Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Several Bulgarian Falun Gong practitioners were interviewed by two radio broadcasts in the city of Varna on August 9 2006.

Varna radio station "Alfa Radio" hosted the practitioners in their afternoon program, in which they talked for ten minutes about the persecution in China, the imprisonment of practitioners in labor camps, mental institutions and prisons and the evidence of organ harvesting for profit by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The practitioners told the listeners about the practice of Falun Gong and emphasized that it brings both improved moral values and better physical health.

Practitioners on air at "Alfa Radio"

They were also featured on Radio Varna, the Bulgarian national radio station. Prior to the show, the host talked to the practitioners for about an hour. He was shocked by the facts of the persecution of practitioners in China and the harvesting of their organs for transplantations, orchestrated by the Chinese communist regime.

The host was given an introductory book about the Falun Gong practice, as well as truth-clarifying materials and articles. He was mostly interested in the traditional culture and moral values that the practice of Falun Dafa brings, and the principles and exercises that it promotes. The host asked about the Falun Gong exercise sites, where one can learn the practice for free, and how many practitioners there are in Bulgaria.

The practitioners also met other media in Varna. They visited several local newspapers and talked to them about Falun Gong, the persecution by the CCP, and the organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners. All the journalists they met received the book Falun Gong (an introductory text), Nine Commentaries on The Communist Party (the fifth commentary is dedicated to Falun Gong), and materials about support for Falun Gong practitioners' human rights from dignitaries in Europe.

New York, NY
August 14, 2006

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is deeply concerned about recent allegations regarding the procurement of organs and tissues through coercive or exploitative practices abroad, or practices which violate worldwide human rights standards.

The ¡§Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Practitioners in China¡¨, from Canadian human rights attorney David Matas and former Canadian Minister of State David Kilgour, alleges that large numbers of Falun Gong* practitioners in China are being imprisoned and executed for the purposes of organ or tissue donation.

If these allegations prove true, they represent a systematic and widespread violation of human rights against thousands, or potentially tens of thousands, of innocent persons.

The National Kidney Foundation is opposed to any persecution of individuals because of their religious or political beliefs. The NKF also remains committed to the principles of informed consent and free choice with regard to the decision about whether to be an organ or tissue donor.

In addition, any act which calls the ethical practice of donation and transplantation into question should be condemned by the worldwide transplantation community, which seeks to extend and improve the lives of those waiting for a transplant through responsible and ethical means.

Transplant Tourism

In addition to these allegations, the NKF remains concerned about other practices which may lead to exploitation or coercion of potential donors worldwide. Transplant candidates and professionals should be aware that there are other risks in so-called ¡§transplant tourism¡¨ (traveling to any another country for the purposes of transplantation). These risks may include the possibility of exploitation of the donors through coercive practices including paid donation.

The NKF remains opposed to any system of reimbursement for deceased or living donation, which may create an added financial incentive for abuses in donation and transplantation. Other risks of ¡§transplant tourism¡¨ may include the possibility of disease transmission; poor surgical practices; or poor follow up care for both donor and recipient.

* According to the report, Falun Gong is a spiritual path that includes elements of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, teaching meditation exercises and promoting physical and spiritual health. Its followers seek to promote truth, tolerance and compassion.