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, November 20, 2006

November 18 - 20, 2006

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions
Village Still Tense After Officials Freed
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZM23Q47UE.html
Police were still surrounding Dongzhou Village in Guangdong Province on November 19 after armed police freed eight government officials taken hostage following the arrest of a rights activist. A villager said three people have been arrested so far. A freelance American photojournalist, who had been detained on November 18, was released a day later. Phone calls to many villagers were cut off. Xinhua said there were no injuries or conflicts during the operation to free the eight officials.

News
Children
Stampede at School Kills Six Students on Mainland
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZNVVM47UE.html

Corruption
For the Powerful, Sex and Corruption Go Hand in Hand
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZRTNM47UE.html

Environment
A Troubled River Mirrors China’s Path to Modernity
New York Times, November 19, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/19/world/asia/19yellowriver.h
tml?ref=todayspaper

Government
地方换届130多人受处 (130 People Punished for Corruption Ahead of Local People's Congress Elections)
The Beijing News, November 20, 2006
http://news.thebeijingnews.com/0565/2006/11-20/011@011236
.htm

省委大换班 惊现「換届病」 (Cadres Get "Re-election Illness" Ahead of Provincial People's Congress Elections)
Wen Wei Po, November 20, 2006
http://www.wenweipo.com/news.phtml?news_id=CH0611200015&
cat=002CH

吕邦列遭警方传唤并被抄家 (Local People's Congress Candidate Lü Banglie Summoned, Home Searched)
Radio Free Asia, November 17, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/17/lvbanglie/

煤矿主曝官员强取豪夺内幕 (Owner Says Officials Seized His Coal Mine)
Radio Free Asia, November 17, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/17/meikuang/


Human Rights
北京办人权展览 海外有褒有贬 (Overseas Reaction Mixed on Beijing's Human Rights Exhibition)
Voice of America, November 19, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-11-19-voa48.cfm

Human Rights Defenders - Yang Tianshui (杨天水)
独立中文笔会首届“狱中作家奖”授予狱中网络作家杨天水 (Yang Tianshui Given First "Writer-in-Prison" Award by Independent Chinese PEN Center)
Radio Free Asia, November 18, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/18/yangtia
nshui/

Law
青海两年办理农民工法律援助案八百多件 为困难群众撑起法律保护伞 (Qinghai Government Provided Legal Aid to 800 Migrant Workers in Past Two Years)
Legal Daily, November 20, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-11/20/content_456415.htm

Media
Wikipedia Back Offline After Brief Easing of Ban
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZPCJM47UE.html

国家发改委主持召开大会 通过“金盾工程”建设项目国家验收 (National Development and Reform Commission Formally Accepts "Golden Shield" Project)
China Government Website, November 17, 2006
http://www.mps.gov.cn/cenweb/brjlCenweb/jsp/common/article.j
sp?infoid=ABC00000000000035645

思科股民反对压制网络新闻自由 (Cisco Shareholders Oppose Internet Censorship)
Radio Free Asia, November 17, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/17/cisco/

Migrant Workers
“两稳定”农民工可申领居住证 (Shanghai Government Issues Opinion Allowing Certain Welfare Benefits to Migrant Workers with Stable Jobs and Residence)
Legal Daily, November 20, 2006
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/bm/2006-11/20/content_456458.
htm

Protests and Petitions
四川南充出租车司机大罢工抗议警方办案不力 (Taxi Drivers On Strike to Protest Delayed Action by Police in Nanchong, Sichuan)
Radio Free Asia, November 18, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/11/18/nanchon
g/

Public Health
中国驻英参赞否认"器官买卖"报道 (Britain-Based Chinese Diplomat Finds "Organ Trade" Report Inaccurate)
BBC, November 20, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_6150000/newsid_
6159400/6159480.stm

Rights Group Wants Organ Transplant Figures Revealed
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZQ23Q47UE.html

State Security
亚太峰会花絮：中国“绝密”文件 (APEC Feature: Widely Circulated Speech of President Hu Jintao Is a “Top Secret" Document in China)
Voice of America, November 19, 2006
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2006-11-19-voa1.cfm

Hong Kong
Plea to Set up HK-Style Schools on Mainland
SCMP, November 20, 2006
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZY23Q47UE.html