(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioners held a rally during the Australian Parliament meeting on October 17, 2006 in front of the Parliament Building in Canberra. They called upon the government to fulfill its promise to support independent investigations into the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Civil groups and organizations from Australia also came to the rally to support. One of them was a representative of the Refugee Action Committee in Canberra, Sister Jane Keogh.
Sister Jane Keogh speaks at the rally
Sister Jane Keogh has worked devotedly for social justice with the Bridgeton Congregation for many years, and is very concerned about the issue of asylum seekers who are detained in Australia. Sister Keogh is also very concerned about the crime of live organ harvesting on Falun Gong practitioners in China.
She first talked about the independent investigative report completed by former Canadian MP David Kilgour and human rights lawyer David Matas. She said, "Thank you very much. It's an honor for me to be here today to be able to talk to you on this serious subject of organ harvesting in China. I have read the report by David Matas and David Kilgour. I had the honor to be able to meet David Kilgour and Edward McMillan-Scott when they came to Canberra recently. I believe that the research they have provided and the report they have provided is overwhelmingly convincing. I know the struggle of your group and all of us to provide direct proof is the struggle that is going to face us in the ensuing months."
"Because even though it is overwhelmingly clear what is happening, thousands of lives have been, and continue to be, lost. It is just so difficult in a country where there's no independent access and all the media is restricted, and where the truth is hidden even from your own people in China. So I know that you are very aware of the difficult task it is."
"What I would like to say to you today is that you are not alone in the struggle to bring the truth to light. Many ordinary Australians, people from churches like myself, and people from Refugee Action Committees and refugee support groups have come to know many Chinese asylum seekers who are Falun Gong practitioners through visiting Villawood Detention Centre. From them we have come to know a little bit about Falun Gong and about what is happening in China. I know many of you here today have family back in China. You suffer the terrible thing of not being able to go back to visit them or see them again, or to welcome them here - you all suffer this suppression. So I offer you my support. Alongside your courage and strength, this sort of persecution reaches you even here in Australia. Many of us in the community who want to help and support you will be writing to the Olympics Committee and joining in a petition, and we will strongly protest at the time of the Olympics about the human rights atrocities in China - particularly the organ harvesting, which is so extraordinary that I think that the ordinary Australian cannot quite believe it. So I would like to congratulate you on the stand you are taking, and on the strength of your faith and your dedication, and say that many of us will stand with you in the future as you continue to work for justice."
"A winner of the Noble Peace Prize some years ago, Ellie Wiesel had a little saying that I think it is very important. I forget the exact words but I recall its essence now. We may not be able to stop the injustice, but we should never ever give up protesting against injustice. And I think that is why I am here today and you are here today. We have to protest this no matter who does or does not pay attention. We have to maintain hope. Goodness will win in the end; the truth will be revealed. So I offer you support and congratulations. I will continue to support you in your battle."
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