In a powerful demonstration of truth-telling that has sent shockwaves through a small Delaware community, the documentary “State Organs” has brought to light one of the most horrific human rights violations of our time: China’s systematic forced organ harvesting program. The screening at Lewes Public Library, featuring testimony from the first known survivor of these atrocities, has transformed abstract statistics into haunting reality for dozens of attendees.
At the center of this revealing event was Cheng Peiming, whose survival story provides unprecedented firsthand evidence of China’s organ harvesting program. Imprisoned for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual practice targeted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Cheng endured the partial removal of his liver and lung while incarcerated. His escape and survival represent what one attendee called a “miracle,” but his testimony serves as a grim reminder of countless others who weren’t as fortunate.
“When I realized what was happening, I knew I had to escape, or I would be killed for my organs,” Cheng told the audience through a translator. His words carried particular weight as he emphasized that “millions are still suffering” under this systematic program of medical execution.
The documentary and subsequent discussion revealed the industrial scale of China’s organ harvesting operations. Unlike legitimate organ donation systems worldwide, where wait times can stretch into years, China’s transplant system offers organs on demand, often within weeks. This impossible efficiency points to a disturbing conclusion: a hidden population of prisoners being killed for their organs.
Victor Carlstrom, a heart transplant recipient from Lewes, provided a particularly poignant perspective. Having experienced the lengthy wait times typical in legitimate organ donation systems, he expressed horror at China’s rapid organ availability. “It certainly implies that the organ-on-demand thing means they’re being taken not by people who pass away,” he noted, struggling to find any other explanation for such efficiency.
The documentary “State Organs” goes beyond individual testimonies to expose a state-sponsored system of medical execution. Following two families’ search for missing loved ones, the 76-minute film, produced by Peabody Award-winner Raymond Zhang, uncovers evidence of a vast network of hospitals, prisons, and government officials coordinating this lethal enterprise.
Dr. Jessica Russo, representing Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), explained how this system has spawned a global black market for organs. “Westerners who travel to China for transplants are unknowingly complicit in this system of mass murder,” she warned, emphasizing the need for stricter international regulations.
The screening drew disturbing parallels between current events and historical atrocities. Deborah Bergman, a retired educator, noted the similarities to society’s initial response to the Holocaust: “We’re pretending it doesn’t exist, but it’s existing. And if it can exist for one religious group, where are they going to stop?”
The event catalyzed calls for concrete action. Many attendees signed petitions supporting the Falun Gong Protection Act, which passed the U.S. House in June and awaits Senate consideration. This legislation would impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in forced organ harvesting, representing a crucial step toward accountability.
Abraxas Hudson, president of the Delaware Medical Freedom Alliance, emphasized the importance of confronting such evil directly: “A lot of people in America are apathetic because it’s happening thousands of miles away… But we have to stand up against evil, and we have to protect the future by taking responsibility for the future we want.”
The documentary screening has transformed abstract knowledge into urgent reality for its audience. As Janine Fitzgerald, president-elect of the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club, stated, “The world has to come together and get rid of all the power-hungry individuals who treat people as mere commodities, not people.”
This event in Delaware represents a microcosm of growing global awareness and resistance to China’s organ harvesting practices. As more survivors like Cheng come forward and more evidence emerges, the pressure mounts for international action to end this modern atrocity. The question remains whether the world will act decisively or, as with past atrocities, wait until it’s too late for countless more victims