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.

Monday, March 13, 2006

March 11 - 13, 2006

Top News of the Day

Children - Trafficking of Children
Stealing Babies for Adoption
Washington Post, March 11, 2006
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2006/03/11/AR2006031100942.html

An unknown number of babies in China are being abducted and sold to orphanages to meet a growing demand for adoption overseas, especially in the U.S. In most cases, the parents are unaware that their adopted children were obtained illegally.

Protests and Petitions - Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚)
Blind Activist Held After Police Clash
SCMP, March 13, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZSQRUH8JE.html
Blind activist Chen Guangcheng has been detained by police again after going out to check on his cousin, who had been beaten by police while shopping. Chen’s wife was told that Chen would be released this past Sunday, but confirmation has not yet been received on his release.


News

Civil Society
New Rules Mulled to Help Charities Play a Bigger Role
SCMP, March 13, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZP0QUH8JE.html

Corruption
Record Levels of Embezzled Funds Recovered
SCMP, March 11, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ4ZVVH8JE.html

Death Penalty
湖南提议案70岁免死刑(Hunan Province Proposes Death Penalty Exemption for Those 70 Years Old and Above)
Ming Pao, March 13, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060313/cad1.htm

China to Reform Death Penalty Trials: Top Judge
Xinhuanet, March 11, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/11/
content_4292061.htm


Gender - Sex Workers
人代建议娼妓合法化 (NPC Member Proposes Legalizing Prostitution)
Ming Pao, March 13, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060313/caa1.htm

Government - Grassroots Elections
乡镇直选可缓解干群关系紧张 (Direct Elections of Township and County Officials May Ease Tensions and Social Unrest, Suggests NPC Deputy)
The Beijing News, March 13, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0586/2006/03-13/
015@033313.htm


Government - Governance and Accountability
High-Level Protection for Triad Operations
SCMP, March 12, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZRXWVH8JE.html

Labor
Factory Boss Faces Big Loss
The Standard, March 13, 2006
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we
_cat=5&art_id=14013&sid=700219
9&con_type=1&d
_str=20060313


煤矿事故受害者家属谈矿难处理和赔偿(四)(Families of Victims in Mine Accidents Talk about Disaster Management – Part 4)
Radio Free Asia, March 11, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/
03/11/meikuang/


Land Policy
中国失地农民的困境和抗争 (The Struggles and Hardships of Landless Peasants)
Voice of America, March 13, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-03-12-voa27.cfm

Law
Complaints Against Judicial System Decrease
Xinhuanet, March 11, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/11/
content_4290764.htm


肖扬:2006年 人民法院启动新一轮全面改革 (Supreme Court Chief Justice Xiao Yang Says Courts Will Undergo Overall Revamp in 2006)
Xinhuanet, March 11, 2003
http://news.xinhuanet.com/misc/2006-03/11/content
_4289509.htm


Media
异军突起的博客新闻能否逆流而上? (Can News Blogs Go Against the Stream?)
BBC, March 11, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_
4790000/newsid_4797100/4797198.stm


Website Sponsored by the Carter Centre Reined In
SCMP, March 11, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZOYXUH8JE.html

Military
China's Hu Says Next Five Years 'Important Period' for Military Modernization
AFP (via YahooNews), March 12, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060312/wl_asia_afp/
chinamilitary_060312071334;_ylt=A
gte3DeNO3EMUTJ
RazeguSpPzWQA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYw
MlJVRPUCUl


Police
四大问题困扰基层民警 (Four Problems Facing Local Police Officers)
Legal Daily, March 13, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/misc/2006-03/13/
content_281667.htm


Politics
A Sharp Debate Erupts in China Over Ideologies
New York Times, March 12, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/international
/asia/12china.html?_r=1&hp&ex=11421
39600&en=6
f88ceb212e8554e&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin


Beijing Anxious to Avoid Chaos of Political Reforms
SCMP, March 11, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZOMYUH8JE.html

Protests and Petitions
北京仍然大批抓捕访民 高智晟被限制与律师接触(Beijing Still Arresting Petitioners, Activist Gao Zhisheng Barred from Contacting Lawyer)
Radio Free Asia, March 10, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/
2006/03/10/gaozhisheng/


东洲采访记者被带走 村民质疑新闻封锁 (Journalists Covering Dongzhou Incident Taken Away, Villagers Suspect News Blockage)
Radio Free Asia, March 10, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/
2006/03/10/shanwei/


Public Health
Better Community Health Service to Help Deepen Medical Reform
Xinhuanet, March 12, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/12/
content_4293886.htm


Make Intentional Spread of AIDS a Crime: Lawmaker
Xinhuanet, March 12, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/12/
content_4292626.htm


中国卫生部将设立医疗服务监督机构 (Ministry of Health Sets up Watchdog Body to Oversee Services)
Radio Free Asia, arch 11, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/
2006/03/11/yiliao/


Religion
河南注册教会遭搜查三人被拘 (Three Members of Registered Protestant Church in Henan Province Detained)
Radio Free Asia, March 12, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/
2006/03/12/jiaohui/


Tibet
Dalai Lama Wishes to Go on China Pilgrimage
SCMP, March 11, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZSSOUH8JE.html