By Benjamin Kang Lim

HUAIROU, China, Sep 8 (Reuter) - They came. They complained. They also say it was worth it and they conquered.

So farewell to a raucous United Nations grassroots women's forum that for 10 days fascinated and tormented the world's biggest nation.

Communist China had never seen anything like it. And many participants had never seen anything like communist China.

Friday, the 30,000 women activists involved bade farewell to each other in the rain and mud that plagued the biggest-ever meeting of women activists.

"The forum was a turning point in the women's movement," declared Xu Zhijian, Chinese vice-president of the organising committee, at a closing press conference.

Thai parliamentarian Supatra Masdit, convenor of the Non-Governmental Forum (NGO) Forum on Women, also declared the meeting a success.

But she also delivered a final jab at the heavy-handed security that marred the meeting for many participants who complained about harassment and police surveillance.

"We have found many challenges in the cross-cultural communications as we have ... conducted this forum. And in most ways, we have been successful," she said.

"Reports of human rights problems, however, have marred the accomplishments of this gathering," Supatra said. "I have firmly conveyed my concerns to the China Organizing Committee."

At one point, organizers gave authorities 24-hours to stop harassment or the meeting would be called off.

The Chinese denied any harassment or surveillance, but backed down and reduced security in the 104-acre forum site to which the activists were confined.

"The Chinese authorities' presence was overwhelming," U.S. human rights activist Dianne Schwartz said in an interview.

U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton, during a whirlwind visit, also condemned Beijing's interference as "indefensible."

She found out first hand about the complaints when guards briefly locked her top aides out of one of her speeches.

But undaunted, many participants overcame their hosts and held daily protest marches through the forum site despite attempts to restrict demonstrations to a school playground.

There were also workshops on lesbian flirting techniques, the Virgin Mary as a role model for the modern woman and discussion of any subject to do with sexual equality.

Outside, curious Chinese whispered rumors, all unfounded, about what was going on.

The women activists were dancing naked, the site would be shut for four months when the conference ended and sprayed to stop mosquitos in the area passing on AIDS.

In her final message, Masdit urged participants to urge their governments to maintain the gains women have achieved.

"The world's women understand China better now and Chinese women understand the world better," said Tare Cerenyuzhen, a member of China's official Tibetan delegation.