PHILADELPHIA—A rally was held on June 2 outside the American Transplant Congress (ATC) 2024 in Philadelphia, calling for an end to forced organ harvesting.
The demonstration featured representatives from Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), elected officials, academics, and local Falun Dafa practitioners, serving as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle against forced organ harvesting in China.
Participants called for stronger international policies, greater awareness, and unified action to put an end to these human rights abuses. The diverse voices at the rally highlighted the need for continued advocacy and education to ensure that such atrocities are brought to an end.
Political Leaders Demand Actions
Deleware state Rep. Mike Ramone, the House minority leader and a candidate for governor, expressed his strong support for the rally. “It is imperative that we bring attention to these heinous acts,” Mr. Ramone told The Epoch Times. “We cannot stand idly by while such gross human rights violations continue.”Mr. Ramone introduced Resolution HCR 143 to the Delaware General Assembly, which condemns forced organ harvesting practices in China, stating: “This isn’t a political topic. This is a topic of murder ... When horrific things are going on in our world, we must use the energy and resources we have to communicate and act against such atrocities.”
He also commented on the exclusion of DAFOH from ATC, saying: “I don’t understand enough about why they were being played off as if they’re not relevant. [The ATC] are trying to give excuses. We don’t give excuses in our country; we take action.” Mr. Ramone further called on the international community to apply pressure on China, stating: “We need to stop the behavior and the practice in their country. We do it everywhere. We’re supposed to be the beacon of humanity; this is our chance to shine that light.”
Aaron Bashir, a U.S. Congress candidate for Pennsylvania’s 2nd district, stressed the need for legislative measures to combat forced organ harvesting. “We need to ensure that our laws reflect our values and that we take a firm stance against such atrocities,” he said.
Mr. Bashir called for bipartisan support to pass laws that would prevent complicity in these practices and protect human rights globally. He passionately declared, “We are sick and tired of this forced human organ harvesting; it must be stopped.” He also called on the U.S. government to stop all funding to institutes involved in these black practices.
Emphasizing the need for ethical behavior within the medical community, Mr. Bashir said “the medical community should completely boycott all those people that are coming from China and then go back to be forced by the government to get involved in these practices.”
Academic and Medical Perspectives
Mark Thomas, professor and chair of the department of political science at La Salle University, likened the forced organ harvesting to historical atrocities. “I view what the Chinese government is doing to political prisoners and Falun Gong, Christians, and Uyghurs as equating what Josef Mengele did to the Jews during the Holocaust,” Dr. Thomas remarked.He emphasized the unethical nature of these practices, noting, “This type of practice undermines the basics of the Hippocratic oath for a doctor to do no harm.” Dr. Thomas further elaborated on the need for international sanctions, saying, “We need to get every individual country to sanction China for what is a basic human rights violation.”
He also highlighted the importance of the rally’s location: “We’re standing in front of a medical conference. Hopefully we'll catch a few doctors, nurses, medical professionals, maybe some companies that work with the Chinese and say, ‘Hey, take a real relook at what you’re doing.’”
Dr. Thomas urged the medical community to stop cooperating with the Chinese regime, saying: “We really need to ask our government here in the U.S. to pass some laws … We need to really push these professionals to use their influence with Congress and the Senate to stop this practice.”
Dana Churchill, N.M.D., a DAFOH delegate for the U.S. West Coast, spoke passionately about the moral responsibility of the medical community. “Doctors must uphold the highest ethical standards and speak out against these crimes.” He also highlighted the recent legislative efforts, mentioning: “We have a resolution in Congress right now. Speaker Johnson said, I think, he’s going to put it through for a vote soon, and specifically mentioned Falun Gong. So, the noose around the Chinese government is getting tighter and tighter and tighter. And we’re going to be able to force them to stop soon and bring them to justice.”
Dr. Churchill emphasized the need for awareness and direct action, saying, “We want those surgeons in there that don’t really know what’s going on to be informed.” He also addressed the importance of international collaboration, urging, “Resolutions, proclamations, and bills blocking citizens from going to China for organs are necessary steps.”
He further criticized the rejection of their booth application by the conference, which stated that “they’re trying to go in a different direction now.” Dr. Churchill suspected the real reason could be the boycott threat from the Chinese regime. “I know a lot of the Chinese companies are there with their booth numbers … That’s often what they do, they threaten, they threaten everybody,” he said.
Activists and Organizers Speak Out
Alejandro Centurion, MD, associate director of medical affairs at DAFOH, provided insight into the medical community’s role in addressing this issue. “We have a duty to ensure that medical practices adhere to ethical norms and do not contribute to human rights violations,” said Dr. Centurion.He stressed the importance of medical ethics, stating, “Doctors around the world must unite to uphold ethical standards and refuse to engage in practices that violate human rights.” He also urged the medical community to reject cooperation with unethical practices, saying, “It is essential that we do not turn a blind eye to these atrocities and that we hold those responsible accountable.”
Dr. Centurion underscored the urgency of addressing forced organ harvesting and called for international cooperation to end these practices. “The crime of forced organ harvesting has been taking place in China now for over 20 years. And it is unconscionable that the world community, the medical community, has not done enough to end these crimes,” he said.
“The evidence is undeniable what’s happening in China and the evidence that these crimes continue today. They did not end in 2015, as the Chinese government would want the world to believe. This is simply not true,” Dr. Centurion added.
Alex Luchansky, the rally organizer and a representative for the Greater Philadelphia Falun Dafa Association, emphasized the importance of grassroots activism. “Local and global actions are both vital in the fight against forced organ harvesting,” Mr. Luchansky noted. He explained the personal significance of the issue, stating, “I’m a grandson of a Holocaust survivor ... without raising awareness we cannot stop these crimes against humanity.”
Mr. Luchansky urged the international community to learn from countries like Israel and Taiwan, which have banned transplant tourism, and to implement similar measures globally.
Public Awareness and Impact
Larry Daigle, a mobile billboard truck driver from York, Pennsylvania, was one of the passersby who found the rally eye-opening. “I’m learning a lot of information that I never knew existed,” Mr. Daigle said. “I was given information to read at my leisure, and I’m really looking forward to finding out more about what’s going on in the world.”He emphasized the need for widespread education, stating, “This type of program needs to get out to everybody, not just here. It needs to be for the younger kids to learn. We can’t shelter them because this is what the world is.”
Mr. Daigle was deeply moved by the information presented, saying, “Humans should not be used for what they’re being used for [organ transplant] ... We need peace, but we have to start somewhere.”
He rated the importance of the rally highly, saying, “On a scale of one to ten, I would give it a ten-plus. The more knowledge and the more that these doctors can get their information out to everybody, the better off everyone would be.”
Dr. Centurion also commented on the effectiveness of the rally in raising awareness. He noted that many doctors, including some from China, had stopped by to ask for information, highlighting that numerous medical professionals were unaware of the forced organ harvesting crimes. “That’s one of the reasons we’re very concerned,” he stated, explaining that the lack of awareness among doctors was alarming.
He shared an instance of a Chinese doctor who not only took the information but also signed a petition, an act that could potentially put his life at risk if discovered by the Chinese regime. Dr. Centurion expressed pride in the courage shown by this doctor and believed that such actions could help spread awareness back in China. He encouraged everyone to raise awareness by talking to colleagues, friends, family, and government officials to help expose and combat this crime.
“Because this is the greatest violation of medical ethics, and we must bring it to an end,” said Dr. Centurion.
