On November 23, 2006, Xiao Zhonghua (John), a representative of the Coalition
to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) and Peter Westmore,
president of the National Civic Council and the leader of CIPFG in Victoria, wrote
to Liang Shugen, the Chinese Consul in Melbourne, asking the Chinese Communist
Party to stop the persecution against Falun Gong and to stop the harvesting of
organs from Falun Gong practitioners. The representatives from CIPFG also requested
assistance in organizing an investigation in China.
Below is a transcript of the letter:
Dear Mr. Liang,
Many Australians are extremely alarmed by the allegations that large numbers
of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience have been, and we believe continue to
be, killed in China to harvest their organs for the transplant trade (1).
Although denied by your government, there has been no serious investigation
to support such denial and no sign of preventive measures, such as the new legislation,
being effective (2). Both the international community and the Australian public
believe that this is too serious a crime, if true, to be allowed to continue
unabated.
For the Chinese government to be exonerated from these serious allegations,
the only way is to allow unfettered inspections and investigations by independent
investigators from the international community to detention facilities and hospitals
of their own choosing, including those within the military system due to their
alleged involvement (3).
The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) (4) is a
global alliance of independent concerned parties who are committed to conduct
serious investigations and to ensure that the alleged killings do not happen.
The Australian CIPFG delegation has been formed and together with three other
delegations, from Europe, Asia and North America, we are ready to begin the
investigations.
The July 6th 2006 report into this allegation (5) by international human rights
lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia Pacific region
David Kilgour (referred to as Matas-Kilgour Report hereafter) has made seventeen
recommendations for the Chinese government and the global community to act to
ensure the alleged crime is stopped or at the very least prevented. Most of
these recommendations could be and should be implemented, whether the allegation
is true or false.
The CIPFG delegations going to China is implementing recommendation 3 of the
Matas-Kilgour Report, while the inspections and investigations conducted by
the delegations will put into action recommendations 11, 12, 13 and 14.
The Australian CIPFG also urge the implementation of recommendations 10, 15,
16, and 17 of the Matas-Kilgour Report by the Chinese government – "the
repression, imprisonment and severe treatment of Falun Gong practitioners must
stop immediately", "organ harvesting from executed prisoner should
cease immediately", and "organ transplants should not be for sale".
The delegation, while in China, will also investigate and report on evidences
of non-compliances of 10, 15, 16 and 17.
The Coalition’s teams from the four continents will cover different regions
of China; the targets of the Australian delegation include Hebei, Jilin and
Hubei Provinces. We have lists of detention facilities and hospitals in these
provinces that may be the starting points of our investigation, but we may go
outside these three provinces if need arises in order to follow cases under
investigation.
We would also like to ask for your government’s assistance to locate Mr. Gao
Zhisheng (Beijing based lawyer and CIPFG member) and Mr. Cao Dong, a Falun Gong
practitioner who was detained after the Vice-President of the European Parliament
visited him earlier this year, who we would like to visit. According to Amnesty
International, Mr. Gao has been detained since August this year but his whereabouts
are unknown. The international community strongly urges his immediate release.
The Australian delegation Victorian team consists of concerned parliamentarians,
citizens and organizations. We seek to have a meeting with you to discuss and
organize details for the delegation’s travel to and inside China.
Your attention and assistance is highly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Westmore President National Civic Council &Victoria Team leader and
John Xiao Spokesperson of CIPFG
Notes:
(1) Secret Chinese Concentration Camp Revealed http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-3-10/39083.html
(2) New laws came into effect from 1st July 2006 in China, but failed to prevent
an "increase" in supply of organs in the lead up to the 2006 National
Day (Oct 1st).
(3) Source Reveals Other Chinese Concentration Camps http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-3-31/39910.html
(4) Announcing the Establishment of "The Allied Group to Investigate the
Persecution of Falun Gong in China" and Its Preliminary Investigations
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2006/4/30/72657.html
(5) Download the report at http://investigation.go.saveinter.net/
Posting date: 1/Dec/2006
Original article date: 26/Nov/2006
Category: News & Australian News
