Following a visit to Australia from former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour and Vice-president of the European Parliament Macmillan-Scott, Falun Gong practitioners once again held a rally in Canberra on October 17, 2006, urging the Australian government to fulfill its promise to conduct an investigation into allegations of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Mr. Barlett speaks at the rally

Australian Senator Andrew Barlett, who recently announced to join the "Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China" (CIPFG) attended the rally and made a speech to express the support and encouragement of the Australian Democrats. He also expressed that they are deeply concerned about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. He pointed out that freedom is a universal human value that we should be promoting at all times. Mr. Barlett said, "I'd like to express my support and encouragement to you and also let you know that your concerns both about the organ harvesting and about the wide spread and extreme persecution of the Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government are being heard, they are being recognized. I can't speak for other political parties or other individual politicians, but I can certainly assure you that the Australian Democrats strongly support campaigns to expose the human rights abuses in China, whether it is of Falun Gong practitioners, Democracy campaigners in general or other people who are the subject of persecution."

Mr. Barlett believes that freedom is a universal human value that we should be promoting at all times. He emphasized that other politicians in other parties are also concerned about the human rights abuses against Falun Gong. He said, "Our party's name is Democrats because we believe Democracy is a core value, is a core right and is something that all people should be able to practice. The essential component of democracy is freedom and freedom is a universal human value that we should be promoting at all times, not just when it is convenient. I would like to emphasize - while I can't speak for people from other political parties, I do want to make sure you are aware that people from other political parties are also concerned, and that a significant number of people in the Parliament have deep and strong concerns about these extremely serious human rights abuses and allegations that are occurring and they are looking at opportunities to draw more attention to the reality of what is happening."

He expressed that the impact of this incident on Australia should not be ignored. He said, "This is something that affects Australia and Australians. It is not something that we can just forget about it because it is happening in another part of the world. Australian citizens are being courted up in this persecution and families of Australian residents are being courted up in this persecution, and of course our country has had historically, and still has now, very strong social and economic links to China, and you can't just pursue the positive aspects and ignore the difficult questions."

Mr. Barlett finally expressed the promise made by the Australian Democrats that they will keep up with their efforts on the Falun Gong issues. He said, "So I encourage you to keep going and to persevere, as I am sure you will, because it is only by concerted action and by increasing the number of people who are aware of the situation that you will get long standing and significant change. I am sure if we all keep pushing in our own ways that change will happen, and obviously the sooner it happens the better for those potential victims of such serious abuses. So thank you for your efforts, and I certainly promise you on behalf of the Democrats that we will continue to put forth our efforts into trying to get major reform and change on this crucial issue."

Mr. Barlett was elected a Senator for Australia in 1997 and is a former leader of the Australian Democrats. He has expressed concerns about the persecution of Falun Gong many times.

On October 11, 2006, the Taichung City Council passed a resolution (Number 3-12 Health) condemning the Chinese Communist regime for persecuting Falun Gong practitioners and illegally trafficking human organs. As of this date, more than half of the 21 county and cities in Taiwan have signed the resolution, and others are in the process of co-signing it.

Since May 4, when the Chiayi County Council first passed the resolution condemning the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) organ harvesting and calling for an investigation of concentration camps in China, eleven councils, including those of Yilan County, Keelung City, Hualian County, Tainan City, Yunlin County, Pingtung County, Penghu County, Changhua County, Hsinchu County, Taichung City, have shown their support and have passed the resolution to condemn the CCP atrocity of live organ harvesting.

Practitioners call for and end to the CCP's persecution during the Yilan County Council meeting

Pingtung County council member Mr. Pan Yulung supports Falun Gong practitioners

The Taichung City Council resolution discusses organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners detained in concentration camps and the subsequent cremation of the remains to destroy the evidence. The resolution called on the United Nations, international human rights organizations and the World Health Organization (WHO) to travel to China to investigate these accusations, and asks them to urge the Chinese Communist regime to stop such atrocities. Furthermore, the resolution requires the Taichung city government to educate residents about ethical issues and medical service quality issues involved in organ transplants in Mainland China.

At the beginning of March, after the exposure of the CCP's harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners, the "Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China" was established. Its objective is to conduct an independent investigation in China and overseas concerning the organ harvesting allegations. The coalition requested that the Chinese Communist regime allow access to all facilities, including labor camps, prisons, detention centers and hospitals where Falun Gong practitioners have been detained during the past seven years of persecution. Organizations, governments and individuals around the world are invited to take part in and support the investigation.

On July 6, former Canadian Member of Parliament, the Honorable David Kilgour and human rights lawyer David Matas released an independent report, following their two-month inquiry into allegations that vital organs are being seized from Falun Gong practitioners across China. In the report they looked at eighteen different types of information to prove or disprove the allegations. They concluded that "there has been and continues today to be large scale organ seizures from unwilling Falun Gong practitioners." During the past seven years of persecution, about 41,500 organs used in transplants might have come from Falun Gong practitioners.

Re-enactments outside the Taiwan Legislative Yuan, demonstrating the abhorrent crime of organ harvesting in China

During the recent seven months, many organizations in Taiwan have condemned this repugnant crime. On April 18, Mr. Lai Ching-Te, a member of the Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party and a member of the Legislative Yuan, proposed a bill. The bill is a directive to the Legislative Committee that they pass a resolution that asks the United Nations, international human rights organizations and the WHO to go to China to investigate the allegations. Furthermore the resolution will also call for the CCP to stop such actions and enact organ transplant laws that are transparent and can be monitored. Fifty-four members from different party committees co-signed the bill and the chair agreed to add it to the discussion at the meeting.

On September 28, Mr. Lai again proposed a bill during a Congressional session. The bill states that the Executive Yuan should allocate funds to educate the Taiwanese public about organ transplants. He believes that Taiwan's international image would be damaged if stolen organs from Mainland China are transplanted into Taiwanese people. He also asks the Legislative Yuan to invite Canadian parliament members or anyone else who has participated in the investigation of the Chinese Communist Party's harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners to visit Taiwan, so the Taiwanese people can learn the truth. 108 members of the Legislative Council have co-signed the bill.

In Taiwan, many members of county and city councils and township representatives have also condemned the CCP's abhorrent crime. On April 15, in Pingtung County, Legislative Council member Lin Yusheng, Pingtung County Council members Zeng Shilang and Su Yifeng, Linluo Town chairman Hsie Lichi and representatives Hsu Jin-tian and Hsie Guo-ying, Hsintian village leader Hsu Jin-quan, attended a meeting supporting an end to the persecution.

Also this year, the following council members called on the CCP to stop harvesting organs from living people: On April 21 -- Tainan City Council Vice Chair Kuo Hsin-liang, Council members Wang Ding-yu and Jiang Cang-yuan; on May 22 -- Keelung City Council members You Hsiang-yao, Chang Jin-huang, Liang Han-chi, Chan Chun-yang, Lan Min-huang, Chen Dong-cai, Lyu Mei-ling, Chang Fang-li, Song Wei-li, Chuang Jin-tian, Cheng Yi-hsin, Hsai Shi and others; and on June 22 -- Chinmen County Council member Hsai Shui-you, 28th Pingtung Council member Hsu Yi-feng, and others. On July 5, Yunlin County chair Su Chi-fen signed to support the "Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China."