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.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

August 13, 2008

Top News of the Day
Olympics

多名与六四相关人士遭当局监控或被要求离开北京 (Beijing Activists Told to Leave Beijing and Undergo Surveillance by Authorities before and during Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/64-08122008093332.html
In the weeks before the Olympics, many rights defenders and activists were asked by authorities to leave Beijing; others came under surveillance by authorities. Tiananmen Mothers' Zhang Xianling (张先玲) reports to RFA that she has been under "loose surveillance" by authorities since July 29, and that fellow Tiananmen Mother Ding Zilin (丁子霖) and her husband were "invited" to travel outside Beijing by authorities on August 1. Additionally, democracy activist Jiang Qisheng (江棋生) reports that he was also told to leave Beijing before the Opening Ceremonies, but he refused. Since August 7, he has been under surveillance.

News
Corruption

涉嫌贪污受贿1700余万元 安徽商务厅原副厅长蔡文龙被诉 (Former Anhui Commercial Bureau Official Suspected of Involvement in Corruption Scandal; Bribes Total over 1.7 bil Yuan)
Legal Daily, August 12, 2008
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2008-08/12/content_922280.htm

Disasters
Bus Accident Kills 24 in NW China's Xinjiang
Xinhua (via China Daily), August 13, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/13/content_6930941.htm

China Moves to Retrieve Disaster Relief Items for Emergency Store
Xinhuanet, August 12, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-08/12/content_9217347.htm
Related information:
救灾物资回收管理暂行办法 (Provisional Measures for the Management
of the Return of Disaster Relief Items)
Ministry of Civil Affairs, August 11, 2008
http://www.mca.gov.cn/article/zwgk/fvfg/jzjj/200808/20080800019249.shtml
China Solicits Advice for Post-Quake Reconstruction Outline
Xinhuanet, August 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9230802.htm
Related information:
国家汶川地震灾后恢复重建总体规划(公开征求意见稿) National Master Recovery Plan Following the Wenchuan Earthquake (Draft for Public Input)
August 12, 2008
http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/2008-08/12/content_1070554.htm
China Withdraws More Soldiers from Quake-Hit Zone
Xinhuanet, August 13, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-08/13/content_9260484.htm

Ten Million Quake Survivors Move into Prefabs
Xinhuanet, August 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9225935.htm

Environment
粵踢爆空氣優良內幕 灰霾天增加 官認指數未計粒子 (China's Current "Air Pollution Index" Does not Include Particulate Matter; Guangdong Committed to Reevaluate Standards)
Ming Pao, August 13, 2008
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20080813/cca1h.htm

Labor
Three Dead, Two Missing in Iron Ore Mine Collapse
China Daily, August 12, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/12/content_6929888.htm

Olympics
Armoured Cars on Streets of Beijing as Terrorism Fears Grow
The Daily Mail, August 12, 2008
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1043778/Armoured-cars-streets-Beijing-terrorism-fears-grow.html

Beijing Parks Pump up Security Checks
Shanghai Daily, August 13, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=370255

开幕式108吨垃圾 90吨可利用 (108 Tons of Waste Produced on Opening Day of Olympics in Olympics Zone)
The Beijing News, August 13, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/olympic/2008/08-13/008@023738.htm

Performer who Fell in Rehearsal Paralysed
South China Morning Post, August 13, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=891c7cd90e7bb110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Security Keeps Public away from Olympic Sponsors
The Seattle Times, August 12, 2008
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008107662_apchinalonelysponsors.html

Protests and Petitions
American Protesters Taken away in Beijing
Reuters, August 13, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSHKG20199620080813
Related news:
Activists Held over Games Protest
BBC, August 13, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7557771.stm

British Journalist 'Roughed up' by Chinese Police at Free Tibet Protest
The Telegraph, August 13, 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/2550169/Beijing-Olympics-British-journalist-roughed-up-by-Chinese-police-at-Free-Tibet-protest.html
Group: Police Detain Would-Be Olympics Protester
Associated Press (via Google), August 13, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gl3910JlgH5mrH6L1yqP183Oc10gD92H582O0

Rural Issues
China Channels 8.64 bln Yuan to Offer Free Textbooks for Rural Students
Xinhuanet, August 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9237241.htm

State Security
French Authorities Probe Air China Threat Letter
Reuters, August 12, 2008
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCALC49699320080812

Tibet
北京开奥运 藏人遭禁足 (Tibetans' Movement Limited during the Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/tibetan-08122008093132.html

XUAR
China Detains Uyghurs amid Attacks
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/xinjiang-08122008134516.html

'Zealots Spare Public to Boost Cause'
South China Morning Post, August 13, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=31cc7cd90e7bb110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD