March 30, 2006

Introduction

The World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) has confirmed in their investigations that the Sujiatun District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Shenyang City, also known as the Liaoning Province Thrombosis Treatment Center of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (the Thrombosis Hospital for short, below) had set up an unlawful crematorium to burn the bodies and destroy evidence. The existence of a huge live human organ bank in the Shenyang City area has been verified. The live harvesting of organs for transplants from unlawfully detained Falun Gong practitioners were found in not only at the Sujiatun area but also at many other places throughout Mainland China.

I. It is Confirmed Again that the Hospital Boiler at the Sujiatun Thrombosis Hospital Used as Crematorium

As an eyewitness pointed out, the Thrombosis Hospital was the place where organs of Falun Gong practitioners were harvested while they were still alive [1]. According to our investigation, although a funeral parlor exist in the Sujiatun District [2], human bodies indeed have been cremated inside the hospital boiler. Some people involved in this gruesome process of burning bodies have collections of rings and other belongings from the corpses [3]. According to the 1997-issued Interment Management Regulation from the Chinese State Council, funeral work was managed by the civil administration department at each level. No one is authorized to build a crematory facility without approval [4]. The Thrombosis Hospital dares to openly violate state regulations to cremate human bodies using a private boiler; this implicates them for having potentially dealt with a large number of corpses, to hide their actions from public scrutiny.

II. A Huge Live Human Organ Bank Exists in Shenyang City

Shenyang is one of few cities in the nation where organ transplants are performed on an extremely large scale

We have discovered that as many as ten hospitals in Shenyang City have performed organ transplants. In 2005, 250 kidney transplants and 70 liver transplants were reported. By January 2006, the General Hospital for the Shenyang Military Region (whose Urology Department is the military region's kidney transplant center) has performed over 1,500 kidney transplants. [5] The No. 463 Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (an Air Force hospital) in Shenyang City has topped the Shenyang area in Liaoning Province in terms of the numbers of homogeneous foreign body kidney transplants performed. By 2005, over 600 kidney transplants and 120 liver transplants have been performed in the No. 1 Adjunct Hospital of the China Medical University. [6] Due to the characteristics of the organ transplant surgeries, the large-scale development of organ transplants could only be feasible in area where supply is ample.

Organ Supply Sources

For traditional cultural ethics, Chinese people have always been conservative regarding the issue of organ donations. Thus, organ donors are rather scarce in China. According to widely circulated international reports and witness accounts, the customary source of transplant organs in Mainland China were those from death-row prisoners. [7] This is an undisputed fact in the international community. Due to the general practice of organ transplants in various areas in China, the organs from the death-row prisoners could only be used by local hospitals near the execution site of the prisoners, with a few exceptions. According to an Amnesty International report, about 2,000 prisoners were executed annually in China, [8] and the number of highest estimate could be as high as 10,000 per year. According to our medical experts, the donor match of live kidney transplants between direct-related family members is 50%, but the possibility of a complete match between two non-family members is one out of several million. [9] So, considering factors such as tissue type matching, even in an incomplete match, the actual rate of utilization of organs from death prisoners is rather low.

Applying the numbers to such a city like Shenyang, even if all usable organs from death- row prisoners that match the tissue type are utilized, the availability still cannot satisfy the annual quantity needed for actual transplant operations in that city. Yet, Wu Gang, associate professor of Organ Transplant Department in the No. 1 Adjunct Hospital of China Medical University stated, "At present, we have completely sufficient kidney sources in Shenyang!" [10]

Waiting time for organ transplant

Due to the lack of readily available kidney donors, the waiting time for a suitable kidney is lengthy. Even in the US where the sense of public organ donation is commonplace, a patient in the New England area usually needs to wait three to seven years in average for a kidney transplant, where medical institutions are abundant. According to the information from the foreign groups who organize people to go to China for organ transplant and results from the WOIPFG investigators, it only takes one week to one month to have a kidney transplant in China, including tissue type matching time. [11]

The China International Transplantation Network Assistance Center (CITNAC) at the China Medical University in Shenyang City guaranteed one month and no longer than two months of waiting time for liver transplants. The waiting time to find a proper kidney is only one week, at most one month. If a problem arises during surgery with the provided kidney, they will guarantee another one in less than one week. [12] Because the kidney source for this possible emergency also need to match tissue type of the recipient, it is almost impossible to get a match from an executed prisoner or someone who died from an accident. The only likely source comes from a spare organ bank. Considering that a kidney has to be transplanted within 24 hours, supplies at the spare organ bank must come from living people. Taking into account tissue type matching and other factors, the truth is that a spare live human organ bank with a quite huge cardinal number for tissue type matching and harvesting is in operation at any time.

Providing organ transplant for foreigners

CITNAC in Shenyang City was established in 2003. Through its website in five different languages (Japanese, Korean, English, Russian and Chinese), the center attracts patients around the world and claims that each year, more than 100 kidney transplants and 20 liver transplants are performed at the center.

Since 2004, more than 100 Japanese patients received organ transplants in Shenyang City alone. [13]

From 2003 to 2005, more than 3,000 South Korean citizens went to China for organ transplants.

Voice of America has reported on a person in Vancouver who is conducting international business on kidney transplant and has arranged for many Canadian patients travelling to China for kidney transplant surgeries.

III. Sujiatun Concentration Camp is not the only one; at least eight provinces and cities have concentration camps for live harvesting of human organs from abducted Falun Gong practitioners

According to official numbers from China, from 1991 to 1998, only 78 liver transplants were performed nationally. However, since the year 1999 when the ban on Falun Gong started, the number multiplied quickly, with 118 liver transplant surgeries in 1999, 254 in 2000 and 486 in 2001. By 2001 the liver transplant surgeries totaled 996. [14] By 2003, the number drastically increased to over 3,000, [15] which means that the nation-wide supplies of organs since 1999 have increased noticeably. We showcased liver transplants as example here because without the liver, a single organ, the donor could not survive after the liver is removed.

Investigations from the WOIPFG has shown that organs from Falun Gong practitioners were used for transplant in provinces and cities such as Henan, Shandong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Hunan and Hubei, but probably others also. Hospital staff and directly participating doctors have expressed that they can provide Falun Gong practitioners' organs. [16] Based on our initial investigation, we are able to conclude that Sujiatun Concentration Camp is not the only one where live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners for transplant purposes took place; such type of concentration camps exist in most part of China.

We have documented a few cases here. More details will follow in a separate report:

Case No. 1 (an adjunct hospital of one medical university in Hunan Province)

Doctor: The organs we chose were from young and healthy person. We would absolutely not use those from the elderly.

Investigator: Are there any from Falun Gong practitioners?

Doctor: You should rest for sure about it. (Note: which means "absolutely")

Case No. 2 (a hospital in Shandong Province)

Investigator: a kidney from a person who practices Falun Gong is disease-free; do you have any of those types...

Doctor: Umh...We have more and more such kind now, and in April we will sure to get even more.

Investigator: Why there are more in April?

Doctor: I cannot not tell you about it, because it relates to...it doesn't mean...We don't need to explain to you about it because it cannot be explained...

Case No. 3 (a hospital in Guangzhou City)

Investigator: How long should we wait for a kidney transplant?

Doctor: If you come over, you only need to wait for about a week.

Investigator: But the kidney for transplant should be healthy and fresh, better from a live donor. You would not use an organ from a dead person, right?

Doctor: We will of course use the good one!

Investigator: Are there any from people who practice Falun Gong?

Doctor: The ones we use here are all this type.

Case No. 4 (a medical university in Tianjin City)

Investigator: The doctor said that the kidney source is very good because the person practiced Qigong. When asked which kind of Qiqong, the reply was Falun Gong. Is it true that those who practice Falun Gong have better health? ...

Hospital staff: Of course, we have this kind here as well...the organs were from persons who did still breathed or had a heart beat. We will have some too; we have got more than ten kidneys of such kind so far this year...Of course, the quality of the organ supplier is a key factor, which means that the person must be young and the time period for warm blood shortage is very short after removal [when blood supply is insufficient and the kidney stays at normal body temperature]; sometimes we even don't have this period of warm blood shortage. The kidney of such type has never had this problem, so it must be very good for recovery of the patient in the long run. This is for sure...

World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong

Reference:

1. The Epoch Times, March 17, 2006, "New Witness Confirms Existence of Chinese Concentration Camp, Says Organs Removed from Live Victims," http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-3-17/39405.html

2. Northern Land Net, address of Sujiatun funeral parlor: Qiansandao Gangzi Village, Shenhe Town. Direction: take westbound bus from Nanta bus terminal toward Chenxiang; departure every half hour. Tel: 24-89572311

3. WOIPFG investigation record: SJT_X_0004

4. Interment Management Regulation from the Civil Administration Department of the People's Republic of China, http://www.mca.gov.cn/mca/laws/fagui20.html

Article 3: The civil administration department of the State Council is responsible for the national funeral work. The civil administration office of the local government above county level is in charge of the funeral work in its jurisdiction.

Article 9: Nobody is allowed to build funeral facility without approval.

5. Business Times, December 9, 2005

6. Chinese People's Liberation Army No. 463 Hospital website, May 12, 2004, "Air Force Urology Research Center"

7. Phoenix Weekly, The 21^st issue of 2005 (the general 190^th issue)

8. Amnesty International Annual Report

9. Xinhua Net source, January 14, 2004: Morning News "Kidney Sale Ad Rampant in Shanghai and Loophole in the Law has 'Created' Kidney Market," reported by Du Chen and Wang Hongwei

10. Chinese Business News, December 24, 2004, "Human Organ Sale Ad All over Hospital and Doctor Claimed Sufficient Kidney Sources (with photo)," reported by Gan Jing.

11. WOIPFG investigation record: SJT_F_

12. China International Organ Transplant, "The Selection of Volunteers"

13. Boxun News Net, March 1, 2006, quote from Japanese Common News Agency "Japanese government to Investigate Death of Japanese citizens from Organ Transplant in China."

14. Health Newspaper, November 2, 2004, "The History of Organ Transplant in Our Country"

15. Oriental Organ Transplantation Center Net, November 5, 2004, "The Silent Formation of Chinese Organ Transplant Market"

Falun Gong practitioners protest outside the meeting venue

On March 29, a Chinese delegation headed by Wang Ying, deputy mayor of Shenyang, held a meeting with members of Federation of Canadian Chinese professionals. When questioned about the killing of Falun Gong practitioners for organs inside the Sujiatun Concentration Camp, Wang neither gave a direct answer nor denied the existence of the camp. During the meeting, dozens of practitioners protested the atrocities outside the venue and distributed related materials to raise awareness of the camp.

During the time for questions, a reporter from New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) asked: "Mr. Mayor, overseas medias recently reported that there is a secret concentration camp in Sujiatun District of Shenyang city. The camp once detained more than 6,000 Falun Gong practitioners. To date, more than 4,000 have been killed for their organs, which were sold for profit and their bodies then cremated to destroy evidence. Have you heard about this?"

Wang Ying deflected the question: "Have you seen it yourself?

The report said: "There are now two witnesses who have stepped forward to testify about this. One is a former state agent who fled from China. He learned about this through many different channels. Another witness' ex-husband was a doctor at the Liaoning Provincial Thrombosis Hospital and did organ removals from people that were still alive at the time."

Wang interrupted the reporter and said: "I don't believe this." The reporter replied: "So would you be willing to accept an investigation by the international community?"

At this point, the reporter's microphone was snatched away by the host, who said: "I am the host, and we don't allow questions regarding these kinds of issues."

The NTDTV reporter was then forced to sit down by another organizer of the meeting and was not allowed to ask any more questions to Wang.

After the meeting, the reporter approached Wang and asked him why he shied away from questions about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Wang remained silent and rushed to the elevator.

In the hallway, practitioners also tried to hand Wang Ying and his group members overseas media reports on the Sujiatun Concentration Camp. Outside the meeting venue, practitioners protested the persecution and exposed the atrocities happening in the Sujiatun Concentration Camp through a megaphone.

Practitioner Jinan Liu participated in the protest. He said: "I am a Shenyang citizen and I know that Sujiatun is a district of Shenyang. The atrocities happening in the Sujiatun Concentration Camp is shocking and cannot be tolerated. The visit to Toronto offers the deputy mayor of Shenyang and his delegation a good opportunity to learn about the truth of the persecution, as the news in China is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. As a high-ranking government official, we hope that he will view this issue with his conscience and do what he can to help end the persecution."

Protest in front of Chinese Embassy in Czech

Starting from 10 a.m. of March 25, 2006, Czech Falun Gong practitioners launched a 24-hour hunger strike in front of the Chinese Embassy in Prague to protest against the CCP's atrocity of killing Falun Gong practitioners in Sujiatun Concentration Camp, Shenyang city, China.

Exposing the CCP's crimes of killing Falun Gong practitioners in a concentration camp

At 3 p.m., the hunger strike venue moved to a tourist attraction in the city centre - the Old City Square. Practitioners set up a banner reading "Several Thousand Falun Gong Practitioners' Organs Have Been Harvested While They Were Alive in Sujiatun Concentration Camp in China" and presented related introductory materials about this matter. Practitioners handed out leaflets, collected signatures to call on the government of the Czech Republic to urge the international society to conduct an investigation on the Sujiatun incident and stop the persecution of Falun Gong.

Having understood the truth, people were shocked and lined up to sign their names on the petition form.

Some Chinese people, being poisoned by the CCP's lies and used to keeping away from Falun Gong, also took some of our fliers.

Two tourists from Iceland raised their thumbs and said, "Falun Dafa is good! We wish you good luck!"

A middle-aged person wept after learning the facts. After half an hour, the person returned to the spot again and said to the practitioners, "I have never experienced such a thing. I have to do something about this."

A reporter from Deutsche Welle newspaper office in Munich, Germany told us that he will do his best to write a story after reading our fliers.

Some people raised the question of whether or not this is the only such camp in China.

The activity in city centre lasted into the night

At noon on March 25, 2006, Falun Gong practitioners from Stockholm and other cities nearby in Sweden came to Mynttorget and called on the residents to pay attention to how practitioners are being killed in Sujiatun Concentration Camp.

Practitioners in Sweden call on all circles to pay attention to the killing in Sujiatun Concentration Camp

Passers-by stop to look at banners and posters and sign petition calling for an end of the persecution

The practitioners opened up two banners in Swedish: "Goran Persson and Government, please help to stop the killings in secret Sujiatun Concentration Camp of China." "Organs of thousands of living Falun Gong practitioners are being harvested for sale."

Malin, a Falun Gong practitioner, introduced: “According to witnesses, there is a secret concentration camp in Sujiatun, Shenyang, Liaoning Province where about 6,000 Falun Gong practitioners were locked up. Bodily organs (such as kidneys, livers and corneas) of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been removed by the Chinese Communist Party when they are still alive and their bodies have been cremated. It is estimated that still large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners are now being locked up in Sujiatun Concentration Camp and they are in great danger of being killed at any moment by the CCP. Their situation is very urgent."

"The crimes being committed in Sujiatun are part of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. We are calling on all circles of society to speak out and stop the CCP from continuing its atrocities. We are calling on Prime Minster Goran Persson and the Swedish Government to urge the international society to investigate the CCP's atrocities in Sujiatun Concentration Camp."

While some Falun Gong practitioners were doing the five sets of exercises, some others explained the facts about the persecution by using a loudspeaker, and still others were distributing leaflets disclosing the atrocities happening in Sujiatun Concentration Camp. On the square were lots of passers-by. Many stopped and looked at banners and pictures, and signed the petition calling to end the persecution.

After reading the material, a Swedish lady, with tears running down her face, signed the petition and said: "I have never imagined that such a cruel thing still exists in the world. We cannot tolerate such crimes."

Many people were in a queue waiting for their turn to sign the petition calling to end the atrocities by the CCP.

A young couple with a baby were shocked after talking with practitioners. They offered their help and gladly signed the petition.

Ms. Zhang Guirong, a Falun Gong practitioner, expressed her strong protest against the CCP's atrocities by means of a hunger strike for 24 hours on that day. She also called on the international society to immediately investigate the incident, stop the killing and urgently rescue Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China.

In the coming few days, the practitioners will continue their appeal to ask people to pay attention to the incident, and make an appointment to meet Prime Minster Goran Persson to ask him to initiate the investigation on the Sujiatun Concentration Camp through the international society.

At 9 a.m. on March 30, a large-scale activity named "Support the 9.3 Million Chinese who have quit the CCP and Condemn the CCP's Atrocities inside the Sujiatun Concentration Camp" was held on the 3^rd floor of the Nationalist Party Headquarters in Nantou County. County officials, elected representatives and scholars gave speeches and called on people from all circles to jointly help end the atrocities of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). Meanwhile, a large crowd rallied outside the headquarters to protest the CCP's atrocities. The event was sponsored by the Grand Alliance for Breaking Away from the CCP, Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, Taiwan Association to Rescue Persecuted Falun Gong Practitioners and the Epoch Times.

Mr. Chen, the chief secretary of the Nantou County government, attended the rally on behalf of the county head. Chen said, "From the perspective of human rights, I feel that the CCP's atrocities of removing organs from people that are still alive are incredible. It will be the shame of all Chinese if we allow the CCP to continue its tyranny. The Nantou County government wholeheartedly supports this event and we also call on all county residents to speak out and condemn the CCP. The world should work together to pressure the CCP and end its atrocities.

Chief Secretary of the Nantou County government Mr. Chen spoke out to condemn the CCP's atrocities

Retired commander of Pingdong region Mr. Chen Changhui said: "Four years ago, I had severe liver problems and was told to go to Mainland China for transplantation. I could not make it at the time. Later, I regained health through practicing Falun Gong. Falun Gong saved my life and thus I want to speak out for the practice."

Mr. Chen said: "Traditional Chinese culture takes the treatment of the human body very seriously and most Chinese will not donate their organs for this reason. While organ removal may proceed with consent of the donor or the donor's family members, the removal of organs from people alive by the CCP is too inhuman. In addition, it is a logical step to question if there are other concentration camps similar to the one in Sujiatun."

Mr. Lin, a representative of Zhushan Township citizens, said that the CCP must give a reasonable explanation to the world on this important issue.

Residents sign a petition to rescue Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China

Dr. Chen was the host of the rally. He said that organ transplantation is strictly regulated everywhere. Without consent of the donor, it is unacceptable to proceed with the operation for organ removal. There are many cases where people in Mainland China have lost their organs after operations. This is not just an individual practice. It is the evil nature of the CCP that has turned medical workers into accomplices of the regime in organ removals for profit. This is truly frightening.

Ms. Liu of the Grand Alliance for Breaking Away from the CCP said: "I have a few lawyer friends. After I told them about the atrocities inside the Sujiatun Concentration Camp, they said that they would wait for evidence. I was very sad. The genocide is ongoing and countless people are awaiting our help. Why do we need more evidence before taking action to save lives? When news of the Nazis' killing of Jewish people was exposed initially, the western society felt that it was inconceivable and was waiting for evidence. Consequently, they killed several million more Jewish people. We should not allow such a tragedy to happen again."

Ms. Xu is the principal of Chenggong Elementary School. She took time off from her job to participate in this event. Her colleagues all supported her upon learning the cause of the gathering. Ms. Xu said that it is very important to let Taiwanese, especially those who do business with China, know about these atrocities.

County representative Mr. Lin said that we must pay close attention to the incident.

Outside the headquarters, many civilians held a sit-in to express their grief for the killed practitioners. They also displayed many banners and posters and distributed fliers to expose the bloody atrocities of the CCP and to call on the public to take action to end the persecution.