The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

DAILY NEWS BRIEF FOR October 19, 2004


Top news of the day

Media – Press freedom
Landmark ruling clears magazine of libel charge
SCMP, October 19, 2004
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZYNLWRG0E.html

NGO
Authorities to scrap sponsor rule for NGOs
SCMP, October 19, 2004
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ7GHHOG0E.html

Tough rules on NGO registration expected to relax soon
非政府民间组织注册须主管单位批准规定有望取消
Chinanews.com, October 18, 2004
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/news/2004/2004-10-18/26/495425.shtml


News

Detention - Du Hongqi
A Chongqing worker sentenced 3 years for demanding labour rights
维护劳工权利, 重庆一工人被判刑三年
Radio Free Asia, October 18, 2004
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2004/10/18/quanli/


Education
Zhang Men: the sad story of the commercialization of China’s education
张民:中国教育产业化的悲歌
Chinesenewsnet.com, October 18, 2004
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Opinion/2004_10_18_18_24_21_497.html

June 4th
Senior party officials urge the government to improve Zhao’s situation
北京一些老干部吁改善赵紫阳处境
Voice of America, October 18, 2004
http://www.voanews.com/Chinese/article.cfm?ObjectID=A7FFB5E7-8B29-41A2-AB4B7EBB4EA65C86#

Environment
Environmental concerns over Yunnan’s HuTiaoXia Dam project
虎跳峡水坝工程引发环保忧虑
Voice of America, October 18, 2004
http://www.voanews.com/Chinese/article.cfm?objectID=9300DAD0-460D-4C72-8A4EE4A23D7363F9&title=%2E%BB%A2%CC%F8%CF%BF%CB%AE%B0%D3%B9%A4%B3%CC%D2%FD%B7%A2%BB%B7%B1%A3%D3%C7%C2%C7%2804%C4%EA10%D4%C218%C8%D5%29&catOID=C283D8A3-4AB3-11D5-8EC2009027ACC5C2&categoryname=National%20News#


Labour – Industrial accidents
All victims of Ruzhou coal mine accidents died
汝州"10.17"煤矿事故被困8名矿工全部遇难
Eastday.com, October 19, 2004
http://news.eastday.com/eastday/news/news/node4938/node37012/userobject1ai591282.html

Water leaking trapped 8 workers in a coal mine in Henan
河南省煤矿透水,八人被困井下
Radio Free Asia, October 18, 2004
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2004/10/18/meikuang/

Media – Internet
China blocks internet sites to silence discontent over Sino-Russian agreement
中俄边界协定引发不满 中国禁止网民讨论
Daijiyuan.com, October 18, 2004
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/4/10/18/n693851.htm

Migrant workers - Migrant children

Guangdong extends free basic education to residents without hukou
非户籍常住人口将享义务教育 广东全省将初步推行免费义务教育
Nanfang Daily, October 19, 2004
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/jwxy/200410190713.asp

Politics – citizenship
China NewsWeek: re-compose the Chinese spirit – the birth of “citizens”
《中国新闻周刊》:重构中国精神:公民的诞生
Chinesenewsnet.com, October 19, 2004
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Mainland/zxs_2004-10-19_496009.shtml

Public health – HIV aids
The truth of China’s HIV aids problem revealed
中国渐逼近艾滋真相 责任人势将绝地反击
Dajiyuan.com, October 19, 2004
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/4/10/19/n694452.htm

Rural Issues – land protests
7 Shenyang farmers sue Ministry of Land and Resources for unsatisfactory compensation
不满土地补偿:沈阳七农民状告国土资源部
Chinesenewsnet.com, October 18, 2004
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Forums/BackStage/2004_10_18_3_15_12_984.html

Three Gorges
Officials deny dam will turn Yangtze into 'second Yellow River'
SCMP, October 19, 2004
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ3GHHOG0E.html

The secret dam: China begins huge project in World Heritage Site, displacing up to 100,000 people and devastating unique tribal societies
Independent, October 17, 2004
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/story.jsp?story=572670

Yangtze to be as bad as Yellow River within ten years - experts
Interfax China, October 15, 2004
http://www.interfax.com/com?item=Chin&pg=0&id=5762624&req=

Tibet
Dalai says there are benefits for Tibet not getting independence
多维详讯:达赖称西藏不独立好处更多
Chinesenewsnet.com, October 18, 2004
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/Mainland/2004_10_18_19_9_21_650.html