(Clearwisdom.net)

Broadcast: August 15, 2006

Reporter: John Stewart

It has been called a new form of evil - claims that the Chinese Government is killing members of the Falun Gong movement for their organs.

Transcript

TONY JONES: It's been called a new form of evil - claims that the Chinese Government is killing members of the Falun Gong movement for their organs. A recent report published by two Canadian human rights activists has backed up the assertions, [...]. We'll speak to one of those activists, who says thousands are being murdered for the organ transplant trade. Former Canadian politician David Kilgour, in a moment. But first, this report from John Stewart.

JOHN TAYLOR: According to Amnesty International, last year the Chinese Government executed 1,770 people.

PROFESSOR BRUCE JACOBS, MONASH UNIVERSITY: You can be executed for rape, you can be executed for corruption, you can be executed for political crimes. There's a whole range of capital crimes in the Chinese system.

JOHN TAYLOR: The Chinese Government admits it takes organs from dead prisoners for organ transplant operations. But the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which is banned in China, claims that organ harvesting has gone much further. The group makes the extraordinary claim that up to 6,000 followers have been taken to a Nazi-style concentration camp in the city of Shenyang and killed for their organs.

INTERPRETER FOR ANNIE, DISSIDENT: She said usually, they would give the patient an injection of anesthesia, or they would use some other medication into the heart so that it would cause the heart to stop functioning quickly. Then they would push the patient into the operating room.

JOHN TAYLOR: The claims of systematic organ harvesting from Falun Gong followers have been supported by two prominent Canadian human rights activists. Lawyer David Matas and former parliamentarian, David Kilgour.

DAVID MATAS, REPORT CO-AUTHOR: The allegation and our findings are shocking, to us. This is a form of evil we have yet to see on this planet. This is a new form of evil.

JOHN TAYLOR: Mr Matas and Mr Kilgour have published a report about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and say the allegations of organ harvesting are true.

DAVID KILGOUR, REPORT CO-AUTHOR: You read the report, you'll be appalled. But at some point, you've got to say that this is happening and there's no point pretending it isn't.

[...]

JOHN TAYLOR: But some of the evidence in the Matas and Kilgour report is compelling. In a secretly taped phone conversation, a caller asks for Falun Gong organs.

WOMAN'S VOICE (TRANSLATION): Can you find the the organs of Falun Gong followers? If you can, then I'll come over. Can you find them?

MAN'S VOICE (TRANSLATION): Let me tell you. We haven't been able to get the organs. It is pretty troublesome to get the organs in Guangxi. If you want them quickly, I recommend that you go to Guangzhou. Their organs are very easy to get there.

JOHN TAYLOR: The are also allegations that prisoners were forced to give blood tests to help Chinese authorities choose organ donors.

WOMAN'S VOICE: What if the chosen one doesn't want to have blood drawn?

MAN'S VOICE: He will sure let us do it.

WOMAN'S VOICE: How?

MAN'S VOICE: They will sure find a way. What do you worry about? These kinds of things should not be a concern to you. They have their procedures.

WOMAN'S VOICE: Does the person know that his organs are being removed?

MAN'S VOICE: No.

JOHN TAYLOR: Chinese authorities reject the findings of the Canadian report and say the Falun Gong claims are pure fabrication. John Stewart, Lateline.