France: National Human Rights Advisory Committee Concerned about Organ Harvesting by the CCP

On November 28th, 2006, at the routine public hearing held at the French Premier’s Office building, the French National Human Rights Advisory Committee invited the two Canadian independent investigators, Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas, to testify to the crimes of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners by the CCP. The president of the French Falun Gong Association and representatives from CIPFG (Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China) France delegation were also invited.

Ms Lamperti, President of Action for Human Rights Association questioned by the media	Mr. Matas talks to reporters from the French 2 TV station about the investigation into organ harvesting	Mr. Kilgour is interviewed by the French 24 television station

The French National Human Rights Advisory Committee is located inside the Premier’s Office Building and is in the position of providing consultation on human rights aspects to the French Premier’s office. The public hearing on the evening was chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Decaux, the Chairman of International Affairs in the committee. The committee Secretary General Mr. Michel Forst, the French human rights Ambassador Mr. Michel Doucin, and some representatives from different member associations in the committee attended this hearing.

After the hearing, the two Canadian investigators hold a press conference at the law office of lawyer Mr. Orlandi to inform the media about their investigation and the public hearing at the French National Human Rights Advisory Committee

At the hearing, Matas first outlined the main points of the investigation report and declared that the CCP crimes of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners on a large scale did exist and are still going on. He suggested that the committee can conduct their own investigations into this and put forward a suggestion to the French government to exert pressure on the Chinese authority and ask for an open and concrete dialogue at the highest level with the Chinese government regarding the facts testified in the investigation report. Matas also suggested specially, in view of the fact of the severe violation on human rights, the 2008 Olympic Games should be transferred from Beijing to Paris.

Afterwards, Mr. Kilgour informed the media about the persecution of Falun Gong in China, he cited the strong approvals of Falun Gong from the Canada Governor-General and other senior politicians, praising the “Truthfulness Compassion and Tolerance” principle and the contributions towards the harmonisation of society.

David Matas told the press conference that they suggested that the French government should exert pressure to the Chinese government regarding organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners and help to stop the crimes of genocide and gross inhumanity happening in China. If there is any chance of dialogue with the Chinese government referring to this matter, three rules should be complied with: First, the dialogue must be public instead of in private; second, the dialogue must be at the topmost level rather than grass roots level; third, the dialogue must be concrete instead of a superficial discussion.

He also indicated to the media that, in view of the fact that the Chinese government has not fulfilled their promises on human rights promised while applying for the staging of the Olympic Games, but the human rights condition has become even worse instead. In particular, these kinds of anti-human crimes are still going on there, therefore they suggested that the sponsor city of the 2008 Olympic Games should be Paris, the city competing with Beijing for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games at that time.

At a joint interview by the Epoch Times, NTDTV and the Sound of Hope Radio, lawyer Orlandi said that “what Falun Gong is upholding is the traditional culture, the traditional thoughts, the CCP regarded as a kind of threat to its political power, Falun Gong is strong in China, the number of Falun Gong members are more than the members of the CCP, the CCP is a dictatorship, in order to eliminate the dissidents, the CCP must annihilate Falun Gong, now they even use the method of organ removal to eliminate Falun Gong”. He added that, “The investigation report has just been submitted to the National Human Rights Advisory Committee; this report is based on approved or confirmed facts, I think, France, as a human rights guarder, should do something, even deny the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as the condemnation on this crime. My colleague Mr. Matas’ suggestion is significant, the denying of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will impel the athlete to condemn this crime, tell them what is happening there and inform them that: we do not go to Beijing because the human rights is trampled on there. This report gives the full and accurate evidence. I think this is a very good action!"

As a human rights observer, Ms Lamperti, the president of “Action for Human Rights” Association, also attended this hearing. She said that, this public hearing indicates the French government’s further concern on the persecution of Falun Gong in China and the facts of the CCP’s organ harvesting from living persons. As a human rights organisation, what they request is “not only the Chinese government to release a few prisoners of conscience, this can certainly not solve the problem because the whole of China is controlled by this kind of system. The “610” office must be dismissed, Lawyer Gao Zhisheng must be released and let lawyers in China continue to uphold human rights and maintain human morality and justice”.

The renowned radio station French Info made a news report and interview on-the-spot and made a broadcast of the interviews on the next day. The TV station French 24 had made a detailed interview to the two Canadian investigators. The state-operated TV station French 2 also sent reporters to cover this event.