Monday, March 31, 2008

March 29-31, 2008

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Yang Chunlin (杨春林)
杨春林抗议不公将上诉 控诉看守所内继续受虐 (Land Rights Defender Yang Chunlin to Appeal)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/28/yang/
RFA reports that Yang Chunlin (杨春林) told his lawyer on March 28, 2008 (Friday), that he intends to appeal his sentence. At the same time, Yang stated that he is still being abused in detention. Yang's son had previously told the press that he did not think that Yang would appeal, due to Yang's 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. He was sentenced to five years in jail on March 24, 2008, on charges of inciting subversion of state power.

News
Bilateral Ties
China "Strongly Dissatisfied" with EU Meeting on Tibet Issue
Xinhuanet, March 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/30/content_7886464.htm

Corruption
媒体质疑柳州市领导别墅区:阳光下的集体腐败 (Media Probes Villa Complex of Liuzhou, Guangxi Officials: Mass Corruption)
Beijing Youth Daily available at Xinhuanet, March 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2008-03/29/content_7878278.htm

Food Security
China Recalls Milk Supplies after Children Fall Ill
Reuters, March 29, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTP756220080329

Government
佛山二千选民抗议基层选举违规舞弊 (2000 Foshan, Guangdong Voters Protest Malpractices in Grassroots Election)
Radio Free Asia, March 31, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/28/china_rights_rural/

Human Rights Defender - Qi Chonghuai (齐崇淮)
山东记者齐崇淮被超期羁押9月 (Shandong Reporter Qi Chonghuai Detained for Over 9 Months)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/28/qi/

Human Rights Defender - Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫)
朱虞夫父子案重审后等待宣判 (Dissident Zhu Yufu and Son's Retrial Complete; Awaiting Verdict)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/03/28/china_rights_court/

June 4th
Activist: Dozens Still Jailed in China over 1989 Protests
Associated Press (via International Herald Tribune), March 29, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/29/asia/AS-GEN-China-
Tiananmen-Prisoners.php


Macau
Macau Tops Asia's Rich List, but Try Telling that to the Poor
South China Morning Post, March 29, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d77
33492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=438e2095546f8110VgnVCM10000036
0a0a0aRCRD


Media
《中国百姓之声网》遭关闭 ("Voice of the Chinese People" Website Forcibly Closed)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/28/wang/

Olympics
For China, Olympics Are a Time to Display – and to Conceal
Christian Science Monitor, March 31, 2008
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0331/p01s02-woap.html

Plea to China to Keep Olympics TV Live
Financial Times, March 31, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b59d7fae-fc35-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html

Security Tight as Olympic Torch Arrives in China
Reuters, March 30, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP287444

Protests and Petitions
山东肥城数百村民示威抗议含氟毒气排放 (Hundreds of Shandong Villagers Protest Toxic Gas Pollution)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/03/28/feicheng

Public Health
Beijing to Ban Smoking in Public Places from May
Xinhuanet, March 31, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/31/content_7888213.htm

Subsidised Overuse of Antibiotics Brewing Superbug Perfect Storm
South China Morning Post, March 30, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d77
33492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=230d92e607bf8110VgnVCM10000036
0a0a0aRCRD


Tibet
Chinese Security Forces Seal off Tibet Capital
Reuters, March 29, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPEK24297420080329

First top Tibetan official removed from office since start of unrest
South China Morning Post, March 31, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d77
33492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7e02bf7ac1009110VgnVCM10000036
0a0a0aRCRD


For Victims of Tibet Riots, a Complex Fate
International Herald Tribune, March 28, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/28/asia/tibet.php

Nationalism at Core of China's Angry Reaction to Tibetan Protests
International Herald Tribune, March 30, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/30/asia/china.php

Tibetan Speaker Says Crackdown Continues
Associated Press (available at YahooNews), March 30, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/china_tibet;_ylt=AhfOi57_kQOubwHhbBgOtydPzWQA

Wen: Channels for dialogue with Dalai Lama Always Open
Xinhuanet, March 31, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/31/content_7887063.htm