A forum in Germany proposes a series of concrete responses to abuses in China.
BERLIN, Germany—China’s practice of killing prisoners of conscience for their organs has been part of discussions about human rights in China for a decade, but responses to it have always been vexing. What should the West do in the face of what some researchers have called “a new form of evil”? A set of six proposals was the response, as suggested by German lawmakers and leading international researchers on the topic, who gathered for a public forum at the Hotel Albrechtshof in downtown Berlin recently.
The event was hosted by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, a network of researchers who focus on cataloging evidence of abuses against the Falun Gong spiritual practice in China.
After the presentation of voluminous evidence leading to the conclusion that this practice has been taking place, and on a large scale, German MPs proposed a series of measures that can be taken around the world aimed to put an end to the practice.
For years researchers have presented evidence that the Chinese Communist Party has been using, primarily, imprisoned practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline as a ready source of transplant organs. Falun Gong was a highly popular form of physical and mental discipline throughout the 1990s in China, until it was targeted for elimination in 1999.
Given that, as researchers claim, Chinese communist military hospitals have been among the institutions deeply involved in the profitable and gruesome business, it is unclear how much impact external efforts can have on Chinese practices. Yet there are still a range of measures that can be taken by countries like Germany, the MPs said, which ensure at least that the West is not complicit.
“It is important to exert pressure on China,” said Martin Patzelt, a conservative German MP who takes a strong interest in human rights issues, having hosted and helped to relocate refugees from Eritrea.
Here are the six proposals that arose from discussions at the forum, for Western countries to help stop organ harvesting in China:
- Public Condemnation
- Stop Training Chinese Surgeons
- Deny Entry to Doctors Involving in Killing for Organs
- Put Pressure on Western Pharmaceutical Firms
- Pass Laws Preventing ‘Transplant Tourism’
- Raise Awareness About Organ Harvesting
A widespread sense of the abhorrence of what the Chinese Communist Party has done will help to drive efforts to end organ harvesting, participants said.
“Some members of the parliament said, ‘This is impossible,'” said Patzelt, referring to German involvement in actually ending abuses in China. “I would say, ‘It is not impossible. We’ve just never done it.’ We should have the courage to embark on this path, and then we will be able to change a lot of things.'”
He referred to the efforts of the Falun Gong community itself, which is composed of volunteers, as a “role model” for the attitude required to push for change when overwhelmed by the odds.
“I think that they can be our role models and make us positively face the task of amending German organ transplantation laws, to prevent Germans from traveling to China for organ transplants,” Patzelt said.
Others who delivered remarks on the day included Ethan Gutmann, author of “The Slaughter,” a book dedicated to the topic; Dr. Wang Zhiyuan, the president of World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong; Prof. Nieh Sen, the vice president of WOIPFG who served as a moderator; Christopher Strässer MdB, a member of the German Bundestag and a former human rights commissioner in Germany; Dr. Charles Lee, a former prisoner of conscience and director of public awareness with WOIPFG.
Edward McMillan-Scott, former vice president of the European Parliament provided written remarks that were read out at the event, as did Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey. Rep. Smith’s presentation was titled “Organ Harvesting and Trade are Unacceptable and Must be Ended.”
This is an excerpt of an article published by the Epoch Times. See the full article here.
Feature image: Speakers at the Oct. 28, 2016, organ harvesting forum in Berlin. (L-R) Wang Zhiyuan, Arne Schwarz, Nieh Sen, Arne Gericke, Martin Patzelt, Ethan Gutmann, and Charles Lee.
Credit: Jason Wang/Epoch Times