Dear Officials at the Australian Permanent Mission to the UN, Australian Leaders
and Australian Government officials of all levels,
We are 1000 people from over 20 countries who have gathered here at the United
Nations Human Rights Commission, using our own time and money, as volunteers
to bring the attention of the world community to the torture, persecution and
murder Falun Gong practitioners in China are facing. Among us are those whose
family members have been tortured to death in this brutal persecution, as well
as many themselves who have faced firsthand the atrocities of Chinese labour
camps-the beatings, all forms of tortures, electric shocks, and some of us were
nearly killed. Out of our deep concern over the brutal persecution faced by
millions of Falun Gong practitioners, we have made the sacrifices in our time
and money to come and appeal to the hearts of the international community for
more support to end these atrocities without delay.
We have taken the time to write to you roughly 1000 individual letters to express
our serious concern to the Australian government and people of the news that
two elderly Falun Gong practitioners, Mr. Juntao Wang and Ms. Liluan Wang, of
Australia, are in danger of being deported to China, where they are at serious
risk of facing further torture and even death.
The United Nations body has affirmed the brutal persecution that Falun Gong
practitioners face. Over the last two years, at least 6 Special Rapporteurs
have consistently addressed and affirmed the torture, death or other mistreatment
practitioners in China are met with on a regular basis as persecution for their
beliefs. In addition, at least three have highlighted the chilling cases of
deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in custody.
The Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Woman outlined the persecution female
Falun Gong practitioners face, “The methods of torture used against women
practitioners have included: stripping them naked; severe beatings with fists
or a variety of instruments, such as wooden batons, on shinbones, thighs, shoulders
and other parts of the body; kicking; the use of electric shock batons, inter
alia to the genitals, armpits, soles of the feet and the mouth; the use of handcuffs,
shackles or ropes to tie prisoners in ways which cause intense pain; suspension
by the arms or feet, often combined with exposure to extreme cold or heat; the
use of cigarette lighters to burn their bodies; the insertion of sticks or needles
under the nails or having fingernails pulled out by pliers; the insertion of
pepper, chilli powder or other substances into the mouth, nose or genital organs;
the use of injections which cause victims to become mentally unbalanced or to
lose the ability to speak coherently.”
The United Nations Thematic Report on China for 2002 refers to comments by
the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, ” The Special
Rapporteur referred to information indicating that, since 1999, more than 350
members of Falun Gong had died in detention, 80 of them as a result of torture;
approximately 100,000 practitioners had been detained and more than 20,000 had
been sent to forced labour camps without any trial.” On July 4, 2001, ABC
TV in Australia 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)
Every Falun Gong practitioner in China is facing the suffering in various forms
from the systematic persecution carried out nationwide and is at risk of arrest
and torture at any time. Nearly every type of human rights abuse is used on
Falun Gong practitioners. Children are abused, as are the old. Millions of practitioners
and their families have had their jobs, homes, scholarships, pensions, and savings
taken from them. Practitioners are arrested arbitrarily, sentenced without any
due legal process, and punished without limit.
It is understandable that for an old couple such as Mr. and Ms. Wang, who are
in their 60’s, who do not speak the local language, are unfamiliar with the
culture in Australia and who are legitimately afraid of being returned to China
where they could face further persecution, that under these circumstances they
could make some errors in procedure and in following the protocol in applying
for refugee status. However, a person’s making an error in procedure or in protocol
can never be justification for that person to be returned to face persecution
and perhaps torture or death.
Laws, including those for refugees, are created to protect and uphold justice.
The refugee procedure itself is created for humanitarian purposes. Thus laws,
and this law in particular, must be applied with conscience. The laws are not
formulae that come above the purposes for which they were created. If we simply
follow rules and in doing so we violate the very principles and human rights
for which these laws and procedures were created to protect, then we have lost
what is most important.
While democratic countries and international organizations are making their
best efforts to rescue Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China, it would
be a shame for the Australian government to work against this effort. So far
in the world, only Cambodia has deported Falun Gong practitioners back to China,
an action that was condemned by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.
These practitioners were arrested and are currently incarcerated in China. Their
current status is unknown.
It is said that some in Australia do not always hold a positive opinion with
regards to the large numbers of persons who seek refugee status in Australia.
However the Australians are kind-hearted people who value human rights and this
is definitely not the case with regards to good people’s legitimate refugee
claims, particularly when they may face further torture or death for their beliefs.
Sending back a Falun Gong practitioner to China would leave too dark a stain
on the history of Australia-not only on its immigration department, but on the
country. People of the world look back with disdain and with shame at the turning
away of ships of Jewish refugees who attempted to escape the Holocaust. In this
case too, it may be only later that the people of the world realize the true
extent of the atrocities innocent people are enduring needlessly. In this case
too, those who have stood on the side of justice and supported the innocents
in the face of tragedy will be fully recognized for their commitment to principle
and justice, while those who, even mistakenly, do not protect the victims or
inadvertently facilitate further suffering for them, will leave a dark mark
on history and their actions are very hard to undue.
As concerned citizens of the world and as people who have made our own sacrifices
out of a commitment to justice, we ask that you act in the interest of justice
as well, and of upholding important principles for the good-standing and future
of Australia. Mr. and Mrs. Wang must not be sent back to China. If they cannot
stay in Australia, we ask that you make arrangements to help them to another
third party country where they will be safe from the brutal persecution of Falun
Gong in China.
Sincerely yours,
1000 Falun Gong practitioners and supporters appealing at the United Nations
in Geneva
cc: government officials and media across Australia
March 16, 2003 (Geneva)
Posting date: 17/March/2003
Original article date: 16/March/2003
Category: World News
