Friday, July 6, 2012

European Parliament condems forced abortion in China


The European Parliament has just adopted a resolution strongly condemning forced abortions and sterilizations under China's One Child Policy, including the forced abortion at seven months of Feng Jianmei, which occurred last month in Shaanxi Province, China.  
We will report further on this when we have had time to study the resolution carefully . The following is the text of a statement by Women’s Rights without Frontiers

Specifically, the resolution, 2012/2712 (RSP)  “strongly condemns the decision to force Ms. Feng to have an abortion and condemns the practice of forced abortions and sterilizations globally, especially in the context of the onechild policy.”  The resolution further states that “the EU has provided, and still provides, funds for organizations involved in family planning policies in China,” and “urges the Commission to ensure that its funding of projects does not breach” the European Parliament’s commitment against coercive population control.

Reggie Littlejohn, President of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, welcomed this decision with high praise. “I have twice addressed the European Parliament on the One Child Policy, and I know how passionate the MEPs are, both from the pro-life and the pro-choice perspectives.  The fact that these forces were able to join together to condemn forced abortion is a masterpiece of coalition building.  As my message has been from the beginning, whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, no one supports forced abortion, because it is not a choice.”

Littlejohn also lauded the European Parliament’s acknowledgement that it provides funding for family planning in China, and its decision to investigate whether this funding might be associated with coercion.  Littlejohn stated, “The UNFPA and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) work hand in hand with the Chinese population control machine, which is coercive.  They are funded by many nations, not only in Europe but the world over, including the United States.  I have no doubt that any investigation by the European Parliament or others will reveal that these organizations are complicit with coercive family planning in China.”

Littlejohn added, “I hope that this courageous action by the European Parliament will serve as a model for governments all over the world to join the outcry against forced abortion in China -- and to stop funding it.”

Women’s Rights Without Frontiers broke the story of Feng Jianmei to the west.   http://www.womensrightswithoutfrontiers.org/blog/?p=667