Statement from Dr Steve Ladyman UK MP: The persecution of Falun Gong in China - It’s time to get this issue on the international agenda

Living in a country where we take our freedom of expression, religion and association for granted, it is hard for us to understand the plight of Falun Gong adherents in China. Whilst, bigotry and intolerance towards people of different religions, colours and backgrounds is, unfortunately, not alien to us in this country, it is something our Government is quite rightly taking great pains to eradicate. Our Government does not support, encourage or indeed perpetrate bigotry. We, in Britain, would never condone a system of state-monitored worship, in which groups that the government claim to be a threat to order are crushed.

When states respond to threats, perceived or real, without due process or use their power to oppress and persecute, it becomes impossible for individuals to protect themselves. As a Member of Parliament, I believe I have a duty to assist groups in this position, who otherwise have few mechanisms to make their voices heard; this is why I have taken up the plight of Falun Gong in China.

The political mood that has characterised much of the western world in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, has had the unfortunate consequence of providing the Chinese Government justification for the use of excessive force. I believe this force is both dangerous and counter-productive. Being classified by the People’s Republic as a terrorist organisation, Falun Gong practitioners in China have found themselves up against a terrifying police and propaganda assault. It is simply not on that the Chinese Government uses the war on terrorism to legitimise their brutal crackdown on Falun Gong. This is something we need to communicate to them.

China's successful integration into the World Trade Organisation and the continuation of its economic reforms are positive developments. I believe that free trade, economic engagement and open relations are generally the most effective way to bring about positive changes within a closed society. China's markets are in many cases opening for the first time to foreigners. Other nations are bringing new capital and diverse peoples into China to trade and invest. As this influx of new ideas, technology, and international business continues, China will become more engaged in world affairs. We have great hopes that this engagement will eventually result in liberalization in China.

Sadly, there have been few signs that our hope that these changes would begin to steer China toward democracy or at the very least toward a relaxation in their attitude on religious freedom has been realized. Whilst I ultimately believe that it is engagement rather than isolation that will bring about an improvement, it is time for our Government to bring greater pressure to bear on China to open itself to religious diversity and respect people’s right to religious freedom. This would eventually lead to a more tolerant and harmonious nation with true social stability, rather than a form of stability imposed and maintained through repression.

We must continue to use China’s membership of the World Trade Organisation to push for human rights improvements. The selection of China as the site of the 2008 Olympic Games, while a great honour to the Chinese people, also offers the Chinese Government a fantastic opportunity to show the international community that it will not dishonour this event by continuing to violate the rights of its citizens. This is a point we must raise with them, again, and then again.

It is up to all of us, both within and outside of Parliament, to strive to get this issue firmly on the international agenda. We must work on behalf of each and every person who has suffered at the hands of this oppression. Together with the European Union and the United States, our Government must continue capitalising on our leverage with the People’s Republic, and fast. People are dying.

Dr Steve Ladyman MP