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.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

November 1, 2007

Top News of the Day

XUAR
Uighur Activist Asks U.S. to Help Stop China Removals
Reuters (via YahooNews), November 01, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071101/wl_nm/china_usa
_uighurs_dc_1;_ylt=An4S_0xS7U70WoNFRiKzOHZPzWQ
A
7U70WoNFRiKzOHZPzWQA
Uyghur activist Rebiya Kadeer told the US Congress yesterday that the Chinese government operates a program which forcibly transfers hundreds of thousands of young Uyghur women from Xinjiang to eastern China. These women face harsh treatment with 12-hour work days and often see wages withheld for months. Kadeer described these women as “cheap slave labor and potential sex workers.”

Tibet
Group: Tibetans Fired upon by Police
Associated Press (via YahooNews), October 31, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_re_as/china
_tibetans_shot_1;_ylt=Al8PGnY_m04Vtm2DcgKroYZPzW
QA
nY_m04Vtm2DcgKroYZPzWQA
Reportedly on October 18 a group of about 30 Tibetans, including Buddhist monks, nuns and two children who tried to cross a mountain pass to exile in Nepal were fired upon by China’s People’s Armed Police. According to the NGO International Campaign for Tibet, there were no injuries or fatalities. A few of these Tibetans reached Katmandu but several others, including three monks, were taken into custody. The incident follows a similar case in September 2006 when foreign climbers witnessed and recorded another shooting.

News
Environment
China Shifts Pollution Fight
Wall Street Journal, November 01, 2007
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119383925160677672.html?
mod=hpp_asia_whats_news


Government
Capital's Planning Chief a Non-Party Official
South China Morning Post, November 01, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ec
b329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=54e1595506
6f5110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


村民要民主选举及罢免权 顺德各地基层换届难产 (In Shunde, Guangdong, Villagers Demand Genuine Elections and Impeachment Rights)
Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/31/
xuanju/


Human Rights Defender - Yao Lifa (姚立法)
十七大期间维权教师姚立法遭软禁 (Rights Defense Teacher Yao Lifa Detained During CPC Meeting)
Voice of America, October 31, 2007
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2007-10-31-voa24.cfm

Labor
3 in 10 Graduates Yet to Find Work
China Daily (via Xinhua), November 01, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/01/content_
6987218.htm


Law
China Approves Food Safety Law as Supplement to Existing Statute
Xinhuanet, October 31, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/31/content_
6984773.htm


Olympics
Disney Supplier Accused of Labor Abuse
Associated Press (via YahooNews), October 31, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071031/ap_on_re_as/china
_disney_labor_1;_ylt=AlBJWks7t7q4fub1QO6QaOlPzWQA
s7
t7q4fub1QO6QaOlPzWQA


Factbox -Olympics - How Beijing Is Trying to Meet "Green" Targets
Reuters, October 31, 2007
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP227434.htm

UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution on Truce During Beijing Olympics
Xinhuanet, October 31, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/01/content_
6986319.htm


Protests and Petitions
北京法院受理上海访民控告周永康 (Beijing Court Accepts Beaten Petitioner's Claim Against Former Minister of Public Security)
Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/31/zhou
_yongkang/


湖南矿主动用30条枪恐吓维权农民 (Hunan Illegal Mine Owner Employs Thugs to Use 30 Guns to Threaten Protesting Villagers)
Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/31/
kuangzhu/


广东维权村民服刑期间去世 北京访民被劳教 (Mistreated Guangdong Rights Defender Dead of Cancer While Serving Sentence)
Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/31/
weiquan/


山东烟台农民维权代表于珍失踪 (Shandong Petitioners Taken Away by "Retrievers"; Whereabouts of 4 Still Unknown)
Radio Free Asia, October 31, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/31/
yu_zhen/


Public Health
Chinese Chemicals Flow Unchecked to Market
New York Times, November 01, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/31/world/asia/31chemi
cal.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin
&oref=slogin

Health Reform Plan Hindered by Debate
China Daily, October 31, 2007
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/31/content_
6217920.htm


Three Gorges
Sold down the River
Financial Times, October 31, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/20d888b0-87d1-11dc-9464-
0000779fd2ac.html