U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus Holds a Roundtable on the Violent Deportations in Hong Kong (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) On August 2, 2007, U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus held a roundtable on the violent deportation of Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong, which occurred at the beginning of July. Three Falun Gong practitioners reported the details of the deportations and submitted evidence. Ms. Annette Lantos, wife of Tom Lantos, Chairman of the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs, met with Falun Gong practitioners after the roundtable.

From left to right: Liao Shuhui, Gao Shutai, Ms. Lantos, Chu Wanchi and Ke Yijun

From left to right: Liao Shuhui, Chu Wanchi, Gao Shutai, representative of Mr. Lantos, and Ke Yijun

During the roundtable, Chu Wanchi, a human rights lawyer from Taiwan, Ke Yijun and Liao Shuhui, two reporters from Sound of Hope Radio in Taiwan, reported the details of the deportation events and showed their legal travel documents. They also submitted a series of documents, including one which showed that Hong Kong Customs asked the airline companies to refuse Falun Gong practitioners permission to board between June 26 to July 1, as well as hospital documents and photos showing that some Falun Gong practitioners were injured during the violent deportations. The roundtable was organized by a representative of Congressman Tom Lantos. Gao Shuotai, of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.A, attended the roundtable.

Falun Gong practitioners support the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin; Zeng ordered the deportation

Human rights lawyer Chu Wanchi said during the roundtable: "Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners went to Hong Kong to support the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, Li Lanqing and Luo Gan. But Zeng Qinghong, who is one of the followers of Jiang, forced the Hong Kong officials to deport them."

Different attitudes towards Falun Gong

Chu said: "There are big differences in the attitude towards Falun Gong among China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. A million practitioners have been persecuted in China, and now the persecution is extended to Hong Kong." The American officials said that they cannot understand the persecution.

Chu Wanchi, a human rights lawyer from Taiwan

Gao Shuotai, a representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in U.S.A

Mr. Gao Shuotai stated: "We cannot understand the unfair treatment of Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners. The Taiwanese government expressed its concern about it right away."

Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in U.S.A.: Falun Gong practitioners will never be treated unfairly in Taiwan

Mr. Gao Shuotai continued, "This is an issue of human rights, freedom of belief and freedom of assembly. The Taiwanese government values human rights and democracy, and Taiwanese people have those freedoms. We believe that those are basic human rights. So, Falun Gong practitioners will never be treated unfairly in Tainwan."

During the roundtable, Mr. Gao called upon the international society to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Media in Hong Kong are controlled by the CCP

Chu Wanchi pointed out during the roundtable, "The media in Hong Kong are influenced by the CCP's policies. So, most media didn't report on the deportation incidents. Only a foreign media outlet interviewed me twice. From this, we can tell that the environment of the Hong Kong media has changed. On the surface level, it looks like the reporters still have freedom, but actually they are indirectly controlled by CCP policies.

Calling upon the American government to help stop the persecution

Chu Wanchi said that human rights have no international boundaries, and everybody should pay attention to human rights. "We are grateful to the U.S. Congress for giving us a chance to tell the facts about the persecution. Clarifying the facts is impossible in China now."

Chu Wanchi pointed out, "For Hong Kong, Taiwan and America, who are concerned about safety in Asia, the issue of human rights of Falun Gong practitioners is important. What has happened to Falun Gong [practitioners] could happen to everybody tomorrow. We, as representatives of Falun Gong practitioners, call upon the U.S. Congress to help us stop the persecution."

Chu Wanchi expressed that Falun Gong practitioners will keep clarifying the facts in the international society and continue seeking help from the American government and the United Nations.