March 12, 2003

(Clearwisdom.net) The arguments given by the Immigration Department claiming that the two would not face danger on the grounds that they are not leaders, but only ordinary practitioners, do not hold.

The persecution of Falun Gong has been carried out systematically by the state under President Jiang's directives. The "6-10 Office" was set up by the President of China on June 10, 1999 to specifically persecute Falun Gong. ("6-10" refers to the date of creation). This organization is used at all levels of government, from state to municipal to national, and it's mandate is to terrorize and eradicate Falun Gong using torture, brainwashing, and by spreading defaming propaganda, both inside China and abroad. Its authority supersedes all legal, judicial, and governmental bodies and influences all facets of society, including schools, communities, and workplaces, to harm their own.

On July 4, 2001, ABC TV reported that "close to half" of those held in China's forced labour camps are Falun Gong practitioners. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2001/07/item20010704200115_1.htm) Based on various estimates of the total population in these camps, this translates to somewhere between 235,000 and 2 million practitioners being held in China's forced labour camps. In addition, there are local jails, "transformation centers" and "brainwashing centers" created to torture and brainwash every single practitioner who refuses to give up the practice after being picked up by the police. Even mental hospitals are utilized to incarcerate and abuse healthy, sane practitioners.

Nearly every type of human rights abuse is visited on Falun Gong practitioners. The tortures are unimaginable. Women suffer all kinds of sexual humiliation and abuse, including rape and even gang rape. Children are abused, as are the old, even those who are very old. Millions of practitioners and their families have their jobs, homes, scholarships, pensions, and savings taken from them. They have no rights at all. Practitioners are arrested arbitrarily, sentenced without any legal formalities of any kind, and punished without limit. Practitioners being tortured are told "if you die we will cremate the body and count your death as a suicide."

"In the case of Falun Gong practitioners, this means that anyone who has petitioned the authorities or taken part in peaceful assemblies or demonstrations against the ban on the group, or who continue to practice Falun Gong despite the ban, is liable to be punished".
--- Amnesty International

Sending Mr. and Mrs. Wang Back to China to Face Persecution is Inhumane and Morally Wrong

Amnesty International pointed out that this couple has "well-founded fear for persecution".

While other democratic countries and international organizations are making their best efforts to rescue Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China, it really is a shame that the Australia government is going to do exactly the opposite. So far in the world, only Cambodia has deported Falun Gong practitioners back to China. All of these practitioners were arrested and are currently incarcerated in China.

In the past 2 years, nine Falun Gong practitioners have been released from China's labor camps with the help from Canadian people and the Canadian government. In October 2002, The Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed motion M-236 requesting Prime Minister of Canada to ask the Chinese president to release the 13 incarcerated Falun Gong practitioners, family members of Canadian residents. (See http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/10/25/28015.html )

To protect freedom and basic rights is the founding principle of a democratic country. Deporting the Wangs and forcing them to face near certain persecution is extremely inhumane and morally wrong. Isn't it unconscionable for any government to do so?

We ask for your help to urge the Australian government to change its position. Australia has enjoyed a good reputation in dealing with world human rights issues until now. What message would deporting the Wangs send the world about Australia today? Please help today! Thank you.

Attention to the Minister: Fax - 0061 2 6273 4144

Posting date: 3/14/2003
Original article date: 3/14/2003
Category: Open Forum

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