On the afternoon of May 24th, 2007, The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) Australia Delegation issued a statement in front of Parliament in Canberra: Olympics and Crimes Against Humanity Cannot Coexist In China. CIPFG also made three requests. They said, if satisfactory responses to their requests are not received on or before 8th August 2007, CIFPG will join all supporters from around the globe to boycott the Crimes Against Humanity Olympics.
This statement was made by members of an independent investigation team into allegations of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China, David Matas, international human rights lawyer; and David Kilgour, former Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) for Canada. Senator Andrew Bartlett, Dr. Sev Ozdowski OAM, Dr. Noel Preston AM, the Edmund Rice Centre, and the National Civic Council also signed on to the statement. The impetus behind such a strong statement is the fact that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has failed to respond adequately to allegations of live organ removal. Representative Ms. Kristine Cheney of CIPFG read out the statement in front of Parliament.
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| Representative Ms. Kristine Cheney of CIPFG read out the statement at the rally in front of Parliament. |
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| Senator Andrew Bartlett gives a speech |
Following is the text of the statement:
Statement from The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG)
The Olympic Charter states in part: "the goal of the Olympics is to place sports everywhere at the service of a harmonious development of man, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with preservation of human dignity. To this effect, the Olympic Movement engages, alone or in cooperation with other organisations and within the limits of its means, in actions to promote peace" (Olympic Charter, Article 3). Safeguarding human dignity and humanity is a universal foundation of the Olympics. In order to win the right to host the 2008 Olympics the Chinese regime promised to improve its human rights record. However, recent reports from the UN and Amnesty International have clearly proven that the human rights situation in China is deteriorating; particularly hard hit is the community of Falun Gong practitioners. Since the Communist regime began its full scale illegal crackdown on Falun Gong on July 20th, 1999, 3034 deaths (as of May 23rd, 2007) due to the persecution have been confirmed despite strict information blockades. UN Special Rapporteur Nowak reported in March 2007 that Falun Gong practitioners account for 660f victims of alleged torture while in government custody.
Witnesses have come forward one after another since March 9th, 2006, indicating that the communist regime has built NAZI-style concentration camps to incarcerate Falun Gong practitioners. Reports indicate a large number of practitioners have had organs removed while still alive and their bodies cremated.
Reports published by Canada's human rights lawyer David Matas and former Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour on July 6th, 2006 and January 31st, 2007 (http://organharvestinvestigation.net) supported these allegations. Some observers estimated that Falun Gong adherents constituted more than half of the 250,000 officially recorded inmates in China's reeducation-through-labour camps today. There are also others who are incarcerated in different types of detention facilities.
The Falun Gong genocide is undoubtedly the worst human rights disaster in current day China. If this genocide does not stop, claims by the government that it is making improvements are only window dressing gestures aimed at manipulating international communities. If this genocide does not stop, China is not fit to host the 2008 Olympics. The Olympics and crimes against humanity cannot coexist!
The four Chapters of CIPFG (The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China), with over 300 members in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America, including government officials, legal and medical professionals, and human rights and other non-governmental organisations, have written separately in 2006 to the relevant bodies of the People's Republic Of China government and/or its overseas agencies. Not a single response has been received.
We hereby urge the PRC authorities once again, to:
1. Stop the persecution of Falun Gong immediately and release all practitioners incarcerated for their faith.
2. Stop the persecution of friends and supporters and defense lawyers of Falun Gong practitioners (e.g. Gao Zhisheng, Li Hong).
3. Hold discussions with CIPFG to arrange details on the opening of labour camps, prisons, hospitals and related secretive facilities for inspection by CIPFG independent investigators.
If satisfactory responses to our requests are not received on or before August 8th, 2007, we will join all supporters from around the globe to boycott a Crimes Against Humanity Olympics.
Signatories from Australia:
Senator Andrew Bartlett
Professor Noel Preston AM, Former Director of Uniting Care Centre for Social Justice
The Edmund Rice Centre
The National Civic Council
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