Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

HANOI, Vietnam – Vietnamese police arrested Pham Viet Dao, a prominent internet activist and blogger, yesterday for “abusing democratic freedoms” according to the Ministry of Public Security website. Dao has long been an aggressive critic of the one-party, communist government.

According to Dao, internet bloggers are the new journalists of Vietnam. (Photo Courtesy of Associated Press)

Dao has historically been critical of the state-run media industry in Vietnam, stating in a seminar last year that social media must “make up for the shortcomings and handicapped official media in the country.” He stated that with the advent of the internet and its rapidly increasing popularity, “individuals and bloggers have become journalists.”

Dao is a former government official and long-time member of the Vietnam Writers Association. He ran a website that posted articles, written by Dao, that criticized government leaders and officials. Dao had recently been vocal on several sensitive issues, including the Vietnamese government’s handling of China’s policy regarding the South China Sea, and the troubled economy. Since Dao’s arrest on Thursday, the website has been inoperative and locked down by the government.

Over the last three years, perceived Chinese aggression in the South China Sea have sparked extensive protesting and rallying in Vietnam. Activists were initially tolerated by the government, however recent demonstrations, which more aggressively dissented against the government, have been shut down by security forces.

The government has also come under intense pressure facing a stagnant economy. According to one economist, Nguyen Quang A, Dao’s arrest was an attempt by the government to send a message to the country to “shut up” and to put an end to internet-based criticism of the regime. Dao’s arrest came just  after the arrest of another prominent internet activist, Truong Duy Nhat, on May 26 on similar charges. So far this year 38 bloggers have been arrested on charges of “abusing democratic freedoms” and some 46 activists have been detained and sentenced for similar “anti-state” activities.

One government minister has issued a statement regarding internet use and the recent crackdown on internet-based dissent. At an address to the National Assembly, Nguyen Bac Son, Minister of Information and Communications, praised the benefits of the internet in Vietnam, but warned against its negative effects as well, stating that “recently, opportunist elements in the country and the overseas hostile forces have abused the Internet to spread information that sabotaged the country, distorted the policy of our Party and state.”

Neither Nhat nor Dao have faced trial yet. Bloggers arrested on similar charges have received as much as twelve years imprisonment. The government says that no one has been jailed for peacefully expressing their views, only those that have broken the law.

For more information, please see:

Reuters — Vietnamese police arrest anti-government blogger — 14 June 2013

BBC News — Vietnam arrests prominent blogger for ‘abusing freedoms’ – 14 June 2013

Wall Street Journal –Vietnam Arrests Prominent Blogger — 14 June 2013

Times of India — Vietnam detains second blogger in weeks — 14 June 2013

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Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia          

NORTH WAZIRISTAN, Pakistan - Two missiles, from suspected US drones, have killed seven people in a village in the North Waziristan tribal area, close to the Afghan border on Friday. The troubled border region is known as a stronghold of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants.

“The U.S. drone fired two missiles targeting a militant compound and killing at least seven militants.” a senior local security official said.

The drone attack came just days after Nawaz Sharif took over as Pakistan’s prime minister for an unprecedented third term and asked the United States to end its drone attacks against militants.

“We respect the sovereignty of others and they should also respect our sovereignty and independence. This campaign should come to an end.” Sharif stated in regards to the U.S. campaign.

Last month President Obama announced stricter targeting rules for the drone campaign against militant suspects.

It is unclear who the target of the attack was, though several militant groups have camps in the area. Pakistan Taliban, whose deputy leader Waliur Rehman was killed in a drone strike on May 29, is said to be stationed there. Rehman was the number two in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) faction and had a $5 million U.S. government bounty on his head.

On Thursday the families of Pakistani victims of U.S. drone strikes wrote to Sharif urging him to stop the U.S. campaign, even by shooting the U.S. drone’s down if necessary.

Drone attacks are incredibly controversial in Pakistan, where parts of the government and military have been accused of ignoring or even condoning some of the strikes. It has been claimed that between 2004 and 2013, U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan have killed up to 3,460 people.

It has been estimated by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, that of those 3,460 deaths, 890 of them were civilians with a vast majority of strikes being carried out under the Obama administration.

In May, President Obama said the drone strikes were part of a legitimate campaign against terrorism, calling them “legal” and “just.” However, on May 9^th the high court in the northwestern city of Peshawar declared the U.S. drone strikes targeting suspected militants a “war crime.”

For further information, please see:

BBC News - Pakistan drone strike kills seven in North Waziristan - 8 June 2013

4 News - Pakistan summons US diplomat over drone strike - 8 June 2013

The Daily Star - US drone strike kills 7 in Pakistan - 8 June 2013

The Voice of Russia - Pakistan protests to US over drone strikes that kill nine - 8 June 2013

Reuters - Pakistan summons envoy after U.S. drone strike kills nine - 8 June 2013

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Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PYONGYANG, North Korea– Nine North Korean youths, ages 14 to 23, were returned to Pyongyang earlier this week after being arrested in Laos and deported through Beijing, China.  Both the Chinese and Lao governments have come under criticism from the UNHCR, the United Nations organ responsible for refugee matters.

Protesters rally outside the Lao embassy in Seoul demanding the Lao government ensure the safety of the nine individuals returned to North Korea. (Photo Courtesy of AP)

The nine individuals fled North Korea in early May and entered Laos through China on May 9.  On May 16, Lao authorities captured the group and arranged their deportation to Beijing.  On Tuesday May 28 the group was flown back to Pyongyang under the supervision of several North Korean officials.

U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville stated that the group will likely face severe punishment upon their return.  North Korean law imposes a mandatory sentence of five years hard labor for defectors and the possibility of life imprisonment.  According to Human Rights Watch, North Korea has a history of mistreating persons that have left the country without authorization.  Such mistreatment has reportedly included forced labor, indeterminate detention, torture, malnourishment, and unsanitary living conditions.  Particularly harsh punishments are utilized against those suspected of attempting to contact or enter South Korea.

The U.N. admonished the DPRK Friday for failing to observe its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights article 7, which states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The potential for severe punishment and/or mistreatment at the hands of the DPRK also places the nine individuals within the protective sphere of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, and the 1984 Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment.  The 1951 Convention defines “refugee” as a person who “owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…”  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Handbook establishes that persecution that arises as a result of, or after, fleeing one’s country is also within the scope of the Convention’s protection.

The UNHCR has stated that both China and Laos’ actions are violations of  the aforementioned conventions, and also the customary international law principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return (refouler) or extradition of any person to a State where there are substantial grounds to believe that she would be in danger of being subjected to torture.

The exact condition and status of these nine individuals is unknown at this time, and North Korea has thus far failed to answer U.N. requests to investigate and/or receive independent reports on the status of the group.  The UNHCR continues to investigate and has expressed concern that in both China and Laos the group was denied an opportunity to lodge claims for asylum.

For further information, please see:

Human Rights Watch — North Korea: Denial of Rights Forces Back Refugees — 30 May 2013

BBC — UN ‘dismayed’ Over North Korea Refugees — 31 May 2013

Reuters — U.N. Fears Nine North Korean Defectors Sent Home by China — 31 May 2013

Bangkok Post — UN Protests Return of North Koreans — 1 June 2013

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The Rakyat, Malaysia’s three party opposition alliance to the allegedly corrupt central government, held a protest rally to shun a possible election fraud that may have been present in Malaysia’s May 5^th national elections.

Thousands of demonstrators attend the rally put on by Anwar Ibrahim. (Photo Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal)

Anwar Ibrahim, leader of the opposition alliance, vowed to expose the central government’s actions that fraudulently allowed the Barisan Nasional coalition to stay in power.  The opposition alliance bases their allegations on the fact that the Barisan party only won 46% of the popular vote during the national election, however, they still own a majority of the parliamentary seats.

Anwar Ibrahim’s opposition alliance only managed to secure 89 parliamentary seats despite securing a majority of the popular vote (at 51%).  The Barisan managed to hold onto 133 seats.  Investigators have alluded to possible voting irregularities and are now focusing their efforts around 30 seats where the margin of victory was extremely small and perhaps the integrity of the votes was questionable.

Growing concerns over voting integrity and the possibility that the central ruling party has implemented some type of illegal tactic in the recent election triggered a massive number of mass protests in the streets in addition to Anwar Ibrahim’s large stadium demonstration.

Malaysia’s electoral system has been under scrutiny by the public in recent years and the civil society group, Bersih, has pushed for electoral improvements.  The proposed improvements, however, were struck down after being put to a vote and the central government’s elections commission only adopted a small portion of the broad number of proposed changes.

Third party think tanks including Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) and the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) had dispatched observers to the Malaysian election scene in order to gather information and verify the legitimacy of their voting practices.

The report compiled by the third party observers noted that mainstream media is dominated by the Barisan ruling party and the content is heavily biased in favor of the current central government.  Furthermore, central government and military facilities are commonly used in campaign efforts by the Barisan.

The third party observers further reported that the lack of transparency in political and electoral financing further exacerbates the problems with allegations of voting fraud.  The irregularities in the May 5^th election will have a significant impact on the legitimacy of the ruling party going forward.

The current prime minister’s office has rejected the allegations and accusations of voting fraud because they believe that the evidence brought forward by the third party observations are unsubstantiated.  However, concerns over voting fraud were already in the winds with reports that thousands of constituents were flown in from Borneo to Kuala Lumpur to rig the vote.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Opposition protests Malaysia vote ‘fraud’ – 9 May 2013

The Wall Street Journal – Malaysian Premier Tested by Protests Over Vote – 9 May 2013

Reuters – Malaysian rally to protest election “fraud” draws big crowd – 8 May 2013

BBC – Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim urges protest over poll defeat – 6 May 2013

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DHAKA, Bangladesh – At least 20 Bangladeshi deaths have resulted from a series of violent clashes between Muslim protestors attempting to push for religious reforms and state riot police attempting to quiet the discontent in the streets.

Police attempt to hold back oncoming protesters who are hurling stones. (Photo Courtesy of Voice of America)

On Sunday, 200,000 Muslims and proponents of Islamic religious change marched in the capital city of Dhaka.  The demonstrators were met by state police forces that fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd in an attempt to disperse the mobs.

The demonstrators regrouped the next day, on Monday, and retaliated against the police attacks by hurling stones at city officials.  The police again utilized teargas and rubber bullets, as well as water cannons, to try and stop the violence.

The protestors also damaged private and public property during their violent demonstrations by setting fire to vehicles, including at least two police vehicles, and attempted to overrun a police outpost near the edge of the city.

Additional violent clashes erupted in the city of Chittagong in the southeastern portion of the country.  Police opened fire with live ammunition rounds at the protestors attempting to overrun their position.  Another two protestors were killed in the southern city of Bagerhat.

The violence is a result of political actions perpetrated by the Islamist group “Hefajat-e-Islam” which has urged the government to adopt a new blasphemy law, reinstate a pledge to Allah in their national constitution, adopt a new law that bans women from freely associating with men, and making Islamic education mandatory in schools.

The central government of Bangladesh has resisted the demands of the Islamist group and refuses to make the changes.  U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has urged the Muslims seeking religious reform in the country to go about their business peacefully and for the central government to respond in kind.

The country has seen a string of violent protests emerge since January of this year.  An investigative tribunal was set up in order to probe abuses that were perpetrated by possible war criminals during the 1971 war for independence from neighboring Pakistan.  A main Muslim party leader of Jamaat-e-Islami was sentenced to death by the investigative tribunal after the proceedings.

The central party leaders of the Jamaat had been accused of committing the crimes of rape, murder and torture during the war for independence.  Jamaat-e-Islami was also a large opponent to the current central government’s push for independence.

Hefajat-e-Islam emerged in the aftermath of the controversial tribunals that condemned the Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders and the new party has also revived the push for strong Islamic, religious reforms that Jamaat once stood for.

For further information, please see:

Irish Independent – Bangladesh rallies leave 20 dead – 6 May 2013

Reuters – At least 20 dead in Islamist protests in Bangladesh – 6 May 2013

Xinhua World News – Bangladesh closes pro-opposition TV channels after 20 killed in police, Islamists clashes – 6 May 2013

Voice of America – 20 Killed in Clashes Between Bangladesh Police, Islamists – 5 May 2013

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PYONGYANG, North Korea – The U.S. demanded North Korea to release a captive American citizen who was recently sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for the alleged crime of attempting to overthrow the central North Korean government.

Pictured above, a photo of the detained, Kenneth Bae. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Kenneth Bae (44), also known as Pae Jun-Ho, was born in South Korea, studied psychology for two years at the University of Oregon, and is a naturalized citizen of the United States.  Mr. Bae has been detained by the North Korean government since he entered the north as a tourist last year.

He was arrested in November of last year after entering North Korean through the north eastern port city of Rason which is part of a special economic zone near the North Korean-Chinese border.  There is speculation that Mr. Bae was acting as a tour operator when he was taken into custody by authorities.

South Korean activists speculate that Mr. Bae was detained by North Korean authorities because he had been taking photographs of starving children.  Patrick Ventrell, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department expressed concerns regarding the due process aspects of North Korea’s legal system.

One of the gravest concerns is whether or not North Korea’s legal system is actually providing defendants with a fair trial due to the lack of transparency that surrounds their courts.  Reports state that Mr. Bae had received legal counsel from Sweden since Sweden represented the U.S. in their absence in this ordeal due to a lack of diplomatic ties with North Korea.

Now that Mr. Bae has run the full gauntlet of the DPRK’s legal system, the U.S.is asking that Mr. Bae be granted amnesty for the alleged anti-government crimes that he has committed against the communist state.  The U.S. demands that Mr. Bae be released immediately.

Mr. Bae’s April 30^th sentence could not have come at a worse time since the U.S. and North Korea have been deadlocked in a diplomatic quagmire regarding Pyongyang’s third nuclear test.  The U.S. doled out harsher sanctions on Pyongyang after its latest nuclear test in February which followed a December long range rocket test.

Pyongyang responded to the U.S. sanctions by threatening to launch a full scale military attack on U.S. military bases and also cut shaky ties with their democratic, southern brother.  Pundits suggest that North Korea is holding Mr. Bae hostage as leverage in future negotiations.

Though Mr. Bae has been sentenced to 15 years in a hard labor camp, he will most likely be housed in a separate, less harsh facility, designed specifically for foreign detainees.

For further information, please see:

BBC – US urges N Korea to grant amnesty to Kenneth Bae – 2 May 2013

Reuters – U.S. seeks North Korean amnesty for American jailed for 15 years – 2 May 2013

The Telegraph – US demands ‘immediate release’ of American imprisoned in North Korea 2- May 2013

Al Jazeera – North Korea to put US citizen on trial – 27 April 2013

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Human rights organizations around the world are urging the United Arab Emirates (UAE) not to deport Tamil journalist, Rathimohan Lohini, back to Sri Lanka where she may face torture and other reprisals for her affiliation with the rebel group.

Lohini (pictured above), was a Tamil news anchorwoman. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

Lohini, along with 19 other Tamil refugees in the UAE, were given the deadline of April 11^th to leave the country.  Lohini faces deportation from the UAE despite enjoying UN refugee status which gives her the right to stay.  Because of her status, she should be afforded basic rights under international refugee law and international human rights law.

Lohini, an ethnic Tamil who was born and raised in Northern Sri Lanka, lived in the Kilinichchi District which the Tamil rebels retained control over during their bloody, twenty six year civil war with the current Sri Lankan central government.

She went to work for the National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) in June of 2006.  She attained the post of main female news anchor and gained notoriety and fame with the domestic news watchers.  Lohini left the television network in December of 2008, and fearing for her life, she fled Sri Lanka in April of 2009.

Lohini knew that her post as a Tamil news anchor woman and her regular appearances on the evening news would make her easily identifiable to the military and central Sri Lankan government authorities.  She fled to Dubai in October of 2012, believing that it would be a safe alternative to persecution back in Sri Lanka.

Reporters Without Borders and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka both expressed their concerns regarding Lohini’s forced deportation from the UAE back to Sri Lanka.  Because of the current political climate and human rights abuses toward the Tamil minority and former rebels, the consequences of Lohini’s forced return are feared to be dire.

The two human rights groups pleaded with UNHRC to at least stay the decision of forced deportation citing that the action by the UAE is a complete violation of international human rights and refugee law.  The risks of torture and any bodily harm are apparent as evidenced by the finding of a Tamil reporter in 2009 who was bound and naked.

The reporter was a colleague of Lohini’s and was identified only as Isaipriya.  Lohini is currently being held at a refugee camp in Dubai which is operated by UNHCR in cooperation with Dubai immigration awaiting her ultimate fate.

For further information, please see:

BBC – UAE urged not to deport Sri Lanka journalist Lohini – 10 April 2013

Colombo Telegraph – UAE Urged Not To Deport Tiger TV Journalist Rathimohini – 10 April 2013

Committee to Protect Journalists – UAE may deport refugee Tamil journalist to Sri Lanka – 10 April 2013

Tamil Guardian – UAE urged not to deport Tamil journalist – 10 April 2013

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YANGON, Myanmar – The Muslim population in Myanmar continues to live in fear after a recent fire engulfed a downtown Yangon mosque and religious school killing 13 students on April 2nd.

Muslims in Yangon gather to pray for the 13 children who perished in the fire. (Photo Courtesy of NBC World News)

The central government and local police investigators maintain that the fire was accidental and most likely a product of faulty wiring which caused an electrical short circuit.  The police attempted to calm the fears of the people and promised that an investigative committee would be established to look into the incident a bit further.

Security forces were sent in by the central government to disperse an angry crowd that had gathered in downtown Yangon demanding the truth regarding the deadly fire that killed Muslim children.  Muslims continue to believe that the fire was a product of sectarian violence.

The fortunate children and teachers that were able to escape the blaze told the press that the doors to the mosque and religious school were locked when those inside attempted to escape when the fire first started.  The doors were only opened after emergency response teams reached the scene.

Furthermore, the escapees said that there was an oily substance on the ground that smelled like petrol or diesel.  Many of the children and teachers slipped on the dirty, oily substance while trying to escape.  Muslim leaders continue to impose their suspicions with new evidence, like the oily substance on the floors, coming to light.

The Muslim population’s fears are not unfounded.  The accidental fire at the mosque comes at a time when the Buddhist “969” movement is gaining steam in Myanmar.  The 969 movement has been the driving force behind anti-Muslim violence throughout Myanmar.

969 supporters, like Kyi Lwin, tell the media that the movement is not necessarily supporting violence against Muslims.  Kyi says that the movement is meant to “build a fence” around Buddhism and its followers.  They want to discourage Buddhist to Muslim interaction; they are not trying to convert or destroy the religion in anyway.

Muslims in Myanmar, however, like Mohamed Irshad, say that they cannot even sleep at night due to the rising amounts of sectarian violence.  Irshad says that those in his neighborhood must be on constant guard in case the Buddhists attack again.

Ruhla Min takes a different approach.  He and his congregation were instructed to peacefully pray for a resolution to the violence and conflict.  Ruhla Min’s congregation does not want to add any more fuel to the fire that is already smoldering in Yangon and beyond.

For further information, please see:

Reuters – Fear stalks Yangon’s Muslims after Buddhist-led killings – 10 April 2013

France 24 – Muslim school fire kills at least 13 in Yangon – 2 April 2013

India TV News –  13 die in devastating fire in Muslim orphanage school in Yangon, Myanmar – 2 April 2013

NBC World News – 13 boys killed in Myanmar Islamic school fire amid anti-Muslim violence – 2 April 2013

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LUCKNOW, India – Four sisters in India suffered varying degrees of burn injuries after being brutally attacked with acid by two unidentified men on a motorbike.

Indian women in Delhi protest for greater protection from violence. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The four sisters are all teachers at a local government school in the town of Kandhla in Shamli district which is located in the western Uttar Pradesh state.  Their ages range from nineteen to twenty four.  The attack occurred when the four were on their way home after work.

Abdul Hameed, the senior police officer in charge of investigating the case, released a public statement saying that the youngest of the sisters, 19, suffered the severest of burns and was rushed to a hospital in Delhi for treatment.  Hameed also told the public that the motive behind the attacks is still unclear.

Proponents for greater protection of Indian women against violent abuse said that women who deny the orders or advances of lovers, husbands or even employers are often brutally attacked like the four sisters in the current case.

The cheap chemicals and acids used in these types of attacks are readily available in commercial markets in India.  “Tezaab,” a household cleaning agent designed to clean rust off tools is the weapon of choice in these attacks.  Human rights activists have clamored for greater restrictions on the sale of chemicals and acids that are generally used in the attacks.

President Pranab Mukherjee recently passed legislation that imposes harsher punishments on those who commit certain acts of violence against women.  The newly signed laws contain greater penalties for the crime of rape.  Rapists can now face the death penalty.

The punishments for attacking women with acid, however, have remained unchanged.  Perpetrators can face up to 12 years in prison depending on the amount of damage they inflict with their attack; however the offenders can be bailed out.

Reports by the London-based Acid Survivors Trust International estimate that about 1,500 acid attacks are carried out and recorded internationally per year.  However, this figure may be inaccurate because many of the victims of acid attacks do not officially report their injuries to the proper authorities and suffer in silence.

The majority of the acid attacks that occur throughout the world are carried out in South Asia in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan Afghanistan as well as India.  Pakistan, India’s neighbor, recently passed legislation in 2011 that increased the punishment of acid attacks.  Prison sentences range from 14 years to life and a minimum fine of one million Pakistani rupees is imposed.

For further information, please see:

Mmegi Online – Four sisters in India injured in acid attack – 4 April 2013

The Nation – 4 Indian sisters hurt in acid attack – 4 April 2013

BBC – India acid: Four sisters injured in Uttar Pradesh attack – 3 April 2013

Global Post – Acid attack on four Indian sisters – 3 April 2013

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – An unidentified gang attacked the office of a local Sri Lankan newspaper run by individuals previously associated with the Tamil separatist group who fought a bitter civil war with the current central government.

A vehicle outside the newspaper office that was damaged during the attack. (Photo Courtesy of BBC)

The office publishes a Tamil-language newspaper that routinely runs stories that are highly critical of the current regime in Sri Lanka.  This episode of violence occurred merely two weeks after the United Nations passed a resolution asking the Sri Lankan central government to investigate and remedy the human rights violations redolent in their country which includes intimidation of journalists.

The attack was carried out against the Uthayan newspaper office located in the northern portion of the country where the former civil war was waged.  This marks the fourth attack on a Sri Lankan media outlet since January.

Six unidentified, masked individuals stormed the office causing damage to the building, vehicles, computers and other property.  Five of the employees at the newspaper office, including the manager, we injured during the attack.  Three of the workers were reportedly hospitalized, and the remaining workers suffered minor injuries.

The publisher of the Uthayan newspaper is E. Saravanapavan, a legislator for the Tamil National Alliance party and has strong ties to the former separatist rebels.  The local police and government officials could not be reached to provide a statement on the attack against the Tamil newspaper.

Saravanapavan released a statement to the media suggesting that the attack was directly linked to stories that the newspaper had recently run which criticized the paramilitary forces and their actions in the former northern war zone.

Though politically motivated violence has significantly dwindled since the current Sri Lankan regime stamped out the Tamil rebellion four years ago in 2009, pundits in the international human rights community believe that violence against reporters and other subversives are still are problem.

Rule of law, human rights groups say, has yet to be firmly established in the tumultuous aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war.  There have been no arrests in relation to the attacks that occurred against the media earlier this year.  Authorities and internal administrators that should be conducting these investigations have yet to be full restored after the civil war.

Sunil Jayasekara, a spokesperson for the Media Movement in Sri Lanka (a freedom of press group), released a public statement stating that these attacks are not only a threat to the freedom of the media, but a threat to the entire country of Sri Lanka.  Jayasekara called for the government to take more responsibility for these types of attacks against the media.

For further information, please see:

BBC – Tamil paper Uthayan attacked in northern Sri Lanka – 3 April 2013

Breitbart – TAMIL NEWSPAPER SAYS STAFF ATTACKED IN SRI LANKA – 3 April 2013

The Global Times – Tamil newspaper office attacked in Sri Lanka – 3 April 2013

Reuters – Sri Lanka newspaper office attacked, five workers hurt – 3 April 2013

Shanghai Daily – Tamil newspaper office attacked in Sri Lanka – 3 April 2013

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BEIJING, China – A report released to China’s central government in Beijing theorizes that over one million Chinese die prematurely each year due to poor air quality in the rapidly industrializing nation.

A woman in Beijing rides through the streets with a protective mask. (Photo Courtesy of Yahoo News)

The report was first presented in the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study and published in a British medical journal.  The report mainly focuses on statistics from India and China which has some of the most densely populated and polluted cities in the entire world.

The 2010 report estimates that air pollution ranked as the fourth leading killer in China behind dietary problems, high blood pressure, and tobacco smoking.  Air pollution ranked as the seventh leading risk factor contributing to premature deaths worldwide, killing roughly 3.2 million people in 2010.

Ambient particulate matter pollution, tiny pieces of solid matter floating around in the atmosphere, is what causes the deaths after it is inhaled by people who live in the densely populated Chinese cities.  Barbara Finamore, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council to China, warns that if you travel to Beijing you immediately feel the effects after getting off the plane in the form of stinging eyes and sore throats.

The air pollution in Beijing, and all over China, routinely gets so poor that citizens will walk through the streets wearing protective masks.  Young children are also not allowed to play outside in the streets.  There are certain days when the ambient particulate matter levels are so high in the cities that it is impossible to see the buildings across the street.

Robert O’Keefe, researcher at the health effects Institute in Boston, states that China’s rapid growth is causing the dramatic decrease in air quality.  Cars and trucks are hitting the urban streets in major cities at an alarming rate, and the power plants all over the country are burning large amounts of low-grade coal.

The Chinese government has been pressed by the international community to control the environmental impact of their explosive growth and energy consumption.  Though officials are under severe pressure, a study released last Thursday suggests that the information on pollution in Chinese cities has gotten less accessible in recent years.

An official report released last week by a Chinese news source states that the reversal of some of the environmental degradation in China would cost roughly $230 billion.  The report only focuses on the 2010 figures.  The estimate came from research that was conducted in 2004 by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

For further information, please see:

International Business Times – Airpocalypse In China: Air Pollution Linked to 1.2M Deaths, Study Says – 2 April 2013

NPR – China’s Air Pollution Linked To Millions Of Early Deaths – 2 April 2013

Yahoo news – Air pollution linked to 1.2M deaths in China in 2010 – 2 April 2013

The New York Times – Air Pollution Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China – 1 April 2013

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LANZHOU, China – Reports say that roughly 100 decomposing human bodies are fished out of the Yellow River every year in and around the city of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province.

Workers fishing garbage out of the Yellow River in Lanzhou. (Photo Courtesy of South China Morning Post)

A report from a Shanghai newspaper reported that the figure of 100 is actually low, and the most recent statistics place the number of decomposing human remains retrieved from the river closer to 200 or 300 per year.

The report from the Shanghai newspaper is bolstered by “body fishers,” like Wei Jinpeng, who collect the floating corpses along the river so they can display the bodies and sell them back to the families of the deceased.  Wei Jinpeng says the estimate of 100 per year is likely incredibly low given that he alone fishes out roughly 80 to 100 bodies per year.

Body fishing is also an incredibly lucrative trade for those who engage in the business, like Wei Jinpeng, in the city of Lanzhou.  The city’s government has dragged their feet in cracking down on the gruesome trade since issuing a promise to the public to fix the problem back in 2006.

Law enforcement and city officials remain uninterested in the body fishing epidemic despite reports stating that around 5% of the bodies fished out of the Yellow River are results of criminal activity and murder.  Many of the bodies fished out of the river are murdered, female migrant workers.

The dumping of human remains into Chinese rivers has been an ongoing problem for decades, but has recently resurfaced as a controversial issue in international media due to the investigations surrounding the dumping of tens of thousands of pig carcasses in the Huangpu River in Shanghai and dead ducks being dumped into the Nan River in Sichuan province.

The controversy stems from the possibility that the human remains, as well as the animal remains that riddle the Chinese rivers, may be contaminating and polluting the water supply provided by the rivers.  A 2005 Daxia Hydropower Company report suggested that the human remains in the water supply make the water hazardous to drink.

If the bodies are left untreated and decomposing in the rivers, the environmental impact and pollution is much more severe than the regular dumping of household waste into the rivers.   Additionally, in a 2012 investigation, river water is believed to regularly mix with well water which is consumed by humans, but the river water contaminated with human remains makes the water unsafe to drink.

For further information, please see:

The Times of India – Pigs, ducks and now bodies in China river – 2 April 2013

Foreign Policy – Is This a Pandemic Being Born? – 1 April 2013

Forbes – Now In China’s Rivers: Decomposing Humans – 31 March 2013

South China Morning Post – Officials in Lanzhou say bodies floating in river not affecting water quality – 29 March 2013

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BEIJING, China – Liu Hui, brother-in-law of imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, has been taken into custody and will soon be put on trial because of accusations of fraud.

Liu Xia, wife of Liu Xiaobo and sister of Liu Hui, during a house arrest visit. (Photo Courtesy of Radio Free Asia)

Mo Shaoping, Liu Hui’s lawyer, said that his client Mr. Liu has been detained over a property dispute; however, the evidence the state has against him is insufficient for an actual conviction.  The case against Liu Hui is based on an accusation that he and an old colleague stole from the company they worked for.

The Associated Press reported that Liu and his accomplice allegedly took three million RMB (roughly $483,000) from their workplace.  Liu Xia, the wife of the jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner and sister of Liu Hui, believes that her brother’s detainment is an intimidation tactic to force her to comply with her house arrest.

Liu Xia was sentenced to a lengthy house arrest term alongside her husband who was sentenced to an 11 year prison term.  The couple was convicted based on charges of subversion against the central government in late 2009 when Liu Xiaobo attempted to bring down the one party system in favor of democratic reforms in China.

Hu Jia, a prominent human rights activist in the Beijing area who visited with Liu Xia during her house arrest, perceives Liu Xia’s conditions as weakening.  Liu Hui said during her meeting that she would “go mad soon” after the events surrounding her brother’s detainment.

Mo Shaoping, whose firm defended Liu Xiaobo during his legal proceedings against the state when he was brought up on subversion charges, told local news agencies that Liu Hui had been under surveillance by authorities for several months.  It is uncertain whether the current charges are in any way connected with the subversion activities of Liu Xiaobo.

Mr. Mo further said that the evidence against Liu Hui is insufficient for a criminal proceeding and the current dispute should be settled in civil courts.  Liu Hui has also publicly denied any wrongdoing on his part.  Mr. Liu could face as much as 10 years in prison if found guilty for this property dispute.

China’s judicial branches are firmly in the grips of the Communist party and will usually find defendants, like Liu Hui, guilty for the crimes they have been charged with.  Mr. Liu will stand trial in Huairou, a northern district in the capital city of Beijing.

There has been no notification of a set trial date yet; however, Liu’s lawyers expect a firm date within the month.

For further information, please see:

Democracy Digest – China jails Nobel laureate’s relative – 1 April 2013

BBC – Jailed China Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s relative held – 29 March 2013

The New York Times – Relative of Jailed Chinese Laureate Faces Fraud Charges – 29 March 2013

Radio Free Asia – Chinese Laureate’s Relative Held on ‘Fraud’ – 29 March 2013

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – On Thursday, hundreds of Buddhist monks threw stones at a Muslim-owned warehouse injuring several people in Colombo. The incident occurred a day after Sri Lankan authorities set up a hot-line informing them of anyone “inciting religious or racial hatred.”

Sri Lankan Police standing in front of the warehouse. (Photo Courtesy of France 24)

Televised news covered showed broken glass and clothing from the warehouse scattered in the street. Although five or six people were injured, including the store manager and journalists, no arrests have been made.

According to BBC News, this recent event by the monks was part of their campaign against the “Muslim lifestyle.”

The Buddhist monks targeted a Muslim-owned clothing chain, Fashion Bug, which operates throughout Sri Lanka.

According to France 24, the monks throughout the assault “yelled insults against Muslims.”

Prior to Thursday’s attack, these Buddhist monks sent texts advising people to boycott Muslim shops when preparing for the upcoming Sri Lankan New Year festival.

On Friday, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), the most prominent Buddhist organization, issued a statement claiming that it was not involved in Thursday’s attack against the warehouse. Two weeks ago prior to the assault, BBS’s general secretary accused Fashion Bug and No Limit, another Muslim-owned clothing chain, of converting Buddhist employees.

Eyewitnesses claimed that Sri Lankan authorities initially stood and watched the event until the incident spread.

“There was a crowd of about 500 people, led by about a dozen monks,” stated Azzam Ameen, a journalist in Colombo. “About 25 to 30 policemen were on the scene, but were clearly overwhelmed. Most of the crowd was made up of young men, in their early twenties or even younger,” continued Mr. Ameen.

The attack allegedly lasted approximately an hour and a half before the fire brigade arrived.  However, many took refuge in the Buddhist temple across the street to continue hurling stones at the warehouse from there.

However, Sri Lankan authorities believed sufficient protection existed.

“We have deployed extra units of STR [Special Task Force commandos] and police to guard the area,” relayed police spokesman Buddhika Siriwardena to the Agence France-Presse news agency. “The situation was brought under control within a few hours,” continued Mr. Siriwardena.  

Sri Lanka’s Minister for Justice Rauff Hakeem, a Muslim, requested that the prime minister call a crucial cabinet meeting to plan the safety and security for Muslims subsequent to the assault on Thursday.

Sanjana Hattotuaw, a human rights activists and journalist, is weary of the government response. “What’s disturbing is that our defense secretary is openly associating with Buddhist extremists.”

For further information, please see:

Asia News – Sri Lanka, hundreds of radical Buddhist attack Islamic community – 29 March 2013

BBC News – Sri Lanka crowd attack Muslim warehouse in Colombo – 29 March 2013

France 24 News – Sri Lanka police stand by as Buddhist monks attack Muslim-owned store – 29 March 2013

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SHANGHAI, China – Dozens of migrant Chinese workers are being evicted from their makeshift homes in old shipping containers in Shanghai due the new Chinese leadership’s desire to accelerate urbanization in the outskirts of the country’s “mega” cities.

A subdivided tenement awaits demolition in Huabei province of China. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

Neighborhoods like the shipping container village, about twenty minutes away from Shanghai’s wealthy financial district, have sprung up in the last twenty years to fulfill China’s desperate need for cheap housing.  Other unusual housing solutions include using tents, repurposing old industrial buildings, and subdividing farm houses to accommodate the droves of migrant workers that flock to urban centers.

China plans on spending roughly $6 trillion on improving domestic infrastructure, like building more housing, in order to serve the projected 400 million people that are estimated to move to urban centers in the next decade.

Though China plans on building more housing to fulfill their desperate housing needs, by destroying the makeshift neighborhoods like the shipping container village in Shanghai, the government is leaving thousands of poor, migrant workers without any housing.

Migrant workers, like Li Yanxin who runs a convenience store out of his shipping container to earn money, cannot afford regular apartments, which can cost as much as 2000 yuan per month (roughly $320 U.S.).  The poor must resort to renting smaller properties, like 12 square meter subdivided rooms, at the more affordable rate of 500 yuan per month (roughly $80 U.S.).

Around 130 million migrant, Chinese workers live in subdivided rooms in old farmhouses, which land owning farmers in villages have repurposed.  After the government usurps the land the old farmhouses sit on, the land will be rezoned and repurposed for development purposes.

The newly rezoned land can be sold at a very high price for lucrative commercial development.  These lands, in theory, will be repurposed for fulfilling the desperate housing needs; however, the evicted migrant poor will be unable to afford the luxury apartments that will most likely sit atop of the newly developed lands.

Other cities, like Beijing, are attempting to clean up crowded tenements, like the shipping container village and farmhouse subdivision tenements, by usurping the land, repurposing it, and raising rents.  This effectively prices out the poor who will no longer be able to afford the properties.

Beijing also will not allow migrant poor to purchase the new properties the city plans to build.  The migrant workers will only be allowed to rent, however, the number of available apartments to rent usually falls short of public need.

For further information, please see:

Reuters – China’s urbanization drive leaves migrant workers out in the cold – 30 March 2013

China Daily – Migrants: linchpin of China’s urbanization – 27 March 2013

New Tang Dynasty – China’s Urbanization Drive Puts Trillions into Officials’ Pockets – 27 March 2013

South China Morning Post – Managing China’s urban spread – 21 March 2013

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