Letter from Australia Member of Parliament Kelvin Thomson to Prime Minister John Howard Raising the Issue of Detained Falun Gong Practitioner in China

Dear Prime Minister,

I wish to make representations on behalf of Ms Lucy Liu, a constituent of mine of Unit 7/55 Austin Crescent, Pascoe Vale Vic 3044, who approached my office seeking assistance regarding her sister Zhuoya, presently detained in a labour camp in China.

I am informed that Ms Zhuoya (aged 40) was a lecturer in Traditional Chinese Medical College of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi City. Unfortunately she was detained in late 2000 and in June 2001. She was sentenced 3 years forced-labour at the Wulabo Labour Camp in Urumqi. Her mother is permitted to visit her once a month and her family is devastated by her arrest.

My constituent, Ms Liu appeals to you as Prime Minister of Australia to take the opportunity to raise the issue of detained members of the Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) to the attention of the Chinese President Jiang at the APEC meeting in Mexico later this month.

I have attached a letter from Ms Lucy Liu and other relevant material which sets out other cases similar to her sister, who have been illegally imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong. I have also been provided with a copy of the US 107^th Congress 2^nd Session H. Concurrent Resolution 188 regarding Falun Gong. I ask that you give this documentation your sympathetic consideration.

Any information or advice which you may be able to provide on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

KELVIN THOMSON MP

Member for Wills

9^th October 2002/mt