(Clearwisdom.net)

1. US Congress Annual Report on China

The US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) recently released the 2008 Annual Report on China. The report concludes that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes Falun Gong practitioners, human rights activists and citizens trying to appeal. The CCP also controls the media in China. For the first time, the report reveals and analyzes the 610 Office - the special system in charge of persecution of Falun Gong in China, the policies and implementation of the persecution, and the heightened systematic persecution of Falun Gong in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.

Founded in 2000, the US Congressional-Executive Commission aims to observe China's human rights and legal situations. The CECC is composed of 9 senators, 9 congressmen, and 5 experienced government officials appointed by President Bush. The Annual Report on China was released in early December, at the time of the 60^th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2. U.S. Department of State 2008 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom

Three months ago, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights,and Labor under the U.S. Department of State released their Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. The report emphasized the lack of religious freedom in China. Released on September 19, the report points out that the CCP has been suppressing religious groups, and especially Falun Gong. Deaths due to torture and mistreatment are presented as well. Since 1999, China has been on the list of countries worth special attention.

The U.S. Department of State publishes a report on the human rights situations in 196 countries around the world every year, in which China has often been criticized. Indeed it is pointed out many times that the human rights situation in China has been declining as religious group members including Falun Gong practitioners are watched, harassed, and arrested and killed. The report states that the CCP's actions against human rights include torturing inmates, illegally killing, questioning with force, forced labor, etc.

3. UN Human Rights Report Proves the CCP's Persecution

The Human Rights Watch of the United Nations also reported on the persecution of Falun Gong in its multiple reports during the past eight years, which is consistent with the reports by the U.S. Department of State and CECC.

The United National Human Rights Council (composed of different groups and rapporteurs focusing on various issues like religious freedom, violence against women, torture, etc.) presents its annual reports to more than 3,000 participants from 53 member countries of the Human Rights Council, 146 observant countries as well as non-governmental organizations. The persecution of Falun Gong has received more and more special rapporteurs' criticism. Manfred Nowak, the Special Rapporteur on Torture Problems, stated in his report in March, 2006 that 660f torture cases in China involved Falun Gong practitioners.

In the reports presented to the Human Rights Conference during the last year and this year, more persecution cases and details were included and the criticism towards the CCP was more obvious and direct.

4. International Call for Justice

A number of government officials and senators in western countries spoke up for Falun Gong and urged the CCP to stop the persecution.

On October 4, 2004, the U.S. Congress approved Resolution Number 304 to express the opinions of the Senate and the House of Representatives: The CCP must stop the violation of religious freedom including the right to practice Falun Gong; The CCP should stop spreading lies defaming Falun Gong in the U.S. through diplomatic officials, and they should release Falun Gong practitioners along with other prisoners of conscience.

In late January, 2006, the Los Angeles City Congress also approved the resolution on condemning the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. In mid-April of the same year, at the second annual conference of the European Commission, 11 representatives put forward a motion of holding a hearing on the CCP's forced labor camps and organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners and urged the Chinese government to allow international investigation inside of forced labor camps.

6. Current Consensus of Stopping the Persecution of Falun Gong

In July, 2008, the Coalition to Investigation the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) presented a petition with signatures collected around the world to the International Olympic Committee headquarter in Lausanne, Switzerland. Within six months, 1,215,793 people from 131 countries signed the petition to urge the Chinese government stop the persecution of Falun Gong before the Olympics were held in Beijing.

In Australia, more than 63,000 people gave their signatures before June 9, which was the record for a petition for human rights issues in Australian history. On June 24, the Senate adopted the Number 127 Motion to urge the Chinese government to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. The formal statement from the Australian Senate was viewed as an indicator of the results of the global petition.

7. Conclusion

Human rights are universal. The United Nations proclaimed that "this Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a common stand of achievement for all peoples and all nationalities" 60 years ago. However, the persecution of Falun Gong set up by the CCP is the darkest era in human history. Falun Gong practitioners peacefully and tirelessly work on stopping the persecution, leading the world's people to awaken to the truth and to support justice.

The reports mentioned above along show that people of the world want the persecution to be stopped. We hope that more people will stand on the side of justice and righteousness and help to stop this inhumane persecution against human rights as soon as possible.