China admits death-row organ trade
At least 1,770 people were executed in China last year — probably far more — and China’s Health Ministry and Foreign Ministry have admitted that organs of at least some of these people were harvested and transplanted into paying customers.
BBC journalist Rupert Wingfield-Hayes has confirmed in undercover investigations what Canadians David Kilgour and David Matas reported in July. He found he could buy a human liver in China with as little as three weeks’ notice, owing to an increase in executions prior to the republic’s National Day on 1 October.
An earlier promise by Chinese authorities to ban the trade in human organs applies only to live donors, claims Amnesty International.
China has the highest execution rate in the world. The penalty applies to 68 offences, including tax fraud. Amnesty argues that no-one charged with a capital offence in China receives a fair trial. It is calling for:
- the commutation of existing death sentences
- all death penalty cases to be appealed to the Supreme Court
- the publication of statistics on death sentences and executions, and
- a national debate on the abolition of the death penalty in China.
Join Amnesty’s campaign to end capital punishment in China by writing to President Hu Jintao.
The BBC report made no mention of Kilour, Falun Gong, or their accusation of targeted genocide and vivisection (live organ harvesting.)
I would like to point out the fact “ability to pay†is a compelling factor in our own organ transplant industry, no less so than China. In US the uninsured are left out of the organ wait list, while the rich go on wait list and receive organs in days or weeks, too.
It is refered to as “wallet biopsyâ€. 2004 clinical data from ustransplant.org shows thousands of patients in US (top 10% of wait list) averaged a 10 day wait period for liver transplant.
Does that mean we too are selling organs?
As to the BBC reporter’s cliam it’s not possible for the condemned in China to consent to donation, I would like to point out that China is not the only country that allows the death row inmate to donate organ. In US it is allowed on a case-by-case basis.
For reference, here’s a report I found in the Chinese media, about a guy who turned himself in for killing his wife’s lover. Before he was to pay with his life, he decided to donate his organ as last act of redemption, and willed the organ donation compensation fund paid by the state to the victim’s family. In his interview he indicated the reason he called for press is to help bring awareness to organ donation in China:
http://news.sina.com.cn/s/p/2006-03-20/12299394605.shtml
Many such cases exists in China:
http://www.baidu.com/s?ie=gb2312&bs=%CB%C0%C7%F4+%BE%E8+%C6%F7%B9%D9&sr=&z=&cl=3&f=8&wd=%CB%C0%C7%F4+%BE%E8+%C6%F7%B9%D9+%C2%C9%CA%A6&ct=0
Some people would simply disregard Chinese media’s reporting about themselves, insisting on what they know about China, like Buddhist culture and people’s desire to die “whole†(probably learned from the movie “The Last Emperorâ€.)
It probably is still true to some degree, but folks forget most Chinese are not criminals. Does one really believe “wholeness†applies to criminals in Buddhism? Above article demonstrates a common rationale for the condemned to consent to organ donation – the Buddhist desire for redemption.
Chinese culture and Buddhist religious foundation makes organ donation difficult to promote. However the condemned often seek redemption and last act of contribution to family and society, under the same cultural and religious foundation.
Yes, the Chinese government’s organ donation compensation fund seems to be direct at this population, but its aim is to promote organ donation by the population at large.
You may find faults in it. But who are we to deny their reality, and self-righteously accuse them with our western sensitivity?
I believe it is fair to say this issue is not only debatable, the Chinese are debating it – as the above search engine results show a range of opinions.
To me this really demonstrates that China’s problems isn’t all that black and white. China too have their dilemmas and choices, and their own history to evaluate (and overcome).
In contrast, to condemn China with emotionally satisfying conclusion only serves ones ego, I submit.
‘China busts huge organ trafficking ring’
ABC News, 5 August 2012
“… Executed prisoners remain the main source of organs used in transplant operations due to the lack of voluntary donations, Vice health minister Huang Jiefu was quoted by state media as saying early this year.
Following repeated criticism from overseas rights groups, Mr Huang pledged to wean the nation off of its dependency on organs from prisoners.
International human rights groups have long accused China of harvesting organs from executed prisoners without the consent of the prisoner or their family – charges the government has denied …”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-05/china-busts-huge-organ-trafficking-ring/4178570