House Resolution 605 was passed almost unanimously (412 in favor, 1 against) on March 16 by the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution expresses sympathy toward the persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China and their family members, demands the immediate end of the persecution by the Chinese regime, and urges President Obama to meet with Falun Gong practitioners whenever and wherever possible to show that support for freedom of conscience remains a fundamental principle of the United States government.
The U.S. House of Representatives represents the public opinion of the people. Each member of the House represents around 500,000 voters. If one is familiar with politics in the United States and the workings of Congress, one will know how difficult it is to settle differences of opinion and divergent interests, let alone to pass a resolution with a landslide vote. The unanimous support given Falun Gong by Congress demonstrates that the United States is firmly committed to human rights.
During the past decade the House has continuously expressed its support of Falun Gong practitioners by issuing two previous resolutions. On July 24, 2002 (H. Res. 188) and Oct. 4, 2004 (H. Res. 204), the House unanimously condemned the persecution initiated by then Chinese regime leader Jiang Zemin in July of 1999. Such unanimously passed resolutions are extremely rare in the history of the United States Congress.
House Resolution 605 (H. Res. 605) attests to the fact that the Chinese communist regime has continued to severely persecute Falun Gong practitioners throughout the past ten-plus years. During these ten years, records have been compiled by NGOs verifying the identities of 3,365 Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of police brutality, torture, malnutrition, hard labor, neglect, etc. when they were unlawfully detained. The number of such deaths continues to grow. With the difficulty of obtaining records from mainland China, it must be assumed that this only represents the tip of the iceberg.
In addition, an independent investigative report into live organ harvesting from healthy, young Falun Gong practitioners over the past decade suggests that the actual number of deaths is many thousands more. Currently, at least half of the 250,000 detainees in China’s labor camps are said to be Falun Gong practitioners.
In a speech before the House, Congresswomen Ileana Ross-Lehtinen said, “The systematic killing of Falun Gong practitioners for their organs is almost too ghoulish to imagine. It seems incomprehensible that in the 21st century such barbaric acts could occur—a cruelty comparable to imperial Romans throwing Christian martyrs to be eaten by lions.”
Internationally, the Chinese regime uses its diplomatic officials to prevent this damaging information from being openly exposed.
The day before H. Res. 605 was passed, a Chinese delegation at the 13th U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva attempted to prevent the presentation of a report by the Conscience Foundation. The report exposed the psychiatric torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China through the use of nerve-damaging drugs. Though the Chinese delegate repeatedly tried to interfere to block the reading of the report, his attempts failed, and the report was successfully presented to the Council.
In America, beating one’s child or wife is viewed as a violation of human rights. In China, the state sanctions large-scale organ harvesting for profit from ordinary, innocent Chinese citizens, disguising it as a routine medical procedure. This is also a means employed by the regime to eliminate an entire segment of society that has been targeted for persecution. This exceeds all cruelty the world has ever known.
Any individual with a basic level of conscience and morality, and anyone who believes in a God and the existence of a higher accountability, should take action against such atrocities. President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He often states that the United States has a responsibility to uphold freedom and human rights around the world.
H. Res. 605 is unique because it urges President Obama to use all possible means to meet with Falun Gong practitioners—something that neither H. Res. 188 nor H. Res. 304 did. This is an opportunity and a call for the President to demonstrate his commitment to conscience.
Presidents often end their speeches with “God bless America!” I think that this is not merely an empty phrase. Today America is involved in trade with China while Falun Gong practitioners are suffering through the same cruel persecution once perpetrated upon Christians. If President Obama heeds the call of the Congress to meet with Falun Gong practitioners, this would surely be a reason for God to bless America.
Read the original Chinese article.
The U.S. House of Representatives represents the public opinion of the people. Each member of the House represents around 500,000 voters. If one is familiar with politics in the United States and the workings of Congress, one will know how difficult it is to settle differences of opinion and divergent interests, let alone to pass a resolution with a landslide vote. The unanimous support given Falun Gong by Congress demonstrates that the United States is firmly committed to human rights.
During the past decade the House has continuously expressed its support of Falun Gong practitioners by issuing two previous resolutions. On July 24, 2002 (H. Res. 188) and Oct. 4, 2004 (H. Res. 204), the House unanimously condemned the persecution initiated by then Chinese regime leader Jiang Zemin in July of 1999. Such unanimously passed resolutions are extremely rare in the history of the United States Congress.
House Resolution 605 (H. Res. 605) attests to the fact that the Chinese communist regime has continued to severely persecute Falun Gong practitioners throughout the past ten-plus years. During these ten years, records have been compiled by NGOs verifying the identities of 3,365 Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of police brutality, torture, malnutrition, hard labor, neglect, etc. when they were unlawfully detained. The number of such deaths continues to grow. With the difficulty of obtaining records from mainland China, it must be assumed that this only represents the tip of the iceberg.
In addition, an independent investigative report into live organ harvesting from healthy, young Falun Gong practitioners over the past decade suggests that the actual number of deaths is many thousands more. Currently, at least half of the 250,000 detainees in China’s labor camps are said to be Falun Gong practitioners.
In a speech before the House, Congresswomen Ileana Ross-Lehtinen said, “The systematic killing of Falun Gong practitioners for their organs is almost too ghoulish to imagine. It seems incomprehensible that in the 21st century such barbaric acts could occur—a cruelty comparable to imperial Romans throwing Christian martyrs to be eaten by lions.”
Internationally, the Chinese regime uses its diplomatic officials to prevent this damaging information from being openly exposed.
The day before H. Res. 605 was passed, a Chinese delegation at the 13th U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva attempted to prevent the presentation of a report by the Conscience Foundation. The report exposed the psychiatric torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China through the use of nerve-damaging drugs. Though the Chinese delegate repeatedly tried to interfere to block the reading of the report, his attempts failed, and the report was successfully presented to the Council.
In America, beating one’s child or wife is viewed as a violation of human rights. In China, the state sanctions large-scale organ harvesting for profit from ordinary, innocent Chinese citizens, disguising it as a routine medical procedure. This is also a means employed by the regime to eliminate an entire segment of society that has been targeted for persecution. This exceeds all cruelty the world has ever known.
Any individual with a basic level of conscience and morality, and anyone who believes in a God and the existence of a higher accountability, should take action against such atrocities. President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He often states that the United States has a responsibility to uphold freedom and human rights around the world.
H. Res. 605 is unique because it urges President Obama to use all possible means to meet with Falun Gong practitioners—something that neither H. Res. 188 nor H. Res. 304 did. This is an opportunity and a call for the President to demonstrate his commitment to conscience.
Presidents often end their speeches with “God bless America!” I think that this is not merely an empty phrase. Today America is involved in trade with China while Falun Gong practitioners are suffering through the same cruel persecution once perpetrated upon Christians. If President Obama heeds the call of the Congress to meet with Falun Gong practitioners, this would surely be a reason for God to bless America.
Read the original Chinese article.
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