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, December 06, 2005

December 6, 2005

Top News of the Day

Human Rights
Liu Binyan, China's Conscience, Dies at 80
SCMP, December 06, 2005
Prominent dissident-writer Liu Binyan, known as "China's conscience" died at the age of 80 in the US after fighting a three-year battle with colon cancer. Liu was a journalist with People's Daily and a CPC member before fleeing to the US after the June 4th student movement.
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZPB2PJRGE.html

Public Health / Detention
Bird Flu Whistle-Blower Detained, Sparking Fears of Revenge
SCMP, December 06, 2005
A farmer from Jiangsu has been detained by police for allegedly exposing the bird flu outbreak in Anhui in October. He is also being held for his involvement in a vaccine case, the South China Morning Post reported.
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZAKSU6SGE.html


News


Death Penalty
杀害无辜研究生 罗志刚一审被判死刑 (Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Research Student)
Xinhuanet.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-12/02/content_3868863.htm

Detention – Shi Tao (师涛)
Journalist Shi Tao does Forced Labour While Prime Minister Wen Jiabao Signs Contracts in France
Reporters without Borders, December 05, 2005
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15819

Disasters
Chinese Mine Blast Death Toll Rises to 171 After Last Body Recovered
AFP via YahooNews.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051206/wl_asia_afp/chinamine
blasttoll&printer=1;_ylt=AkTj3p6z3LA8TsUfvzkH7JfuOrgF;_ylu=
X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE
kTj3p6z3LA8TsUfvzkH7J
fuOrgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-


Environment
4 New Environmental Accidents Reported
Xinhuanet.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/05/content_
3880299.htm


Russia Hits Out at 'Lax Attitude' to Ecology
SCMP, December 06, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZWKHAKRGE.html

Government
Govt Function to be Further Reformed
Xinhuanet.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/05/content_
3880956.htm


Government - Governance and Accountability
Jilin Plant chief, Two Managers Sacked over Songhua Toxic Spill
SCMP, December 06, 2005
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZ2LSU6SGE.html


中国评论﹕公共知识分子仍欠生存空间 (China Analysis: Room for Public Intellectuals still Limited )
Ming Pao, December 06, 2005
http://www.mingpaonews.com/

Labor
Police Arrest Owner as Mine Rescue Continues
SCMP, December 06, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZB41PJRGE.html

Labor - Protests
胜利油田数千下岗工抗议 (Thousands of Laid-Off Workers Protest at Oil Field)
Ming Pao, December 06, 2005
http://www.mingpaonews.com/

Politics
31个省级立法机关全部设立全国人大代表联络处 (Liaison Offices for NPC Representatives Set Up in 31 Provinces)
Xinhuanet.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2005-12/05/content_3880049.htm

Poverty
广州近百名老年乞丐聚居居民楼昼伏夜出行乞 (Guangzhou’s Elderly Homeless Go Begging at Night)
EastDay.com, December 06, 2005
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/
node104549/userobject1ai1698646.html
8646.html

Public Health
天价医药费折射职业道德 医疗体制改革刻不容缓 (Reforms Should be Implemented Quickly to Eliminate Exorbitant Medical Fees)
EastDay.com, December 06, 2005
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/
node104549/userobject1ai1699423.html
9423.html

WTO
300 'Troublemakers' on Official Blacklist
SCMP, December 6, 2005.
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZK9UOJRGE.html

Hong Kong
US Asks China to Provide Quick Timetable for Democracy in Hong Kong
AFP via YahooNews.com, December 06, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051205/pl_afp/ushongkongchina
_051205233458