Dear Ms. Zhou:
Thank you for your email of April 25, 2007, addressed
to my predecessor, the
Honourable Peter G. MacKay, concerning the human
rights situation in China,
including allegations of illegal organ
transplantation involving Falun Gong
practitioners. The Office of the
Honourable Josée Verner, former Minister of
International Cooperation, has
also forwarded to my predecessor a copy of your
correspondence on this issue.
I regret the delay in replying to you.
The Government of Canada has
serious concerns about the human rights situation
in China, including with
respect to the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners.
Respect for human
rights is a very important element of Canada's foreign
policy, and a central
goal of Canadian engagement with China. As such, Canada
consistently raises
human rights concerns with the Chinese government, calling
on China to
respect, protect and promote the freedom of expression,
association, and
spiritual belief of all Chinese citizens.
In Beijing, in April 2007,
Canada reiterated its concerns regarding the human
rights situation in China.
Both systemic issues and individual cases of concern
were raised with Chinese
authorities, including with respect to the treatment
of Falun Gong
practitioners.
Canada has also urged China to ensure that all organ
transplants take place in
accordance with international standards of free and
informed consent of the
donor. In addition, since March 2006, the Government
of Canada has maintained
an active effort to seek verification and
corroboration of serious allegations
that Falun Gong practitioners have been
targeted for illegal organ
transplantation. Canadian government officials
have, on a regular basis, been
in contact with non-governmental
organizations, like-minded countries, as well
as with the United Nations
Special Rapporteur on Torture, in order to share
information. In addition,
Canadian government officials have met regularly with
Falun Gong
representatives in Canada and have found such exchanges very useful
in
Canada's continuing efforts to verify and corroborate these allegations.
The
report entitled Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun
Gong
Practitioners in China, revised on January 31, 2007, and co-authored by
former
Secretary of State for Asia Pacific the Honourable David Kilgour, and
Mr. David
Matas, barrister and solicitor, has also been useful in bringing
together
available information on this issue.
Please be assured that
the Government of Canada will pursue its active efforts
to seek verification
and corroboration of these allegations, and welcomes any
additional
information you may wish to provide in this regard.
Furthermore, the
Government of Canada will continue to express clearly its
concerns regarding
human rights and fundamental freedoms to Chinese authorities
at all
appropriate opportunities.
Thank you again for taking the time to write
and share your concerns.
Sincerely,
Maxime
Bernier
Minister of Foreign Affairs