On September 28th, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto held seperate appeals to call on the Canadian government to bar Xia Deren, Dalian Mayor and Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province, from entering Canada. Xia is scheduled to hold a business visit to Canada on September 30th.
Xia is from Liaoning Province, notorious for relentlessly persecuting Falun Gong. As deputy governor of Liaoning Province and Mayor of Dalian city, Xia has been supervising and directing persecution against practitioners. To date, 340 practitioners have been persecuted to death in Liaoning province. This represents the third highest death toll among the provinces in China. Moreover, in Liaoning Province, Dalian City is one of the cities which persecutes Falun Gong the most severely. As of September 27th, 2005, 53 practitioners have been persecuted to death in Dalian.
By the end of January 2004, Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program (CCAHWCP) established a list of 45 Chinese officials from each level of Party Committees, "610 Offices"[an office set up to specifically persecute Falun Gong], local governments and forced labour camps that are responsible for the persecution of Falun Gong for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Xia Deren was included in the list. According to Canadian laws, if anyone on the list attempts to enter Canada, a prompt investigation could take place, potentially resulting in refusal of visas to Canada, deportation, charges and punishment based on Canada's laws governing crimes against humanity and war crimes.
In the start of this September, Bo Xilai, former Governor of Liaoning Province, was scheduled to visit Canada with Chinese President Hu. Bo is also on the CCAHWCP's watch list. By the time of Hu's visit, Bo's name disappeared from the delegation's list. Analysts believed that that incident was related to the strong voice of the Canadian public, lawyers, MPs and supporters of Falun Gong.
Reportedly, on July 10th, a Dalian official website announced that Xia and his delegation would hold a Dalian City Job Fair in either Vancouver or Toronto on September 30. However, that web page was recently removed.
Practitioners, Human Rights Lawyer and MPs Call for Entry Ban in Ottawa
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| Practitioners appeal at Canada's Parliament Hill |
Renowned human rights lawyer David Matas wrote to the relevant Canadian officials, including the Ministers of Public Safety, Immigration and Foreign Affairs on August 25th to ask the Canadian government to deny visas to perpetrators of the persecution. Mr. Matas pointed out that based on Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program, one would be denied entry to Canada if he were found guilty of crimes against humanity. He said that if such officials were allowed to enter Canada, it's sending a message that Canada condones genocide and human rights violations. He said that Canada must act according to international human rights agreements and Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program. Victims of such crimes should not be left to fend for themselves.
MP Kilgour said in his speech, "There can be no doubt in anyone's mind that the Chinese government persecutes Falun Gong practitioners mercilessly across China for what is perfectly legal in virtually every other country on earth. Despite its claims that there is freedom of religious conscience in China, Falun Gong practitioners continue to be victimised across the country. I urge the government to follow the letter of its own law and respect the rights of its citizens." The MP also said: "[I]...agree fully that these individuals should not be permitted to enter Canada on the basis of their complicity in the violation of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners."
Practitioners in Toronto Call for Barring Human Rights Offender from Entering Canada
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| Practitioner speaks out at the rally | Practitioners peacefully demonstrate in front of the Minister's district office |
Practitioners' spokesman Joel Chipkar said that Xia is notorious for implementing and overseeing the policy of torture and killing, and was found responsible for torture and genocide by a Northern California Court.
"The death toll of practitioners in China is increasing everyday. If such an official is allowed to enter Canada, it signals that Canada has forgiven the atrocities. The Canadian Government must bar criminals of this kind from entering its borders," Chipkar stressed.
Practitioners in Vancouver Call on the Canadian Government to Bar Entry to a High-ranking Chinese Official Responsible for Persecution
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| The press conference site | |
During a press conference in Vancouver, practitioner Zhang Chunyu gave a speech. He said his mother, Yang Huizhen, was illegally arrested for the third time on May 24, 2004, by police in Dandong City, Liaoning Province. His mother was subsequently detained in the Baifang Detention Center of Dandong City. Almost at the same time of his mother's arrest, police officers broke into his sister Zhang Chungang's home and illegally arrested her. Chungang is now being detained in the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. Mr. Zhang Chunyu strongly called for help to stop the persecution, and specifically called on the federal government to bar Xia Deren from entering Canada
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