(Minghui.org) While the Transplantation Society held its 26^th International Congress at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, a group outside the venue made great efforts to focus attention on the state-sanctioned organ harvesting atrocities that continue to this day in China. The conference and the accompanying demonstration out front was held over the period of August 18 to 23.

The group outside were Falun Gong practitioners, raising awareness of the fact that hundreds of thousands of prisoners of conscience, most of whom practice the spiritual discipline of Falun Gong, are believed to have been murdered for their organs throughout China. The organs are harvested and sold in a vast state-supported organ transplantation scheme.

They displayed banners and posters documenting the reality of forced organ harvesting, aiming to cause organ transplant experts attending the conference to pay more attention to this horrific crime against humanity that is taking place in China today.

A rally and march on August 21 shed light on the facts behind the persecution of Falun Gong, which has been persecuted in China since 1999.

Falun Gong practitioners hold banners at the rally in front of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre where the Transplantation Society held its 26^th International Congress. They demanded an end to organ harvesting atrocities in China, in which hundreds of thousands of prisoners of conscience are believed to have been killed for their organs.

Holding banners, displaying posters, and distributing literature outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, raising awareness of Falun Gong and the persecution in China.

Falun Gong rally outside the Hong Kong government complex on August 21.

A grand march from Kowloon to Tsim Sha Tsui. The two-and-a-half-hour-long procession highlighted the benefits of the practice and its popularity around the world. It also laid bare the brutality of the persecution in China.

The Benefits of Falun Gong, the Horrors of the Persecution

After their rally outside of the Hong Kong government complex, the practitioners marched for two-and-a-half hours from Kowloon to Tsim Sha Tsui.

The march was led by the Tian Guo Marching Band and consisted of five different sections. One section aimed at clarifying the facts of the persecution and of organ harvesting. Another section asked people to speak out against the persecution and to protect basic human rights. Yet another section showed the benefits of the practice and noted that over 100 million people around the world have embraced it.

Falun Gong practitioners march on August 21

Spectators’ Words of Support

In the opinion of Mr. Leung, a spokesperson from the North District Parallel Imports Concern Group, forced organ harvesting is a “crime against humanity” and the UN should intervene. He encouraged everyone to pay attention and speak out against it, saying that public pressure was the best way to end it.

Mr. He immigrated to Hong Kong from China’s Guangdong Province 30 years ago. He said that Hong Kong was peaceful and prosperous before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took over. He said that he was always happy to see Falun Gong parades. Though it hurt him when he saw the photos about the persecution, he still enjoyed the march.

Zhao, a senior at Hong Kong University, said that he had heard about the practice of organ harvesting from living prisoners in China. He just didn't know how heinous the crime was. He asked for more fliers to show to his friends.

As a 70-year-old man was taking literature from a practitioner, several members of the pro-CCP Hong Kong Youth Care Association tried to interfere, threatening violence. Undeterred, the old man took the information and denounced those who were interfering, saying, “I moved to Hong Kong because I know that the Party is completely rotten. Please don’t defame Falun Gong!”

A man named Jiang, a high school student from Shenzhen, China, said that there was only one voice about Falun Gong in China and that was the Party’s. “I hope that there are more activities like (the parade) so that people from China can see how different (Falun Gong) is from the news,” Jiang said. “I am absolutely against this violent crime. It violates everyone's rights – no one is safe if it continues.”

A man named Liu, also from Shenzhen, said that he believed that the reports of organ harvesting were true and very serious. “The crimes that the CCP has committed have violated everyone's rights for a long time.”