Australia: CIPFG Delegation Writes to Chinese Consulate-General of Sydney about Going to China to Investigate Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners

On November 27th, 2006, Phil Glendenning, Leader of Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) Australia Delegation wrote to Chinese Consulate-General of Sydney to express concern about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) live organ harvesting. In the letter he pointed out; "We believe 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."

He also requested for a meeting with the Consulate-General to discuss and arrange details for the trip to China.

Following is the content of the letter:

27th November 2006

Mr. Qiu Shaofang Consul General
Chinese Consulate-General of Sydney
39 Dunblane Street
Camperdown, NSW 2050

Dear Mr Qiu,

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.

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. Both the international community and the Australian public believe that this is too serious a crime, if true, to be allowed to continue unabated.

We believe 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.

The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) 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 CIPFG Australia Delegation has been formed together with three other investigation teams.

The July 6th 2006 report into this allegation 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.

Also, we note that in August this year Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament, raised these issues directly with the Australian Parliament and the Australian people. The CIPFG delegations going to China are implementing recommendation 3, 11, 12 and 13 of the Matas-Kilgour Report.

The CIPFG Australia Delegation 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.

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 Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament visited him earlier this year, whom we would like to visit. According to Amnesty International Mr. Gao has been detained since August this year but his whereabouts is unknown. The international community strongly urges for their immediate release.

We seek to have a meeting with you to discuss and arrange details for the delegation’s travel to and inside China.

Your attention and assistance is highly appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Glendenning,
Director
The Edmund Rice Centre
NSW Team leader