A new investigation shows the practice of forced organ harvesting is still going on in China. A Chinese military doctor told undercover investigators that they can provide organs ready for transplant from Falun Gong practitioners.
The series of investigative phone calls were made this January by New York-based non-profit “World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong.”
The spiritual practice has been persecuted by the Chinese regime since 1999.
The investigator posed as a relative of a patient seeking a kidney transplant. Dr. Li Guowei is a kidney transplant surgeon at Xijing Hospital in Xi’an, China. The hospital is affiliated with China’s Air Force Medical University and most doctors there are with military ranks.
The doctor said he could take the patient to see the person whose organ was to be harvested before the surgery.
Investigator: I heard that the type of Falun Gong practitioners you are talking about, some may have some problems with their organs. Why? Because they were beaten up very badly. They were forced to be converted and asked to write promise letters (renouncing their belief). If some people refuse to write it, they may go on a hunger strike, or be subjected to force-feeding. They may suffer from organ failures (because of that).
Dr. Li Guowei: I know what you are talking about. At the time, if you guys dare to do so, as long as you dare, at the time, when we have the organ supplier here, he will be at our hospital. If you dare, we can take you to his bed and have you take a look. When we take the organ, you definitely won’t be able to see it, because it will happen inside the operating room. We will remove the organ inside the operating room.
Investigator: Oh okay, sure.
Dr. Li: At the time I can let you take a look at the person. You will see for yourself that it will be someone in their 20s.
Investigator: Ok.
Dr. Li: There is one situation. Some people may say, what if you take someone in his 50s to deceive me? I can make sure that you see the person.
The doctors admitted that they have been using organs from Falun Gong practitioners, but they cannot officially say it that way.
Investigator: So you are saying, you guys are using Falun Gong (practitioners’) organs. But you can’t openly say so. You can only say those are disease-free, primary-disease free organs.
Dr. Li: Exactly, that’s the way to put it. Your way of putting it is correct.
In the last phone call with the doctor, the investigator revealed his real identity and tried to persuade the doctor to cooperate with the organization’s investigation and help stop the organ harvesting in China. The doctor refused.
Investigator: Can you accept to cooperate with our investigation and tell us the specifics of this shady industry. In this way, really…
Dr. Li: I can’t.
Investigator: I’m sorry?
Dr. Li: I can’t.
Investigator: Why is that? What are you afraid of?
Dr. Li: No..no reason.
Investigator: Listen…
Dr. Li: No reason…
Investigator: Falun Gong is just a belief, right? The constitution…
Dr. Li: That…that is other people’s issue. It has nothing to do with me. I’m just an ordinary person. There is no use of you telling this to me.
Investigator: But you directly got involved in forced organ harvesting! You are the surgeon. You are a participant.
Dr. Li: Don’t tell me these anti…anti-Party theories…
Investigator: You feel emboldened by your strong backing right? But you have to know..
Dr. Li: Why am I emboldened? You don’t need to tell me this…
Investigator: I mean.. really
Dr. Li: China is a one-Party system, period. You don’t need to tell me these things. Don’t tell me these things.
More investigations of the organization can be seen on their website, upholdjustice.org.