Epoch Times: (Australian) Labor MP Speaks Up for Human Rights in China
By Meme Lau
Dec 18, 2005 Mr Chris Bowen Chris Bowen, an Australian Labor Party MP, says that trade with China is
important and that it is in Australia's and China's best interest, but it should
not come at the expense of human rights. "I support trade with China, but I don't support trade with China at the
cost of human rights and I think the [Australian] Government gets the balance
wrong," Mr Bowen told Sound Of Hope radio on Tuesday November 29. Mr Bowen said the majority of the Australian people are in favour of human
rights. Earlier on that same day, he addressed Falun Gong practitioners who were
holding a peaceful appeal to Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to
cease the issuing of monthly certificates that restrict their peaceful vigil
outside the Chinese embassy. "The reason I support Falun Gong practitioners is because I believe in
human rights, I believe everyone has the right to practise their philosophy or
their religion or their way of life freely," Mr Bowen told the reporter. "Just because I'm not from Falun Gong doesn't mean I shouldn't stand up
for their rights to do what they would like in a peaceful way; they believe in
as you say Truth, [Compassion], Forbearance who could disagree with that?"
he said. In March 2002 the Australian Foreign Minister began signing certificates
restricting the use of banners, amplified sound and later signage on cars parked
legally in the vicinity of the Chinese Embassy by Falun Gong practitioners. Mr
Downer instigated these certificates just after a trade visit by Chinese Foreign
Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who publicly requested the ongoing appeal by the Falun
Gong practitioners outside the embassy be stopped. Mr Bowen said that this issuing of certificates by Mr Downer that impeded
Falun Gong practitioner's vigil outside the embassy also infringed upon the
rights of all Australians. "I think Australia is meant to be a free and democratic country. And in
a free and democratic country people should be able to protest in a peaceful way
and Falun Gong has been denied that right and I think that is a shame for
Australia," he said. "I think the Australian people are a very fair people, are very tolerant
people and if they were educated about the cause of Falun Gong, they would be
quite angry [about the restrictions placed upon their appeal]," he said. "The Australian Government should be standing up for the rights of
Australian citizens. There are Australian citizens who practise Falun Gong, who
have been harassed overseas and to a lesser degree in Australia, and the
Australian Government should be a voice for democracy and freedom, and the
Australian Government has not been that voice and I think that matter is a great
shame for our nation." When asked if the Communist Party ruling China is representative of the
Chinese people, Mr Bowen commented that it is not. "There are a billion
people in China; I don't believe that the Communist Party represents all of
them." On the changes he foresees in China, Mr Bowen was optimistic: "I think
China will embrace more freedom, more democratised rights. I don't know if that
will happen quickly or it will take a long time, but it must happen." Mr Bowen said he was aware of the mass withdrawals of membership from the
Communist Party in China and commented: "If it is happening it is a sign
more people are wanting change." He did not believe that a non-democratic system could survive in the long
run, quoting examples of Russia and East Germany. Mr Bowen also envisaged that
such countries might look strong on the outside, but inside the picture might be
different, adding that they start to collapse when people least expect it.
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