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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 2, 2006 Public CommentCOntimWd August 2, 2006 MOTION / VQTE: The City Council, on motion of Council Member Hansen, Mounce second, unanimously adopted Reavolution No. 2006-150 authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with the World of Wonders Science Museum for an option to lease and a subsequent lease of retaA space in the Lodi Station Parking Structure. F. CQMMLNTS BY THg PUBLIC -ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS • Yoeum Barron, Group Sales Manager with the Lodi Conference and Visitors Bureau (LCVB), announced that It will be hosting a free two-hour class for companies who are interested in doing business with tour operators. The class will focus on ideas for restaurants, hotels, and attractions to work with tourism groups and will be held on August 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Cellar Room at Wine and Roses. Anyone interested in attending the class may contact the LCVB at 365-1195. Further, Ms. Barron announced that the LCVB reached a milestone by filling more requests for visitor information over the last year. Total requests for 2005 were 1,392, and as of June 30, 2006, the number of requests reached 1,474. • Elton Loh distributed information regarding live organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China (filed) and encouraged people to sign a statement of support at www.investLq&t-iQ&.,go.sveinter.net/ in order to spread the word on this issue. • Jenny Loh, as translated by Elton Loh, presented information regarding the Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong (filed), and spoke of persecution by the Chinese Government. G. COMMIENTS BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS Council Member Hansen reported that the Northern California Power Agency Commission recently voted to sell power to the city of Roseville, from which the City of Lodi will realize $101,000 in proceeds. At a recent San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) meeting, the board received a presentation on the California Inter -Regional Inter -Mobile System Rail Transportation Implementation Planning Study, which is a long-term implementation plan for a rail shuttle system to connect the Port of Oakland with freight hubs and inter -mobile facilities in the San Joaquin valley. The concept is that freight containers would come into the Port of Oakland and be loaded onto trains that come into the San Joaquin valley; thereby, eliminating hundreds of trailer rigs on the freeways, which would improve the quality of air. The full report is available on SJCOG's Web site at www.sicgg.org. Mr. Hansen stated that he enjoyed the National Night Out event this year and was impressed with the kindness of those he visited, particularly in light of the many challenges presently facing the community. To reduce the amount of complaints from those whose vehicles are towed from the Farmers Market and the Parade of Lights, Sergeant Patterson suggested to him that the City consider towing vehicles to a temporary City lot, rather than to the storage yard. Often times, the no parking signs will fall down due to inclement weather or people do not see the signs. The cars are typically claimed quickly and this would eliminate the high cost of the gate fees to retrieve vehicles and also reduce the number of complaints. He encouraged staff to support this proposal by the Lodi Police Department and suggested that it be brought back to Council. Mayor Pro Tempore Johnson reported that the San Joaquin Partnership, which is a public- private partnership for economic development in this area, is very supportive of the California Inter -Regional Inter -Mobile System Rail Transportation Implementation Planning Study that Mr. Hansen mentioned earlier. This plan is a positive step for the San Joaquin valley in terms of economic development, as the Port of Stockton is under-utilized and this would create additional jobs within the county. Mayor Hitchcock requested that the issue of a growth moratorium be scheduled for a future meeting. She felt the City did not have adequate staff to handle the numerous projects moving forward, including the Westside Master Plan, Southwest Gateway, Reynolds Ranch, and the future project at Mills Avenue and Harney Lane, with over 4,000 homes proposed to be built. The City does not have the ability to move forward at the pace at which developers would prefer, and she believed the City did not have a General Plan in place that provides a vision for what the community should look like beyond Harney Lane. 4 REPORT INTO ALLEGATIONS OF ORGAN HARVESTING OF FALUN GONG PRACTITIONERS IN CHINA 6 July 2006 (UNOFFICIAL) SUMMARY DOCUMENT Authors David Kilgour former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Matas Canadian immigration, refugee and international human rights lawyer A#P .11 l t tlC'Sr ca, .?D . 5"M ut I'llfe r. n e -t 41 10 We believe that there has been and continues today to be large scale organ seizures from unwilling Falun Gong practitioners. We have concluded that the government of China and its agencies in numerous parts of the country, in particular hospitals but also detention centres and 'people's courts', since 1999 have put to death a large but unknown number of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs, including hearts, kidneys, livers and corneas, were virtually simultaneously seized involuntarily for sale at high priices, sometimes to foreigners, who normally face long waits for voluntary donations of such organs in their home countries. It appears to us that many human beings belonging to a peaceful voluntary organization made illegal seven years ago by President Jiang because he thought it might threaten the dominance of the Communist Party of China have been in effect executed by medical practitioners for their organs. Our conclusion comes not from any one single item of evidence, but rather the piecing together of all the evidence we have considered. Each portion of the evidence we have considered is, in itself, verifleble and, in most cases, incontestable. Put together, they paint a damning whole picture. It is their combination that has convinced us. Conducive Clknate for the Crimes PaMrn of human rights vtolat%ns: Rule of Law to prevent human rights violations is glaringly absent in China. According to its constitution, China is ruled by the Communist Party. It is not ruled by law. Cormptw: Trafficking in Falun Gong organs would be consistent with,widespread corruption in the country and notably with the other commercial activities of the Chinese army. Lack of /eyislatioa: On Juiy 1, a new law went into effect; it bans the sale of organs and requires donors to indicate their willingness in writing. Despite the law, it is known that there is a large gap between legislation and implementation in China. Documentation of the Persecution of Falun Gong • Perceived threat., The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in particular president Jiang Zemin, came to see Falun Gong as a threat to its monopoly of ideological power over China in the late 1990s; by 1999, the CCP estimated that there were 70 million Falun Gong practitioners. However, the movement is not political and it followers seek to promote truth, tolerance and compassion across racial, national and cultural boundaries; violence is considered abhorrent. • Policy ofpersecuiion: We know that persecution of ,Falun Gong exists as an official poli from policy statements issued directly by the CCP. • Incftment to hatred, The CCP adopted 3 strategies to crush Falun Gong: violence against anyone who refuse to renounce their beliefs; "brainwashing' to force all known practitioners to abandon Falun Gong and renounce it; a media campaign to turn public opinion against Falun Gong. • MaaWve arrests; Classified information reveals that by the end of April 2001, less than two years into the ban, there had been approAmately 830,000 arrests of Falun Gong adherents. • Represeion. The crackdown included Jiang's creation of a special force, the 6-10 office in every province, city, county, university, government department and government-owned business to spearhead the attack. Jiang's mandate to the office was to "eradicate" Falun Gong. Factors that Point Spedfiwlly to Organ Harvesting • CwWWssian: One witness said her surgeon husband told her that he personally removed the corneas from approximately 2,000 Falun Gong prisoners in 2 years and that none of the cornea "donors" survived because their other vital organs were also taken, and their bodies cremated. • Admissions of usft Falun Gong organs: Investigators analysed numerous recorded telephone calls with detention centres, hospitals and courts across China. Several officials openly admitted to using organs from Falun Gong practitioners. • Short waiting Hires. Hospital websites in China advertise short waiting times for organ transplants — 1 to 2 weeks versus years elsewhere — or that they have living "donors" available almost on demand. A large bank of living "donors" is the only way such sh rt wait times can be assured. Some websites have now removed this information. • Many more transplants than identrf We sources. The sources of 41,500 transplants for the period 2000-2005 are unexplained, Before 1999, China had 22 liver transplant centres, compared to 500 in mid-April, 2006, for example. The increase in organ transplants parallels the increase in persecution of Falun Gong. • UnA*ntiflied/ diasppearedpractWonerx: Falun Gong practitioners, coming from around the country to Beijing to appeal or protest, are arrested. To protect their families and people at home, many don't identify themselves. This large Falun Gong prison population whose identities and whereabouts are unknown would seem a likely source of harvested organs. • Blood testing of practitioners in detention are systematic. It is unlikely that this is for health reasons, while blood testing is a pre -requisite for g'rgan transplants. • Corpism with miring organs have been returned to families with no coherent explanation. • interviews with ricHms of the repression now living in Canada revealed a pattern of activities by authorities — such as inexplicable organ examinations — consistent with the allegations. • Huge proliitability of organ transplant industry in China. One hospital website, for example, lists the cost of a liver as being up to US$130,000 and a heart US$160,000. 1. As organ harvesting from living, unwilling people, is a crime against humanity. It should stop immediately, and authorities in China should conduct a criminal investigation for possible prosecution. 2. Organizations -intergovernmental, governmental and voluntary -should take the allegations seriously and make their own determinations on whether or not they are true. 3. As the UN Protocol to prevent trafficking in persons bans the removal of organs, the UN should investigate whether China is in violation. 4. Foreign governments should ban the entry of Chinese doctors seeking training in organ transplantation and any doctor there known to be engaged in such work should be barred from visiting foreign countries permanently. 5. All countries should tighten their laws against organ trafficking and doctors should, for example, be required to report to their respective authorities any evidence that a patient has received an organ from a trafficked person abroad. 6. Governments should deny or revoke the passports of nationals who are travelling to China for organ transplants. 7. No governments should participate in any China -sponsored meeting or research on organ transplant. No private company should provide goods or services to any Chinese transplant program. Statement of Support At the request of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), Mr. David Kilgour and Mr. David Matas of Canada have initiated an independent investigation into the allegations of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. On July 6, they made public their findings in a report that concludes the allegations are substantiated, although there are no available data to show as to how wide spread the practices are, and the number of people that were being victimized. After reading the report, we also reach the same conclusion, The United Nations' annual report on China has consistently documented widespread human rights violations committed by the Chinese communist regime against Falun Gong practitioners in China since 1999. Such violations include illegal arrests and detentions, brainwashing, torture, and killing. Now, the atrocities have culminated into the most despicable crime of all—removing organs from living Falun Gong practitioners held as prisoners of conscience in China's gulag -like network of jails and labor camps, and selling them at huge profit to unsuspecting victims worldwide who are in desperate need of transplants. We believe that such criminal acts are so evil that they have no precedent in modern human history. Due to the urgency of this matter where hundreds of thousands of innocent lives are in great danger, as responsible citizens of the world community, we strongly demand that the People's Republic of China open its doors to allow unrestricted investigation by the CIPFG of all labor camps, hospitals, mental institutions, and related facilities. Such access should be made available immediately without delay, considering the fact that this criminal organ harvesting is continuing unabated. We pledge to support CIPFG's dedication to uncovering the truth and stopping the crimes. Signed Name (please print) (.�a k1 L zoo- � X �-J0 -- z�� Date Title Co011ion to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China 106 G St. SW, Washington, DC USA 20024 Tek (413) M-5295. Fax: (202) 234-7113. Enolll: irefoWipfg.org WWW.Cipfg.org July 11, 2006 Subject. Support the Coaktion to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) Dear Mayor Susan Hitchcock: I am writing to urgently ask for your support on CIPFG's fact-finding delegation to China to conduct a full investigation of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners being held in Chinese labor camps and other detention facilities. CtPFG is a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating crimes committed against Falun Gong practitioners in China. 1n May 2006, CiPFG requested help from Mr. Kilgour, a former MP and cabinet minister of Canada, and Mr. Matas an international human rights lawyer to initiate an independent investigation into the allegations of organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners in China. Their report was completed on July 6, 2006, and concluded: "Based on what we now know, we have come to the regrettable conclusion that the allegations are true. We believe that there has been and continues today to be large scale organ seizures from unwilling Falun Gong practitioners. "We have concluded that the government of China and its agencies in numerous parts of the country, in particular hospitals but also detention centers and 'people's courts,' since 1999 have put to death a large but unknown number of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs, including hearts, kidneys, livers and corneas, were virtually simultaneously seized involuntarily for sale at high prices, sometimes to foreigners, who normally face long waits for voluntary donations of such organs in their home countries." The full report is available online for download from: hLt :llinveetioationn. gAavel<nter.net In light of these findings, CIPFG has urgently assembled international investigation teams with the intention to go to China to investigate and stop the atrocities. The current team members include government officials, lawyers, reporters and other distinguish individuals. We hope an international outcry will pressure China to open its doors for a thorough investigation without any interference. As crimes are still continuing unabated in China, we must take actions now. Your voice and support in this matter will be highly appreciated as many lives can be saved if our efforts are successful Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, John ,Jaw, Ph. D. President, The Coalition to investigate the Persecution of the Falun Gong Statement: of Support At the request of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), Mr. David Kiigour and Mr, David Matas of Canada have initiated an independent investigation into the allegations of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China. On July 6, they made public their findings in a report that concludes the allegations are substantiated, although there are no available data to show as to haw wide spread the practices are, and the number of people that were being victimized. After reading the report, we also reach the same conclusion. The United Nations' annual report on China has consistently documented widespread human rights violations committed by the Chinese communist regime against Falun Gong practitioners in China since 1999. Such violations include illegal arrests and detentions, brainwashing, torture, and killing. Now, the atrocities have culminated into the most despicable crime of all—removing organs from Irving Falun Gong practitioners held as prisoners of conscience in China's gulag -like network of jails and labor camps, and selling them at huge profit to unsuspecting victims worldwide who are in desperate need of transplants. We believe that such criminal acts are so evil that they have no precedent in modern human history. Due to the urgency of this matter where hundreds of thousands of innocent lives are in great danger, as responsible citizens of the world community, we strongly demand that the People's Republic of China open its doors to allow unrestricted investigation by the CIPFG of all labor camps, hospitals, mental institutions, and related facilities. Such access should be made available immediately without delay, considering the fact that this criminal organ harvesting is continuing unabated. We pledge to support CIPFG's dedication to uncovering the truth and stopping the crimes. Signed Name (please print) Contact: FJton Loh Tel- 209-957-2882 Fax: 510-217-3491 Date Title REPORT INTO ALLEGATIONS OF ORGAN HARVESTING OF FALUN GONG PRACTITIONERS IN CHINA 6 July 2006 (UNOFFICIAL) SUMMARY DOCUMENT Autheirs QaW Kilgourformer Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific GlaWd Matus Canadian immigration, refugee and international human rights lawyer The report can be viewed at: http://investigation.go.saveinter.net/ We believe that there has been and continues today to be large scale organ seizures from unwilling Falun Gong, practitioners. We have concluded that the government of China and its agencies in numerous parts of the country, in particular hospitals but also detention centres and 'people's courts', since 1999 have put to death a large but unknown number of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs, including hems, kidnh►s, livers and corneas, were virtually simultaneously seized involuntarily for sale at high prices, sometimes to foreigners, who normally face long waits for voluntary donations of such organs in their home countries. It appears to us that many human beings belonging to a peaceful voluntary organization made illegal seven years ago by President Jiang because he thought it might threaten the dominance of the Communist Party of China have been in effect executed by medical practitioners for their organs. Our conclusion comes not from any one single item of evidence, but rather the piecing together of all the evidence we have considered. Each portion of the evidence we have considered is, in itoW, verlllable and, in most cam, incontestable. Put together, they paint a damning whole picture. It is their combination that has convinced us. Conducive Climate for the Crimes • peftm ofhuma�e rights Wo/ations: Rule of Law to prevent human rights violations is glaringly absent in China. According to its constitution, China is ruled by the Communist Party. It is riot ruled by law. • Corruption: Trafficking in Falun Gong organs would be consistent with widespread corrupaon in the country and notably with the other commercial activities of the Chinese army. • Lad* ofiegislatan:On July 1, a new law went into effect; it bans the sale of organs and requires donors to indicate their willingness in writing. Despite the law, it is known that there is a lame gap between legislation_ and imple[Nntation in China. [cementation of the Persecution of Falun Gong • PemWved threat., The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in particular president Jiang Zemin, came to see Falun Gong as a threat to its monopoly of ideological power over China in the late 1990s; by 1999, the CCP estimated that there were 70 million Falun Gong practitioners. However, the movement is rkot political and it followers seek to promote truth, tolerance and compassion across racial, national and cultural boundaries; violence is considered abhorrent. • Polley ofpe►sectrdan: We know that persecution of Falun Gong exists as an official policy from policy statements issued directly by the CCP. • Zndtement to hatred., The CCP adopted 3 strategies to crush Falun Gong: violence against anyone who refuse to renounce their beliefs; "brainwashing" to force all known practitioners to abandon Falun Gong and renounce it; a media campaign to turn public 9ginign against..Faiun Gong. • Massive arrests: Classified information reveals that by the end of April 2001, fess than two years into the ban, there had been approximately 830,000 arrests of Falun Gong adherents.