(Clearwisdom.net) On July 23, 2006, Ms. Jenny Macklin, MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Labor Party of Australia wrote a letter to Australian citizen Ms Chen Muhan concerning the CCP's abuse of the human rights of Ms. Chen's mother and other Falun Gong practitioners in China. MP Macklin said in the letter: "Human rights abuses, wherever they occur, are abhorrent." Below is the text of the letter.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Dear Ms Chen
Thank you for your letter. I understand your concerns for your mother.
Human rights abuses, wherever they occur, are abhorrent. My Party is committed to the essential democratic principle that the rights and freedoms of all people should be protected and enforced. Similarity we hold a fundamental belief that members of all religions or philosophies have a right to practice their beliefs in peace and freedom and this certainly includes practitioners of Falun Gong. We wholeheartedly support the rights of all peoples as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international treaties to which Australia is a party.
All information related to the suppression of human rights is constantly monitored by us as we continue to pursue our human rights objectives and in the development of our human rights policy. I am aware of a report presented to the UN Human Rights Commission by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Manfred Nowak following his visit to China in December 2005. Labor has also noted with concern reports from the US State Department and Amnesty International about the Chinese Government's treatment of Falun Gong supporters.
There is no doubt that human rights abuses continue to occur, even though there have been significant human rights improvements in China over the last 25 years. These improvements include significant legal reforms which have reduced but not eliminated the likelihood of arbitrary arrest.
Labor will continue to raise human rights concerns with the Chinese Government and we will continue to push for China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Yours sincerely
Jenny Macklin MP
Federal Member for Jagajaga
Deputy Federal Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Education, Training, Science and Research
23 July 2006
