New Organ Policy of Chinese Medical Association: David Kilgour

CHINA:THE STATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTH CARE DELIVERY AND
THE FALUN GONG

Notes for Remarks by Hon. David Kilgour, J.D.
at Congresso Scientifico Internazionale Hotel Touring, Coccaglio, Italy
12 October 2007

Excerpt: New Organ Policy of Chinese Medical Association

Matas and I are, of course, aware that the Chinese Medical Association has recently agreed with the World Medical Association that it will no longer take organs from executed prisoners, presumably including Falun Gong ones, even conceding that international pressure before next year's Olympics in Beijing was the motivation. The CMA's vice-chair, Chen Zhonghua, admitted last week, "China is worried that if it doesn't take a stand on this some countries may use this issue as a pretext to boycott the Games." Whatever the cause, it is a step in a much better direction, although many would like to know: does the pledge have any legal effect? If so, when does it commence? Does it bind military surgeons who are currently doing so many transplants in both civilian and army hospitals (we're told that it doesn't)? Will the new policy be dropped as soon as the foreigners leave Beijing after the games next August?

Matas and I have spoken in various places to a small number of the tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners who have been sent to labour camps since 1999, who managed to leave both the camps and China itself. They worked in appalling conditions for up to sixteen hours daily with no pay and little food, making export products, ranging from garments to chopsticks to Christmas decorations for multinational companies. As this constitutes gross corporate social irresponsibility; the CEOs of multinational companies using forced labour subcontractors within China should be held fully accountable.

Finally, for those who assert naively that they are not Falun Gong practitioners and thus have nothing to worry about in China, consider what the world famous German Pastor Martin Niemoller said after his years in Hitler's concentration camps:

"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak up." (more)