The drought in southwestern China has devasted countryside and farmland. It's the most severe drought in 40 years.

- South-west drought worsens, farmers fuming
- Chinese judicial independence a pipedream
- Human rights lawyers speak about US Resolution 605

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South-west drought worsens, farmers fuming

The continuing drought in south-western China has affected over 50 million people in the Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou Provinces. Resentment is mounting amongst farmers over many issues, including rising inflation, the loss of fertile top soil due to overdevelopment; the lack of government aid; and biased media coverage glorifying the regime.

Mr Mo of Wuzhou in Guangxi Province believes the severity of the drought is due to the loss of top soil in forests and the environment, especially when mining companies conduct large scale digging operations.

Mr Mo told reporters (recording):
“There’s a gold mining company that has control of the whole mountain, and has dug the mountain hollow from inside. The mountain is completely void of any trees and vegetation. Without trees there’s no place to hold water. Natural factors are one aspect and may account for 30% of the problem, but manmade factors account for the remaining 70%. That’s the problem with the social system. The environment is damaged so badly, therefore there is no water. The government is corrupt and colludes with businesses who give money to the government. The resentment and rebellious nature of the peasants is rampant and drastic, the farmers are very angry now.”

The drought is so bad water supplies delivered by the government haven’t been able to meet demands. People are struggling to make use of what little water there is. They can’t bathe, wash their clothes and farmers can’t water their farms.

Mr Mo told reporters (recording):
“There’s a severe problem with the drinking water, the government can’t solve the problem and the trucks only come once every few days. People have to wait in long lines to get a small amount of water. They deliver the water from the waterworks factory in the city, but that’s not enough to maintain routine lifestyles. There’s no water for farm production, and we only got two square meters of water after pumping an underground source for one hour. We have never seen a drought this bad.”

According to reports, the drought has caused food prices in Yunnan province to rise. The vegetable market saw an increase of 39%. Earlier this year, Kunming City had the third highest consumer price index nationwide. Mr Xiao of Yunnan says the whole province has suffered but the government has been slow in its relief efforts. The media continues to glorify the officials causing resentment amongst farmers.

Mr Xiao told reporters (recording):
“There is a state emergency due to problems with the water supply. There are places where the situation is desperate and some places have run out of water completely. Since the drought started, government propaganda has done nothing but put on a show. Some reports even contradict each other. One village was reported to have had no water for ten whole days, but this wasn’t reported. As soon as PLA soldiers began delivering water supplies, the media reports started coming in. They pretend to be good Samaritans after the farmers suffer so much.”

According to experts, they’ll be no rainfall in the next ten days or in south-west China, and forest fire alerts remain very high. Based on statistics from the Yunnan Forest Fire Control Department, there’s been over 390 forest fires in the past three months, covering 20.47 square kilometres of forest. About 20% of forests are affected. According to Mr Mu of Chonqing, over the past few years the climate has been unusual and he suspects it is due to the Three Gorges Dam.

Mr Mu told reporters (recording):
“There are droughts every year. I live in the city and I’ve never seen any prevention methods carried out. There are places in the countryside where drinking water has become an issue. Delivering water can’t solve the water needs of farmers. Buying water from merchants would be too expensive. Affected farmers are the underdogs of society and have to pay for the natural and manmade disaster as well. Life is really tough for them.”

According to Chinese media, since autumn 2009, there has been less rainfall in south-west China but temperatures have remained high. Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing and Guizhou have all suffered severe drought and huge economic losses. As of March 17th, a total of 43,000 square kilometres have been affected by the drought in some way. 9400 square kilometres of land have yielded zero harvests and total economic losses are estimated at 19.02 billion Yuan, a staggering 2.8 billion US dollars.

Lin Li and Feng Ming of SOH Radio Network

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Chinese judicial independence a pipedream

The former Vice-President of the Supreme People’s Court has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Huang Songyou was sentenced on March 17th for accepting bribes of up to 3.9 million Yuan (570,000 US dollars). Huang is the most senior judicial officer to be removed for corruption over the CCP’s 60 year history. Chinese democracy activists believe it’s very difficult to find an official who isn’t corrupt under the communist system. Also, political power carries more weight than the law does in China. They claim judicial independence is impossible.

Gao Weibang, a Doctor of Chemical Engineering in the United States, and Director of the ‘Victims of Investment in China Association’ (VICA) claimed there wasn’t a single upright official in China’s judicial system. The secretaries of the various Political and Legislative Affairs Committees have the final say over judicial matters.

Dr Gao told interviewers (recording):
“The judges in mainland China have done many bad things that violate the rule of law and different regulations. I think it’s impossible to find an upright person in the judicial system. If a person is upright, he won’t survive the system. I’m guessing Huang didn’t just commit embezzlement, but most likely offended someone. That’s why he’s being punished. These things are often the result of political struggles. A (functional) judicial system just doesn’t exist. It’s the secretary of each Political and Legislative Committee who really has authority. They can supervise local courts, the procuratorate, and police departments. These three organizations should be independent to begin with, but the secretary has complete control over them. Tell me, how can the judicial system be independent?”

Democratic activist Cai Lujun has been incarcerated for three years on the charge of ‘inciting subversion of state power.’ This was in response to him publishing online articles exposing heavy taxation on farmers, and calling for democracy and human rights in China. He said corruption in the CCP is a major problem. Officials wield immense power and avoid accountability.

Cai Lujun told reporters (recording):
“Corruption is a result of the system. It’s different from democratic nations. Be it a governor or court officer, their authority is unsupervised and uncontrolled. Therefore, it’s very difficult to find a communist official who isn’t corrupt. It’s a result of the political system. For example, I’m from Hebei Province, and I had discovered certain senior officials were corrupt. When I exposed their crimes, the media didn’t take notice. No one dared or was willing to publish the facts I had found. I was imprisoned because I published articles online. It was because of the Chinese political system. In mainland China, the persecution of political dissidents is countless, and it goes on like this all the time.”

Dr Gao Weibang went to mainland China in 1997 and invested funds into constructing a factory. In 1999 his investment was embezzled. When he applied to the judicial system, through officials at China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, he received no recourse.

Zhong Yuan and Yu Xin of the SOH Radio Network

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Human rights lawyers speak about US Resolution 605

The US House of Representatives passed Resolution 605 calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. On March 18th, Chinese human rights lawyers Tang Jitian and Jiang Tianyong gave their views on this resolution and spoke about the injustices they suffered speaking up for Falun Gong practitioners.

Mr Tang said (recording):
“In making such a decision, the US legislature is fulfilling its international duty and expressing concern and support for global human rights issues. In mainland China, some people cannot and will not follow international conventions or national laws. This is a criticism of their criminal acts, which is worth praising and looking forward to.”

Mr Jiang said Falun Gong is legal and protected by laws all around the world. Only the communist regime in China persecutes Falun Gong. He told reporters (recording):
“The law should punish improper behaviour rather than people’s thoughts. The Constitution clearly allows for religious freedom, which needs to be followed. Therefore I feel the Chinese government should not regard it as hostile but rather as an opportunity for reflection.”

Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng wrote to the head of the Communist Party, Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, calling for the end to the persecution of Falun Gong. The regime’s response was to shut down his practice and cancel his practicing license. The Public Security Bureau is suspected of kidnapping Gao on February 4th 2009. This was incident was mentioned in the Resolution 605. Mr. Tang said the illegal detention of Gao was unbelievable and detrimental to China’s international image. He said (recording):
“There was no news for a long time. Friends and family were all concerned. Officials had to come up with all kinds of excuses. I feel this is a waste of public resources, which is unfair to Gao and to his family and detrimental to the government’s reputation and its international image.”

Mr Jiang said China hasn’t become a law-abiding society. By looking at Falun Gong legal cases, one can see the political and legal systems have deviated from the law. Many lawyers including Gao have been jailed and persecuted for taking on Falun Gong-related cases. Mr Jiang told reporters said (recording):
“Some lawyers who argue for Falun Gong cases have lost their licenses. This shows the international community that the communist regime has failed to follow through on its promise to govern by rule of law. I believe the government needs to change this practice.”

Luo Ya and Xi Yen of SOH Radio Network

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A former hero of the PLA is now forced to wander homeless around Beijing petitioning (not pictured).

- Former PLA hero turned poor vagrant
- Dissidents speak out over CCP conference security
- Hainan farmlands seized, 13 arrested

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Former PLA hero turned poor vagrant

A former hero of the People’s Liberation Army, is now blacklisted and has been reduced to petitioning. Wang Guilin, who served during the Sino-Vietnam War, has petitioned to the Letters and Complaints Bureau over injustices he suffered as a result of the war. His appeal has largely been ignored.

Wang Guilin fought in a series of border skirmishes in Vietnam in 1985. This was part of a greater series of conflicts from 1984 to 89, which is known unofficially as the ‘second Sino-Vietnam War’. It followed the first, official 1979 Sino-Vietnam War. Wang led the ‘106th Dagger Division’ charged with the 211th main offensive of Lao Son. Severe battles raged for six days and nights. The division gained six key hilltop positions and killed 12 enemy soldiers. They received awards from the Kunming Military Region; and were recognised as a ‘model of solid attack’. Wang Guilin was recognised for his contribution and was promoted to battalion commander. Subsequently, higher ranking military personnel began misreporting the actual size of the victories, to gain more credit and prestige. After an investigation was carried out, soldiers including Wang Guilin became scapegoats for the misrepresentation.

Wang Guilin confirmed these reports in a recent interview (recording):
“I was part of the engagement in Lao Son on February 11th 1985. We attacked and occupied six enemy hilltops. On February 13th, the event made the front page of the ‘People’s Liberation Army Newspaper’, it said we had attacked and occupied six positions and killed 12 enemy troops. When headquarters investigated, they accused me of exaggerating the reports, and placed criminal charges on me. The division leader and deputy level commander, Wang Yonghuai, exaggerated the scale of the battle for the sake of glory. He reported that we killed 93 enemies. The rear squad leader reported 103 enemy casualties. Commander Su Jungao reported 150 kills. Pan Lijie, the division’s political commissar accused me of being a criminal. Our commander was subsequently demoted.”

Wang Guilin told reporters after being discharged from the army; in 2001 he was arrested and locked up in a labour camp for three years. From September 2006 to June 2009, he spent a further three years imprisoned in the Xuzhou Military Region. On June 23rd 2009, Xuzhou authorities prepared false documentation saying he had been sent back to his hometown. Wang now wanders destitute around Beijing. In Beijing a person must be registered with the authorities if they want to live or work, because Wang is documented to be residing elsewhere, he won’t be able to work or buy housing. Wang continues to petition but this has had no effect and he continues to suffer imprisonment, beatings, and re-education through forced labour. At present, he has no work, no home, and no identity.

Wang Guilin further told reporters (recording):
“When I was petitioning they arrested me and beat me until the pit of my stomach was purple, it was still purple after two months. My medical records stated I had blood in my urine. My arm was broken twice. I was beaten twice at the Letters and Complaints Bureau as well. I haven’t committed any crimes. From 2003 to 2006, I was in a labour re-education camp; from September 2006 to June 2009 I was in a small, private prison in the Xuzhou Military Region. It was a special modified room. They locked me up there.”

Fu Ming and Ai Xin of the SOH Radio Network.

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Dissidents speak out over CCP conference security

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) two major conferences closed on March 14th, but the monitoring of dissidents, rights activists and petitioners has not stopped. In order to ‘safeguard’ the conferences, 700,000 security personnel had been mobilized to patrol. Some dissidents had their freedom restricted. Others were arrested or kidnapped.

On March 12th, the daughter of an 80-year-old appellant from Beijing, Wang Xiuying, said they’d been petitioning for seven years about the demolition of their home, which is still unresolved to this day. She said (recording):
“Since the 25th we’ve been under twenty-four hour watch with police car escort. They follow us during our one-hour walks each morning and evening. Before they watched my mum only, but now they watch me as well. Why are they so afraid, so nervous? I think they’re scared of the scandal if people hear that an 80-year-old doesn’t have a place to live. Nobody takes any action in the government. They want to cover up the lack of solutions. So they’re scared to death.”

A university professor Gu Guoping, who’s appealed because of a forced demolition, said: (recording):
“I was monitored. First, they forbid you from going to Beijing from the 12th of February to the 15th of March. Second, if you do go, they will take action. If you go again, they will hold you in prison. Third, they could frame you and keep you at the jail or send you to a labour camp. Anything is possible.”

An activist from Beijing, Gao Hongming, said (recording):
“I was under constant surveillance from March 1st until the end of the conferences. There are police and security downstairs. They escort me when I go out and watch me around the clock. I think they’re afraid I will get in touch with foreign media.”

For two years, 60-year-old Yang Yongquan has been appealing for the unjust death of his son. His freedom was also restricted during the conferences.

Ms. Zheng from Yangguang Gongyi spoke of what had happened to other petitioners, she said (recording):
“Mr Liu Anjun was taken on a ‘trip’. We don’t know his whereabouts. Another of our volunteers, Ms Shang Junxia was also taken away from Bejing. Please pay attention to Wang Bing. We have no news on him and cannot even confirm that he is still alive.”

Han Fei and He Wen of the SOH Radio Network

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Hainan farmlands seized, 13 arrested

Authorities of Danzhou, Hainan Province have seized 3.3 square kilometres of land from over 20,000 people. On March 13th a rubber plantation with three farms were taken without proper compensation. Twelve representatives of the farmers have appealed without success. They were all arrested and one of them is now critically ill in prison.

In late 2009, Cao Jing, head of the Public Security Bureau of Danzhou ordered the arrests of the representatives including Xie Weizhan and Tan Dahuan. Zhou Haiying, the wife of another representative, Huang Shiwang, was also arrested on the charge of ‘assembling to disturb social order’. This was based on her visit to the office of the Public Security Bureau to see her husband. One of the representatives, Tan Dahuan, is now said to be in a critical condition and has been sent to hospital for treatment.

According to Mr. Luo from the Heluo Farm (recording):
“They told us to go and attend a meeting, but then they arrested us. People from ages 30–70 were all arrested. Families aren’t allowed to visit us; some of the sick ones are so ill they’re dying. They put us in hospital with handcuffs, with security personnel watching us.”

Police officers seized the harvests from the three farms in the region. Farmers who tried to defend their properties were beaten. As a result, they were forced to flee their homes and seek employment elsewhere.

One farmer, Mr Zhong spoke to reporters (recording):
“The police used tear gas on us, and hundreds of them came to seize our property. We tried to sue them and they told us whoever dares to sue will be arrested. This is too dismal and without justice. We don’t have land, so we have no money. We go out of town to work for a living, and our kids are therefore unable to go to school. We are very concerned. We have gone to the authorities to appeal 12 times, and were transported back twice when we visited Beijing.”

According to the farmers’ legal representative, Mr. Huang, one man named Xie Weizhan, who is 70 years old, is very sick and is ill. He’s suffered numerous sicknesses after being put in prison. Mr. Huang said (recording):
“They went together to appeal, only to be arrested and beaten. When they write to appeal to authorities, their letters receive no attention. The lawsuit for compensation went on for years, but the police ended up jailing a dozen farmers. Two or three of them are very ill; one of them is so critically ill that we don’t know if he is still alive or what kind of treatment he’s received. All the information is blocked.”

Huang also said the city government changed the registration details of the land, giving the property rights to the county government. The farmers sued to have it overturned, but were refused. The land seizures then continued. According to Huang (recording):
“There are 21 village committees there and the properties are jointly owned by 20,000 people. The three farms have been operating for 60 years. Based on Chinese land law, if the land has been farmed for more than 20 years with no one else claiming ownership rights, the land will belong to the people farming it. The Hainan Intermediate People’s Court has ruled that the rubber plantations are owned the farmers, but the Supreme Court ruled the land belongs to the government. The government has sold over 0.67 square kilometres of land and corrupt officials and businessmen are benefitting; this is real corruption.”

Police have said families of detainees are not allowed to visit family members in custody.

A police officer told SOH (recording):
“There is nothing wrong with refusing visits, you don’t even need to call us to inquire about it. If the family has different views on the matter, you can go see the authorities who have jurisdiction over this matter.”

Lu Fang and Yu Liang of the SOH Radio Network

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Two major CCP conferences have concluded, but what's been achieved? (flickr/Bernt Rostad)

- Conferences a waste of time
- Severe drought in Yunnan, authorities nowhere to be seen
- Chinese regime denies women’s rights

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Conferences a waste of time

The National People’s Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Conference are currently being held in Beijing. Authorities have boosted the security presence. Gao Yu, an award winning journalist in Beijing was interviewed for her thoughts on the conferences. She believes such events are frivolous and won’t solve any problems.

According to Gao Yu, ever since the June 4th Tiananmen Square Massacre, dissidents have been forbidden from the two conferences. This, she believes, has reduced the meetings to mere exhibitions. She said (recording):
“These conferences are completely unnecessary. The so-called People’s Congress and the Political Consultative Conference are a complete waste of people’s money. It’s simply the largest meeting for officials of the regime. All participants are officials; the so-called democratic conferences are just showpieces. All these people are machines. What kind of problems can they resolve?”

Gao claims since last year’s conferences, no social issues have been resolved. She said (recording):
“Last year there was an economic crisis, and we needed to overcome it. The four trillion dollar stimulus plan was proposed. But how come housing prices just ended up going up? And new affluent real estate landlords emerged in the process. Nowadays people are like snails living in small shells. College graduates now live in the countryside, renting from farmers. Two people must share a living space, five square meters in size. These are the real problems caused by an unfair, authoritarian system, leading to an unbalanced wealth distribution.”

Gao Yu finished by saying the core of the problems lies in nobody being responsible for anything. When problems occur, officials maintain their positions (recording):
“The real estate bubble and the unbalanced economy are things they claim will be resolved year after year, but they never did and they never will. Who is responsible for this? Any other government in the world would be held responsible for this and would step down. The official responsible for food safety and the disposal of poisonous milk powder has become a member of the Political Consultative Congress. Some merchants who produced poisonous milk powder are also among representatives in the conference. These conferences, in my opinion don’t deserve attention.”

Gao Yu is an award-winning journalist and a reporter of the China News Agency. She was the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of ‘Economics Weekly’ in 1989. After the June 4th Tiananmen Square Massacre, the Weekly publication was stopped. Gao, has always been at odds with the Chinese regime, for her reporting work she was sentenced to imprisonment for six years, for ‘publishing state secrets’.

Fu Ming and Ye Peiqing of SOH Radio Network.

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Severe drought in Yunnan, authorities nowhere to be seen

Yunnan Province continues to suffer the most severe drought in 60 years. Since August 2009 the drought has also affected the Guangxi, Guizhou and Sichuan regions. Over ten million people are struggling to find drinking water, and crops have been severely damaged. SOH spoke to residents in Kunming City of Yunnan on March 7th. Reports reveal victims of the drought have received no government aid so far, and some have had to dig for underground water sources to survive.

Since mid-last year the drought has affected, to varying degrees, 16 prefectures in Yunnan. On February 27th, the Yunnan Meteorology Bureau issued a red-level warning on the drought. So far 60% of crops have been devastated. The time, damage, and extent of the drought have made it historically unique.

A victim of the drought from Shilin in Kunming City said this year they’ve lost thousands of crops, he told SOH (recording):
“Not enough water supplies, generally it takes two to three days to get water from the outside. Basically there are no more crops. My family (lost) maybe tens of thousands. This year is unusually severe; there is no harvest at all this year. We’ll see what we can do when the summer rain comes, now we can’t do much.

The drought has triggered forest fires. On February 12th, a wildfire broke out within the border of Yuxi and rapidly spread to surrounding towns. The weather bureau in Kunming has set fire alert levels to level five, the highest.

There are over 125 weather bureaus throughout the province and 114 of them reported the drought as severe. A resident from Qujing (pronounced Chu-jing), Yunnan said there’s been no rain for the last three months, crops have dried up, and much land has been abandoned. A reporter briefly questioned him (recording):
Question: “Has the government brought any water supplies?”
Answer: “No.”

The drought has damaged the livelihoods of many, it’s estimated over 4 million acres of land have been effected, that’s nearly 57.5% of farmable land. Over three million people and 1.5 million livestock have difficulties getting drinking water.

A farmer told SOH (recording):
“Regular people are most affected, they’re nervous about the water supply. We’re now looking for help, who can we talk to about this?”

An SOH reporter called the Qujing Water Bureau to ask what local authorities are doing to mitigate the disaster. The bureau said it wasn’t appropriate for them to speak to media, they did tell us however (recording):
“The city will adopt a unified approach in reporting this issue. It’s so we can put forth a consistent statement.”

Tian Ling and Yu Lian of the SOH Radio Network.

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Chinese regime denies women’s rights

March 8th marked the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. A day where women are celebrated for their achievements, irrespective of their ethnic, cultural or economic background. While women’s groups around the world celebrated, some Chinese women couldn’t share their happiness. Under Communist rule many social issues still exist such as forced abortions, unemployment and the forced demolition of their homes.

A human rights activist from Shanghai, Cai Wenjun, is a good example. She lost her job when a state-owned factory she worked at shutdown. Subsequently her home was also demolished. Cai said (recording):
“They sack you from the job where you’re doing well and take away your peaceful homes. They persecute you if you appeal in Beijing. They send you to labour camps if you say anything. What rights do we have? Through ten years of appeal I have either been monitored or sent to labour camps. What freedom of speech do we have? You should be grateful as long as you are fed. But even something as basic as this is very difficult. With inflation these days, our livelihood has become an issue.”

Zhu Jindi from Shanghai said she has suffered under the one-child policy. In 1981, she was six-months pregnant but was forced into an abortion. Later, her house was demolished and she was persecuted for appealing to higher authorities. She says (recording):
“If I don’t get an abortion, they won’t allow me to work. I have suffered three demolitions to my homes, which was heart-breaking. The local government clashed with businesses to take possession of our property. When we appeal to higher authorities, we were beaten up or sent to jail. We have no guarantee of our most basic human rights.”

A farmer from Jilin, who was concerned of women’s rights, Mr Xu Xiangmin said (recording):
“Women’s representatives should be concerned about a lot more than just the two conferences. For example, the Deng Yujiao incident, the Women’s Association should fight to uphold justice for women. They made some noise but couldn’t do anything. The current political environment allows little room for women representatives to speak up. I feel the Communist Party doesn’t have working mechanisms for women’s rights.”

The case with Deng Yujiao sparked widespread media attention last year after she stabbed two local government officials who were trying to rape her. One officer died and she was charged with homicide by Public Security. The subsequent public outcry forced the court to avoid handing down the death penalty and declare her insane.

Lin Li and Xi Wen of the SOH Radio Network

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Many women in rural areas of China can be forced into having abortions or sterilisations if they're caught breaching the one-child policy (flickr/ccyber3).

- Dire one-child policy enforced by criminals
- Dissidents unhappy with police presence around Party conferences
- Official embezzles 800 thousand Yuan from farmers

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Dire one-child policy enforced by criminals

Criminal gangs are enforcing the one-child policy, according to a villager from Wancang Village of Zhejiang Province. Crime gangs along with public security and village-level officials have united in threatening and forcing women to undergo abortions. This has caused major damage and death to victims. The local government has admitted this kind of treatment is widespread throughout China.

Mr. Ma from Yazhuang Village claimed his sister-in-law died from an abortion. She was forced to have the abortion by a local family-planning official. Mr Ma’s wife has been ill since undergoing similar surgery. She’s had stomach pains, a sore waist and bouts of dizziness. The doctor told them the surgery may have damaged her nerves, and misplaced the inner membrane of her womb. She’s also developed cysts in her ovaries. Mr Ma says she now needs to take regular medicine, and her womb will have to be removed.

Mr. Ma spoke to SOH (recording):
“At the time, my sister-in-law indeed died from an abortion. Whatever happens, there is no place for you to complain. I heard four women underwent surgery, and afterwards, many had poor health and the membranes in their wombs were damaged. My wife’s condition is very obvious. They force them and at the time we were very angry. Some of our friends wanted to fight them. No one can deal with the illegal process. It isn’t just one department, they’re in a group.”

In mid-2009, the family-planning department hired criminals to take Mr Ma and lock him up in the police station. Local government personnel were sent to threaten and beat his wife and mother. They then forced his wife into an abortion.

Mr. Ma said (recording):
“I was locked up in a police station; they didn’t give me a reason. They just wanted to threaten my wife. Ninety-nine percent of women can’t do anything but get taken away for an abortion. Our friend’s girlfriend was pregnant eight months. She was still taken away to the family planning clinic for the abortion.”

Mr. Ma also said authorities were using the high birth rate as an excuse to control and bully people.

Mr. Ma told SOH (recording):
“Whatever happens, you can do whatever you want if you have money. Even if you want to have more children, just give them more money, you don’t have to go through surgery. They won’t force you. If you have another child, they’ll just fine you a few thousand Yuan. If you don’t have this relationship however, they will punish you. It’s a common situation in our area. Whoever has more children has higher status.”

Mr Ma says forced abortions are against human nature and human rights. Due to the high number of complaints, authorities are trying to block any news on the situation. They’re also suggestions authorities stand to gain if they carry out these abortions (recording):
“Why do they keep arresting people? It’s because the abortion rate will be assessed and will count as an achievement to the official. If they accomplish this, they can be promoted and rewarded. This is a national policy. If you try post news of this online, there won’t be much success, less than one percent will succeed. Who would dare say anything? Unless you’re wealthy. Otherwise if you want to earn a living, you cannot escape from their plan.”

A local government official spoke to us briefly saying (recording):
“The birth control policies are very strict; it is same all over the country now.”

Mr. Ma has two daughters. His family made several guarantees they wouldn’t exceed the child limit and also paid some money to officials. The family-planning officials however continued to harass them. They’ve now since relocated to avoid authorities.

Craig Richter, Lin Li and Yu Liang of the SOH Radio Network.

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Dissidents unhappy with police presence around Party conferences

On the 1st of March, just three days before the Chinese Communist Party’s conferences, police had already started monitoring dissidents such as Qi Zhiyong and others. They were met with strong protest.
At 7am on the 1st of March, National Security personnel from Xuan Wu District showed up at Qi Zhiyong’s house. Despite being an annual event, this year’s harassment came one day earlier then expected. Qi was enraged at the illegal house arrest he is put under whenever there is a conference held in Beijing.

According to an witness; fearing foreign media exposure, the number plates on the police vehicles were removed before arriving at Qi’s house. Qi refused to enter the police car without signed legal documents. The witness said (recording):
“They came in an unmarked car. He refused to go, and asked, ‘On what grounds do you take me away? Isn’t this a land of the law? Which part of the law are you following?”

It is reported that other dissidents were also monitored (recording):
“A dozen people such as Li Hai, Jiang Qisheng; all refused to go this time.”

Hu Jia’s wife, Zeng Jinyan, was also subjected to harassment. Even before the Chinese New Year on February 14th, the regime had forbidden her from seeing the jailed Hu Jia (recording):
“Zeng Jinyan keeps a low profile, for her child. But she does not give up. She calls Hu Jia once a month.”

Gao Hongming received a phone call from police in the evening of the 28th of February, asking whether he wanted to go on a “trip” outside of Beijing with them. Gao was annoyed, “I’m staying here. I have to look after my elderly mother,” he said.

The wife of incarcerated dissident He Depu has been monitored since the 1st of March as well. She said, (recording):
“From today onwards, I have to travel in police cars. Some were also taken to the South, to Hainan or to Shanghai, such as Gao Hongming, Cha Jianguo and Xu Ronghai.”

The witness also said that Beijing human rights activist Li Jinping was detained in a bathing centre in Chaoyang District since he was arrested on the 13th of January. His alledged crime was applying to have a parade in honour of former Communist Party General Secretary, Zhao Ziyang (recording):

“Li Jinping has not been released since he was taken from home. He has been detained at a bath centre in Chaoyang District. He went to the Zhongnanhai leadership compound and shouted “Long-live Zhao Ziyang.”

According to dissidents, the escalation of monitoring this year could be the result of infighting within the Communist Party leadership.

Chris Thomas and Tian Xi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Official embezzles 800 thousand Yuan from farmers

Two brothers from Taiyi Village, Shanxi Province have published an open letter condemning communist authorities and the village head Qin Zhigang of embezzlement. Nearly 800 thousand Yuan was taken from Fan Guangfu and Fan Guanghong, which was intended as compensation for their family’s loss of land.

The letter contained details of a contract signed in March, 1984, between their father, Fan He’rang, and the Party committee. The contract allowed a large forestation project to take place in their village. Since then, Fan He’rang led his family to plow the land, cultivate saplings and plant trees. Despite over 20 years of continuous effort, and having nearly 200 thousand trees planted, they never received the reward mentioned in the contract.

In Autumn 2003, the state Government made plans to construct Changjin Highway. They demanded forest land of over ten acres from Fan’s family and removed over 10,000 trees. Compensation for the government’s land seizure, the trees and resettlement totalled nearly 800 thousand yuan. Accordingly, laws hold that the contracted worker of the forest is entitled to compensation by way of trees and resettlement. Fan He’rang inquired about the compensation funds to the village head, Qin Zhigang, many times. Qin continued to elude the topic; sometimes telling Fan the funds had not arrived yet, or the funds had arrived but the Communist authorities of the village had spent part of the fund.

In an interview with Sound of Hope, Fan Guangfu said (recording):
“My father assumed responsibility of the forestation project in 1984. On the contract, it was written that we would receive payments in three year’s time. Our wages were paid according to the type of tree that had survived. Locust trees are 10 cents each and pine and poplar are 30 cents each. We have not received any wages as of now. The state government started to construct a highway here in 2003. As a matter of fact, the compensation for the land seizure was given to the village committee in October 2002. We peasants simply did not know about it. The highway construction project took over 12 acres of our land and removed 10,230 trees on this piece of land.”

Fan He’rang tried many times with no success to claim his rightful compensation. He was outraged and suddenly fell ill. In order to take him to hospital, his wife had to visit Qin again to ask for the compensation. Qin, however, continued to say the money had not arrived yet. Fan’s family had to loan money from others and their financial burden worsened. Fan He’rang was very worried and his illness was deteriorating daily. He died in October 2006, with much grief.
Fan’s family went to seek money from Qin multiple times thereafter, but Qin always made excuses, and often flared up saying he would not be afraid if the villagers sue him.

Fan Guanghong said (recording):
“The funds issued by the state government to compensate our loss were all embezzled by the secretary of the CCP committee in our village: Qin Zhigang. He embezzled all our money. Now he wants to repudiate the debt. He is unwilling to give it back to us. He said, ‘the money has been spent, there is no way I could give any money to you. If you sue me, you won’t be able to win the lawsuit’.”

When an SOH reporter interviewed Qin, he denied the fact that Fan’s family did not get any compensation. He also believed that Fan’s family should not get compensation from the government requisition of the land for the construction of the highway being on their land.

Fan’s family had tried to seek help from countless people. The Fans toiled for many years, suffering unfair treatment, but they still could not get the reward for their forestation efforts, or the promised compensation for the land. As a result, when the forest was trampled, or damaged by thieves and fire, Fan’s family had no money to restore the damaged or stolen trees. They are having great difficulty continuing to cultivate and managing the forest.

Perry Luo, Lu Fang and Yu Yin of SOH Radio Network

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Tan Zuoren has recently been sentenced to five years imprisonment for his opinions on the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. There are suspicions however the arrests are designed to silence his call for an investigation into the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.

- Investigator into ‘tofu – buildings’ convicted
- Thousands of bird flu patients left undiagnosed in Daqing
- Workers protest in Suizhou, Hubei over wages

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Investigator into ‘tofu – buildings’ convicted

Tan Zuoren, author and famous environmentalist of Sichuan Province, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment. He was convicted of inciting subversion of state power, allegedly for criticizing the Chinese Communist Party over it’s handling of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. Tan Zuoren’s wife and lawyer said they would appeal the decision.

The sentence was handed down at the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court, after just five minutes deliberation. Tan’s wife and two daughters weren’t allowed in the court. Police dispersed a crowd of 200 supporters outside. Tan’s lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang said he was ‘heart broken and shattered’ about the trial.

Pu told SOH (recording):
“The sentence is for subversion of the state, he was sentenced to five years prison, three of those years without any political rights. This is an extreme case of punishing people for their speech. The conviction was handed down due to an article he wrote commemorating the June 4th Tiananmen Square incident, titled ‘Witnessing the Last Beauty’, which was published overseas online. He also started a blood donation drive for the (Sichuan) earthquake in Tiananmen Square on the eve of the 20th anniversary. To commemorate the spirit of the demonstrations, he accepted an interview with Sound of Hope Radio. The authorities believe these acts posed a threat to the government of the People’s Republic of China, and sentenced him to prison just for his words. Five years for some words, this is sad and heart-breaking.”

Pu Zhiqiang told the Financial Times that none of them imagined the court would avoid mentioning the Tan’s involvement with the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake and ended up convicting him based on his Tiananmen Square involvement.

Ran Yunfei, an author from Chengdu, and Chen Yunfei, a pro-democracy activist, both planned to sit in court on the day. They’re both however under house arrest. When interviewed Ran Yunfei said (recording):
“This is absurd; it’s shameless, and completely illegal. Tan Zuoren is not guilty of anything; he didn’t commit any crime, and is the country’s best citizen. This is an absurd conviction by the court.”

Chen Yunfei said (recording):
“I used to think the government was ignorant of the law, but now, after sentencing of Tan Zuoren, I think they’re completely shameless. They’ve actually done a favor for Tan Zuoren, by letting the whole world know how much Tan sacrificed for Chinese people, and for its democracy and freedom. This sentence acknowledges the government’s attack on him.”

Tan, 55, is a well known writer and environmentalist in China. After the May 12th 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, he went to the disaster area to visit the parents of student victims. He also collected data on the deaths of the students. Last February, Tan wrote a proposal titled the ‘Profiles on the May 12th Students’ calling for an investigation into the quality of the construction of school buildings, which collapsed during the quake. He wanted ‘to ensure accurate and detailed information on every student, every class, every school, every township, and every county and city involved.’ Following that, on March 28th 2009, the police arrested Tan on charges of ‘inciting subversion of state power’. It’s believed his recent conviction may be a means to silence him about this issue, according to Roseann Rife, Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International.

Chris Thomas of the SOH Radio Network.

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Thousands of bird flu patients left undiagnosed in Daqing

Hospitals in Daqing of Heilongjiang province are prohibited from giving bird flu diagnoses. Patients with bird flu are instead diagnosed with unknown pneumonia. Doctors say cases peaked with nearly ten thousand patients with bird flu symptoms. The death toll remains unknown.

Bird flu-like cases first appeared locally in May 2009. These cases spiked during September and October. But the Health Department circulated a document that forbade hospitals from diagnosing bird flu.

A doctor from Daqing General Hospital said (recording),
“We have no authority to confirm this. The Health Department files specified that only the city government can confirm suspects. There are too many patients; we have nearly ten thousand. After they are hospitalized, we send all samples to the Provincial Disease Control Center for tests. We do not have facilities to conduct any of the tests.”

Another doctor at the same Hospital said (recording),
“Patients come in based on suspicion. They are identified with an unknown pneumonia and kept for in-patient treatment. There were two to three hundred a day during peak time.”

One doctor from the Fever Clinic at the Daqing General Hospital told reporters, (recording),
“Initially, we sent all fever patients to the Hospital for Infectious Diseases. Later on the hospital became full. A document was circulated and now we take them all. Patients are taken in at A&E. Those with severe symptoms are taken in at ICU. There have been cases of death. I don’t know whether they were eventually reported as unknown pneumonia or bird flu, because patients went to different wards. I am unclear on exactly how many were reported.”

A doctor from the Second Hospital in Daqing agreed and said, (recording),
“We identify the cases as bird flu but can not give the diagnosis. Only the Disease Control Center can diagnose bird flu. We don’t have the information. We have taken patients in the past, when the Disease Control Center confirmed the diagnosis and sent them over. I don’t know exactly how many cases of bird flu have been diagnosed.”

Perry Luo, Yu Shan and Zhang Lina of the SOH Radio Network.

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Workers protest in Suizhou, Hubei over wages

Hundreds of migrant workers protested in Suizhou, Hubei Province on February 8th. They blocked roads in front of the city hall demanding basic wages.

Disgruntled workers began arriving at the city hall at nine a.m. and held banners. They blocked a main highway and motorbikes were used to block the exits of the Suizhou City Hall. Despite police already being at the scene, unhappy workers continued to arrive. This was the second day of protests and road blockades over wage issues.

Prominent civil rights activist Mr. Liu Feiyue was available to shed light on the situation, he said (recording):
“The financial situation of the proprietor and company isn’t clear. But the wages for several hundred migrant workers are overdue, it’s possible there are overdue payments of several thousand dollars or even greater. It’s the end of year and everyone wants to go home and celebrate a peaceful and auspicious year. They want to buy presents for their families. Their wages haven’t been paid however, so they have no choice but to do this”

Liu Feiyue believes employment contracts often leave migrant workers in a vulnerable position. These problems can’t be addressed due to collusion between government officials and businesspeople.

He said (recording):
“Because they’re migrant workers, they’re in a vulnerable position. Also, some business owners or directors collude with officials to do money deals. This is why the migrant workers have their interests sacrificed, and wages easily go unpaid.”
Liu Feiyue also said since the Chinese Communist Party came to power, the morality of Chinese people has been sliding. The authorities are greater than the law, and that’s why violations of the law continue.

He said (recording):
“Under these conditions, it becomes a common practice in modern Chinese society, with a bad moral system, violations of the law and no respect for the law, the law will be regarded as nothing but sheets of paper.”

Craig Richter, Fu Ming and Yu Ning of the SOH Radio Network.

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Banner reads: "Strong Protest. HK Govt and CCP harming Shen Yun Performing Arts."

- Hong Kong public condemns disruption of Shen Yun
- Politicians rebuke Hong Kong government for defying cultural freedom
- Government corruption leads to poverty in China

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Hong Kong public condemns disruption of Shen Yun

The New York based Shen Yun Performing Arts has been forced to cancel shows in Hong Kong due to interference from the Hong Kong government. The news has disappointed and outraged people in Hong Kong, who’ve condemned the government for yielding under the pressures of the Chinese Communist regime.

Many supporters and patrons of Shen Yun who had already purchased tickets arrived outside the Immigration Department’s Immigration Tower, awaiting news of the situation. When local presenters announced the Shen Yun performances in Hong Kong were forced to cancel, many expressed anger and resentment.

Senior Hong Kong media worker Mr Cheng Xiang said (recording):
“I hope our citizens come together and pay attention to this matter together, and protect freedom in international cooperation for the sake of the Hong Kong people and Hong Kong society.”

Hong Kong resident Mr Huang Haodong who works in cultural promotions said (recording):
“I feel shocked and outraged! Shen Yun Performing Arts is a perfectly fair, reasonable and legal performing group. This time, their planned visit to Hong Kong has been intervened with in such an unreasonable manner by the Immigration Department. I feel the Hong Kong government is disgraceful.”

Mr Chui Pak Tai, Council member of Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin District said (recording):
“These moves and actions really make us feel ashamed as people of Hong Kong, so I feel extremely resentful. Throughout this ordeal the Hong Kong government has only carried out particular orders, and we see these orders have come from Beijing. Beijing is so narrow-minded, what reason does it have to censor the performance of such arts?”

Former Sai Kung District council member Mr Lam Wing Yin said (recording):
“We’re here to express our dissatisfaction, and voice our protest. Does this mean from now on the people of Hong Kong cannot enjoy such high class, high calibre artistic performances like people in other cities? Does this mean such cultural programs need to be verified by our government before our people can enjoy it without interruption? That is a definite no. Strictly speaking this has already violated the freedom that our people are entitled to.

At the conference, many Hong Kong citizens also spoke of the Chinese Communist regime’s efforts to prevent their friends and family in mainland China from seeing Shen Yun in Hong Kong, through suppression.

Hong Kong citizen Ms Zhang said (recording):
“The police in Shenzhen tapped their phones, and dispatched police officers to search their home. They then threatened to take my mother away, all for wanting to see an ordinary show.”

Ms Yang, also a citizen of Hong Kong said (recording):
“My friend was kidnapped by authorities on January 19th for his plans to see Shen Yun in Hong Kong. The Chinese Communist regime has mobilized a lot of police power. They dispatched police officers to search for the ticket to Shen Yun in his home, but could not find anything after searching the entire house. Yet they still kidnapped him, and he is currently held at Tianhe detention center.”

Many foreign tourists who planned to see Shen Yun in their visit to Hong Kong also expressed their disappointment.

Lin Xiuyi in Hong Kong, of the SOH Radio Network

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Politicians rebuke Hong Kong government for defying cultural freedom

The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has been forced to cancel seven sold out shows in Hong Kong due to intentional hindrance by the Hong Kong government. The news was received badly by many in Hong Kong. Giving their opinion, politicians criticised the government for giving in to pressure by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to suppress cultural exchange; a violation of Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

The president of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, Mr. Situ Hua, pointed out the driving force of the CCP’s interference. According to Mr Situ, the totalitarian regime is on the verge of collapse, and it was apparent that many in Mainland China long to see Shen Yun Performing Arts.

He added that the CCP has been sabotaging traditional Chinese culture. As such it regarded Shen Yun’s efforts to revive traditional Chinese culture as a threat.

Mr Situ said (recording), “Take Confucius as an example. During previous political movements, Confucius was a target of attack. But now, Confucius Colleges are being set up around the world as a unification tool. These things have some artistic aspects to them but serve purely political purposes. In such a context, the authentic traditional arts will be taken as hostile and something to be stamped down.”

The League of Social Democrats’ Legislative Council MP Liang Guoxiong criticized the Immigration Department for abusing power by denying seven key Shen Yun production staff their entry visas. The aim was to prevent Shen Yun from putting on a show in Hong Kong. These actions violated the ‘freedom of culture exchange’ as laid out by the Basic Law.

Mr Liang said (recording), “Tensions are very strained as there is a lot of political pressure. This is a cultural affair. Even though we did not sign the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 39 of the Basic Law has these provisions. Therefore it is illegal to restrict Hong Kong residents or others’ freedom of cultural exchanges. The Hong Kong government bows to Beijing, which was the reason for many instances of immigration control in the past. As an international city Hong Kong does not have these concepts. The more, the merrier. If a regime uses its political preferences as a yardstick, it naturally is disconnected with human rights standards.”

The President of the League of Social Democrats, Huang Yumin, strongly condemned Hong Kong government’s supporting role in suppression.

Many MPs promised to raise inquiries at the Legislative Council, demanding a response from the government.

Huang Yumin said, “In my opinion, members of the Legislative Council should raise the query at the Security Committee as well as raising inquiry at the Legislative Council assembly and following it through.”

Perry Luo; and Lin Xiuyi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Government corruption leads to poverty in China

Chinese government officials are amongst the highest spenders of public funds in the world. China’s administrative expenses surpass those of the United States, France and Japan. In contrast, over 150 million Chinese people live in extreme poverty and earn less than one dollar per day. Some scholars have said the fundamental reason for this is China’s social system.

According to economics Professor Yeliang Xia of Peking University, the large number of people living in poverty is a reflection of China’s current social system.

Xia stated, (recording)
“According to the World Bank, those whose daily consumption is under one U.S. dollar are considered in extreme poverty. If under two dollars, they are in poverty. As of today, at least 150 million people, which is over ten percent of the population, live in poverty and extreme poverty. This is a reflection of the irrational social structures and wealth distribution system.”

Professor Xia further said, real statistics on the wealth disparity should be made public and government expenditures should be cut as well (recording):
“We should reveal these facts, and get the attention of people both inside and outside of China…we should be economical and cut government spending, especially personal spending with public funds, whether they’re for food or transport, or funds for ‘studying abroad’. Those three factors account for over one trillion Chinese Yuan. This is such a huge number! I think we can cut it by at least half. We could really use that half of the money to support the lives of the poor.”
Another scholar from Heilongjiang Province named Liao Cheng, said people earning less than one U.S. dollar are abundant where he lives. Because of employment difficulties, many people between the ages 40 and 80 make a living collecting garbage. They earn less than 200 Yuan after collecting litter for three months.

Liao told reporters (recording):
“The officials can do whatever they want. The anger and resentment from the masses means nothing to them. There is no independent press and the officials ignore what the general public wants. The officials are far worse; worse than the invaders of China seen in the past. To be honest, there is nowhere else in the world where you can find corruption to the extent in China today. This is the result of an imbalance of power within the system. They can continue without stopping.”

Craig Richter; Fu Ming; and Yu Ming of the SOH Radio Network.

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US President Barack Obama's visit to mainland China has galvanised many human rights lawyers (marcn/flickr).

- Human rights attorneys blocked from seeing Obama

- Tang Jitian’s reaction to Obama’s visit

- ‘9 Commentaries’ slogans awaken people

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Human rights attorneys blocked from seeing Obama

Barack Obama’s visit to China has seen human rights lawyers placed under tight control. Before Obama’s arrival in Beijing, reports reveal the President intended to meet Chinese human rights attorneys. However, lawyers such as Li Heping, Li Fangping, Mo Shaoping and several others have been under heavy surveillance. Attorney Li Renbing told SOH that on November 18th, several attorneys made phone calls to the US embassy hoping to meet the President. While they waited outside the embassy, national and public security officers caught wind of their plan and rushed in taking them away.

Li Renbing spoke to SOH on the day (Recording):
“Early in the morning we called the US embassy. Officials at the embassy asked us to wait until 11:30am. Basically, what they were saying or implying was, due to safety concerns, there was no arrangement for the President to meet us. There were too many plain clothed police and security personnel outside. If no one inside the embassy took us inside, there was no way we could get in. It might be diplomatic concern, or possibly concern for our safety behind the decision not to see us. The President does not want to get us in trouble, and ruin our careers among other things.”

Attorney Zhang Kai just came back from a visit to the US. There he testified at the U.S. Congress. He had hoped to meet with President Obama. Zhang believes human rights have no borders and powerful world leaders have an obligation to defend human rights and justice.

Zhang spoke to SOH (Recording):
“A truly great nation has an obligation to uphold justice. When Obama visited China, he did make breakthroughs on human rights issues. Bilateral talks between China and the US on human rights issues have been restarted. At the same time however, we are quite disappointed. We did not get a chance to meet President Obama. We still have expectations. We believe Obama is not only the President of the United States but also the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. He has more obligations. He should take more responsibity in upholding moral values.”

Attorney Li Fangping was followed and monitored by police the day before Obama’s arrival. He believes the main concern for the President should be human rights.

Li said (Recording):
“The topics of rule of law, human rights and Tibet were touched upon in a very general manner. However, there’s been little discussion on freedom of religious belief. It’s custom for US Presidents to speak out on religious freedom. I feel this is an important issue. In the US Constitution, the very first freedom is religious freedom. In China, people have great difficulties practicing their beliefs.”

Attorney Jiang Tianyong wasn’t allowed to leave his home 24 hours after returning to Beijing from the US. Jiang told SOH that seven national security and one public security officer interrogated him for an hour. Public security officers have kept up surveillance outside his apartment since July 30th. The site is still in operation.

Freelance writer Chen Pokong commented recently saying that Obama did not get the chance to meet Chinese civilians during his visit. It’s unknown whether the CCP was solely responsible, or if it was part of a secret bilateral agreement. This is different from Obama’s predecessor. In June 2008, then US President George Bush met human rights attorney Li Heping at the White House and had pictures taken with them.

Chris Thomas; Li Yifei; and Feng Ming of the SOH Radio Network

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Tang Jitian’s reaction to Obama’s visit

On November 18th, US President Barack Obama completed his three day visit to China. His speech on human rights and internet blockades have been filtered and censored by the Chinese government. During his visit, petitioners have been monitored and suppressed heavily. Well known Beijing human rights lawyer, Tang Jitian says the most important political leader of the Western world’s visit to China, lead to serious human rights violations.

Obama was supposed to meet several human rights lawyers during his visit but that didn’t happen. On the contrary more abuse to Chinese lawyers has occurred.

Tang Jitian, who has defended Falun Gong practitioners, AIDS victims, victims of land seizures, and prisoners of labor and re-education campsm, says President Obama should “push China to political civilization.” He believes pushing forward and improving human rights depends ultimately on Chinese people.

Tang spoke to SOH and had this to say: (Recording):

“The US planned to meet lawyers undertaking human rights work, but this hasn’t occurred. Many lawyers have been forced to stay home during his visit and some were taken away while following his vehicle. On the surface, nothing has greatly improved. It depends on Chinese people to push forward step by step the development of society in China. External efforts are a factor but we cannot rely heavily on them. Before his journey is complete, if he can express his concern on these issues through diplomatic or other appropriate channels, it confirms him as a lawyer, a powerful leader, and as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient.”

Tang reminded the world’s leaders to quickly grasp the truth of the Chinese government. The world should push forward human rights as a means to civilization.

Tang said (Recording):

“Economic and political cooperation between nations should be long-term goals. However it should be clear, that due to present economic needs much action has been taken lacking foresight, which is harmful in the long term. I feel Europe and America have international standing, and have made outstanding progress on their human rights and legal systems. This should push forward the civilization of the whole world, especially in the political realm. Politics are an important starting point in foreign dealings. Western leaders should also think about the values they uphold when in contact with China. Historically, they mustn’t be like the Anglo-French who dealt with the Czechs and Polish haphazardly. They had a random policy which was harmful not only to them, but also to themselves.”

Keith Ware, Li Yifei and Han Fei of the SOH Radio Network.

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‘9 Commentaries’ awaken people

Five years ago, The Epoch Times published “Nine commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party”, a book which analysed in depth, the lies and violent nature of the Chinese communist regime. The publication exposed the great catastrophe brought on the people of China by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and subsequently instigated the “Quit the CCP” movement. Five years on, over 63 million people have now denounced their membership in the CCP and related organizations, and voices from China call for an even wider spread of this book.

According to Wang, a teacher in Zhejiang, when the “Nine Commentaries” was published five years ago, she read it through the Internet, and was moved to the point, that she immediately denounced her membership from the party. Wang introduced the book to friends, and persuaded some friends to quit the CCP. She hopes that more people will help to spread the “Nine Commentaries”, in particular toward the younger generation.

Wang said (recording),
“I read the “Nine Commentaries” in 2004, and the most beneficial aspect, was that I came to know the great amount of history that had been covered up by the Chinese Communist regime. For example, I only learned about historical events such as that of the Great Famine during 1959 and 1960, through the “Nine Commentaries”. Once I read it, I had a clear understanding of the truths and facts of events that took place since [the CCP] was established in China 60 years ago. I came to realize that we had been kept in the dark, and lived with lies and deceit. Subsequently I quit the CCP through the Internet, and mobilized some friends around me to also quit the CCP. The “Nine Commentaries” can be spread further to our younger generation. Since the 80’s and 90’s, there existed a broken ridge in their understanding of the history of our nation. Hence I feel we should let more people learn the truths of history, and clearly see the ugly face of the CCP. ”

Mr Lei from Hunan said, the “Nine Commentaries” is a great historical composition, which revealed the truths of history which the CCP had concealed. He suggested the publication should be mass printed and distributed. (Recording)
“This book, the “Nine Commentaries”, presented the real history of the CCP’s evil, through analysis backed by facts. It is a historical composition with great value. The generation of our fathers and grandfathers, experienced the various calamities like those told in the “Nine Commentaries”, that was their life, I remember when I was younger, father was forced to wear tall hats, and paraded down the streets and all sorts of things. If we let more people learn about the “Nine Commentaries”, the people of mainland China will no longer protect the CCP, but will stand against it. Because many people now are still in the dark, we need to act as a compass in bringing an end to the CCP’s evil governance. We should not only spread it through the Internet, but also think of ways to distribute it in print.”

Mr Hu from mainland China often travels between countries to run his business. According to Hu, “The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party” has been spread very far and wide in China, and words persuading people to quit the CCP have been posted everywhere. Hu believes that the regime is afraid of this publication, thus dares not to openly criticize it.

He said (Recording), “The entire “Nine Commentaries” provides an in-depth analysis of the CCP, it is very profound. For most ordinary citizens, it is seen as truly reasonable. It has been spread very widely, and one could say that the publication has struck the CCP’s lethal point, as the regime dares not to discuss or openly strike back. Slogans which promote the “Nine Commentaries” and withdrawals from CCP’s organizations can be regularly seen in various parts of society, and in some places these slogans are openly visible beside government buildings.”

According to Mr Jaing Suge, the Chinese Communist regime is now corrupt to a point which surpasses that of the late Qing Dynasty. He believes it is inevitable for the heavens to eliminate the CCP.

“The Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party” can remove one’s fear toward the CCP, thus escape its lies and control. (Recording) “The “Nine Commentaries” has significant impact on changing the thoughts of a Chinese person, and correcting it to a righteous state. The “Nine Commentaries” not only reflects the truths of history, people also gain clear understandings, I have refused those lies, and now feel immune to the fear I had felt in the past. The CCP is a gigantic cult, and more than 90% of ordinary citizens very much hate it. China used to have three million square kilometres of ocean area, but 1.5 million has now been taken by foreign countries, yet we are unable to do anything. On this issue, the CCP is no better than the Qing Dynasty. So much of the historical heritage from the Qing Dynasty has disappeared.”

Matthew Ytsma; Wang Qian; and Yu Yin of the SOH Radio Network

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Shen Ting, the chairperson of the Coalition of Chinese People Facing Injustice, has spoken out against possible forced relocations, after the approval of Shanghai Disneyland.

- Land seizure concerns over Shanghai’s Disneyland project

- Toxic milk scandal hearing cancelled, plaintiff detained

- Longing for the collapse of China’s Berlin Wall

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Land seizure concerns over Shanghai’s Disneyland project
(0:35)

The decision to construct a Disney-based theme park in Shanghai has been the cause for much concern for many Chinese residents. Whilst economists are worried about the impact on Hong Kong’s own Disneyland, other NGOs fear that the project would initiate a large-scale land confiscation, and have urged Disney and local authorities not to forcibly evict local residents.

The news broke on the 4th of November and triggered a frenzy of media coverage and discussion amongst the Hong Kong press. Experts were apprehensive that Shanghai Disney would cannibalize Hong Kong Disney’s business.

Assistant Professor Chen Yunzhong of the Department of Social Sciences at the Hong Kong University told SOH reporters during an interview(recording) “The original plan for Hong Kong Disney was for mainland customers to make up two third of the clientele. In reality they make up only one third. In the near future when Shanghai builds Disneyland number two, mainland customers visiting Hong Kong Disneyland would amount to less than one tenth of its current customer base!”

In Shanghai, the main topic for concern was the large-scale land confiscation that the Disney project may trigger, resulting in large numbers homeless victims. The chairperson of the NGO, “Coalition of Chinese People Facing Injustice”, Shen Ting, called for Disney not to collaborate with the Communist government to abuse human rights or engage in forced removal.

Shen said (recording) “First we need to remind Disney’s headquarters in the US not to violate local residents’ human rights and their right to habitat during the construction. They need to be vigilant. This time we will inform Disney headquarters in advance, asking them to keep an eye on the Shanghai administration to see whether there is any human rights violation during the resettlement process.”

According to reports, Shanghai Disney will be built at the Chuansha Township in the Pudong District, where 409 hectare of land has been earmarked. With total investment of 24.4 billion Yuan, Disney has targeted an opening in 2014. China holds majority stake of 57% in the project and Disney 43%. An editorial in Hong Kong’s Apple Daily pointed out that this was a political present from the Beijing authorities as U.S president Obama leaves for his China trip.

Perry Luo and Liang Zhen of the SOH Radio Network.

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Toxic milk scandal hearing cancelled, plaintiff detained
(3:50)

On November 5th, Wang Gang, a plaintiff in the lawsuit over the melamine contaminated milk scandal, was detained for two hours at the Yangfangdian Police Station in Beijing’s Haidian District. Five days before his scheduled hearing on November 10th, Wang’s home was searched, and the hearing was canceled without reason. According to Zhao Lianhai (423), a representative for parents of toxic milk victims, the police actions were carried out to ease government fear of other parents coming out to support the hearing.

Wang Gang, whose child was a victim of melamine poison milk, brought his child to hospital on November 5th, hoping to get written confirmation of poisoning. On their way home, they were stopped and searched by police, before being taken and detained at the Yangfangdian Police Station for two hours.

Wang told SOH (recording)
“They show no documentation for the search, and said nothing before they grabbed my hands and pressed me against the car. The officer was very rough, and cuffed my hands. I said ‘On what grounds are you handcuffing me? I’m not a criminal suspect. I cooperated with your search, and I carry nothing dangerous’, the cuffs were extremely tight, my hands became numb, and I can still see the imprints. I was cuffed behind the back, and while driving they braked deliberately so that I would bump into the front seat. I was held at the police station for over two hours.”

Representative Zhao Lianhai said many people intended to travel and support the hearing on Tuesday, some parents had already booked train tickets.

Zhao said (recording)
“As for the hearing being cancelled, no reason was given; they only made a phone call to say it was canceled. If they were truly just, without fear for more attention on the issue, they shouldn’t have cancelled. Meanwhile many parents feel they’ve been deceived, particularly by the court. After all it’s under government administration, and they’ve gone back on their word. The scheduled date was so easily canceled.”

Zhao Lianhai also told us that Wang Gang’s unreasonable detention, and the cancelled hearing, was an act of suppression from the authorities, fearing voices of support.

Zhao told SOH (recording)
“Speaking of his detention, the officers also searched for his identification. Yet even with his cooperation they were so rough, weren’t they using a form of suppression? We really feel there’s no way out. We’re hoping the government would have more humanity. Many parents want to show their concern, as well as others in society. We would have been in the public gallery, and if it wasn’t available, we planned to stay outside the courthouse. This has caused much fear to the authorities. ”

SOH called the Yangfangdian Police Station, but the officer who answered denied Wang was handcuffed.

The officer told us (recording)
“Usually, people brought in for questioning are not handcuffed. Aside from those involved in major criminal cases, we do not use handcuffs.”

It was revealed to the public last year that baby powder produced by the Sanlu Corporation had high amounts of melamine, which is supposed to be used in small amounts. As compensation offers from authorities were deemed inadequate, parents of poison milk victims brought civil action which was rejected by most courts. Since July this year, five parents in Beijing, filed the lawsuit to Daxing, Shunyi, Xuanwu, Xiyu as well as the Fengtai District Courts, but to date only two cases have been accepted.

Caden Pearson; Lin Li; and Si Ming of the SOH Radio Network.

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Longing for the collapse of China’s Berlin Wall
(7:54)

November 9th marked the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Walls collapse. On this special day, people in mainland China expressed their wishes to spread awareness of the Communist Regimes corruption, so that others will awaken and fearlessly break through China’s Wall of suppression.

Ms Miao from mainland China said that, many democracy fighters in China have attempted again and again to bring democracy back to China. Their efforts have lit the darkness created by China’s iron curtain, and have made many people aware. The Chinese Communist Party is struggling for it’s survival, and their power is so weak now that they need to use military force on civilians to maintain power, just like that of the corrupt Qing dynasty.

Ms Miao (recording): “Bringing down the Berlin Wall of China depends on ourselves, as we need to bring down the wall in our heart, by overcoming fear of the Communist Regime. Fighters such as Liu Xiaobo, Guo Quan, and Chen Guangcheng have upheld the torches for us, and illuminated the darkness on this side of the wall. We have all seen this clearly, and a tiny spark can ignite a fire on the prairie. We are hopeful the entire nation will awaken, and with these leaders charging forward, the masses will also follow.”

Another person from Hebei (requesting to remain anonymous) said that since Communist rule in China, too many dissidents have been incriminated for their speech. In fact, it is the corrupt officials themselves that will overthrow the Regime, they say.

Anonymous mainlander (recording): “I see people after people being arrested, and this makes me very angry. I have lost hope with this regime. Can we subvert the regime? No. It’s those corrupted officials who will topple the regime. The so called crime of subverting state power is nothing but an excuse to incriminate people based on their speech. More and more people despise and depart from the Communist regime. But if people are complacent with status quo and remain indifferent, the collapse of the Chinese Berlin Wall will be difficult.”

Anonymous mainlander (recording): “There are indeed many people who have been awakened, and many are pursuing freedom of speech, the press, and freedom of thought. There are some who were sentenced to death for what they have said. Professor Guo Quan is such an example of being incriminated for his speech. It’s great Chinese netizens are seeking press freedom and freedom of speech. But I don’t think the wall is falling presently, and if we don’t do anything about it, its collapse will be even more difficult. Therefore, we need to speak up further.”

A netizen from Sichuan said that, the invention of anti-blocking internet software made the regimes blockade fruitless. Many netizens use such software to see the world outside, and have learned many truths.

Netizen of Sichuan (recording): The Communist regime has spent so much money on the Golden Shield project, which is meaningless. The Ministry of Public Security is said to have spent billions of Chinese dollars on this, but this money all belongs to the people. Many Chinese people are still very poor, many can’t afford to go to school or even feed themselves. The money should have been spent on people, and their livelihood. The corrupt are the Communist leaders. They’ve wasted so much of the public’s money, and built a Chinese Berlin Wall. They block overseas websites, but thanks to the anti-blocking software, we are now able to obtain information from overseas. It’s wide open now, and the wall is full of holes.”

Chris Thomas, Wang Qian, and Si Ming of the SOH Radio Network.

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Residents in Beipu Village, Fujian Province have maintained intense resistance against official attempts at land seizures and relocations.

- Beijing activists apply to protest during Obama’s visit

- Fujian residents deny relocations with gas canisters

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Beijing activists apply to protest during Obama’s Visit
(0:18)

A group of around 30 activists have applied for a demonstration to be held during a visit by United States President Barrack Obama to China. On the morning of November 6,rights activists Qi Zhiyong, Li Jingping and others went to the Beijing Municipal Public Security/ to hand in the application form. They hope to draw the attention of the Western community to China’s human rights situations.

Li Jingping, a Beijing dissident says that a participant of the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protest, soldier Zhang Shiju, is also one of the applicants for the demonstration. They want the United States to pay attention to plight of the Chinese people.

Li said, “We request that (the Regime) return to a constitutional rule, provide human rights and call on their conscience and morals, and provide redress for the (Tiananmen Massacre). Because the Zhao Zhiyang issue is the biggest human rights issue in China. Human rights do not exist in China and what (the Regime) says is all false… For now at least, I don’t feel I have human rights, because I am left homeless… What human rights do I have? Also a lot of people had tried to intercept Wen Jiabao’s car, and Wen has ruled that local governments should deal with petitioners…in the end what happened to them? They’re thrown in jail.”

Like many other activists, 64 year-old, disabled, Qi Zhiyong is placed under house arrest when overseas officials visit China.

“(Obama)’s visit to China just involves the discussion of the climate, or other economic issues. We hope that he would bring up the issue of human rights, and truly improve China’s human rights. He should be a good catalyst. In fact, his arrival has indirectly caused our right to live as well as our living spaces to be trampled upon. Because of the effect of his arrival, people like me – dissidents… I myself have been subjected to a formless oppression, whether it’s house arrest, or being taken away from Beijing. For example, someone once came with a list of 10 people they wanted to see, but in the end couldn’t see any of them. Why? Because the Chinese government had hidden all these people, using the police and illegal means to place them under house arrest.

The United States is the international police, which we need, we need this type of international and just condemnation towards the Chinese government, they need to mention these things. He hasn’t even arrived yet. But around the country dissidents from Guizhou, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Chongqing and Anhui have all received warnings from the police, that during this period they’re not allowed to leave, and not allowed to go to Bejing.

Beijing petitioners noticed that the Beijing Public Security team have replaced their signage for a more public-friendly message ahead of Obama’s visit.

“Now the signage is very new, the place to apply for demonstration has 3 signs, one is – materials, the other, Beijing Municipality Bureau of Public Security Celebration Event Reception, and one more is the People’s Letters and Visits Reception. These are all fake, actually this is just the place to apply to hold demonstrations, and they have used this to lie to Chinese people and foreigners.”

Li Jinping says Beijing town patrol officials have begun driving away street vendors.

“Yesterday I saw it all over the streets, these town patrols are driving around and taking the people’s tricycles, and arresting them. This group of them have all left, they’re afraid of being detained so they abandoned their tricycles; you can see the car has dragged a lot of motorbikes and tricycles, more than a dozen. Everyone is cursing this on the internet.”

Dissidents believe that human rights need to be obtained through the efforts of the public, so they have decided to put into action their fight for human rights.

Caden Pearson; Tian Xi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Fujian residents deny relocations with gas canisters
(4:50)

Residents in Beipu Village, Hushi County, Putian City have reported violent relocations by local authorities. Defiant villagers have resorted to using gas to attack police. Gas canisters in the county have reportedly been sold out, with households keeping on average 7 to 8 canisters to use against police.

On November 6, SOH spoke to Beipu villagers. They told us there have been rumours of relocations for several years. Last week, 400 people dressed in police outfits broke onto their lands. Villagers reported online that they are now prepared with self-protection materials to counter a new attack by the government.

Wu said:
“Our village now has a lot of things for self-protection. We can’t not have these, as the police use many things like electric batons, prying tools and police batons… we have no other way, so each family has prepared liquefier, petrol bottles and bricks. If they really want to use force and beat us, we really have no other way but to protect ourselves. We must have these things…or we’ll just be beaten to death.”

Villager says, on October 30, the group of 400 police, lead by the Deputy District Chief He Jingqin, Chief of Development Office Chen Longxian and Hushi County Chief Xu Haifeng broke into Beipu Village, breaking down doors and beaten anyone who retaliated.

Wu said:
“Around 9 am, everyone was selling things on the street, those who stayed home were all elderly people…they stayed back to look after the home. They (the police) forcibly pried open the doors, the elderly people tried to stop them, and they started to beat up the elderly…everything. They just beat up the elderly, 60 or 70 year olds…because we didn’t have very many young people at home.”

And elderly woman from the village said:
“The villagers were beaten, on their heads…there was a lot of blood. Those old ladies, 60 or 70 years old were all beaten. It was a mess on the day…a big mess, they just beat people up randomly. A lot of people were injured. Over 400 people came here, they broke down the doors…people were not home, the doors were all broken.”

Around 10am, villager Wu Ahdong who was in his 60s started to retaliate. He opened the gas at his home, and lit it up in front of his home, while wielding a kitchen knife to defy police. Neighbours soon followed his acts, and the local officials were scared off.
Villager Ms Wu says the local authorities did not have any legal documentation and they were not given any compensation:

Wu said:
“If the country needed something or if they had a plan to locate us or some compensation conditions to discuss with us…we are not the type of stubborn residents who refuse to move. After all, we’ll people…farmers, and our efforts has earned us this bit of assets…and you don’t give us any relocation plans or have some arrangements for us and just break through the door like that. Now our land is in a prime spot, if we were to sell our house, it would be at least a couple of million Yuan…but they say our house is not worth more than $100,000. There’s no way, it’s very dark.”

Mr. Zhen from a neighboring village says that forced demolitions and relocations occur frequently there, and there is very little compensation, and in the end, some people don’t even receive any money.

Zhen said:
“There are a lot of demolitions and relocations…and some building has been built next to the road, some decades-old homes have been forcibly demolished. The compensation is nowhere near enough, not at all, they just do this and that, and the government is a mess, and no more compensation has been given. “

Villagers have now made a pact that as soon as local authorities come again, they will strike their gong as a warning. Each family has also prepared gas canisters and have vowed to use their lives to protect their hard-earned assets, and the land on which generations before them have walked.

Keith Ware; Tian Lin; and Wang Zhen of the SOH Radio Network.

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Falun Gong practitioner, Zhang Ying was detained and tortured at a local police station for a 'confession'.

- Shanghai Falun Gong practitioner tortured and force-fed;

- Concerned netizens mapping pollution in China;

- 1,000 sacked bank protest in Beijing;

- Made in China segment.

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Shanghai Falun Gong practitioner tortured and force-fed
(0:58)

In Shanghai, 39 year old Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Ying has been kidnapped by the Public Security Bureau of Changning District. She was taken to the Xianxia Street Police Station where she was tortured, and was later force-fed in hospital after going on hunger strike.

Zhang Ying’s lawyer, Zhang Chuanli visited her last September and found her weak and unable to walk properly. Chuanli had applied to Court for bail so Ms. Zhang could receive medical treatment, his application was denied.

Zhang Chuanli told SOH:
(Recording) “On September 22nd, when I saw Zhang Ying in the prison hospital in Shanghai, she had to be supported when walking towards me. She’s unable to walk by herself and her health is very weak. According to Chinese law, the Public Security Bureau is still carrying out its investigation. Zhang Ying said she was tortured for a confession, which is why I have brought an action against the police on her behalf. Further, on September 30th, the security bureau told me Zhang Ying was formally under arrest. After that, as her lawyer, I made an application for bail, but it was refused.”

Zhang Ying’s mother, Ms Chu told SOH that Ms. Zhang was arrested by local police last month. Ms Chu and her husband have asked the security bureau’s Petitions Office about Zhang Ying.

Ms Chu told SOH:
(Recording) “The police illegally beat and arrest people. Zhang Ying was suspended and beaten by three officers. She lost consciousness soon after and her blood pressure was over 200 degrees. She was sent to hospital and we were told we couldn’t visit her for at least a month. It is now close to two months. The police told us to sue them. We only went to ask about her situation and instead they quarrelled with us, elderly people. You see how bad we feel, we can’t even sleep at night.”

According to Minghui.net, the officer in charge was Wei Liguang who had ordered three officers: Chen Ying, Zhu Fengming and Qian Jun to carry out the act.

Zhang Ying’s grandmother, Ms Zhou said after Zhang Ying was kidnapped and tortured, she went on hunger strike and was sent to hospital.

Ms Zhou said:
(Recording) “On September 8th, Zhang Ying came back from shopping when she was kidnapped by plainclothes police in front of our house. They didn’t show identification. She was sent to a detention centre where she was shackled and hung. She lost consciousness. After that she didn’t eat anything for many days and they sent her to the hospital to force-feed her. Now, we don’t know what her situation is and it has nearly been two months.”

Ms Zhou also said Zhang Ying had benefitted from Falun Gong. She told SOH:
(Recording) “She should have freedom of belief shouldn’t she? Actually, we better not talk about this here…After she started practicing, she became very healthy and kind to others. She respected the elderly. The police arrested her many times, and this is the fourth time. We call upon the international community to help rescue her.”

Chris Thomas; Lin Li; and Wang Zhen of the SOH Radio Network.

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Concerned netizens mapping pollution in China
(5:12)

Pictures taken by award-winning Chinese photographer Lu Guang entitled “Pollution in China” has helped inspire Chinese netizen Guo Baofeng of Fujian. Mr Guo, who has always been concerned about the environment, recently initiated a plan to map the pollution levels within China and the resulting map included dozens of severely polluted sites, which has since caught the attention of the outside world.

According to a report by Radio Free Asia, Mr Guo told reporters (recording):
“When I saw the pictures by Lu Guang, I was shocked; those pictures earned him the Oxford Smith Humanitarian Photography award. I was so impressed by that and had the idea of mapping those polluted sites on map, according to what he photographed. Another Internet friend of mine, Shuang Ye, also did something similar, in mapping cancer villages of China on a map. In fact, what I then did was to superimpose the two maps, and the geographic locations of the cancer villages and that of pollution seem to be very close to each other. It looks like that there are some connections between the two in China, in those most polluted areas.”

Rapid economic development has led to heavy environmental pollution in many parts of China, and environmentalists are unsatisfied with the official explanation that environment is the necessary cost of economic development. There have been several attempts by citizens of China to promote environmental protection, but their actions were suppressed by the authority. Last May, about 200 people staged a protest march against a large petrochemical project in Chengdu, Sichuan province, because of the severe, potential air and water pollutions by the plant. The authorities however, cracked down on the protestors and Mr. Chen Yunfei, a leading organiser, was arrested and tortured during his detention.

Since traditional ways of protecting citizens’ rights may lead to crackdown by the authority, Guo Baofeng and his friends initiated the idea of pollution mapping, in hope of getting more attentions from the outside world. Their map include investment projects in industrial parks in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia; chemical waste in Taixing industrial park in Jiangsu province; Fanjiazhuang steel mill in Henan province, where “iron rain” falls everyday on the villagers; industrial waste water from Xiaoshan, Zhejiang province; petrochemical waste from Ma Anshan, Anhui province; industrial waste water from Zeng Miao, Inner Mongolia, and petrochemical waste water from Haimen, Jiangsu province.

Perry Luo; and He Wen of the SOH Radio Network.

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1,000 sacked bank protest in Beijing
(8:32)

On October 26th, at approximately 8am, 1,000 former bank employees gathered for a protest in Beijing. The protesters were staff members who were made redundant with very little financial compensation, from four major banks in China, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and the China Construction Bank. The gathering took place, in Beijing’s Xicheng county, at the International Convention Center Square.

According to witnesses, approximately 1,000 workers held banners, while they sang songs and shouted slogans. They protest attracted crowds of onlookers, who took photos. A witness told SOH, “There were about 1,000 people on the square, they sang international songs and so forth. Those people were from Shanghai, Liaoning, and Jilin, from everywhere. The onlookers all crowded up and many people photographed the scene”

Another witness said, “The banners read, ‘redundant workers strongly demand the government provides financial compensation’”.

Hundreds of officers from the General Security Division of the Beijing Police Department rushed to the scene, with a number of passenger buses, as well as Iveco police cars. Officers kidnapped and brutally beat the protesters, in attempt to disperse the crowd by force.

A witness said, “It was the police department and public security officers, on the first wave they took away six bus loads of protesters. At around 10am, they began to push people into the vehicles by brute force. They had two Iveco police vehicles, and two other police vehicles of another brand, that drove around the scene. After the first wave of people were taken away, the officers dispersed the crowd by force. ”

A witness also reported, “There were 7 or 8 officers, pulling and dragging people to the vehicles. They did not allow the people to speak, and those who refused to get in were pushed in before they suffered further beatings. It was open kidnapping, if they refused to get on the vehicle, they were just dragged and beaten. I say what kind of police is this? I think they act like thugs. Six of those big vehicles were completely filled. Some people fled, while the police chased them down like dogs.”

SOH reporters telephoned the General Security Division of the Beijing Police Department to inquire about the situation, but the officer on duty refused to make any adequate response. SOH recorded the telephone conversation with him, “I cannot answer your questions about this issue with the people.”

These workers were mostly 40 to 50 years of age. Made redundant after long service terms without medical insurance, pensioner’s funds and some were dismissed by force without any compensation. Dismissed bank staff from around the country have had numerous gatherings in Beijing in recent years, to request for their issues to be dealt with. However to date, they have received no reply from government departments or officials.

Caden Pearson; and Tian Xi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Freegate software continues improving to counter CCP efforts at censoring it.

- Shanghai family torn apart by eviction;

- New release of Free Gate allows unimpeded Internet access;

- Condemned for 10 years for their innocent belief.

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Shanghai family torn apart by eviction

(0:48)

In the Nanhui District, Shanghai government officials demolished Cao Xinren’s house and confiscated 180 square meters of land which was handed down from his ancestors. The officials further extorted thousands of Yuan and forced Cao and his family to live in government subsidized housing.

The demolition of Cao’s home was the catalyst for further hardships. Cao’s wife (a hospitality hostess) subsequently suffered a nervous breakdown and due to the financial difficulties their only son was forced to quit school at Tongji University.

Allegedly due to the nervous breakdown, Cao wife disappeared shortly thereafter. Cao states:
[Recording]“Now my son is looking for my wife together with me. There is no way to do any job. I’m having an extremely hard time right now. When he quit school, my son told them that my house was torn down, there is no place to live, I can’t find my mother, we have no money at all, and we can’t afford the tuition any more. My son was devastated.”

Cao tried to solve the problem through legal means. He has written more than 10 letters to the Shanghai government, but nobody paid any attention. Lawyers told Cao frankly that, the government and the courts collude with each other. There is no way to win the suit. Cao goes on to say:

[Recording]“I found a lawyer. He said you can not win in the lower court and intermediate court. The ‘Property Law’ doesn’t work. The court doesn’t accept cases about forced house demolition. They told me that this forced house demolition issue was colluded with government. You have no way to win the suit. You can only appeal to the government. If government wants to give you an answer, they will give one. If they don’t, you can wait till death. No solutions. The lawyers said my case was extremely legitimate, but there is no way to win the suit. Don’t waste your money. There are no words for such corruption.”

Cao stated angrily, that he has a government that doesn’t care about their people’s survival at all. Cao states:
[Recording]“Now what we can do? We have no solutions, no one to appeal to, and no one to help. Now what kind of government is that? I wrote more than ten letters to the mayor. They don’t pay attention at all. They have colluded with each other. The higher authorities transferred the responsibility to lower authorities. And the lower authorities transferred the responsibility to higher authorities. They won’t give me a reply. Who can uproot common people with total indifference like this?”

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New release of Free Gate allows unimpeded Internet access

(4:14)

Recently Wujie and Dynamic Internet Technology Inc. published their latest software, with enhanced anti-censorship functionality. Feedback from mainland Chinese Internet users indicates the software updates now allow unimpeded access to overseas websites.

SOH interviewed a number of mainland Chinese Internet user who have adopted the technology.

According to Mr Huang from Guizhou Province, the new Free Gate software allows reliable and fast Internet access. He said, “I have use the latest version 6.89 for three days, there is no hindrance, I feel it is very easy to use, particularly easy to use. I found this newest release from the 15th [of October], in Guiyang. I found it to be very good, and there’s no blockage. It opens instantly with nice speed. It feels like we have recovered the way we used to have Free Gate in the past. I feel it is very good to use.”

Mr Wong from Hebei said the new Free Gate software is very easy to use. He has found that it enables him to surf the Internet freely in Shijiazhuang as well as Beijing; at Internet cafes as well as his home. He said, “I have used just one, that new 89 version. It’s quite good to use, I have tried in Shijiazhuang, as well as Beijing city. Also at Internet cafes, and on personal computers. From what we see now, we feel the speed is quite good, quite fast.”

In an interview with SOH, a spokeperson of the Dynamic Internet Technology Inc, said that the company would continue to research and develop new technology. He said the company will continue to break through the Internet censorship under the Chinese Communist regime, and provide a free, reliable and safe channel of Internet access for the great Internet population in mainland China.

He said, “What we do is to try our best to integrate the various high end technologies we have, into this software, let everybody use it, and make its impact. For a period of time the censorship became more severe, so we quickly released some of the technology which we have continued to work on in the past, and various beta versions to collect feedback from our users. This also helped us to complete some of the technological development, and we were able to publish a more stable program. We are still continuing to work on this. The Chinese Communist regime has not let loose, it is continuing its censorship endeavors. While continuing to improve on our current technologies, will also continue to develop and provide new technology.”

Caden Pearson, Bo Ming, and Yu Yin of the SOH Radio Network.

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Condemned for 10 years for their innocent belief

(7:38)
In Weifang City, 100 Falun Gong practitioners were abducted in one day. Cao Junfeng was among them. She was illegally abducted from her home one week before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held the Olympic Games.

Due to lack of any evidence, the Procuratorate returned the case files twice to the public security office. On July 31, 2009, the court of Kuiwen district commenced proceedings. The defence attorney was not allowed to cross-examine the 45 copies of so-called evidence that was used to sue. He was also not allowed to finish statements made in her defense. The lawyer, Wen Haibo, said, the concerned party didn’t break any laws, but that the sentence applied wrong laws.

Wen Haibo [Recording]:”From the perspective of law, we think doing these things don’t go against the current Chinese laws or other related regulations. So we prepared a defence of innocence for the court. Viewing the result of this sentence, the attorney’s defence was not adopted by the court. Actually it is a wrong conclusion based on a wrong premise.”

On October 18, Cao Junping was illegally sentenced to 10 years in prison by Kuiwen district in the city of Weifang. Her defense attorney has appealed to a higher court. Cao Junping’s daughter, Pang Jin, who lives in America, is calling for international organizations to pay attention to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

Pang Jin told a SOH reporter that, at the beginning of October, the court told her relatives that the evidence is inadequate and that there is no way to pronounce a sentence. However, after several days, they handed down a serious sentence without regard for what they told her family. On the same day, Cao Junping’s sister Cao Junfeng was also sentenced to 9 years by Hanting district court.

Daughter Pang Jin [Recording]:”My elderly grandparents have not heard this news. Family members dare not tell them. We don’t know what their response will be if they hear that their two daughters were sentenced to 9 and 10 years respectively on the same day. It’s so cruel and bloody. I don’t know if such old people can bear this huge blow or not.”

According to Pang Jin, another Falun Gong practitioner who appeared in the same court as her aunt was sentenced for 4 years. Ms. Pang will call on American President Obama who is going to visit China, to urge CCP authorities to return Falun Gong practitioners’ freedom.

Pang Jin [Recording]:”When Obama visits China, I hope he can help to have my innocent mother and aunt released. For the past year, my heart is struggling in pain every day. Nobody should be persecuted due to their beliefs. The foundation of America… to establish this state… is the freedom of belief and human rights. Obama should convey this message to China.”

Keith Ware; Li Yifei; and Si Ming of the SOH Radio Network

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Democracy activist Guo Quan has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

- CCP sentences Guo Quan to ten years;

- Human rights lawyer determined with their cause.

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CCP sentences Guo Quan to ten years

On October 16th at 2pm, Suqian Court secretly sentenced Guo Quan to ten years for inciting the overthrow of the state. Quan was an associate professor at the College of Arts in Nanjing Normal University. In 2007, he wrote open letters to the leaders of the CCP, Chairman Hu Jintao, and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, calling for reform of the constitutional government. In 2008, he established China New Democracy Party. Guo also wrote articles to criticize the gerry-rigged construction of the schools in Sichuan earthquake-stricken areas.

Guo Quan’s mother, Ms. Gu Xiao got a call from Guo’s defense attorney after the sentencing. She immediately contacted the Nanjing Police Station, demanding the release of the judgment report to Guo’s relatives. She also demanded to visit Guo after the judgment becomes effective. Guo was originally detained in November 2008. It has been one year since Gu Xiao has been allowed to see her son.

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Human rights lawyer determined with their cause

The Chinese Communist judicial administration used its annual audit to strip the licenses of Chinese human rights lawyers who represent minorities. Most were lawyers handling cases concerning the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. SOH reporters interviewed several of these lawyers on October 13th, after they had been forced to stop work for four months. The lawyers told SOH reporters that their qualifications still hold, and that they are not about to give up their rights to the profession.

These lawyers have pointed out that the Chinese Communist Political Bureau has directly intervened with the judicial administration, and participated in the persecution of lawyers representing Falun Gong practitioners.

Lawyer Liu Wei, former co-owner of the Shunhe Legal Firm in Beijing, was asked to leave the firm during an audit in order for the firm to obtain its operational license.

Liu, who refused the request and questioned the intentions of the judicial administration had this to say (recording)

“The judicial administration does not discuss the actual issue. Whether it be the judicial office, or my partners at the firm, none of them want to take on the responsibility. We are now in a “cold war” state, but I cannot continue my work, neither can the other lawyers. The judicial administration has asked for myself and Wen Haibo to resign, and, if we did not leave, there will be conflict that would still originate from the judicial administration.”

Lawyer Wei Liangyue from Heilongjiang Province also accepted a Falun Gong case. In March 2009, he was illegally arrested and detained at Harbin’s Nangang District Police Department. The provincial judicial administration subsequently withheld his professional license through the annual audit, and claimed that the 6.10 office in Harbin directly intervened in his case. The 6.10 office even intended to cancel his lawyer’s qualifications. Wei recently requested the return of his license, in order to take on a drug-related case, but was again refused.

Wei had this to say (recording)

“He said to me, ‘…because the judicial administration also knows about your defense of the innocence of Falun Gong, your matter is not something under our control. After your awaited trial is complete, I will give you the license immediately, without delay.’ So you can see, it is the bad conduct of the 6.10 office, which operates completely outside of the law. Yet legally, they really have no place to stand. The matters including Nangang branch office’s handling of the case, as well as the inability for lawyers to acquire normal operational licenses, this has all been caused by the 6.10 office.”

Lawyer Cheng Hau, former staff at the Anhui Legal Firm in Beijing, saw that each of the recommendation papers he had received from the judicial administration, involved the cases he had accepted for Falun Gong practitioners. He once assisted Anhui Firm in submitting 14 papers with recommendations for administrative reconsiderations to various government departments, and asked to correct the illegal conduct of the judical administration. Currently, in order to obtain the lawyer’s license, Cheng has left Anhui Legal Firm in hopes of starting his own legal firm.
Cheng said (recording)

“Human rights is something one must fight for, and the law will not enforce itself automatically. Many lawyers have this illusion, as if others automatically behave according to the law. I would pursue any conduct that violates the law. Without learning the punishments, it would develop, and eventually turn this illegal conduct toward other people.”

The list of persecuted human rights lawyers includes internationally renowned human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who has endured severe persecution and tortures and is still missing; lawyer Wang Yongchang – detained for 70 days; Lawyer Li Heping – who suffered inhumane tortures and lost his personal freedom; and Liu Shihui -who was forced to stop work for six months.

Keith Ware; Li Yifei; and Ai Xin of the SOH Radio Network.

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- Chinese champion awarded Human Rights Leadership Award;

- Beijing residents say National Day parade was threatening and militaristic;

- Chinese textbooks fabricated, teacher says.

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Chinese champion awarded Human Rights Leadership Award

Li Guohong, an employee at the Henan Sinopec Zhongyuan Oilfield, has received an award from the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Foundation. He was presented the ‘Human Rights Leadership Award’. Li Guohong expressed his thanks and is positive over his efforts to help vulnerable groups. He pledges that in future, he will be more actively involved in this work.

However Li is unable to travel to California to accept the award in person as Communist authorities will not allow it.

Also receiving the award are Wu Fan, the President of China’s transitional government; Chen Yizi, adviser of the former Chinese Premier; Zhao Ziyang, public Union lawyer; and Xia Lin and Wang Xiaoning, who are on the Chinese Social Democratic Party Central Committee .

Mr. Li Guohong said the recognition he received encourages him to work harder.

(Recording) “Some of my behaviours are recognised by some groups and people. I am very please with that. It is my honour. It is due to this that I shall be able to do more to help others. I see there are other friends that have received the award. I, personally, think that they are much better than I. I only follow my own wishes, because I am only a person who lost his rights, so I have to protect my own rights.

Li has worked for many years to defend the rights of vulnerable groups. Between 2001 and 2002, he was detained for a month on the popular charge of “subverting state power”. The CCP uses this charge to put away anyone it is afraid will undermine its power. This is mostly human rights advocates, members of outlawed religious groups and political dissidents.

Li’s crime was publishing articles and being in contact with members of the China Democracy Party. In 2007, he was sentenced to 18 months of re-education, or brainwashing as we call it in the West.

Caden Pearson and Tian Xi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Beijing residents say National Day parade was threatening and militaristic

During the Chinese Communist Party 60-year anniversary of its rule, a huge number of people mobilized. The number of people has rarely been seen in the CCP’s history. The CCP used the Military Review as an efficient instrument to show off its military force; however, this activity didn’t win any honor for the CCP. Instead, it established a militaristic image to the outside world.

After watching the Military Review, Mr. Liu from Beijing, had this to say:

[Recording]: “The Military Review this time is a kind of intimidation and a kind of psychological oppression to its ordinary people. This Military Review seems to be very serious. There are martial laws, 7 province union actions, and inspections. Lots of places have been searched. But in fact this is also the CCP’s guilty conscience to keep away ordinary people and mainly guard itself against resistance from those common, low-level, weak population.”

Mr. Liu added today’s CCP is like a remake of the Nazis. He warned that, in a desperate situation, they may become militaristic.

[Recording]: “Adopting dictatorship is to protect its authority. But very likely it will use military power aggressively and finally become militaristic like the Nazis. By looking at the current situation, this is an inevitable choice. Otherwise, a tumultuous situation will occur. To stabilize the situation, the CCP has to use this kind of aggressive military show to intimidate its opponents at home and abroad. And it will go in this direction farther and farther.”

The CCP has established its authority for the past 60 years; however, Mr. Liu believes people’s thoughts are changing and the CCP’s dictatorship is no longer applicable in China. Mr. Liu said, if the CCP insists on centralization of power and dictatorship, eventually its authority will decline.

[Recording]: “My friends including those known from the Internet, call on Nationalizing Military, stopping party and media prohibition, and forming a democratic Multi-Party structure. The majority of them hold this opinion. Such a dictatorial system with the party threatening people with weapons is taking a step back into history. If it’s not changed, it may cause a horrible result. If authority is maintained in a militaristic way, I don’t think it will last long.”

Donna Ware; Qin Yue; and Yu Liang of the SOH Radio Network

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Chinese textbooks fabricated, teacher says

The content of this story is not surprising, but it is true. Which is more than several Chinese primary school text book publishers can boast. A language teacher from a Chinese school has exposed fabricated information in primary school text books. These text books apparently adopt real historical figures and events, but are told the way the CCP wants its nationals to know.

Guo Chuyang has been a language teacher for six years. She has worked with more than 20 primary school language teachers to establish a civil education system research group. This group collected and analysed more than 300 textbook articles in a two year period. The materials were sourced from three primary school textbook versions dated from 2002 to 2009. They found more than half the articles were fabricated.

The group published a report titled, “Analysis: The Textbooks of Chinese Children”. On October 5, the Global Times reported Chuyang comparing the Chinese-language teaching textbooks to the tainted milk powder mixed incidents of 2008. In which several infants were poisoned by with the toxic substance melamine.

The Chinese Sound of Hope reported on He Yi. The 19 year old University of California student was a past student of Guo Chuyang. He discovered that a story he learned in grade two while he lived in mainland China, entitled “Edison Rescues Mother” was pure fabrication.

The text book article he read taught that Edison’s mother suffered from acute appendicitis. And that under the light of a few oil lamps, the 7-year-old Edison used mirror reflection to help the doctor complete the operation successfully.

Yet historical facts show that Edison was born in 1847. The earliest discussion of appendicitis in the medical field was dated in 1886. Thus when Edison was 7, the appendicitis operation was nowhere in existence.

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Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army are driven to extreme lengths to ensure they perform flawlessly for the National Day parade.

- Special coverage on the preparations surrounding the National Day parade;
- The ‘village of death’, China’s Shangba village;
- Daughter fights for murdered fathers rights;
- Threat of civil war escalating in Burma.

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In this edition of Inside China Today we examine all the preparation and efforts surrounding the build-up to the National Day parade. The parade itself was well planned and executed. An estimated 80,000 students and 60,000 soldiers participating in the main parade. The current Chinese President Hu Jintao was in attendance, as well as Premier Wen Jiabao and former Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The China Daily newspaper, cited a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, saying the parade would be held in an ‘economical manner’ as the authorities planned to spend only 300 million Yuan (US$44 million) on the event.

Security forces packed the streets and buildings of Beijing. Including SWAT teams and snipers.

The event itself was meticulously organised with security personnel flooding Beijing, and some unique measures carried out to ensure the event was ‘perfect’. Businesses along the Chang’an Street (the main parade route) were closed; those living along the main street were forbidden from opening their windows; rockets were fired into the sky a few days prior to the event to disperse cloud and smog; and thousands of pigeons were rounded up and locked away.

Military personnel went through extensive training drills to prepare for the event. Some drills included standing completely still for an hour, not blinking for over 40 seconds, and the use of lasers beams to ensure no one was out of rank and file.

Further many petitioners and dissidents were kept away from the capital or under house arrest.

(To know more please listen to our podcast)

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The ‘Village of Death’, China’s Shangba village

In the Dabaoshan mining area of Guangdong Province in China’s south, run off from a mine has been poisoning surrounding villages for over 20 years.

Dabaoshan is located at the juncture of Wengyuan and Qujiang counties. The area is rich with mineral resources such as iron, copper, lead and zinc. The area also hosts four ore-dressing plants and 56 ore-washing stations.

Travel ten kilometres downstream Hengshi River and you’ll find the infamous Shangba Village, also known as the “Village of Death”. Of Shangba’s 3,000 residents, more than 250 have died of cancer since 1987.

[Mr. Liang, Shangba Village resident]
“It’s a cancer village. Once people older than 30 fall ill, it takes about three months for them to die. Last year, two people died who were no older than 40. One was 30, the other was 40. It is due to the contaminated water coming from the Dabaoshan mine. Dabaoshan is very famous… Regarding farm crops, we don’t accept local [produced] rice. The local people who were afraid [of the contamination] all moved out. If you were us, would you protest or not?”

According to a report on the Human Rights in China website, villagers could once see clear to the bottom of Hengshi River. To the villagers it was called “Mother River”. Today villagers call it “Red River” or “Black River”. The rocks along its shore are stained dark brown and encrusted with what looks like tea dregs. Villagers haven’t seen fish or shrimp in the river in twenty years. No living creature can be found near the river, there is not even the sound of insects.

Residents now mostly get their water from wells.

[Mr. He, Local Resident]
“When washing the ore with our water, residue has been left and contained in [the water]. Our major water source is the river from Dabaoshan. The tap water is very bad. One day there’s water, but on another day there isn’t. When it rains the water is yellow and cannot be drunk. My family now drinks well water. The Xinjiang Town government is totally tyrannical. The crops are also polluted. I have two relatives around 30 years of age who have died of liver cancer. It’s impossible for us to move away now. We hope our descendants may have a better environment.”

The Human Rights in China website report, states that Shangba village isn’t even the most seriously polluted in the area. Yanghe, Tangxin and Liangqiao villages are situated closer to Dabaoshan mine. The Liangqiao Party secretary said nothing will grow in the fields irrigated with water from Hengshi River.

Caden Pearson, SOH, Brisbane

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Daughter fights for murdered fathers rights

In Chongqing on September 27th, Jiang Li, the youngest daughter of deceased Falun Gong practitioner Jiang Xiqing, issued a statement through Sound of Hope Radio condemning the Chongqing police for cremating her father while he was still alive, and for threatening his sons and daughters that are appealing for justice.

Jiang Xiqing was detained at the Xishanping Forced Labour Camp for practicing the outlawed meditative practice Falun Gong. The circumstances surrounding his supposed death are mysterious. On January 28th 2009 his family received notification he had died from a heart attack while in the camp. When the family visited seven hours later, they found his body was covered in bruises and was still warm, despite being kept in a freezer. He was cremated soon after.

Jiang Li resides in Shanghai. She said the Chongqing police have tried to force Jiang Xiqing’s sons and daughters into signing a statement for reclaiming their father’s ashes, and to remain silent on the issue. They have refused. They’ve vowed to not give up their right of seeking justice for their father. Despite receiving help from four lawyers, the Jiang family still receives death threats. In light of possible future incidents, Jiang Li has issued a statement to let the public know the true wishes of Jiang’s sons and daughters.

She said: [Recording] “I hope the following statement is broadcast through various media. In future, any statements that I might make will be null and void, no matter what has changed, whether I am detained, persecuted or under any circumstance, only today’s statement is true and is true to my wishes”

Her statement features four main points:
1. My father was beaten unconscious by police in Chongqing and was cremated while still alive. Several family members saw evidence of this.

2. The Chongqing Public Security not only murdered my father, but continues to torture my mother. My mother’s life is now in danger, but they still won’t let her go. The Chongqing Public Security has also carried out violence, fraud, inducement and other means to persecute us sons, daughters and relatives. They won’t allow us a voice.

3. Chongqing authorities have arrested, tortured, hung, beaten up and persecuted Beijing lawyers Li Chunfu and Zhang Kai who demanded justice for our family. Their firm is now under great pressure, and Li Chunfu has subsequently failed to have his lawyer’s license renewed this year.

4. At present, assurances given by the authorities to our relatives in Chongqing, were given under duress and even contained death threats. The Chongqing authorities have extended their pressure into Shanghai. The Chongqing Public Security Bureau has ordered the Shanghai Ministry of Public Security to tell my employer, Shanghai Airlines Co Ltd, that I write a guarantee declaring I will not petition in Beijing. After I refused they immediately moved me to another position so I could be easily monitored. My family are also being monitored by the Shanghai Public Security ministry. Originally my family’s grievances had nothing to do with Shanghai authorities, I hope the Shanghai Public Security Bureau and Shanghai Airlines Co Ltd will not participate. If they still cooperate with the Chongqing authorities to persecute me, they will have to be held accountable in the end.

I solemnly make this statement and reserve the right to denounce this at any time.

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Threat of civil war escalating in Burma

Recent clashes between the Burmese Army and ethnic Kokang rebels in Burma have escalated into a state of civil war. In the north-eastern Kokang region, posters have been displayed warning the local ethnic Chinese to leave the area, which was taken over by the Burmese Junta in late August. At present, almost all ethnic Chinese have managed to escape to mainland China. According to the ‘Burma Rescue Team’, a group started by Chinese civilians reacting to pressure from the regime, the local Chinese population will continue to resist until the bitter end.

Ms Hou from this volunteer group says, Kokang’s new government has demanded Chinese people leave Burma by the 25th, as full scale war is soon expected. While many experts believe this to be unlikely before October 1st, the Burmese Junta has been known to launch surprise attacks in past conflicts.

Mr Hou said (recording) “In order to protect its new power, the Junta has adopted many tactics, such as inciting discord among civilians. I still believe, as long as the Burmese regime doesn’t provide fair treatment for Chinese people, and continue to implement highly discriminatory policies, the unrest will never end. If they were to announce that the soldiers who once rebelled could return home without consequence, and started a protection plan for the assets of Chinese business owners, stability and control in the region could be established quickly. If the ethnic Chinese business owners cannot continue to trade in the region, they would most likely choose to leave.”

A local government official told reporters, the Chinese Communist regime has maintained a friendly relationship with the Burmese regime. Officials from both parties meet frequently. In an apparent display of cooperation designed to appease the Chinese Communists, the Burmese Junta has attempted to maintain stability in the area before October 1st. However heavy military presence has been sustained on both sides of the border, and the situation in northern Burma remains intense.

According to news reports, Kokang’s new government has issued public statements, declaring all people identified as Chinese by their entry and exit documents have 15 days to leave Kokang. These people are requested to re-apply for entry after 15 days, and those who cannot provide substantial documents are forced to leave, and be responsible for the consequences if they refuse.

The above was brought to you by Lin Li, Yu Liang and Perry Luo for Inside China on the SOH Radio Network.

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Dissidents and petitioners have been kept under wraps in the leadup to China's National Day.

- Dissidents under surveillance during China’s National Day;
- Relatives of Falun Gong practitioners send open letter for help;
- Hackers attack Chinese rights website.

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Dissidents under surveillance during China’s National Day

In order to secure safety during the celebration of its 60th anniversary during China’s National Day, the Chinese Communist regime put many people under house arrest. Tiananmen mothers, and democratic activists who had participated in the 1989 June 4th democratic movement and other appellants are all under local authorities’ surveillance.

One of the Tiananmen mothers Zhan Xianling was under house arrest for three days during the Fourth Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party’s 16th National Congress. Even though she was sick and could not go out, the police still guarded the entrance of her living complex for the entire three days.

[Recording]: I have been under surveillance for several days. It began on September 15th. It’s September 18th today. It is for the Fourth Plenary Session of the 16th National Congress. Question: Did you say 24 hours? Yes. There was three people, and also a police car. It so happened that I was ill and could not go about. There was only one occasion that I went downstairs. They immediately followed me. They monitor whoever they feel afraid of. That is how scared they are towards these people. That means they feel guilty themselves. I am an old woman over 70 years old. In addition, I was sick. I was just released from hospital not long ago. I would feel tired if I talked too much. However, these people still put me under surveillance. I see that these people are weaker than me.”

Qi Zhiyong, who is still disabled from the June 4th massacre was forced to leave the hospital he was staying at on September 17th. Immediately after that, 10 police officers began monitoring his residence. On September the 25th, and the 26th, he will be forced to leave his residence in Beijing, and go to Shijiazhuang until October 1st, until the National Day celebrations are over.

[recording]: They will force him to go to Shijiazhuang, around the 25th or 26th. Firstly they forced him to leave the hospital. He was not allowed to stay in hospital, and was asked to go back home and to wait for further instruction from above. Now there is a police car at his front door, and a police car at his rear door. There are six policemen, and four security guards.”

Hu Jia’s wife Zeng Jinyan has been forced to leave Beijing as well. She was sent to her hometown Fu Jian and is being forced to stay there during October 1. Her husband Hu Jia is still imprisoned.

[recording]: Most likely Zeng Jinyan has left. We cannot reach Qi Zhiyong by phone either.”
Jia Jianying, wife of another detainee in He Dupu prison, has also been under surveillance since the morning of September 19th. It will be over on October 10th.

[recording]: We are under surveillance, from seven in the morning. It will continue this way until October 10. The surveillance of Zhang Jianguo and Gao Hongming began as early as September 15th. Gao Hongming and Yang Jing were not allowed to stay in Beijing and were sent to other places. Gao Hongming is the deputy chairman of the China Democracy Party, and so is Zhang Jianguo. Zhang Jianguo lives in Beijing. Even when he told the security guards he wanted to go watch a movie, they would not allow him to go. When he told them he would do grocery shopping, the guards said they would report to upper levels and ask for permission. It is different from before. This year’s surveillance is very strict.

Appellant Ye Guoqiang of Beijing has been under surveillance since September 17th.

[recording]: There are fewer guards this time, just one policeman and two security guards. They are hiding and suppressing all these problems. Once these problems errupt, who is to be held responsible? Who is doing the wrong deeds here?

Appellant Tang Shenggui was forced to leave Beijing. His elderly wife had cerebral thrombosis and difficulty walking. However, Tang had to take his wife to Shanghai and stay there with relatives and friends until after October 1.

[recording]: I am leaving tonight. The train leaves at 10:10 p.m. The police will not follow me to Shanghai. They will send me to the train station.

Appellant Wang Jianping was taken to the police station when she went to the city government on September 15th to appeal. Now she is being held at a hotel.

[recording]: I have been under house arrest since September 16th. There are three guards. I am being held at a hotel, near the police station. It is an order from the Police Department at the municipal level. A policewoman stays in the same hotel room with me. They take shifts to monitor me. A male policemen and a security guard live in the hotel room across the hallway. The security guard sits in front of the door every night. I heard it would end on October 10th.

During all festivals, holidays, sensitive days, and congress meetings, these people are under surveillance by the police. They think the government is fearful and weak.

By SOH reporter Tian Xi.

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Relatives of FLG practitioners send open letter for help

Over the past few years, Beijing residents Jingping Niu and his wife Lianying Zhang have endured severe persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) due to their practice of Falun Gong. In response to the couple’s sentencing to labour camp re-education, their family members have written an open letter to European Parliamentarians, hoping to catch the attention of international organisations such as the UNs. They hope the criminal activities against Falun Gong practitioners conducted in Chinese labour camps can be investigated. They also hope for such evil deeds to stop, and for justice to prevail.

On August 6th this year, the family members of Niu and Zhang, along with other Falun Gong practitioners, wrote a letter to European Parliamentarian Edward McMillan Scott. They hope he will continue to call on the world to stop the CCP’s persecution. They also want the whole world to understand the cruel acts committed against millions of Falun Gong practitioners in labour camps.

Niu is currently held at Beijing’s Tuanhe Labour Camp, while his wife is detained in Masanjia Labour Camp in Shenyan city. With the help of righteous individuals, their family members have come to understand full extent of the couple’s plight, which in turn has raised considerable concern for their safety.

Zhang’s brother had this to say:
(recording)
“I actually felt like dying inside when I heard about how she was treated. Before she went to the (labour camp), she had an operation. In Tongzhou at that time, she was nearly unconscious. In fact she has still not recovered. Her health has deteriorated, whether she will one day return to the life of a normal person is anybody’s guess!”

On May 21st, 2006, with no one else to turn to, Niu decided to seek the help of McMillan Scott, who was investigating in China at the time, in order to expose the brutality of the treatment that his wife had received. The couple have since then become targeted individuals of the CCP.
Under the CCP’s policy of “no meetings without transformation”, the rights and health of many Falun Gong practitioners in labour camps have been seriously impeded upon.

Zhang’s lawyer told SOH during interviews:
(recording)
“While I was representing her, my main job was to push for an administrative reconsideration. I was acting for the couple. However they refused to let them meet. We suggested the reconsideration be adjourned, and it was maintained. After she was transferred, they refused to let us meet with her, and that they will not allow any meeting to take place until she is considered transformed.”

Transformation refers to the CCP’s policy of getting Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their belief, and to write an oath that they would no longer practice.

Zhang has been reportedly close to death on numerous occasions after being tortured in labour camps. Although the family have asked lawyers to represent the couple, they have been severely hampered by legal restrictions and red tape in their crusade for justice.

This story was brought to you by SOH reporters Yifei Li, Jingxi Ling and Perry Luo for Inside China on SOH Radio Network

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Hackers attack Chinese rights website

A Chinese news website translated as “Rights Defend China Net” has been attacked by hackers. The attack began on September 19th.

Qiufeng, the website’s editor said, 【Recording】 “This attack is very, very serious. Since the site was established it has never been attacked like this. The website had been paralyzed since the 19th, and it is still paralyzed today. At one time, as soon as we launched the website the server could not stand, and then we were hastily forced to stop the site again.”

In the past this website has been shut down for 100 days by Communist authorities for publishing articles deemed “sensitive”.

Last year the website published an article titled, “The number of Olympic gold medal does not determine people’s happiness.” This led to the site being shut down for 40 days.

The site can only handle 150 cyber hits per second. From what the service provider told Qiufeng, it was being accessed 40,000 times per second.

The attack also affected another website sharing the same server provided by Beijing Interest Soil Media Culture Co. Ltd. Two days later when the site’s technical staff tried to relaunch the site they discovered the attack has not ceased.

Qiufeng had proposed to the site space service providers to request the Internet police monitoring department handle the case.

A technician from the service provider said that he is not clear how the Net monitoring department will manage the attack on the site.

The above news is brought to you by Guo Liang and Xi Wen, hosted Caden Pearson for Inside China Today on SOH Radio Network.

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