November 28, 2006

David Kilgour and David Matas, the two that conducted an investigation into the Chinese trade in organs from imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners, call upon Flemish politicians to put pressure on China to stop these practices and to support further international investigations.

Vankrunkelsven (Senator)

Kilgour and Matas are currently in our country and gave a press conference in the Flemish Parliament last Tuesday on invitation of Flemish MP Jan Loones (N-VA). The matter of the Chinese organ trade came in the media on Monday, after VLD-senator Patrik Vankrunkelsven demonstrated how he was able to buy a kidney in China.

Falun Gong

In their investigation Kilgour and Matas proved [allegations] that the Chinese regime killed a large number of Falun Gong practitioners. Their organs, like hearts, livers, kidneys and cornea were sold at high prices. Because of mostly economical attention on China, the lack of human rights [in China] is hardly addressed. The investigators are traveling around the world with their findings with the hope that the international community will bring up the matter with China.

International coalition

In the meantime an "international coalition" was established, which is to investigate the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Groups of parliament members, and others, from Australia, Europe and North America will travel to China with the hope to be able to do an investigation on site.

Flemish parliament member Jan Loones wants to support this initiative. In the commission for Foreign Policies of the Flemish Parliament, there will be a hearing on human rights in China as well.