Falun Gong wants feds to take a stand 

The Halifax Daily News (Nova Scotia) 

August 2, 2006 Wednesday 

SECTION: LOCAL NEWS; Pg. 8 

LENGTH: 437 words 


BYLINE: Lindsey Keilty 

BODY: 


Several concerned Chinese-Canadians in Halifax attended a rally at city hall 
yesterday, calling on the federal government to take a stand against the 
Chinese government to stop harvesting organs from live people. 

Four teams of Falun Gong practitioners are traveling the country, trying to 
raise awareness of the allegations that China's Communist government is 
facilitating taking organs from live Falun Gong practitioners. 

A Clayton Park woman, who asked not to be identified to protect her family 
in China, says Falun Gong is a harmless and peaceful act that has improved 
her health. 

"I haven't taken a pill for any health problem in at least seven years," 
said the woman who immigrated to Canada in 1984. "It has wonderful benefits 
for me physically, mentally and spiritually." 

Persecuting 

She says in 1999, when the Chinese government started persecuting 
practitioners and spreading slander about Falun Gong, she decided to 
research it herself. 

"The stories painted a picture of Falun Gong practitioners as being so 
dangerous, so it struck my attention," she said. "There are two very 
different pictures. The practitioners I have seen are very kind and very 
peaceful and on the other hand people hear all kinds of evil stories coming 
from the government that aren't true." 

She continues to be a faithful follower, but her family in China don't 
practice Falun Gong because they fear the consequences. 

"They are afraid of persecution," she said. "They have all kinds of worries 
and they won't even talk about what's going on on the telephone or in 
letters." 

The woman considers herself lucky to live in Canada, where she is free to 
practise any type of faith she desires. She calls the events in China 
horrific crimes. 

"It took a long time for us to comprehend that this has been ongoing for 
years," she said. "This is not just a crime against Falun Gong 
practitioners, it is a crime against all of humanity." 

Elaine Xie fears for her mother-in-law's safety in a Chinese prison, where 
she and other followers of Falun Gong are being persecuted. 

"The atrocity was exposed in March this year, but because there was no 
third-party investigation on this allegation, no media dared to report it," 
said the Toronto resident. "But after two months' investigation by David 
Kilgour and David Matas, they released their report on July 6 on Parliament 
Hill, and it confirmed that the allegation of organ harvesting is true." 

Highlights evidence 

The report highlights evidence, including recorded phone conversations, that 
suggest the allegations are true. 

A copy of the report is available at http://organharvestinvestigation.net

[email protected] 

GRAPHIC: Awareness: Karen Chen (centre) watches as Falun Gong practitioners 
from Toronto protest downtown yesterday. 

LOAD-DATE: August 2, 2006