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On January 31, 2006, human rights barrister and attorney David Matas wrote to the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Minister of Justice to request denial of entry into Canada to Chen Zhili, the Chinese Communist regime's State Councilor.
Matas states in his letter, "I would like to bring to your attention and request immediate action regarding refusal of entry to Canada to Chen Zhili, State Councilor of the State Council of the People's Republic of China (PRC), and former Minister of Education of China, based on her involvement in grave human rights violations and other crimes against humanity in the persecution of Falun Gong in China."
Matas states, "It has come to my attention that Chen Zhili is expected to enter Vancouver the second week of February 2006."
Matas states that according to related reports, during her term as Minister of Education from 1998 to 2003, Chen has perpetrated the policy of the persecution of Falun Gong initiated by the former head of communist party and state, Jiang Zemin, into China's education system and consequently been an active campaigner and accomplice in Jiang's genocidal policy against Falun Gong. In the top government and party positions she held, particularly as Minister of Education, she controlled and implemented policies and operations, which targeted and persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China's education system. She personally and intentionally directed, ordered, controlled, supported, supervised, authorized and condoned the systematic persecution and torture of the Falun Gong practitioners in China's education system.
The letter states that in addition, Chen Zhili is among a group of top officials of the Chinese communist regime who in concert with other leaders has been actively acting to implement and sustain a campaign of suppression and extinction of the Falun Gong practitioners in China in general, and in particular in the education system.
The letter states that according to incomplete statistics, at least 435 practitioners of Falun Gong from 210 colleges and universities were forced into various brainwashing classes, labor camps, and mental hospitals in 2003. The policies Chen mandated over her subordinates have perpetrated hate and discrimination, have instigated torture and arrests, which often resulted in the death of the Falun Gong practitioners involved.
Matas points out in his letter that section 35(1) (a)1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides the legal basis for denial of visa to persons outside of Canada who are alleged to have engaged in grave human rights violations or other crimes against humanity. More specifically:
35. [Margin Notes: Human or international rights violations; Exception]
35. (1) A permanent resident or a foreign national is inadmissible on grounds of violating human or international rights for
(a) committing an act outside Canada that constitutes an offence referred to in section 4 to 7 of the "Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act";
Matas said that "The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act" provides for the examination abroad of persons seeking to visit Canada where a visitor visa requirement is in effect as is the case in China.
Matas requested in his letter that the Interdepartmental Operations Group (IOG), as the government agency, investigating the allegations under the "Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program," intervene with the relevant Canadian agencies to deny Chen Zhili a visa to enter Canada and bar her from landing on Canadian soil.
Matas said that one of the objectives of the "Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)" is to promote international justice and foster respect for human rights by denying access to Canadian territory to persons who have committed grave human rights violations and other crimes against humanity.
Matas believed that the request is within the mandate of the IOG, as the Operations Committee, which insures that Canada does not become safe heaven for individuals who were involved in torture and other atrocities, and in conformity with the "Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program" and Canada's obligations under international law.
With regard to the enclosed evidence, Matas said that these documents recount and provide evidence of the atrocities, torture even killing under the leadership of Chen Zhili in detention facilities and forced labor camps during her tenure as Minister of Education. Thus, there is sufficient evidence to purport that Chen Zhili should be subject to the restrictions of and is in violation of the "Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act."
Matas said in conclusion that [the CCP's] persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and suppression of their moral and spiritual belief of "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance" have escalated for over six years. This systematic eradication of Falun Gong through hate-incitement, economic devastation, torture and killing is a campaign constituting serious crimes against humanity and conscience, and warrants the urgent scrutiny of the Canadian government and the international community in order to stop it.
Matas enclosed evidence of Chen's involvement in the crimes.
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Attachment: (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
2001, c. 27)
Part 1 Immigration To Canada, Division 4 Inadmissibility. S.C. 2001, c. 27, s. 35.
35. (1) A permanent resident or a foreign national is inadmissible
on grounds
of violating human or international rights for
(a) committing an act outside Canada that constitutes an offence
referred to in
sections 4 to 7 of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act;
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-2.5/64755.html#rid-64855
On January 28, 2006, the 9th "Freedom, People's Choice Exhibition" organized by Australian Amnesty International had an award ceremony. One Falun Gong practitioner's oil painting, "The Death of a Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance Believer" won the "People's Choice" award. Another Chinese-Australian painter and Falun Gong practitioner, Zhang Cuiying's traditional Chinese painting, "The Beauty of Spring" won the "Freedom Art Award".
Award winner: "The Death of a Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance
Believer"
According to Zhao Xijie, who painted the "The Death of a Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance Believer," the painting depicted a true story that took place in June 2001 at Gaiguo Township of Macheng City, Hubei Province. Two local Falun Gong practitioners were dragged to death by two motorcycles because they didn't give up practicing Falun Gong. Zhao said he sent the painting to the exhibition, aiming to raise more awareness of the persecution of Falun Gong in China and to help end the persecution soon.
This painting won the People's Choice award out of more than 80 submitted works of art. Many people looked at the painting for a long time and read the introduction carefully. Many who saw the painting did so solemnly and left with tears in their eyes.
Zhang Cuiying, who won the second place award with her traditional Chinese painting, "Beauty of Spring," is also a Falun Gong practitioner. Because she is a practitioner and spoke up for Falun Gong, she was jailed in China for eight months, during which time she suffered a great deal of mental and physical torture. On September 15, 2004, Ms. Zhang filed a lawsuit against the head of the Chinese Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, and the 610 Office in the New South Wales Superior Court.
Amnesty International has organized the "Freedom, People's Choice" art exhibition every year for the past nine years. The purpose is to raise the public's awareness of AI's efforts in improving human rights worldwide. It also encourages people to help however they can. The works of art displayed the artists' understanding of "Freedom".
The exhibition was at the TAP gallery in Sydney from January 23rd to February 4th.