Sydney: National car tour to 100 cities kicks off ahead of G20 Summit calling for Falun Gong persecution to stop

For Immediate Release                           26 August, 2016                        Download PDF version

Sydney (Falun Dafa Association) – Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney will commence a 100-city car tour on August 29,  as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull prepares to go to China for the G20 Summit.

The aim for the car tour is to raise awareness amongst Australians about the ongoing 17-year long persecution in China. In particular Falun Gong practitioners will draw attention to the recently confirmed allegations of forced organ harvesting in China.

“We realise that most Australians know little about Falun Gong and the tragic situation in China. We hope that the car tour, which will drive through of over 100 cities, will help fellow-Australians know more about what is going on in China today,” said Dr Lucy Zhao, President of the Falun Dafa Association.

While the Prime Minister Hon. Malcolm Turnbull will attend the 11th G-20 Hangzhou Summit in China‎ during 4-5 September, Falun Dafa practitioners across Australia will be holding a series of nation-wide media events asking the Prime Minister to call on the Chinese leader Xi Jinping to immediately stop the forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience and end the persecution of Falun Gong.

Currently a post card campaign across Australia is drawing attention of the Prime Minister Turnbull to the human rights abuses against the spiritual group. Over 20,000 post cards are expected to be delivered to the PM’s office in Canberra before the G20 Summit kicks off.

Organ harvesting in China has received wide-spread media attention since the release of a new ground-breaking report by independent investigators. This is the first time a detailed analysis of over 700 hospitals in China was conducted. A team of independent international researchers examined transplantation volumes, bed utilisation, surgical rates, personnel and state funding.

The report concluded that:
i) The transplantation volumes in China are far greater than reported by official numbers and stand in the hundreds of thousands.
ii) Non-consenting prisoners of conscience remain to be the primary source of unethical organ procurement.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 343 on 13 June, 2016, expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People’s Republic of China.

Event

Date Location

Event 1: National car tour departure

Monday, 29th August 2016, 9am-10am

Sydney Town Hall, George St

Event 2: Rally: Urging PM to raise human rights during G20 in China Wednesday, 30st August 2016,  12-1pm

Martin Place, Sydney

Contact: Dr Lucy Zhao 0424 388 509

Background:

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a respected creed here in Australia and around the world that practices meditation and exercises with teachings based on the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. In July 1999, fearing that Falun Gong’s widespread popularity was overshadowing his own legacy, the Chinese Communist leader Jiang Zemin ordered the eradication of the traditional Chinese practice. The arbitrary arrest, torture, killing, incarceration, brainwashing, organ harvesting and demonisation of Falun Gong continue to this day.

In wake of this new report over 1 million prisoners of conscience may have been killed and their organs forcibly removed for transplant operations and Falun Gong practitioners remain the main target. Hundreds of thousands are held extra-judicially in jails where physical and psychiatric torture is routinely used. The persecution has garnered condemnation from human rights groups around the world. For more information, please visit www.faluninfo.net and www.stoporganharvesting.org

Media Reports on the Forced Organ Harvesting in China

New York Times: Angry Claims and Furious Denials Over Organ Transplants in China

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/25/world/asia/china-organ-transplants.html?_r=0

The Australian: CHINESE ORGAN HARVEST FURORE

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/chinese-organ-harvest-furore/news-story/04c2fc7a9c44ad5f86cb24dc48abc844

SBS World News: Australian organ transplant doctors defend China ties

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/08/19/australian-organ-transplant-doctors-defend-china-ties

New York Times: CHINESE CLAIM THAT WORLD ACCEPTS ITS ORGAN TRANSPLANT SYSTEM IS REBUTTED

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/20/world/asia/china-hong-kong-organ-transplants.html?_r=2

EUROPE TAKES ANOTHER STEP TO CENSURE ORGAN HARVESTING IN CHINA

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2125771-europe-takes-another-step-to-censure-organ-harvesting-in-china

New York Times:  Debate Flares on China’s Use of Prisoners’ Organs as Experts Meet in Hong Kong

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/18/world/asia/debate-flares-on-chinas-use-of-prisoners-organs-as-experts-meet-in-hong-kong.html?_r=0

NEWS.COM: ‘A bloody harvest’: Thousands of people slaughtered for their organs, new report reveals

http://www.news.com.au/world/asia/a-bloody-harvest-thousands-of-people-slaughtered-for-their-organs-new-report-reveals/news-story/f447a106a86b2735d6beb4ae1685c160

Globe and Mail: Report Alledges China Killing Thousands to Harvest Organs:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/report-alleges-china-killing-thousands-of-prisoners-to-harvest-organs/article30559415/

Download PDF version