MD Petition To Stop Forced Organ Harvesting in China

In recent years, various levels of government have been speaking out about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) practice of forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience, which include large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners. Two examples are shown below:

• United States
  The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.Res.343 on June 13, 2016 by all House Members – including all Representatives of Maryland;  “Expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People’s Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups.” Currently, US senator Van Hollen from Maryland is co-sponsoring S.Res.274 on this same issue.
• European Parliament
  The European Parliament passed a resolution on organ harvesting in China on December 12, 2013. The resolution: Expresses its deep concern over the persistent and credible reports of systematic, state‑sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People’s Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned for their religious beliefs, as well as from members of other religious and ethnic minority groups;

In March of 2020, an international People’s Tribunal issued the China Tribunal Final Judgement concluding that Falun Gong practitioners were the main source of organs.

Now our own county/city government has a great opportunity to raise awareness of non-consenting organ harvesting in China. This is especially important now that China has become a major center for transplants, making a wide variety of organs available with very little waiting time. Patients from around the world flock there, checkbook in hand, to get a new cornea, kidney, lung, or heart without realizing the source of the organs.

Falun Gong teaches gentle exercises, meditation, and the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. It has benefited over a hundred million people around the world—including residents of Maryland—to attain physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. In July 1999, however, the CCP ordered the eradication of Falun Gong, and the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners continues to this day. A number of survivors of this persecution live right here in Maryland.

Please consider introducing a resolution to inform our residents—especially those who might plan to travel to China for an organ transplant—of the CCP’s unconscionable practice of forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience, and help raise awareness of the 21-year long persecution of Falun Gong.