Speech: "The Society for Threatened Peoples International is deeply concerned about the ongoing and brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners."

China’s international image took a nosedive because of its violations of human rights on its home turf. Those, who believe that China could change for the better are more than proven wrong by the constant violations within China proper. To regain its international image and to demonstrate that it is a responsible member of the international society, China must respect international human rights law. China also must be true to its word and respect and protect human rights.

China continues to violate the most fundamental human rights and commits crimes against humanity. The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) appears to be obsessed in retaining political power, while at the same time it claims that it has achieved economic reform and that it enjoys a good international reputation. Alas, the repression in China is changing for the worse.

Since July 1999, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and sentenced to jail terms or administrative detention in re-education camps, and were imprisoned in psychiatric facilities. Detained Falun Gong practitioners are often victims of torture and abuse. Torture is a method to intimidate Falun Gong adherents and to force them to renounce their faith and no longer practise the meditative exercises. In protest of their situation and the miserable detention conditions, Falun Gong adherents regularly go on a hunger strike. This result’s often in maltreatment represented by force-feeding and forced labour.

Falun Gong practitioners have been going to Beijing over a long period of time. They hope to protest in front of government buildings by practising the exercises and meditation. The Chinese regime in turn reacts in an abusive and more repressive manner against these people. The latest information that trickled out from China tells of the beginning of a campaign to “hit hard”. The intention is to stop any public protest against the persecution of Falun Gong. As a result, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and forced to attend re-education classes. Therefore, the number of Falun Gong practitioners who have died in prisons increased from 124 in the beginning of 2001 to 3,000. Most of the adherents died from inhuman torture injuries.

The most alarming information about human rights violations is the independent report by the former Secretary of State David Kilgour and the human rights attorney David Matas, both of Canada. This report discussed details about organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. Investigations have shown that 41,500 Falun Gong practitioners lost their lives because of organ theft since the beginning of the persecution of Falun Gong.

The Society for Threatened Peoples International is deeply concerned about the ongoing and brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore, we are asking that the international society demand from the Chinese regime to allow religious freedom, end the persecution of Falun Gong and immediately release all imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners.

Ulrich Delius
Asia representative of the Society for threatened Peoples International, Berlin.

Published in German at http://de.clearharmony.net/articles/200710/40282.html