Australia: Letters of Support from the Australian Government Concerning the Detained Practitioner Zhuoya

Letter from Australia Member of Parliament Kelvin Thomson to Prime Minister John Howard

Dear Prime Minister,

I wish to make representations on behalf of Ms Lucy Liu, a constituent of mine of Unit 7/55 Austin Crescent, Pascoe Vale Vic 3044, who approached my office seeking assistance regarding her sister Zhuoya, presently detained in a labour camp in China.

I am informed that Ms Zhuoya (aged 40) was a lecturer in Traditional Chinese Medical College of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi City. Unfortunately she was detained in late 2000 and in June 2001. She was sentenced 3 years forced-labour at the Wulabo Labour Camp in Urumqi. Her mother is permitted to visit her once a month and her family is devastated by her arrest.

My constituent, Ms Liu appeals to you as Prime Minister of Australia to take the opportunity to raise the issue of detained members of the Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) to the attention of the Chinese President Jiang at the APEC meeting in Mexico later this month.

I have attached a letter from Ms Lucy Liu and other relevant material which sets out other cases similar to her sister, who have been illegally imprisoned in China for practising Falun Gong. I have also been provided with a copy of the US 107th Congress 2nd Session H. Concurrent Resolution 188 regarding Falun Gong. I ask that you give this documentation your sympathetic consideration.

Any information or advice which you may be able to provide on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

KELVIN THOMSON MP

Member for Wills

9th October 2002/mt

Letter from the Office of Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs

3 December 2002

Dear Ms Liu,

Thank you for your letter of 16 October 2002 to the Prime Minister concerning your sister, Zhuoya. The Prime Minister referred your letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer. I have been asked to reply on Mr Downer's behalf.

The Government is concerned about your sister's situation and will seek information on her welfare from the Chinese Government, through the Australian Embassy in Beijing. To facilitate this, it would be helpful if you could provide the following information to the Department (marked to the attention of the Director, China Political and External Section): your relative's name in Chinese characters, date of birth and last registered residence.

On the broader question of Falun Gong, the Australian Government takes no position on the movement's doctrine or practises. That said, Australia considers that China's ban on Falun Gong breaches fundamental rights of assembly and free expression. Australia also believes China's treatment of Falun Gong members in China contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China has signed, but not yet ratified, and the Convention Against Torture.

Australia has expressed its views to China many times, and at the highest levels. Australia has raised China's treatment of Falun Gong in various round of the bilateral Human-Rights Dialogue, most recently in August 2002. Regrettably, China's response at those talks did not suggest any softening of its position was likely. But the Government will continue to pursue the issue.

Yours sincerely

(signature)

Elly Lawson

Acting Director

China Political and External Section