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 of John Xiao
National Civic Council Spokesperson of CIPFG
Team leader
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
