Kilgour-Matas react to statement made by Chinese Deputy Minister of Health

Media Advisory

Chinese regime admits taking organs from prisoners

Ottawa – Two Canadians, Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas, who published an investigative report on organ harvesting of Falun Gong prisoners in China issued their reaction to a recent statement by Chinese Vice Minister of Health Huang Jiefu, which admitted that Chinese regime has used organs from executed prisoners without consent, a claim the regime consistently denied until recently.

“Their admission to organ harvesting from executed prisoners without consent reinforces our conclusion that there is organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners without consent”, said Mr. Matas, “ The Falun Gong constitute a prison population who the Chinese authorities vilify, dehumanize, depersonalize, marginalize even more than executed prisoners sentenced to death for criminal offences.”

“The reason for the harvesting practice in China, which appears unique in the history of human evil, in my opinion stems from China's totalitarian governance model combined with the unrestrained capitalism system in place across the country since about 1979. It is thus not very surprising that deemed enemies of the government in China should be killed and their organs sold mostly to foreigners”, said Kilgour.

“The question now is whether persons of conscience across the world can persuade the government in Beijing to cease the grotesque practice now before the Olympic Games begin in 08. My impression from travels now to almost 25 national capitals across the world in recent months is that there is a growing international consensus that it must stop now if the games are to be successful”, said Kilgour.

Background

Mr. David Kilgour, former Secretary of State (Asian Pacific), and Mr. David Matas, international human rights lawyer, were asked to investigate an allegation that organs were being harvested in China from unwilling Falun Gong practitioners in early May. “The allegations were so shocking that they were almost impossible to believe, … but that disbelief does not mean that the allegations are untrue”. As skeptical lawyers, they investigated. “When one of the first in camera witnesses said that her surgeon husband personally removed the corneas from approximately 2,000 anaesthetized Falun Gong prisoners… we were shaken ", wrote Kilgour.

Kilgour and Matas concluded regrettably that the allegations are true. They further concluded that the government of China and its agencies in numerous parts of the country, have put to death a large but unknown number of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs, including hearts, kidneys, livers and corneas, were virtually simultaneously seized involuntarily for sale at high prices. Their report is available online.

For more information, contact: David Matas: (204) 944-1831;

David Kilgour: dwkilgour@gmail.com

by Organ Harvest Investigation Team: investigation.team@gmail.com