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 24, 2008

March 22-24, 2008

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Yang Chunlin (杨春林)
China Jails Man Who Urged Rights over Olympics
Reuters, March 24, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSHKG35238720080324
Land rights defender Yang Chunlin (杨春林) was sentenced to five years in jail on March 24, 2008, on charges of inciting subversion of state power. According to his son, Yang is unlikely to appeal due to his view that the Chinese courts "lack legitimacy." Yang Chunlin organized an open letter campaign in 2007, entitled “We want human rights, not the Olympics." The letter received more than 10,000 signatures.

News
Bilateral Ties

Chinese Stage Sweep, Arrest 40 North Koreans
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/korean/2008/03/21/north_koreans-arrest/

Civil Society
Cyber Attacks Target Pro-Tibet Groups
Washington Post, March 21, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/21/
AR2008032102605.html


Education
桂林教师声援被炒同事受到当局恐吓 (Guilin Teachers Threatened by Authorities for Voicing Support to Fired Colleagues)
Radio Free Asia, March 24, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/21/china_petition_teachers/

中学生集体逃学厌学凸显教育制度弊端 (Middle School Students Cut Class en Mass Due to Exhaustion, Exposing Corruption in the Educational System)
Radio Free Asia, March 22, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/22/xue/

Environment
广东省1645万人面对饮用水不安全问题 (16.5 Million in Guangdong Faced with Unsafe Drinking Water)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/21/yinshui/

Human Rights Defender - Hu Jia (胡佳)
胡妈妈谈胡佳受审和与妻子女儿短暂会面
(Hu Jia's Mother Speaks on Hu's Trial and Her Visit with Hu's Wife and Daughter)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/21/china_rights_hujia/

庭审律师辩护受阻 胡佳受不人道对待 (Hu Jia's Lawyers Reveal Details of the Trial Proceedings)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/21/hujia/

Migrant Workers
China Braced for Wave of Urban Migrants
Financial Times, March 23, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c11a84ca-f902-11dc-bcf3-000077b07658.html

Olympics
北京朝阳区北顶村五十户村民拒签奥运拆迁协议 (50 Villagers in Beiding Village, Beijing Refuse to Sign Olympics Relocation Agreements)
Radio Free Asia , March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/21/china_demolition

Call for EU to Study Beijing Olympic Boycott
Financial Times, March 23, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f31888c-f8e5-11dc-bcf3-000077b07658.html

Cardinal Warns China on Olympics
Financial Times, March 21, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/83c4737a-f76c-11dc-ac40-000077b07658.html

China Accuses Dalai Lama of Taking Olympics "Hostage"
Reuters, March 23, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSPEK26733920080323

China's Olympic Angst
The Star.com, March 22, 2008
http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/349659

Police
新疆公安局长强迫下属买楼不成打击报复 (Kashgar Police Office Abused, Threatened After Refusing to Purchase Apartments on Order of Superior)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/21/china_police_abuse/

Protests and Petitions
安全社区遭质疑 北京两万居民反对建变电站 (20000 Beijing Residents Issue Open Letter Protesting Construction of a Transformer Substation)
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/21/beijing/

Religion
Pope, Eyeing China, Reflects on Persecuted Catholics
Reuters, March 24, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2158857220080321

Tibet
19 Killed in Lhasa So Far, Says State Media
South China Morning Post, March 23, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d77
33492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=81b68651367d8110VgnVCM1000003
60a0a0aRCRD


19 Surrender in Gannan after Offer of Leniency
South China Morning Post, March 24, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d77
33492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=f164088b5dbd8110VgnVCM1000003
60a0a0aRCRD


China State Media Slams West over Tibet Coverage
Reuters, March 20, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK333647

Tibetan Writer under House Arrest in Beijing
Radio Free Asia, March 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/tibetan/2008/03/21/woeser_house_arrest/

Tibetans Expect Little Help from World
Associated Press (available at YahooNews), March 22, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080322/ap_on_re_as/india_tibet_seeking_help_2