One of them, Hu Guangying, a retired worker, died from an infection from a decubitus ulcer, while the other one, Xie Ying, a farmer, died from enteritis.

"Falun Gong deprived my mother of her life, throwing our family into perpetual pain," said Zhou Hong, Hu's son.

The 58-year-old Hu began to practice Falun Gong in 1996 and gradually became obsessed by the cult's ideas, like the belief that practitioners may achieve nirvana by practicing Falun Gong.

In August 2000, she was infected with scabies but turned a deaf ear to her family persuading her to see a doctor.

"It's a poison-excreting reaction resulting from practicing Falun Gong," Hu said to her children.

Hu's four-year-old grandson was also infected with the disease, through Hu, but recovered after using an anti-scabies ointment for about four days.

Zhou then offered the ointment to Hu, yet she turned it down, insisting that Falun Gong followers should not receive medical treatment.

Hu's conditions took a turn for the worse at the end of January and doctors said the direct cause of her death was the infection from the decubitus ulcer, which resulted from scabies.

"I hope those still stubbornly believing in Falun Gong learn a lesson from my mother's death and stop the tragedy from repeating itself," Zhou said.

Xie Ying, 30, who became a Falun Gong practitioner in 1997, began to suffer enteritis in December 2000.

Xie refused to see a doctor because she believed any disease could be cured by practicing Falun Gong.

She died on the night of February 24, 2001, while practicing Falun Gong, leaving behind two young children.

Official statistics show that in the last couple of years,@than 1,600 Falun Gong practitioners have died unnatural deaths throughout China, which has affected thousands of families.

The Chinese government banned the cult in July 1999.

(Xinhua 03/