News and Events from around the World -- May 4, 2007

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content

  • San Francisco: The Organ Harvesting in China Shock Doctors at Annual Meeting of International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

  • Statement from the European Falun Dafa Association Regarding EU-China Human Rights Dialogue

  • Ireland: Commemorating April 25th, 1999 - Falun Gong practitioners demand an end to the persecution

  • Clarifying the Facts in Macao During the May Day Weekend



  • San Francisco: The Organ Harvesting in China Shock Doctors at Annual Meeting of International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

    The International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) held its annual meeting and scientific sessions at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco on April 25 to 28, 2007. About 2,000 experts, scholars and medical staff dedicated to heart and lung transplantation from around the world attended. Falun Gong practitioners in the San Francisco Bay Area took the opportunity to tell the attendees the facts about Falun Gong, hoping that they would have an opportunity to learn about the persecution practitioners have been suffering, and the inhuman harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. Many doctors signed the petition to condemn the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) crime of harvesting organs from living people.


    Falun Gong practitioners hold banners outside the venue of the annual meeting of the ISHLT, informing the attendees about the crimes of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in China


    Clarifying the facts about Falun Gong to doctors attending the meeting


    After learning the facts, people sign the petition to condemn the CCP's harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners

    Falun Gong practitioners explained the situation to the organizers of the meeting, hoping to enlist their concern and support. The organizers accepted the independent investigation report regarding Falun Gong practitioners having their organs harvested while they were still alive in mainland China. The organizers also handed out the reports to the meeting's committee members.

    With the hotel's approval, Falun Gong practitioners unfurled banners outside the gate of the hotel asking people to help end the crime of harvesting organs. They also distributed truth-clarifying flyers to passersby.

    Engineer Zhang Qian from the Bay Area said that she took a day off work to come to the venue of the ISHLT to clarify the truth. She hoped that these heart/lung transplant experts, scholars, and staff could learn about the outrageous act of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners in the mainland China. She said one of her friends in Beijing was sentenced to forced labor for refusing to give up practicing Falun Gong. She was worried about this friend's safety.

    Many doctors attending the meeting said that they had learned the facts, such as that during the period when Falun Gong practitioners were suffering brutal persecution, there was also a massive surge of organ transplant operations in mainland China. The autopsies of the bodies of some Falun Gong practitioners who were tortured to death at forced labor camps or prisons revealed that some organs were missing. These facts shocked the listeners. Some doctors asked for the independent investigation reports released by the Canadian independent investigation team. They said they would read it carefully. Some doctors expressed their sympathy and support, and signed the petition.

    It is widely known that a primary source of organ transplants are Falun Gong practitioners

    A lung transplant expert in the US told practitioners that he knew many patients who had gone to China for kidney transplants. He also knew some Chinese doctors who had immigrated to the US because they could not tolerate the current situation in China.

    According to this lung transplantation expert, these Chinese doctors do not have an opportunity in the US to practice medicine, but they would rather stay in labs of hospitals in the US to do experiments, than work as doctors under China's current medical system. These doctors told him that inside China, organs for transplants are from executed prisoners, particularly persecuted people such as Falun Gong practitioners. This is widely known. This lung transplant expert was quite familiar with all kinds of atrocities the CCP has committed, therefore, he was not surprised regarding the heinous acts of the CCP harvesting organs from living people. He knew that the CCP has committed monstrous crimes in terms of violating human rights.

    This kind surgeon wished Falun Gong practitioners good luck, and expressed his support for Falun Gong.

    A doctor from Japan told practitioners that it is a common occurrence in Japan that people choose to go to China for organ transplants, because in Japan, the number of people who can be organ suppliers and transplant operations every year are quite few. He noticed that in the past four years, the number of organ transplants inside China has sharply increased, and everybody knows that these organs for transplants are from the executed prisoners. He was deeply shocked upon learning about the facts revealed by the investigative report written by Kilgour and Matas. (http://investigation.go.saveinter.net/) He strongly condemned the CCP regime's harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners.

    Harvesting of Live Organs Is Against All Principles of the Medical Profession

    A cardiac surgeon from Saudi Arabia learned about the atrocity of harvesting organs from living people and strongly expressed that such acts are against all principles in the medical profession and are very immoral. He said that organs are donated in his country, and the authorities must obtain consent of the family members. Human organs and the whole process of medical treatment are provided free of charge. No transaction of money is allowed. This is to avoid anything like killing people for profit.

    A doctor from Belgium learned about the atrocity of live organ harvesting. He felt it is inhuman. Anyone who has done so is intolerable, and it's worse that doctors and the government are involved. He introduced that there is a governmental organization in the European Union, working 24 hours a day. Every organ transplant operation must be approved by this organization. As for donors from sudden death, the brain death must be certified by two doctors.

    Doctors from South America and Europe did not believe it in the beginning, because in their own countries, governments take strict measures on organ transplants so as to ensure medical ethics and moral standards. No organ transplant can be conducted until after carefully signing, checking and approving large numbers of documents, and witnesses testify. Therefore, such an atrocity is hard to imagine in their countries. Practitioners explained in detail the facts proving that the CCP has indeed committed such a crime. After learning those facts, they showed concern for the atrocities taking place inside China. They also showed sympathy for Falun Gong practitioners.

    One doctor said that the CCP regime has declared it would not do such things any more. When a practitioner asked him, "Has the CCP regime opened all forced labor camps and prisons to allow independent investigations?" The doctor looked pensive and took a copy of the investigation report.

    Through the truth clarification, Falun Gong practitioners in the Bay Area of San Francisco hoped more people could learn about the persecution through different channels, extend their support to help stop this outrageous organ harvesting, and bring an end to the inhuman persecution taking place in China soon.


    Statement from the European Falun Dafa Association Regarding EU-China Human Rights Dialogue

    29 April 2007

    The next EU-China dialogue on human rights is due to be held on 15 and 16 May 2007. On behalf of the millions of people being persecuted in China today, we are compelled to remind the EU that we have not seen any positive results from this process. In fact we have seen China's human rights deteriorate since the start of the dialogue. We ask the EU to review its whole approach to China's human rights. In particular we ask that the EU and each member state publicly condemn China's worsening human rights and open the dialogue process to attendance by the media and non-governmental organisations so that it is transparent and accountable to the people of Europe.

    The EU-China dialogue on human rights was initiated in January 1996, but was interrupted by China after Denmark and nine other EU Member States tabled a critical resolution at the 1997 UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) session. Later in 1997, China decided to resume the dialogue. Since then, the dialogue has been held twice a year.

    The persecution of Falun Gong continues unabated in its scale and viciousness. The death toll continues to mount. Up to the end of April 2007, 3000 deaths of Falun Gong practitioners were verified. The deaths were mostly attributed to the severe torture practices of Chinese detention centres and labour camps. Torture techniques usually include severe beatings, electrocution, force-feeding, physical torture and forced drug injections. The actual figure is of course much higher and in the tens of thousands. Over 100,000 were verified to have been illegally sent to labour camps and more than 500 have been sentenced to prison terms of up to 18 years. A recent report of the independent investigation led by David Kilgour and David Matas of Canada shows that a large number of Falun Gong practitioners have been killed for organ harvesting. At least 41,000 cases of organ transplants have been carried out since the year 2000, with organs harvested from Falun Gong practitioners, an atrocity in which state-owned hospitals, the military and the people's court are involved.

    We sincerely appreciate the support that the EU has given in the past for the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners in China and the efforts it has made through the policy of behind-the-scenes dialogue. It is clear from the persecution figures, continuing death toll and verifiable information coming out of China, that this has not had any impact in preventing the Chinese authorities from continuing to flagrantly violate international human rights laws. Indeed, the closed-door human rights dialogues avoid overt and public condemnation of the persecution, which is exactly what the Chinese authorities would like to avoid at all cost. As long as such strategies continue, so will the persecution. If such methods were actually helping to prevent further torture and deaths, it would be helpful to continue in this way. But, it is all too tragically clear that the Falun Gong practitioners in China continue to suffer and endure horrific abuses. We sincerely urge the EU to take this valuable opportunity to openly and publicly speak out against the human rights abuses. The EU's efforts and public condemnation of this senseless and unrelenting persecution can significantly contribute to lessening the pressure that the practitioners in China are currently enduring and take us one step closer to ending their suffering. It has now been over 8 years since the crackdown began. Every day, we receive more news of yet another torture victim, another family torn apart, another human rights crime.

    Yours sincerely

    Mr Peter Jauhal
    Co-Chairman

    Mr Man Yan Ng
    Co-Chairman

    European Falun Dafa Association European Falun Dafa Association



    Ireland: Commemorating April 25th, 1999 - Falun Gong practitioners demand an end to the persecution

    At 10 am on the 25th of April 2007, Falun Gong practitioners in Ireland held a protest at the Chinese Embassy to Ireland. They commemorated the 25th of April 1999, when ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners in China peacefully appealed at the Beijing Bureau of Appeals. Practitioners in Ireland protested against the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) eight years of brutal persecution, raised awareness about the peaceful appeal on the 25th of April 1999 and exposed organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners, which is taking place today. They also supported the twenty million Chinese who have quit the CCP.

    Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Dai gave a speech at the press conference, explaining exactly what happened in 1999 from several aspects. If the CCP had given any thought at all to the future of the nation, it would not have started or continued with this inhuman persecution for as long as eight years. Falun Gong has spread across the world and practitioners' peacefulness, rationality and perseverance in righteous beliefs are highly regarded by the international community.

    According to Ms. Dai, the "4.25" appeal was not the cause of the CCP's persecution, which had systematically started as early as 1996 when Guanmin Daily published articles attacking Falun Gong.

    Not only was the mass appeal of "4.25" reasonable, it was also legal. As such the appeal was not the cause of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, rather it was an excuse to make the persecution public. The CCP's reign is based on tyranny and mind control. As Falun Gong quickly spread across China, more and more people could tell right from wrong and chose to follow the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." The CCP was losing mind control of the public, which was what the CCP feared most. With or without the "4.25" appeal, the CCP would anyhow commit genocide against the hundred million practitioners of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." It is in its evil nature.

    Ms. Dai also shared the view that "politics" is a neutral word in western society. It was the CCP that twisted the word to mean "to fight for political power". During various political movements in the CCP's history, the party would always put a political label on someone before downing them. In order to persecute Falun Gong, the CCP branded Falun Gong as "being political". Faced with the CCP's eight long years of vicious slander and atrocious persecution, Falun Gong practitioners did not give in to the evil forces. Upholding righteous belief in "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance," they peacefully clarified the facts to people in the world. If even this could be branded as "being political", would one not be better off the more "political" one became? Why not expose the persecution and dissolve the evil in a dignified way so as to be completely freed from the persecution of the CCP?

    Some questioned why Falun Gong, which follows the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance," would appeal rather than forbear. Ms. Dai' answer was that "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" are the nature of life. To give up the nature is not "forbearance" but rather "decay". "Forbearance" is not disregarding the evil crimes of poisoning and destroying people. It is not compromising or conniving with evil either. It is rather manifestation of a practitioner's selflessness, strong will power, and peaceful mindset while protecting the truth of the universe. Using "Forbearance" as an excuse to avoid moral responsibility or to connive with evil is not the compassionate forbearance of a practitioner.

    At the press conference Falun Gong practitioner Zhao Ming, who himself suffered persecution in China, condemned the CCP's atrocities of organ harvesting in various labor camps, jails and secret concentration camps. Zhao called upon the international society to openly condemn and help to stop this brutal persecution. Zhao said, "After organ harvesting was exposed, some reporters made telephone inquiries to the hospitals about availability of Falun Gong organs. The hospitals bluntly admitted as if doing promotions. China's source of organ transplant is executed prisoners. But no Falun Gong practitioner has been sentenced to death. Doesn't the admission that some organs came from Falun Gong practitioners mean those organs were harvested when the victims were alive? Especially since the two Canadian independent investigators published their Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China, international society should openly condemn the CCP's atrocities and help to stop the butchering of Falun Gong practitioners."

    During the eight years of persecution, through various means practitioners living in Ireland called upon the Irish government to pay attention to the persecution Falun Gong suffers in China. To this day, rain or shine, they peacefully protest the CCP's tyranny in front of the Chinese Embassy to Ireland. When the organ harvesting crimes came to light, they gained support from the Irish government and many Irish people.

    Note: On the 25th of April 1999, over ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal in the centre of Beijing, demanding the release of forty-five practitioners that had been arrested in Tianjin, the promise of a legitimate environment to practice, and the permission to publish Falun Gong books. The CCP Prime Minister at the time held talks with Falun Gong representatives, which largely resolved the issues. This was the famous "peaceful appeal of 4.25". Since the CCP started the crackdown on Falun Gong on the 20th of July 1999, practitioners persevered in raising awareness about the persecution. More and more people learned the truth and chose to support Falun Gong against the persecution. More and more righteous people publicly support Falun Gong and condemn the CCP's tyranny.


    Clarifying the Facts in Macao During the May Day Weekend

    May 1 starts the long holidays for mainland China, and many tour groups as well as individual tourists come to Macao during the holidays. Here, people can see the truth that can't be seen in the mainland, and many tourists came to the Macao Quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Service Center to register and withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party organizations.



    A Falun Gong practitioner passes out truth-clarifying flyers


    People view the pictures and truth clarification displays

    A passerby takes a flier and begins to read it happily

    The area in front of the municipal hall is the center of politics, economics and commerce in Macao, and it is a must-see place for tourists. During the holidays, this location is often packed with tourists. The tourists usually spend a long time here to shop and take photos. In addition, the top officials of Macao's local government, security and police systems can often be seen here. The Falun Gong practitioners used to come and clarify the truth during major holidays, but since February 2006, they have come every Sunday from 2:00-6:00 p.m. with banners and truth-clarifying displays. They also distribute the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party to promote quitting the CCP.

    Because of the pressure and influences from the Chinese Communist Party, interference with the truth-clarification activities has been ongoing for a long time. But the practitioners continue to come every week. Every time, a small group of plainclothes policemen monitor the practitioners' activities from afar, take videos and photos, and write reports to the police department. In addition, uniformed policemen are sometimes called in to issue violation tickets, accusing practitioners with fabricated charges of occupying the places illegally. Every time, it is a chance for practitioners to clarify the truth to the uniformed policemen, "Falun Dafa is good. Falun Dafa is righteous. The Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong is illegal. Our truth-clarification is to oppose the persecution, and this is not a commercial business." "Macao has already joined the International Human Rights Organization, so you ought to help protect human rights, not abuse local regulations to suppress human rights." The practitioners don't comply with and don't acknowledge the policemen's actions. They send forth righteous thoughts to clear the evil factors behind them in other dimensions. The practitioners also remind them that everyone will receive retribution for their bad deeds, and tell them not to support the evil, and to value their own futures. Often, the uniformed policemen will leave without writing any tickets.

    Every time, the police send a few new faces so the practitioners keep on clarifying the truth to them. After the uniformed policemen leave, sometimes the plainclothes policemen will joke with the practitioners, "You have repeated the same words to them and I have heard it so many times." A practitioner said, "You are lucky to hear it. Please value the predestined relationship." They replied, "We know you are all good people. I am sure of that. You see, we are also helping you. But for some things, we can't help but do it. We can only take you as friends and hope your problems get resolved soon." The practitioners thanked them for their good-will and wished them a good future.