NINE Falun Gong practitioners came to Griffith on Wednesday in a fight for justice that has taken them to 200 towns and cities across Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Those who practice Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese spiritual and meditation practice based on truthfulness, compassion and tolerance, have been persecuted, jailed and tortured in China for the past 17 years.
The group say many have also been subjected to the horrific practice of live organ harvesting.
The group cite the recently-released independent reports ‘Bloody Harvest /The Slaughter’ as confirming their claims that the Chinese communist regime is killing people who practice Falun Gong to traffic their vital organs.
The reports looked into hospitals throughout China and found the country is getting rid of political objectors and profiting from selling their organs.
They estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 organs were transplanted each year in Chinese hospitals - as opposed to the 10,000 that the Chinese claim occur.
On top of the report the group have their own harrowing experiences to recount with two victims on the bus who say they were jailed and tortured in China, as well as subjected to suspicious blood tests during their time of imprisonment.
One victim, 65-year-old Fengying Zhang, was arrested and detained five times by the Chinese government for practising Falun Gong.
She said she was tortured, force-fed and thrown outside into below-freezing temperatures.
Ms Zhang says she was forcibly subjected to blood tests during her time in prison, tests that have a more sinister meaning in light of the reports.
Spokeswoman for the group Leechen Zhang said the group were committed to travelling through Australia to raise awareness of the ongoing persecution and would visit Darlington Point and Hay next.
“We have had an amazing response from local people and we have collected lots of signatures for our petition as well as postcards to be sent to parliament house.
“So far every council has shown us a very supportive attitude,” she said.
“We can’t say enough good about the support we have received.
Despite the danger the group and their families face in China, Ms Zhang said they were committed to their fight.
“We have seen this persecution, and even through severe torture we won’t give up,” she said.
“We just can’t shut up about this.”
Ms Zhang said people could help by signing a petition calling on the Australian government to act.
