Our January newsletter includes new damning evidence against the Chinese authorities from the authors of the 2006 report on organ-harvesting, David Kilgour and David Matas.

There are also calls from around the world for Singapore to revoke its charges against Falun Gong practitioners being held there.

We also report on how the CCP have interfered with the broadcasts of NTDTV and we also catalogue the latest list of casualties of the persecution.

Editor

Canada: New Evidence in Revised Report Supports Allegation of CCP's Live Organ Harvesting

After nearly six months’ continuous investigation, Canadian investigators Mr. David Matas and Mr. David Kilgour have more evidence to support the allegation of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. On the morning of January 31, the two investigators released their revised report, "Bloody Harvest - Revised Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China". The revised report expanded the previous 18 considerations to 33.

The revised report contains 16 new items of proof and disproof, including interviewing organ recipients, the large number of practitioners tortured to death or missing, large-scale construction of organ transplantation centres in China after the persecution, profit-making by China's military and medical system, the difference in ethics and law between China and other countries, the development of organ transplantation technology, and the large numbers of unidentified Falun Gong practitioners in detention.

Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas release their revised report, which further confirms the CCP’s organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners

Mr. Wang Xiaohua provides testimony with his own experience that CCP doctors conduct physical examination of Falun Gong practitioners in detention

Mr. Wang Xiaohua provides Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas release their revised report, which further confirms the CCP’s organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners testimony with his own experience that CCP   doctors conduct physical examination of Falun Gong practitioners in detention

Organ transplantation: Advances in transplant surgery provide new means for old cadres

The report states, “More advanced techniques in transplant surgery do not mean a more advanced Chinese political system. The Chinese Communist system remains. Developments in transplant surgery in China fall prey to the cruelty, the corruption, the repression which pervades China. Advances in transplant surgery provide new means for old cadres to act out their venality and ideology.”

In their recent visits to 30 countries, the two investigators interviewed many organ recipients. “When we were in Asia promoting our report, we met a man who in 2003 flew to Shanghai to obtain a new kidney for the RMB 20,000 price negotiated before his departure. He was admitted to the No 1 Peoples' Hospital-a civilian facility-and during the ensuing two weeks four kidneys were brought for testing against his blood and other factors. None proved compatible because of his anti-bodies; all were taken away. He subsequently went to his home country, returning to the hospital about two months later. Another four kidneys were similarly tested; when the eighth proved compatible, the transplant operation was successfully completed. His eight days of convalescence was done at No 85 hospital of the Peoples' Liberation Army. His surgeon was Dr. Tan Jianming of the Nanjing military region, who wore his army uniform at times in the civilian hospital.”

“The survival period for a kidney [after harvesting] is between 24-48 hours and a liver about 12 hours. The presence of a large bank of living kidney-liver ‘donors’ must be the only way China's transplant centres can assure such short waits to customers. The astonishingly short waiting times advertised for perfectly-matched organs would suggest the existence of a large bank of live prospective 'donors'.”

The report stated that the source of 41,500 transplants for the six-year period from 2000 to 2005 is unexplained. The report inferred that the organs came from Falun Gong practitioners. The new report contains evidence including admissions of doctors (during telephone investigation) that the organs are from Falun Gong practitioners, organs missing from corpses of practitioners tortured to death, the fact that practitioners often do not disclose their names in detention (to prevent the CCP’s persecution and implication of their family members and work units), the large number of practitioners missing, and family members not being allowed to see the corpses of practitioners tortured to death. Last November, Vice Minister of Health Huang Jiefu admitted that death-row prisoners were the source of organ transplants. The revised report pointed out, “The Falun Gong constitutes a prison population who the Chinese authorities vilify, dehumanize, depersonalize, marginalize even more than executed prisoners sentenced to death for criminal offences.”

Organ transplantation and huge profit for military and health systems

The report stated, “The sale of organs became for hospitals a source of funding, a way to keep their doors open, and a means by which other health services could be provided to the community.

There is, for instance, the Organ Transplant Centre of the Armed Police General Hospital in Beijing. This hospital boldly states:

‘Our Organ Transplant Centre is our main department for making money. Its
gross income in 2003 was 16,070,000 yuan. From January to June of 2004
income was 13,570,000 yuan. This year (2004) there is a chance to break
through 30,000,000 yuan.’

Military involvement in organ harvesting extends into civilian hospitals. Recipients
often tell us that, even when they receive transplants in civilian hospitals, those
conducting the operation are military personnel.”

The report pointed out that organ transplant surgeons in China can do any surgery if the government does not interfere since there is no independent inspection system to control them. The organ transplantation practices in China are unlawful in any other countries.

The report also pointed out that many countries are selling anti-rejection drugs related to organ transplantation surgeries performed in China. Those patients receiving organ transplants in China could not get aftercare after returning to their home countries due to the unknown source of organs.

Response of Chinese Government

The report uses the response of the Chinese government as a consideration: “The Government of China has responded to the first version of our report in an unpersuasive way. Mostly, the responses have been attacks on the Falun Gong. The fact that the Government of China would make attacks on Falun Gong the focus of their responses to our report reinforces the analysis of the report. It is these sorts of attacks which, in China, make possible the violation of the basic human rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

“The responses have identified only two factual errors in the first version of our report. In an appendix, in a caption heading, we placed two Chinese cities in the wrong provinces. These errors have nothing to do with the analysis or conclusions of our report.”

Witness testifies that practitioners in detention undergo blood tests and health examinations

Witness Wang Xiaohua from Montreal attended the press conference and provided testimony on health examinations including blood testing and organ examination, such as liver and kidney, administered to practitioners in detention. This information was included in the report.

Mr. Wang was imprisoned several times for persisting in his belief in Falun Gong. He and other practitioners were tortured physically and mentally in prison, but received comprehensive health examinations in January 2002.

Public should be warned not to receive organ transplants in China

The two investigators gave an example showing that the cases of organ transplantation recipients in Canada has increased. Receiving organ transplants in China is conducted through hospitals and businessmen. It has been confirmed that hospitals in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary send patients to China for organ transplants. Based on incomplete estimates, on average there is one case each month from Vancouver hospital and 20 cases from Toronto hospitals.

The total number of organ transplantation in Australia is decreasing as the government has warned patients about the possibility of organ removal from living Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The report includes recommendations to foreign governments. The recommendations include:

1. 1. Foreign states should enact extra-territorial legislation penalizing participation in organ harvesting without consent.
2. 2. State medical funding systems should deny reimbursement for commercial organ transplants abroad and aftercare funding for those benefiting from such transplants.
3. 3. Any person known to be involved in trafficking in the organs of prisoners in China should be barred entry by all foreign countries.
4. 4. Until China stops harvesting organs from prisoners of any sort,

i) foreign governments should not issue visas to doctors from China seeking to
travel abroad for the purpose of training in organ or bodily tissue transplantation,

ii) foreign medical transplant personnel should not travel to China for training
or collaboration in transplant surgery,

iii) contributions to scholarly journals on transplant research drawn from the
Chinese experience should be rejected,

iv) medical professionals abroad should actively discourage their patients from
travelling to China for transplant surgery,

v) pharmaceutical companies should not export anti-rejection drugs or any
other drugs solely used in transplantation surgery to China,

vi) foreign states should ban the export of anti-rejection drugs or any other
drugs solely used in transplantation surgery to China.

1. 5. The onus should be on foreign professionals to determine beyond any reasonable doubt that the source of organ donation in China is voluntary before there is any referral to China or any cooperation with China relating to organ transplants.
2. 6. The medical profession in every foreign country should set up a voluntary reporting system to accumulate aggregate data about patients who have travelled to China for transplants.
3. 7. Foreign states should issue travel advisories warning its population that organ transplants in China are sourced almost entirely from un-consenting prisoners, whether sentenced to death or Falun Gong practitioners.

Using Olympic Games as a lever to stop live organ harvesting

In receiving media interviews, Mr. Kilgour said that International Olympic Committee, each government, sponsor, and athlete should ask themselves, “Should we interact with a government committing such a crime of live organ removal?” In such a way, pressure will be formed to stop the crime. He suggested using the Olympic Games as a lever to exert pressure on the CCP to stop the crime.

Mr. Kilgour indicated that the CCP’s response to the report was unwise and that it would be better for the CCP to consider stopping the persecution of Falun Gong. Otherwise, the facts will be exposed before the people throughout the world during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Mr. Kilgour was confident about the investigation report during the interview. He called for an end to these crimes against humanity. He said, “Falun Gong is respected in all 69 of the 70 countries in which it exists. In only one of 70 countries, practitioners are persecuted and killed for their organs, and that’s China.” He said that young and healthy Falun Gong practitioners are killed for organs because of their belief and their remains are cremated by the CCP to destroy the evidence. Those patients to receive organ transplants in China should think it over. Others should not consent to such crimes.

United Kingdom: Practitioners Again Invited to London's New Year's Day Parade

On January 1st 2007, UK Falun Gong Practitioners were again invited to take part in London's New Year's Day Parade. This year, for a change, the weather was gloriously sunny and as a result, the streets from Whitehall to Mayfair were thronged with onlookers from all over the world.

The Falun Gong procession consisted of traditional Chinese fan dancers and flag dancers, a troupe of waist-drummers, several large banners and a float. This year, the float was decorated in the style of a Heavenly Paradise, with a solemn standing Buddha flanked by heavenly beauties playing musical instruments. At the back of the float, two practitioners demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises.  

As usual, the reaction of the crowd was warm. Children and their parents clamoured for the paper lotus flowers distributed by practitioners. Many people got to learn about Falun Gong and witnessed the beauty of the practice through this parade.

Danish Falun Gong Practitioners Call on the Singaporean Authorities to Revoke the Unreasonable Charges against Practitioners in Singapore

On January 25, 2007, Danish Falun Gong practitioners gathered at the Singaporean Embassy in Copenhagen and presented the Danish Falun Gong Association’s open letter to the Singaporean Ambassador to Denmark, Arne Simonsen. They protested Singapore's trial of six Falun Gong practitioners who are being prosecuted on the charge of "assembly without a permit." They urgently called on the Singaporean government to revoke the unlawful charge against these six Falun Gong practitioners and not to help the Chinese communist regime persecute Falun Gong.

Danish Falun Gong practitioners urged the Singaporean authorities not to be accomplice to the Chinese communist regime in the persecution of Falun Gong

These six Falun Gong practitioners were unreasonably charged by the Singaporean police with "assembly without a permit" for their distribution of flyers in downtown Singapore to expose the Chinese Communist regime’s persecution of Falun Gong and to support the Chinese people withdrawing from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. The trial was first scheduled to be held on January 22, 2007, in Courtroom 35, which is the smallest one with only eight seats. The court did not allow any spectators, including the practitioners' relatives, friends or journalists to be present at the court, with the excuse that there were too few seats. With these six practitioners’ protest and the help by other practitioners around the world, the covert trial was postponed to January 24, and the venue was changed to the more spacious Courtroom 16.

The Singaporean government has often boasted that Singapore is a democratic state, but the legality of this trial and the groundless charge to please the CCP regime are doubtful. The government also clearly knows that what they have done in this case will definitely be criticized by people around the globe. It is lamentable that Singapore’s leadership, simply for trivial short-term interest, is oppressing its innocent civilians and the six Falun Gong practitioners staging a peaceful protest against the persecution. It is a shame on Singapore’s history that the government has not dealt with this case from the standpoint of justice and conscience.

Danish Falun Gong practitioners gathered in front of the Singaporean Consulate General and displayed photos exposing the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and posters exposing the CCP's organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners. They also displayed a banner reading, "Singaporean government: Don’t Help China Persecute Falun Gong Practitioners!" They read out loud an open letter to the Singaporean government, calling on the Singaporean authorities to immediately release the Falun Gong practitioners who are being incarcerated illegally. They urged the Singaporean government: "For the future of Singapore’s offspring, please do not follow in the Chinese Communist regime’s footsteps or help the despicable regime to persecute Falun Gong."

The Singaporean Consul, who is of Danish descent, has had friendly meetings with Falun Gong practitioners a couple of times in the past. But this time he avoided meeting the practitioners and asked his secretary to deal with them.

After the secretary to the Consul listened to the practitioners’ explanation of their visit and accepted the open letter from them, she promised to refer the practitioners’ requests to the Singaporean authorities.

It is a fact that Falun Gong is being cruelly persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime in China. This is known to people from all walks of life and is widely reported by the media around the world. Several renowned international human right organizations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and various other human rights organizations under the United Nations, have focused their attention on the persecution against Falun Gong in China, and have released many articles to condemn the Chinese Communist regime’s persecution of human rights. Although Falun Gong has suffered such cruel tribulations, the number of practitioners has been increasing steadily. Currently, Falun Gong is popular in over eighty countries around the world. In stark contrast, the leadership of the Singaporean government has failed to acknowledge the historic trend. As a matter of fact, the withdrawal of 17 million people from the CCP and its affiliated organizations has clearly indicated to the people of the world that the CCP is on the verge of collapse.

Danish Falun Gong practitioners expressed their wish that the Singaporean authorities will stop this unlawful suppression. To be responsible to the nation and its people, the government should uphold justice and support human rights, and help to put an end to the Chinese Communist regime’s persecution against Falun Gong practitioners as soon as possible.

CCP Interferes with NTDTV Shows, Human Rights Lawyer Reminds Governments to Be Vigilant

Matas at NTDTV's Chinese New Year Spectacular show held on January 12, 2007 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa

Falun Gong conveys the real voice of China

Mr. Matas said in an interview, "The Falun Gong community in some way is the voice of the real China, the traditional China, the historical China. I think that the name NTDTV is illustrative because it stands for New Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was a glorious time in Chinese history."

Mr. Matas said, "It's different but the Falun Gong community represents a tie to the past, to Chinese tradition and it's an expression of probably the most organized, the most numerous, the most articulate, the most artistic connection to that old historical tradition. I really sort of see it in some way as the voice of China."

CCP's interference is to muffle the real voice of China

Regarding the CCP's interference with NTDTV shows overseas, Matas said that the interference exists worldwide, though it is not as serious as it is in mainland China. Mr. Matas said, "Right now the CCP is kind of a capper, a muffler, a silencer on the real voice of China and it can't even be heard within China, but outside China through the Falun Gong it can be heard through performances like this."

Mr. Matas said when analyzing the reason for the interference, "What they're (CCP) doing is protecting themselves against the accusations of human rights violations. What they're protecting themselves against is the ideological threat that Falun Gong represents."

"It's [Falun Gong] tied to the Chinese historical traditions of qigong, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, whereas communism is basically a western import. It has no historical Chinese roots." Mr. Matas said, "From the Chinese communist perspective, the Falun Gong Chinese traditions, it is their ideological enemy, so from my perspective, because I obviously disagree with everything that is repressive about Chinese communism, I see that the best hope for ending that repression is through the Falun Gong and their connection to the traditional Chinese culture and it's combating communism."

Mr. Matas said further, "I was actually pleased to see the Canadian government expel the Chinese diplomat who was involved in spying on the Falun Gong. And there's been others. I know in the Chinese consulate in Calgary there was a police report that they were involved in inciting hatred and those people have left. In the Chinese consulate in Toronto there was a libel case that succeeded against a Chinese consulate official and he's left."

Additional Persecution News from China - January 4, 2007

1. [Shanghai] Ms. Lin Jinjuan Arrested

At 4:30 p.m. on December 21, 2006, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Lin Jinjuan was arrested from her home in Shanghai. It is said that the cause for arrest was that she wrote truth-clarification messages on paper currency.

2. [Hefei City, Anhui Province] Ms. Wang Xifeng, Ms. Wu Xiaohua, and Others Arrested

Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Wang Xifeng is an employee of the Hefei City Education Institute. She and two fellow practitioners Mr. Xu Bujun and his wife were forcefully taken to Xinyu Brainwashing Class by 610 Office agent Wang Lu and others.

Another Falun Dafa practitioner, Ms. Wu Xiaohua (an employee of Anhui Province Building Engineering Institute), was forcefully taken to a mental hospital.

3. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Ms. Wang Qicai and Ms. Li Peihong Arrested

At around 6 p.m. on January 1, 2007, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Wang Qicai returned home from taking her child to an evening class. She saw more than ten plainclothes policemen and a locksmith trying to open her door. They stormed into her house, took her Falun Dafa books, mp3 player, an exercise tape, and 3000 yuan cash. They said that Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Li Peihong was arrested in Dezhou City.

Around December 20, 2006, policemen from Weicheng Station also came to her house looking for Ms. Li Peihong; Ms. Wang Qicai did not let them in.

4. [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] Persecution Facts in Xingmin Village, Jinzhou District

From 2001 to 2004, officials in Xingmin Village forced Falun Dafa practitioners to sign their names on the guarantee statement, or otherwise they would not be paid their retirement salaries. The village government is now organizing a patrol team to monitor Falun Dafa practitioners. Zhao Xijun (male) is in charge.

5. [Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province] Mr. Chen Wujun Arrested

Around December 10, 2006, truth clarifying banners appeared on the street of Liquan County, Xianyang City. They said, "Heaven Destroys the CCP, Quit to be Saved." On December 24, 2006, police officers from the County Department arrested Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Zhao Yan, who later escaped. At around December 27, 2006, another Falun Dafa practitioner, Mr. Chen Wujun, was arrested.

6. [Hailar City, Inner-Mongolia Autonomous Region] Mr. Zou Yugui Suffers Persecution

Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zou Yugui from Yitulihe Town is an employee of Yitulihe Town Housing Management Office. He has been mistreated and harassed by the Hailar Railroad 610 Office (under Police Department) many times.

On November 14, 2006, Mr. Zou Yugui was arrested and taken to the Hailar City Police Department from his workplace. His family bailed him out. His employer will not allow him live in his rental house and is forcing him live at the workplace, with two people watching him closely 24 hours a day. He was not allowed to go home even on the New Year holiday.

7. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Lei Yinzhi Arrested

Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Lei Yinzhi lives in the Provincial Government Compound family housing located at Shuiguo Lake, Wuchang District, Wuhan City. She is formerly an office head in the Hubei Province Women's Association. She was forced to retire early because she practiced Falun Dafa and was arrested on December 29, 2006. We heard that she is now detained in the Dongxihu District Police Department.

8. [Chengdu City, Sichuan Province] Persecution Cases

There was an evil plan try to arrest five Falun Dafa practitioners before January 10, 2007 in each police station. Four practitioners including Ms. Qing (first name unknown), Chen (first name unknown, gender unknown), Ms. Wang Yufen, and Ms. Xu Jixiu are detained in the Taoxi Street Police Station. Another practitioner, Ms. Li Ruixian, is detained in Xinhong Street Police Station.

9. [Beijing City] Ms. Wang Zhaolan Arrested

Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Wang Zhaolan is a retired employee of the Beijing Normal University. On December 28, 2006, she was arrested from her home by policemen from the Sijiqing Township Station. She was taken to Qinghe Police Station along with her husband, who is not a practitioner. She is still detained there.

10. [Quzhou County, Hebei Province] Ms. Jing Zhimei Taken to the Handan City Labour Camp

Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Jing Zhimei, 35, lives in Zhenqingzhai Village, Nanliyue Township, Quzhou County. On the evening of December 27, 2006, when she was cooking dinner, the Township 610 Office agent Fan Junxing, Official Zheng Jianping, and two employees of the Birth Control Office deceived her into coming out of the house and forcefully took her directly to Handan City Labour Camp.

11. [Siping City, Jilin Province] Mr. Liang Xiaoguang Sentenced to 18 Months of Forced Labour

Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Liang Xiaoguang lives in Tiedong District, Siping City. Policemen from the Zhengyang Street Station in Luyuan District, Changchun City had him sentenced to 18 months of forced labour. He is now detained in the Second Ward of the Heizuizi Labour Camp.

Greece: Raising Awareness about the CCP's Crimes of Organ Harvesting in China among the People of the Villages of Pelion Mountain

The Pelion region is one of the most beautiful areas in Greece and draws a never-ending stream of visitors from around Greece and the whole of Europe, both in summer and in winter. Around the Christmas holidays, a lot of people find their way to the many pretty Pelion mountain villages for recreation. People like to ski on the snow-covered mountain peaks and experience the stunning views over the sapphire blue sea and to enjoy the local events and the hospitality of the local village people.

We were moved and encouraged by people's reactions and response after talking to us and reading the information. Many wanted to help in some way and we left flyers with people in the streets, at a health centre, restaurants, cafés, and other places. At the health centre in Zagora, among all the places we visited, one young doctor already knew what was going on in China with regard to organ harvesting and clearly condemned the Communist regime.

 They also let us mount fliers on the news board of the health centre. Outside the village of Zagora, a lady was selling fruit and nuts beside the road. When she found out about the horrifying crimes of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners she was deeply shocked and upset. She said: "They are not human, they can't be human beings, these who are doing those things! They are demons, surely they must be demons!?" She immediately agreed to help us to spread the information to other people and placed a bunch of flyers on her fruit stand to hand out to passers-by. We really felt very happy for her sake and discovered once again how righteous it is what we are doing from our hearts and how clear and upright some people's hearts still are and how important it is for people to know about the organ harvesting and the persecution of Falun Gong! The lady thanked us sincerely for making this journey so that she could find out the truth and said repeatedly: "Don't only go to the cities, let everybody know, every single Greek person needs to know about this organ harvesting."