(Minghui.org) The issue of forced organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China has recently commanded a great deal of attention in Nordic countries. Despite the freezing weather, the heat is on – on the part of politicians, the media, medical professionals, and others voicing their opposition to killing people on demand for their organs. Besides drawing attention to these atrocities, various bi-partisan groups are brainstorming different solutions to end the crimes.
Swedish Lawmakers Brainstorm Solutions to End Forced Organ Harvesting
Over 20 Swedish members of parliament (MPs) attended a forum focusing on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) crimes of forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners, a peaceful cultivation practice currently under brutal persecution at the hands of the current regime. The forum on November 20 was sponsored by 10 MPs from all parties in the current coalition government and all parties in the Alliance, a former opposition coalition.
Participating MPs expressed determination to help stop the crimes of organ harvesting in China. Establishing relevant laws in Sweden to discourage “transplant tourism” was one of the solutions raised during the brainstorming session after the forum.
MP Petra Lindberg, Chairman of the Association Supporting Chinese Human Rights in Sweden, said that the international society had claimed “Never again” after the Holocaust. Unfortunately, the genocide targeting Falun Gong practitioners has been ongoing for 14 years in China. She called upon the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) to make laws to help stop this crime.
MP Annelie Enochson from the Christian Democratic Party told the media, “It is hard to believe for Westerners, yet it has been happening. It is a shame.” She said that Western society, including the Swedish Riksdag, should speak for the victims, who have no right to speak for themselves in their home country.
MP Anna Steele from the Liberal Party felt that ending the crimes of organ harvesting was something she must work on. She was very sad about the situation in China, and she hopes to work with other MPs to modify Swedish laws to help with the issue.
MP Elisabeth Björnsdotter Rahm from the Moderate Party expressed that lawmakers need to initiate the process to make changes, although it will take many steps. She believed that the forum was a good starting point. She suggested more forums and new laws to reach the main objective of making an impact and eventually ending the crimes of organ harvesting.
Speakers at the forum included David Kilgour, a former Canadian diplomat, Petra Lindberg, Chair of Supporting Human Rights in China, Man Yan Ng, Trustee of the International Society of Human Rights, Dan Alfjorden, representative of the Swedish Falun Dafa Association, and Li Huige, a medical doctor from Germany. The speakers presented evidence of forced organ harvesting of living Falun Gong practitioners under persecution in China.
Organ Harvesting at the Forefront in Sweden
Svenska Dagbladet (The Swedish Daily) published a report on the organ harvesting issue.
Svenska Dagbladet (The Swedish Daily), a major daily morning newspaper distributed across the country, published an in-depth report on organ harvesting in China on November 20.
The article points out that organ transplantation surgery is a highly profitable industry in China. A large portion of the organs come from Falun Gong practitioners, as well as Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs – groups that are being severely persecuted by the Chinese regime.
The newspaper quotes Mr. Ng regarding information about the Chinese black markets. A heart costs one million Swedish Kronor ($152,000 U.S. dollars). It only takes one to three weeks to find a matched organ for transplant in China, while it takes months or even years in other countries. The only plausible explanation for the short wait time is that there is a huge live organ bank and people are killed on demand for their organs.
On November 23, the Swedish Daily published a follow-up report titled “Lawmakers to Forbid Organ Tourism to China.”
MP Carin Runeson told the reporter that the facts revealed at the forum were horrifying. She said that the lawmakers should solve the problem. “We will tell people at all sorts of meetings and other occasions about what we learned at the forum,” Runeson said. She added that she would try to take action before the election next fall. “What is important to me is to take action, rather than sitting there listening,” she said.
The article also quoted MP Maria Lundqvist-Brimster who indicated that she believed that Spain had a good set of laws regarding international organ transplant surgery, which Sweden should follow.
“It is very clear in Spain that illegal organ trade is against the law, but it is ambiguous in Sweden,” she said. “We don't know how many Swedish citizens have been involved in illegal organ transplants in China. I will look into it.”
Medical Professionals Oppose Organ Harvesting
Many medical professionals signed the DAFOH (Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting) petition to the United Nations and voiced their strong opposition to the crimes of organ harvesting during a “Doctor Day” event (Lægedage) in Denmark.
“I oppose this organ trading,” stated Dr. Rosedy. She said that although Danish law prohibits doctors from referring their patients to countries where they can obtain organ transplants from unknown sources, organ tourism patients can get the same medical treatment as other patients upon returning to Denmark. She identified this as an area for improvement in Danish medical law.
One doctor, upon learning about the organ harvesting atrocities in China, said, “This is the most important news I have heard at this event.” Many doctors wanted to do more than simply sign the petition. They repeatedly asked, “What else can we do for you?”
A former head of an organ transplant association in Denmark heard about the crimes of forced organ harvesting in China. He signed the DAFOH petition and said that he knew about the illegal organ transplants occurring in China. He provided names and contacts of a major organ transplant organization in Denmark and gave Falun Gong practitioners permission to use his name to contact them.
Medical professionals sign the DAFOH petition to the United Nations to help end forced organ harvesting in China.
“Doctor Day” is a major event for healthcare professionals in Denmark. It is an annual week-long event jointly organized by the Danish Medical Practitioners Organization (Praktiserende Lægers Organisation, PLO) and the Danish College of General Practitioners (Dansk Selskab for Almen Medicin, DSAM). The event provides information and training for medical professionals.
Nordic People Support an End to Forced Organ Harvesting
Falun Gong practitioners' signature drives in other Nordic countries have also met with a lot of support, including in Sweden and Finland.
Citizens and tourists in Sweden sign the DAFOH petition to support Falun Gong at Mynttorget Plaza, a famous tourist site in Stockholm.
Finns sign the DAFOH petition to the United Nations to help end the crimes of organ harvesting in China in Rovaniemi, Finland. People were touched by practitioners' spirit, and thanked them for bringing information about the persecution to the public in such severe weather.
Chinese versions available at: http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2013/11/25/瑞典政要媒体聚焦中共活摘器官-283134.html
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2013/11/17/中共活摘器官罪行震惊丹麦医学界-282788.html
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Category: Organ Harvesting
