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UK Parliament Concerned about Persecution of Falun Gong in China
(Clearwisdom.net) On Tuesday 18 June 2002, the UK Parliament conducted a
90-minute debate on China following the return from China of its All Party China
Group.
Mr. Ben Chapman, chairman of the Group, said during the debate: "Human rights
remain a serious concern, and the All Party Group never fails to raise the issue
on its visits to China and with Chinese visitors to the UK [...]
"The continued detention and harassment of democracy activists and religious
practitioners run contrary to international human rights norms... Religious
beliefs, freedom of association and of expression and the media are routinely
restricted. The crackdown on activists in the China Democracy party and the
Falun Gong continues, and Falun Gong [practitioners] have been handed harsh
sentences...
"[...] The Chinese have ratified the international covenant on economic,
social and cultural rights, and have signed the covenant on civil and political
rights, but not ratified it. We continue to express our hope that they will do
so [...]"
Mr. Nigel Evans MP said "it would be wrong for us to have a debate on China
and not mention human rights, and to think that by not mentioning the subject we
were doing the Chinese a favour. The fact is that we do them a favour every time
that we mention it. It is in the spirit of friendship that we raise those
issues."
Mr. Richard Spring MP stated: "we note the tough action by the Chinese
Government against pro-democracy dissidents, especially Falun Gong adherents. No
doubt they are seen as something of a challenge to the monopoly of power held in
China."
Brian Cotter MP said that China "should not feel the need to suppress
dissent, but should welcome it instead."
Dr. Denis MacShane, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs stated "The human rights issue remains a pebble
in the shoe--or perhaps a thorn in the side--of our relationship. There is no
ducking the need to refer to it. We do not seek to preach or impose our norms;
all we ask of the Chinese authorities is that they obey their own laws and
respect their international obligations under the international covenants that
they have signed or ratified."
Source: Commons Hansard 18 Jun 2002 : http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/cgi-bin/ukparl_hl?DB=ukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=hong+kong+&COLOUR=Red&STYLE=s
&URL=/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/cm020618/halltext/20618h01.
htm#20618h01_spnew0
Posting date: 12/20/2002 |