Staggering new estimates suggest that 100,000 people may have died in Burma’s terrible cyclone. Incredibly, the corrupt and brutal Burmese government has stopped most international aid at the borders and is impeding the relief effort.

In under 24 hours, Avaaz members have donated over 690,000 Euros (over US$1 million – more than many governments!) to help Burma’s monks provide the emergency relief, through their own networks and monasteries, that the government will not. Scroll down to see the email sent yesterday with all the details of how we can help, or click below to help us get over 1 million Euros (US$1.54m) today:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/15.php
_____________________________________________________

Dear friends,

In the wake of a massive cyclone, a shocking 100,000 Burmese may be dead. More are missing. A million are homeless.

But what’s happening in Burma is not just a natural disaster—it’s also a catastrophe of bad leadership.

Burma’s brutal and corrupt military junta failed to warn the people, failed to evacuate any areas, and suppressed freedom of communication so that Burmese people didn’t know the storm was coming when the rest of the world did. Now the government is failing to respond to the disaster and obstructing international aid organizations.

Humanitarian relief is urgently needed, but Burma’s government could easily delay, divert or misuse any aid. Yesterday the International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma’s powerful grass roots network of monasteries—the most trusted institutions in the country and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities. Click below to help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a leader of the monks:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/15.php

Giving to the monks is a smart, fast way to get aid directly to Burma’s people. Governments and international aid organizations are important, but face challenges—they may not be allowed into Burma, or they may be forced to provide aid according to the junta’s rules. And most will have to spend large amounts of money just setting up operations in the country. The monks are already on the front lines of the aid effort—housing, feeding, and supporting the victims of the cyclone since the day it struck. The International Burmese Monks Organization will send money directly to each monastery through their own networks, bypassing regime controls.

Last year, more than 800,000 of us around the world stood with the Burmese people as they rose up against the military dictatorship. The government lost no time then in dispatching its armies to ruthlessly crush the non-violent democracy movement—but now, as tens of thousands die, the junta’s response is slow and threatens to divert precious aid into the corrupt regime’s pockets.

The monks are unlikely to receive aid from governments or large humanitarian organizations, but they have a stronger presence and trust among the Burmese people than both. If we all chip in a little bit, we can help them to make a big difference. Click here to donate:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/15.php

With hope,

Ricken, Ben, Graziela, Paul, Iain, Veronique, Pascal, Galit and the whole Avaaz team

PS: Here are some links to more information:

For more information about Avaaz’s work to support the Burmese people, click here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/burma_report_back

For more information about the cyclone, the humanitarian crisis, and the political dimension, see these articles:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/IMD_issued_specific_and_precise_advisories_to_Myanmar_IMD/articleshow/3016493.cms
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/08/myanmar/?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.irrawaddy.org/opinion_story.php?art_id=11836
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/world/asia/07aid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7385205.stm
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ABOUT AVAAZ
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Congressional Testimony on North Korea.
LiNK

List of North Korean Refugees and Humanitarian Workers

[The following list is a few years old, but China’s policy of repatriating North Korean defectors has not changed. Once handed back over the border, N. Korean defectors face prison camps, torture, and in some cases, death by execution. (taken from: reference link) ]

The following represents a list that the Defense Forum Foundation (DFF) began compiling in 2002 of the names of North Korean refugees and humanitarian workers who are known to have been seized by the Chinese authorities as a result of the People’s Republic of China’s refusal to abide by the international agreements it has signed. There are, of course, thousands and thousands of others who have been seized and forcibly repatriated to North Korea for which the date and location is not known to us.

This list was compiled in cooperation with seven NGOs working with DFF to rescue North Korean refugees and was compiled by Suzanne Scholte of the Defense Forum Foundation and reviewed for accuracy by the Seoul-based Citizens Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees, the Japan-based Life Funds for North Korean Refugees, Abraham H. Lee of Refugee Phan, and several others who need to remain anonymous. The list has been periodically submitted to the People’s Republic of China along with letters requesting release of the individuals still in their custody and information about the whereabouts of those who have disappeared. It has been read aloud at many protest rallies around the world including several held at the PRC embassy in Washington, D.C., the PRC embassy in Prague, the Czech Republic and the PRC embassy in Warsaw, Poland. It has been submitted as part of testimony given by DFF to the U.S. House International Relations Committee, the U.S. Congressional Executive Commission on China and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

The purposes of this list are (1) to keep pressure on the government of China, because it is responsible for the fate of everyone listed on these pages; (2) to keep the names before us always so that we will not forget their imprisonment and their suffering; and (3) to allow this list to be used by human rights organizations to help them join us in advocating for the release of all these individuals whether they are currently in Chinese or North Korean political prison camps.

The age that is listed for the refugees is their age at the time of their capture, unless otherwise noted. Consistent with the Korean naming scheme, the surname is followed by the given name.

Seized in early November 2004 from a hospital in Dandung, China

Lee Ju-im (female, 73) – Mrs. Lee is a South Korean citizen who was abducted to North Korea during the Korea War; she had escaped North Korea and was recuperating in a hospital when she was seized by North Korea security agents.

Seized on 26 October 2004 in the Tong Chow Section of Beijing

65 North Korean refugees hiding in two shelters, including 11 children and a 70 year old man, along with the two South Korean human rights activists. The refugees include:

• Kim Soon-ok (female, 25, from Eundok), who defected to China approximately 7 years ago and who has two children aged 5 and 2 years old.
• Kim Soon-bok (female, 33, from Eundok), who defected to China approximately 7 years ago and who has one child, 3 years old.
• Kim Kyung-ok (27, from Eundok), who defected to China approximately 7 years ago.

It has been reported that 62 of these refugees were repatriated to North Korea on 9 November 2004.

Seized on 25 October 2004

15 North Korean refugees attempting to enter the Korean consulate office in China.

Seized on 27 September 2004

9 North Korean refugee women and children at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China; two children were released to South Korean officials but the other 7 women and teenagers are still being held.

Seized on 8 August 2004 in Podung, China

Jin Kyung-sook (born 24 June 1980), a North Korean defector who had established South Korean citizenship in 2002, and was forcibly seized by North Korean agents and repatriated to North Korea.

Seized sometime between 5-10 June 2004 in Nanning, China

Yun Hyang-shim (female, born January 12, 1956), who had defected from North Korea and is now a South Korean citizen. She was caught trying to help her son-in-law escape to Vietnam, and is being held in Nanji Prison in Nanning City.

Seized on 15 February 2004 at Nanning, Guangxi Province

Kang Eun-hee (25), Park Il-man (38) and 5 other North Korean refugees were seized by Chinese authorities and sent to Ansan refugee camp in Tumen, Ji-Lin Provice on 5 March 2004. After going on a hunger strike to try to gain their freedom and safe passage to South Korea, they were repatriated to North Korea on 12 March 2004. They are reported to have been sent to Onsong Political Prison camp.

Seized on 23 December 2003 while trying to travel to Beijing, China

Choi Song-juk (mother of Lyu Myung-ho and Lyu Sung-ho – see 18/19 September 2001 entry).

Seized on 13 December 2003 in Guangxi with Takayuki Noguchi

Choi Yong (male, 60) and Shin Chung-mee (female, 46), who are both Japanese-born North Korean refugees whom Noguchi was trying to bring safely to the country of their birth.

Seized on 5 December 2003 in Nanning City

Chinese authorities seized 36 North Korean refugees hiding in Nanning City, Kwangzi Province.

Seized on 26 September 2003 in Guangdong Province

Kim Seung-whan (male, 54), an American businessman sentenced on 5 April 2004 to 5 years in jail, deportation and a 20,000 RMB fine for helping North Korean refugees; currently held in Tiebi Prison in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. The following refugees that Mr. Kim was trying to help were also seized:

• Kim Keum-chun (male, 19)
• Park Young-chul (male, 19)
• Park Hang-chul (male, 52)
• Chung Song-hee (female, 12)
• Park Kyung-sook (female, 38) (mother of Chung Song-hee)
• Chung Hwa-keum (female, 36)
• Kim Il-hwa (female, 36)
• Song Yeun-hee (female, 40)
• Park Choon-hee (female, 40)
  
  Seized in early September 2003 in Yunnan Province

• Yun Jong-ok, (female, 37)
• Yun Kwang-chol (male, 34)
• Park (first name not known) (female, 31)
• Lee So-bong (female, 54)
• Ko Kum-suk (female, 34)
• Ko Hye-suk (female, 32)
• Ko I-song (female, 27)
• Ko Song-hi (female, 24)
• Oh In-sun (female, 20)
• Ko Jong-hi (female, 40)
• Oh In-chol (male, 15)
• Oh Jong-hwa (female, 34)
• Kim So-hi (female, 27)
• Sohn Mi-hyang (female,
• Chung Hye-yong (female, 26)
• Kwak Hyon-chol (male, 21)
• Kim Kwang-il (male, 18)
• Park Kum-song (male, 18)
• Ye Song-jin (male, 20)
• Chang Chol (male, 19)
• Dong Chong-shil (male, 19)
• Kim Mi-na (female, 16)
• Kim Un-hye (female, 17)
• Yu Song (female, 15)

Seized on 5 September 2003 in Guangzhou

Dr. Woo Ri-chae, a North Korean biological weapons expert, was seized while trying to enter the Australian consulate general office in Guangzhou. Dr. Woo’s wife and children fled when he was seized.

Seized on 18 August 2003 at Pingxiang China near the Vietnam border

• Choi Soon-hwa (female, 56)
• Song Jung-hwa (female, 22)
• Lee Kwang-Rim (male, 23)
• Han Kwang-suk (male, 14)
• Han Eun-byul (female, 12)
• Moon Kwang-hyuk (male, 22)

Seized on 7 August 2003 in Shanghai along with Fumiaki Yamada, who was later released

• Chang Gyung-chul (male, 35, born 22 September 1969)
• Chang Gyung-soo (male, 32, born 21 March 1972)
• Chang Mi-hwa (female 35, born 15 January 1969)

The two brothers and their female cousin were repatriated to North Korea and the two brothers are believed to be in the North Korean State Security Agency detention center in North Hamgyung Province.

Seized on 27 July 2003 in Beijing

These four were arrested outside a restaurant in Beijing. On the day of their arrest, they had arrived from the city of Yanji by the Tumen-Beijing express train.

• Lee Kil-wun (male, 64, coal-mine administrator from the Onsong district, North Korea)
• Han Sun-bok (female, 60, wife of Mr. Lee Kil-wun, former high school teacher, from the same district)
• Lee Song-min (male, 31, son of Mr. Lee and Mrs. Han, worker, from the same district)
• Kang Myong-ok (female, 35, from the city of Chongjin, North Korea.)

Seized on 27 July 2003 in Quingdao, China

Eight North Korean refugees including four children.

Seized on 18 January 2003 in Yantai City, Shandong Province

Choi Yong-hun (male), a South Korean humanitarian aid worker. On 22 May 2003, sentenced to a 5-year imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 RMB.

Seized on 18 January 2003 in Yantai City, Shandong Province

• Park Yong-chol (male), a North Korean national. On 22 May 2003, sentenced to a 2-year imprisonment and a fine of 5,000 RMB.
• Park Yong-ho (In Chinese, “Piao LONGGAO”) (male), an ethnic Korean Chinese national. On 22 May 2003, sentenced to a 3-year imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 RMB.
• Ko Chong-mi (female, born 23 September 1960 in Japan Osaka Ikunoku Tennoji)
• Lee Yu-son (female, born 21 September 1982 in Pyon an Puk Do, DPRK)
• Kim Son-hee (female, born 1 September 1961 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Kil Ju Gun Yong Buk Ku, DPRK)
• Pee Okk-ju (female, born 11 February 1988 in Han Gyong Puk Do, DPRK)
• Kim Myong-chol (male, born 28 January 1965 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Rajing Jang Pyong Dong, DPRK)
• Chu Hun-kuk (male, born 29 December 1956 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Kil Ju Gun Yong Buk Ku, DPRK)
• Kim Yong-ho (male, born 17 December 1969 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Fe Ryong City, Yok Chon Dong, DPRK)
• Kim Kum-ok (female, born 28 March 1960 in Han Gyong Nam Do, Ham Hung Song Chon, DPRK)
• Sin Young-hee (female, born 14 July 1986 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Seppyor Gun An Won Li 39, DPRK)
• Choun Hyang-hwa (female, born 10 July 1983 in Han Gyong Nam Do, Ham Hung Song Chon Kang Yok John Dong 15, DPRK)
• Kim Un-kum (female, born 25 June 1931 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Myon Chon Kun, DPRK)
• Be Kwang Myong (male, born 1 January 1986 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Chong Jin Chong am 1-3, DPRK)
• Park Ran-hee (female, born 17 January 1964 in Han Gyong Nam Do, Ham Hung Yong Song Gu Yoku, DPRK)
• Lee Kyong-su (male, born 18 February 1968 in Yang Kang Do, He San city, DPRK)
• Lee Chol-ho (male, born 28 August 1967 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Chong Jin City, Chong Jin, DPRK)
• Lee Chol-nam (male, born 26 April 1969 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Chong Jin City, Chong Jin, DPRK)
• JangYong-chol (male, born 20 April 1955 in Han Gyong Puk Do, Chong Jin City, Chong Jin, DPRK)

With this same group these individuals were also seized but escaped again are now free in South Korea:

• YangYong-ho (male, born 30 March 1961 in Han Gyong Puk Do, mu san gun, DPRK)
• Yang Gum-soon (female born 2 December 1987 in Han Gyong Puk Do, mu san gun, DPRK)
• Kim Young-kwang (male, 20 years old, born in DPRK)

Seized on 13 November 2002 at the Vietnam/China border

These seventeen refugees were seized by Vietnamese border guards and turned over to Chinese authorities. After their arrest they were held in Pingshang, Nanying City, Guangxi Province, China.

• Kim Ok-ryun (female, 38)
• Kim Myung-hee (female, 33)
• Choi Kil-sook (female, 62)
• Kim Kum-dan (female, 67)
• Hwa Jung (28)
• Lee Sung-yeol (male, 20)
• Kim Chul-ho (male, 44)
• Lee Hwa-jun (male, 35)
• Park Yoon-sang (male, 54)
• Cho Kyung-sook (female, 29)
• Cho Sung-sook (26)
• Kwak Myung-neo (male, 35)
• Yoon Seo-young (female, 24)
• Chun Chang-sup (male, 42)
• Hwang Tae-wook (male, 9)
• Oh Song-wol (4 year old child)
• Lee Dae-ho (7 month old baby)

Seized on 31 October 2002 at the German School in Beijing

• Joo Seung-hee (female, 41, Hamkyung Bukdo)
• Han Mee-kyung (female, 17, daughter of Joo Seung-hee)
• Lee Sun-hee (female, 39, Hamkyung Bukdo)
• Kim Ok-byul (female, 14, daughter of Lee Sun-hee)
• Kim Kwang-soo (male, 16, son of Lee Sun-hee)

Seized on 30 October 2002 in Dalian

Kim Gun-nam (male)

Seized on 2 September 2002 at the Ecuadorian Embassy in Beijing

• Han Song-hwa (female, 45)
• Cho Seong-hee (female, 16, daughter of Han Song-hwa)
• Cho Hyun-hee (female, 12, daughter of Han Song-hwa)
• Kim Yeon-hee (female, 31)
• Cho Il-hyun (female, 10 months, daughter of Kim Yeon-hee)
• Choi Jin-hee (female, 28)
• Chung Kwon (male, 28)
• Cho Young-ho (male, 20)

Seized on 31 August 2002 near the Mongolian border

Yun Kim-shil (female)

Seized on 26 August 2002 at the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing

These seven refugees (known as “The MoFA Seven”) attempted to apply for asylum at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign affairs:

• Kim Jae-gon (male, 60)
• Kim Jong-nam (male, 36)
• Kim Mi-young (female, 37)
• Jo Song-hye (female, 27)
• An Choi-su (male, 40)
• Ko Dae-chang (male, 56)
• Kim Hong (female, 29)

Seized between 24-26 May 2002 in Yunnan Province near the Laos/Burman/China borders

Six North Korean defectors, of which three names are known:

• Lee Song-yong (male, 3) (note his mother, Park Sun-hi (female, 31), defected successfully to South Korea in 2000)
• Lee Hong-gang (male, 48)
• Kim Mi-hwa (female, 30)

Seized on 20 May 2002 in Yanji, Jilin Province

Kim Kyung-il (male, 26, born 17 January 1976). Mr. Kim is in Changchun Tiebi prison serving a 12-year prison term for the charge of helping North Koreans escape from China.

Seized on 10 May 2002 while attempting to reach Thailand

• Kim Chul-soo (male, 63)
• Kim’s wife (female, 60)
• Kim’s daughter (female, 30)
• Choi Soon-kum (female, 59)
• Kim Myung-wol (female, 45)
• Pack Nam-gil (male, 18)
• Park Myung-chul (male, 45)
• Han Young-ae (female, 45)
• Han’s husband (male, 47)
• Eun Shim (female, 10)
• Eun Shim’s brother (male, 14)

Seized on 9 May 2002 in Yanbian

Rev. John Daniel Choi, American citizen who had set up an orphanage to care for North Korean refugee children. Fourteen refugees Choi was helping were seized on the say day he was arrested by Chinese authorities. Choi was sentenced to a 7 year prison term and is in Tiebei, Changchun prison. On 22 September 2004, Rev. Choi was released, after serving 2½ years of his harsh sentence.

Seized on 12 April 2002 in Yanji, China

These two refugees were seized along with Rev. Choi Bong-il who was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment when he was caught helping these refugees.

• Shin Chul (24)
• Choi Sung-gil (23); was repatriated to North Korea but escaped again and is now in South Korea

Seized on 6 March 2001 in Yunkil, Jilin Province, China

Jung Soon-ae (female, 46, born February 5, 1955); the mother of Gil-su; seized by Chinese police and repatriated to North Korea on 13 March 2001. On 15 April 2001 she was taken to a prison in North Korea. Most of her family has safely escaped to South Korea. Gil-su specifically requested that her name be added to THE LIST because “raising her name may keep her alive.”

Seized between 29-30 December 2001 near the Mongolia border

These refugees were seized on 29 December/early 30 December trying to cross the China/Mongolia border near the border town of Dongchi in northeastern Inner Mongolia when Pastor Chun Ki-won was arrested (Pastor Chun served eight months in a Chinese prison for trying to help these refugees). Two other refugees in the group who had U.S. relatives were allowed to go to Seoul. After their arrest, these refugees were held at Manchu-Ri Prison in China:

• Roh Myung-ok (female, 38, wife of a SK citizen, Chung, Jae-song)
• Chung (Jung) Yoon (Eun)-mee (female, 10, daughter of Roh Myung-ok)
• Chung (Jung) Yoon (Eun)-chul (male, 8, son of Roh Myung-ok)
• Kim Kwang-il (male, 32)
• Kim Chul-nam (male, son of Kim Kwang-il)
• Kim Ji-sung (male)
• Nam Choon-mee (female, wife of Kim Ji-sung)

Seized on 18/19 September 2001 in Yanji

These brothers are believed to be at Changchun Tiebei prison serving a 5 year prison sentence:

• Lyu Myung-ho (male, 24, born 9 July 1977)
• Lyu Sung-ho (male, 22, born 8 September 1979)

Seized on 11 June 2001 from shelters established by Christian NGOs in Xian, Shaanxi Province

50 North Korean defectors including the following:

• Choi, Kum-chul (male, 43, born 10 December 1958); currently in prison at Changchun Tiebei prison; sentenced to 12 years in prison for helping North Koreans escape from China.
• Cho, Chul-sok (male, 28, from Hamhung, Hamnam); currently in prison at Hoeryung (camp #22) political prison camp.
• Jung Yong-chol (male, 42, form Onsong. Hambuk); currently in prison at Hoeryung (camp #22) political prison camp.
• Lee Kil-su (male, from Wonsan, Kanwon); currently in prison at Hoeryung (camp #22) political prison camp.

During this time period, two surviving female North Korean defectors also reported that Kim Ju-bok (male, 26) was seized in Dandong and repatriated to North Korea where he was sentenced to death for leading a group of North Korea defectors. Among his group were 6 defectors who were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, and 17 defectors who were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in Yodok political prison camp

Seized on 16 September 2000 at their “safe-house” in Dalian by Chinese police

• Han Won-chae (male, 60)
• Shin Keum-hyun (female, 58)

Their son, Han Sin-hyuk, was not captured and successfully defected to South Korea.

Seized on 17 January 2000 by North Korean security agents in China

Rev. Kim Dong-sik (male, 53, born 10 October 1947). Rev. Kim is a citizen of South Korea but also has a U.S. green card. He is believed to have been abducted to North Korea and recent testimony by a North Korean spy who was involved in his kidnapping confirms this suspicion. His wife and children live in Chicago.

Seized on 6 August 1997 by Chinese police in Jian, Liaoning Province

Li Song-nam (51)

Seized on 4 February 1997 at the Shanghai International Airport

Kim Eun-chol (male, 35). Kim’s parents (Kim Jae-won and his wife) live in South Korea and believe he was sent back to North Korea.

Seized on 7 July 1995 in China

Rev. Ahn Seung-woon, a citizen of South Korea, last seen in Pyongyang.

The following are individuals who were formerly on THE LIST, but happily have been taken off due to their release.

Seized on 12 April 2002 in Yanji, China

Rev. Choi Bong-il (54), humanitarian worker caught helping two North Korean refugees and sentenced to 9 years imprisonment, but released on 22 September 2004.

Seized on 31 August 2002 in Changchun in Northeast China

Kim Hee-tae, humanitarian worker seized along with eight North Korean refugees attempting to leave China. Sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, but was released on 15 July 2004.

Seized on 13 December 2003 in Guangxi

Takayuki Noguchi (male, 32), humanitarian worker with Life Funds for North Korean Refugees seized by Chinese police along with three Japanese-born North Korean refugees: a woman in her 40s (born in Tokai Region, Japan), a man in his 50s born in West Japan, and Choi Yong, 61, who was born in Hiroshima, Japan. Noguchi was released in August 2004 after 9 months of incarceration.

Seized on 18 January 2003 in Yantai City, Shandong Province

Kim Song-man (Chinese version, “Jin CHENGWAN”), ethnic Korean Chinese national sentenced to 1 year imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 RMB. Kim served his sentence and is now free.

Seized from his hotel room on November 2002

Hiroshi Kato, humanitarian worker with Life Funds for North Korea Refugees and a citizen of Japan, was seized at his hotel in China for helping North Korean refugees and held in prison for a week in November 2002.

Seized on 7 August 2003 in Shanghai

Fumiaki Yamada, humanitarian worker with Society to Help Returnees to North Korea and a citizen of Japan, was seized with North Korean refugees he was trying to help.

Seized between 29-30 December 2001 near the Mongolia border

Pastor Chun Ki-won, a South Korean human rights activist, was held from December 2001 until August 2002 (220 days in jail) for trying to help a group of North Korean defectors reach Mongolia.

Seized 27 July 2003

Rev. Park Young-hwa, an American citizen, was held for 1½ years for helping North Korea Refugees. He was seized on 27 July 2003, officially arrested on 8 September 2004, and released in late October 2004.

Ongoing coverage & reports from Reporters sans frontières.

Coverage of protests: Students for a Free Tibet.

and of course, International Campaign for Tibet.

Report From Amnesty International:

Liu Jingmin, Vice-President of the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee, said in 2001 that allowing Beijing to host the Games would “help the development of human rights”. Seven years on, China’s human rights record shows little sign of improvement, according to an Amnesty International report.

It was hoped that the Games would act as a catalyst for reform but much of the current wave of repression against activists and journalists is occurring not in spite of, but actually because of the Olympics, according to the report China: The Olympics countdown – crackdown on activists threatens Olympics legacy.

Positive changes such as a reform of the death penalty system and a greater reporting freedom for foreign journalists have been overshadowed by stalled reform of detention without trial, repression of human rights defenders and internet censorship.

The report also highlights the Chinese authorities’ recent crackdown on protesters in Tibet, which has led to serious human rights violations since 10 March 2008. Chinese authorities have resorted to measures that are reported to have included unnecessary and excessive use of force, including lethal force, arbitrary detentions and intimidation.

Hundreds of people have been detained in response to the unrest. They could face torture and other ill-treatment by China’s security forces, especially those accused of “separatist” activities.
The near total media blackout on Tibet and the surrounding areas has not only made it difficult to confirm reports, but is a betrayal of official promises to ensure “complete media freedom” in the run-up to the Olympics.

In China too, many activists are held as prisoners of conscience after politically motivated trials. Growing numbers are kept under house arrest. Broad and vaguely defined crimes against national security, such as “separatism”, “subversion” and “stealing state secrets”, are used to prosecute those engaged in legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

Land rights activist Yang Chunlin was sentenced to five years in prison on 25 March for “inciting subversion” after he spearheaded a petition campaign under the banner “We don’t want the Olympics, we want human rights”. He was initially denied access to lawyers on the grounds that his case apparently involved “state secrets”. He was also reported to have been tortured by the police in detention, but was denied the opportunity to raise these allegations in court.

Housing rights activist Ye Guozhu is serving a four-year prison sentence after he applied for permission to hold a demonstration against forced evictions in Beijing. He was convicted in December 2004 of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble” because of his opposition to the seizure and demolition of property to make way for new construction projects for this year’s Olympic games.

In May 2006, Beijing extended use of a form of detention without trial called Re-education Through Labour (RTL), to “clean up” the city’s image before the Olympics. The system targets those who have committed minor offences but are not legally considered criminals. They are forced to work for long hours, and can be detained for up to four years. RTL is much criticised in China. Long heralded – but now stalled – reform of the system would be a major human rights improvement.

Beijing housing rights activist Wang Ling was reported to have been sentenced to 15 months RTL in October 2007 for signing petitions and making banners in protest against the demolition of her property to make way for Olympic construction. She is believed to be held at Daxing RTL facility in Beijing.
Despite official promises of “complete media freedom” made in July 2001, the authorities are continuing to use the crime of “inciting subversion” and other state security offences to prosecute and imprison writers and journalists exercising their fundamental human rights to freedom of expression.

The internet is being heavily censored too. Cartoon police icons now warn many of China’s 210 million internet users to stay away from “illegal” websites. These virtual police appear to encourage self-censorship by reminding users that the authorities closely monitor web activity. China is also believed to operate the most extensive, technologically sophisticated and broad-reaching system of internet censorship and filtering in the world.

Text messaging is also being monitored. In December 2007, the Beijing city authorities issued a notice stating that those who use text messages to “endanger public security” or “spread rumours” will be investigated.

China is the world leader in the use of the death penalty, despite official statements that the restoration of Supreme People’s Court (SPC) review led to a significant reduction in the number of executions in China in 2007. But publication of full national statistics and other detailed information on the death penalty in China is essential to support such assertions. The drop in executions may be partly due to a growing “backlog” of prisoners awaiting execution as their case is reviewed by the SPC.

Amnesty International’s report calls on the Chinese authorities to: give immediate access to Tibet and surrounding areas to UN investigators and independent observers; cease arbitrary detention, intimidation and harassment of activists; end punitive administrative detention; allow full and free reporting across the whole of China for all journalists; free all prisoners of conscience and reduce the number of capital crimes as a step towards abolition.

part 2: prayers

part 3: the wheel

click on image to view.

open university | november 06
video: LED Throwie Derive – Street Test | 1:50 min. | no sound

Dry Drunk Emperor was made shortly after the tragedy in NOLA & in concurrence with the ongoing war in Iraq.
[Thanks, boys.]

Here’s looking at you, Alberto, scapegoat of the month [click to watch]:


“Be alert and direct and honest with this committee. Give it your best shot.” – Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama

[photo from NY Times]

Our Humanity

Whenever anything really bad happens around Korean people, that is when I would like to hide, go to Hawaii and eat spam sushi until it blows over. I don’t want to comment on it because I don’t want to escalate the situation and I don’t want to implicate myself in it. I don’t want to ‘come out’ as Asian because therein lies a tremendous responsibility that I never volunteered for, that I don’t have any real control over, and that is as mysterious to me as it is to someone who isn’t Asian.

So here is the whole terrible mess of the shootings at Virginia Tech. I look at the shooter’s expressionless face on the news and he looks so familiar, like he could be in my family. Just another one of us. But how can he be us when what he has done is so terrible? Here is where I can really envy white people because when white people do something that is inexplicably awful, so brutally and horribly wrong, nobody says – “do you think it is because he is white?” There are no headlines calling him the “White shooter.” There is no mention of race because there is no thought in anyone’s mind that his race had anything to do with his crime.

So much attention is focused on the Asian-ness of the shooter, how the Korean community is reacting to it, South Korea’s careful condolences and cautiously expressed fear that it will somehow impact the South Korean population at large.

What is lost here is the grief. What is lost is the great, looming sadness that we should all feel over this. We lose our humanity to racism, time and time again.

I extend my deepest sympathies to all those who lost their loved ones, their children, their friends and family, in this unimaginable tragedy. I send them all the love I have in me, and I encourage everyone to do the same.