The Wall Street Journal reported in December that at least 77 Falun Dafa or Falun Gong members have died in custody nationwide. The Journal theorized that the deaths were the result of ancient imperial rule tactics, which pressure local governments to implement central rule. Falun Gong is claiming there have been well over a hundred deaths. There have been reports that if you're the policeman in a small village and someone from your village comes to Beijing to appeal, then you are held responsible. A lot of pressure is put on local officials to wipe out the Falun Gong in their areas.
Oppression is one of the ways they do that.
The Chinese government stamped out the student uprising of 1989 in close to two months. Meanwhile, the Falun Gong protests have gone on nearly two years since the religious group was banned. It's an interesting question. People really believe in it. They're committed to it in the same way as when I was in civil rights movement and police beat and killed civil rights leaders.