Text of U.S. House Concurrent Resolution 188 (H. Con. Res. 188)

H. CON. RES. 188

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the People's Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 18, 2001

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. FRANK, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. MCKINNEY, Ms. LEE, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. RUSH, Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. KING, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. CLAY, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. BENTSEN, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. NADLER, and Mr. TIBERI) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the People's Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Whereas Falun Gong is a peaceful and nonviolent form of personal belief and practice with millions of adherents in China and elsewhere;

Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has forbidden Falun Gong practitioners to practice their beliefs, and has systematically attempted to eradicate the practice and those who follow it;

Whereas this policy violates China's own constitution as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Whereas Jiang Zemin's regime has created notorious government "610" offices throughout China with the special task of overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder;

Whereas propaganda from China's state-controlled media has inundated the public in an attempt to breed hatred and discrimination;

Whereas the number of known deaths from torture has reached 253 so far, tens of thousands have been tortured while confined in labor camps, prisons, and mental hospitals, and hundreds of thousands forced to attend brainwashing classes;

Whereas official measures have been taken to conceal all atrocities, such as the immediate cremation of victims, the blocking of autopsies, and the false labeling of deaths as from suicide or natural causes;

Whereas women in particular have been the target of numerous forms of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, and forced abortion;

Whereas several permanent United States residents and citizens have been imprisoned, tortured, and subject to arbitrary detention; and

Whereas the campaign of persecution has been generated by the Chinese Government, carried out by government officials and state police, and permeated every village and every level of government in China: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--

(1) the Government of the People's Republic of China should cease its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners; and

(2) the United States Government should use every appropriate public and private forum to urge the Government of the People's Republic of China--

(A) to release from detention all Falun Gong practitioners and put an end to the practices of torture and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment against them and other prisoners of conscience; and

(B) to abide by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by allowing Falun Gong practitioners to pursue their personal beliefs.

http://www.usinfo.state.gov/products/washfile/geog/ea/01081006.eea

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