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Letter from the Prime Minister's Office of Australia to A Practitioner (Clearwisdom.net)
Foreign Affairs and Trade
November 23, 2001 Name Address (Omitted) Dear Mr Wang
Thank you for your email of 21 September 2001 to the Prime Minister, Mr.
Howard, concerning the treatment of Falungong practitioners in China. As the
matters you raised fall within the portfolio responsibility of the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Downer, your letter was referred to him for his
consideration. I have been asked to reply on behalf of Mr. Downer. I apologize
for the delay in replying.
While the Australian Government takes no position in the doctrine or
practices of Falungong, it considers that the ban by the Chinese Government on
Falungong breaches fundamental rights of assembly and free expression. The
Government also believes that the Chinese Government's maltreatment of Falungong
practitioners in China contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights (ICCPR), WHICH China has signed, but not yet ratified, as well
as the Conversion Against Torture. We have repeatedly urged China to ratify the
ICCPR as soon as possible, and with a minimum of reservations.
The Australian Government continues to express these concerns to Chinese
Government at the highest levels. Mr. Downer has personally raised the
Government's concerns with his Chinese counterpart, Tang Jiaxuan. The Minister
for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Alston, and the
former Minister for Health and Aged Care, Dr Wooldridge, have also raised the
issue of human rights during their to China in the last year.
Most recently, the Government's concerns were also taken up directly by the
Australian delegation to the annual bilateral Human Rights Dialogue, which was
held in Beijing from 29 October to 2 November 2001. Particular concerns raised
included constraints on freedom of association, expression and assembly,
cultural and religious freedoms, China's criminal justice system, the treatment
of prisoners, torture, the death penalty, and the system of "Reeducation
through Labour". While the Chinese response to particular claims of
mistreatment of Falungong members did not suggest and casing of its stance was
likely in the near future, the delegation received Chinese assurances that
efforts are under way to review the relevant laws to remove the scope and
incentive for the use of torture in the investigation of crimes.
Please be assured that the Australian Government will pursue human rights
issues in China, including persecution of Falungong practitioners, for as long
as necessary.
Thank you for bringing your views to the attention of Government.
Your sincerely
Kyle Wilson
Director Posting date: 12/7/2001
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