Belgium: Call for an Investigation into Organ Harvesting by the Chinese Communist Regime

At the invitation of Belgian MP Jan Loones, independent Canadian investigators David Kilgour and David Matas held a press conference at the Belgian Parliament about organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners.

Press conference

The N-VA Party MP and Foreign Affairs Committee member the Honourable Mr Jan Loones hosted the press conference. He said that like other people, he has been extremely concerned that western countries including Belgium are only paying attention to doing business with China while almost totally ignoring human rights issues. He stated his grave concerns in a press release on March 18th this year.

Mr Loones stressed that from reports by Amnesty International, corruption and abuse of power is widespread and very serious in China. The shooting of refugees by Chinese border guards and the arrest of the renowned human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng were among the latest abuses of power. The brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is especially of concern. He already requested the Belgian Foreign Affairs Committee to formerly open investigation into China’s human rights problems. Today’s press conference was just the beginning of the process.

He said that David Kilgour and David Matas carried out independent investigations into allegation that the Chinese Communist regime harvests organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Although the allegation is so shocking and difficult to believe, the conclusion of their investigation confirmed that the Chinese Communist regimes persecuted to death large number of Falun Gong practitioners, their organs were taken and traded at high prices. This happens at the time when the Chinese regime claims that it is the best period of human rights in China. He hoped that the western governments would openly raise the human rights issues with China, not just the human rights dialogue behind closed door. He praised the recent action by the Canadian Prime Minister who insisted the Canadian values and principles on human rights come before trading with China and cited it as example for other countries.

In his press release to the media, Mr Loones demanded the dictatorial Chinese Communist regime to open prisons, labour camps and other facilities where Falun Gong practitioners are being illegally detained. He called upon the Parliament and various governments to support the investigation.

Following Mr Loones’ speech, the two independent Canadian investigators David Kilgour and David Matas introduced their investigation reports and the latest progress. They appealed for united action by all political Parties to stop the continuing atrocity by the Chinese Communist regime.

Falun Gong practitioner from France Chen Ying described her own experience of being subjected to brutal persecution in a Chinese labour camp because of her belief in “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance”. After the atrocity of the regime’s organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners were exposed, she remembered that in the labour camp, she was subjected to various medial examinations, including her heart, blood and eyes, while being tortured (obviously the medical examinations were not to ensure their physical health). She appealed to western societies to help stop the persecution and rescue Falun Gong practitioners who face the danger of death.

The Belgium representative of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) Mr Ivan said in his speech that since the Chinese regime’s organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners was exposed in March, CIPFG was established, with the sole aim of investigating and stopping the large scale persecution by the Chinese Communist regime against Falun Gong, especially the atrocity of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners.

He said that currently members of CIPFG in China, such as human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng and Yang Zaixin, have been harassed and arrested. Large number of Falun Gong practitioners are still detained in prisons, labour camps and other facilities, and subjected to torture. They can become victims of organ harvesting at any time. The international communities have responsibility to immediately investigate and stop this crime against humanity.

Mr Ivan said that a group to investigate in China has recently being formed and plan to go to China to investigate the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and the atrocity of organ harvesting from living people. Many people from various professions applied to join the group. They plan to go to China to carry out thorough and independent investigations. The sub-groups from Australia, Europe, North America and Asia have already formed or being formed. He demanded the Chinese regime to keep its promise to the international communities, assisting the investigation group to openly investigate all allegations without interference.

Mr Ivan said that the group would inform governments and media of the whole progress, including its members’ applications of visa to China and the investigation in China. He called for the support and concern of international communities.

Belgian Senator Mr Patrik Vankrunkelsven, who just carried out an investigation into the Chinese regime’s organ trade a few days ago, specially came to attend this press conference. He also appealed to unite all efforts to investigate and stop this crime by the Chinese regime.