are in compliance with Section 104 of the Covenant, which places foreign affairs under the responsibility of the U.S. government,” he said.
Mark B. Hanson, lawyer for the Falun Dafa Association of Saipan, said the CNMI government has had a long standing relationship with the Chinese government — specifically with its Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Chinese Economic Development Association which monitors activities related to the employment of Chinese in the CNMI.
“It is certainly possible that there is a tacit agreement between the Chinese government and the CNMI government to quash Falan Gong efforts to educate Chinese tourists and others about persecution occurring in China (and the persecution is still occurring),” Hanson told Variety.
Falun Dafa is banned in China.
Hanson said the Office of the Governor didn’t response to his Open Government Act request inquiring whether the local and Chinese government had an agreement in dealing with Falun Dafa.
But Reyes said he didn’t believe that such records exis.
The governor’s office, he added, is not responsible for the records of every branch or agency of the CNMI government.
“I suggest that the request for such documents be directed to the other government agencies,” Reyes said.
Hanson said he hasn’t received any reply from his request which he submitted in 2007.
“They won’t even tell Rep. Tina Sablan who is paying for the federalization lawsuit,” he added. “You think they would turn over any communications about putting down the Falun Gong or even admit that such communications occurred?”
The Falun Dafa Association of Saipan has been conducting its activities on Banzai Cliff in Marpi for many years now but recently the Department of Public Lands ordered the practitioners to stop using the public land in the area for their gatherings.
Hanson said Falun Dafa members chose the Banzai Cliff area as a location for their peaceful, free speech activities because it is one of the very few locations on Saipan regularly visited by Chinese tourists.
DPL refused to allow the Falun Dafa members to publicly display their posters and banners, and to hand out booklets and pamphlets in the Banzai Cliff area.
“This is an illegal content restriction,” Hanson said.
Reyes said that any individuals or private groups may use public lands according to CNMI law, rules, or regulations.
However, he added, there’s no absolute right for any group to use public lands without restriction, regulation, or compensation to DPL.
“The freedom to peaceably assemble is covered under our Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. We are in compliance with this constitutional mandate and the Falun Dafa group often peacefully assembles at the Garapan Street market on Thursdays,” he said.
Last week, local artist and Falun Dafa practitioner Chen Xiao Ping again applied for a DPL permit, but had not received a response as of press time yesterday.
