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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Respecting the body Letter of the day
Re: Disgraced Anatomy? (Sept. 16). When dealing with something as sensitive as the bodies of human beings, I think it is necessary to have extensive ethical evaluation to ensure no one's rights are being violated. My understanding of Chinese culture is that, unlike in Canada, there is no card that people sign on their licences which acknowledges voluntary donorship of their body after death, nor is this a common notion within the culture.
Bodies of Chinese deceased are treated with great respect by family and friends, who also believe that, once people are dead, their bodies should not be disturbed, much less put on display for money.
The Bodies website says the specimens have been attained legally under Chinese law. But what I know of Chinese law is they also consider peaceful meditation practices, such as Falun Gong, to be a crime.
If there is no concept of voluntary body donorship, but there exists imprisonment of minority groups from whom organs are harvested, it is difficult to imagine from where else these human specimens come from.
An exhibition as sensitive as this should have the decency to provide the public peace of mind and produce solid evidence that it is not violating Canadian codes and ethical values.
JUDITH CHEUNG
Winnipeg
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 20, 2010 A13
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