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.

Friday, January 19, 2007

January 19, 2007

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions
官疑姦少女致死爆骚乱 (Hundreds Protest in Sichuan over Death of Girl Suspected Raped by Officials)
Ming Pao, January 19, 2007
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20070119/ccc1.htm
On January 17, hundreds of people set fire to a hotel in Sichuan Province in protest at the rape and subsequent death of a 16-year-old girl who worked there. Riot police were sent to the scene and scores of protestors were injured. The authorities claimed that the rapist had been arrested, but local Internet users said the real perpetrators of the crime were three officials whom the victim was asked to serve. They remain at large.

Related News
Thousands Riot, Burn Sichuan Hotel After Girl's
Death

Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/english/china/2007/01/18/china_sichuanriot/

Protests and Petitions
1,000 Riot Police Deployed, Protesters Say
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZNJNRI2XE.html
On January 18, the local government in Foshan, Guangdong Province sent 1,000 riot police to clear a demonstration site set up by villagers opposed to land conscription by local officials. More than 40 protestors, including elderly women, were beaten and nine of them remained in police custody. An activist lawyer who has been helping the villagers since 2005 argued that the local government never followed state land seizure laws in taking farmland from the villagers.

News
Environment
Cost of Building Greener Cities Put at 1.5 Trillion Yuan
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ9AGRI2XE.html

Yellow River Loses a Third of Fish Species
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZRAGRI2XE.html

Freedom of Speech
Eight Books Banned in Crackdown on Dissent
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZNNLRI2XE.html

US Magazine's Swimsuit Issue Poses Test for Censors
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ3NLRI2XE.html

Government
China Refuses to Be Open on Transparency
Financial Times, January 19, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/00b6dd82-a74b-11db-83e4-0000779e2
340,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-000077
9e2340.html
0000779e2340,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df
-0000779e2340.html


Collection of Economic Data to Be Centralised
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ7NLRI2XE.html

Human Rights Defender – Zheng Enchong (郑恩宠)
爱尔兰人权组织约见郑恩宠夫妇受阻 (Irish Human Rights NGO Barred from Meeting Zheng Enchong and Wife)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/01/18/china_petition_
shanghai/


Human Rights Defender - Yan Zhengxue (严正学)
李建强律师谈看守所会见严正学 朱春柳吁请帮助 (Yan Zhengxue Meets Lawyer in Detention Center, Wife Seeks External Help)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/18/yan/

June 4th - EU Arms Ban
EU Stands Firm on Terms for Lifting of Arms Ban
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZNO3RI2XE.html

Labor
松下无锡电池镉中毒事件调查 (Cadmium Poisoning Incident at Wuxi Battery Manufacturing Plant Investigated)
Nanfang Daily, January 19, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/sjjj/200701160850.
asp


Land Policy
拆迁人为被拆迁居民利益和自身信誉上保险 (Zhengzhou Evictor Buys Insurance for Self and Evictees)
China Youth Daily, January 19, 2007
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2007-01/19/content_1648471.htm

Media
Denial of the Past Will Impede China's Future
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://focus.scmp.com/focusnews/ZZZDKNRI2XE.html

Media Rally in Support of Guangzhou's Press
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ1O3RI2XE.html

山西打死记者案:三犯落网主凶在逃 报社要死者家属保持沉默 (Three Suspects Arrested in Beating Death of Shanxi Coal Mine Reporter, Newspaper Asks Victim's Family to Stay Quiet)
Nanfang City News, January 19, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/jwxy/20070119032
8.asp


Olympics
北京将每月11日确定为自觉排队日 (To Ease Congestion in Run-up to Olympics, Beijing Sets the 11th of Each Month as "Queuing Awareness Day")
Sina.com, January 19, 2007
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2007-01-18/173012074196.shtml

Politics
党外人士从政观察 (How Non-CPC Members Can Participate in Politics)
Nanfang Weekend, January 19, 2007
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zmzg/200701180775
.asp


Protests and Petitions
政府包庇化工厂污染环境 打压维权农民 (After Fujian Higher Court Finds Pollution Illegal, Local Authorities Continue to Collude with Chemical Plant)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/18/wu/

中国退役军人群体抗争现象日益突出 (Retired Soldiers Band Together to Protest Inadequate Benefits)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/18/junren/

北京连发访民死亡事件 上千访民聚集大批警察戒备 (Deaths of Petitioners Continue as Over 1,000 Protest in Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, January 18, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/18/fangmin/