By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
BEIJING, China– China’s Ministry of Public Security arrested Zhang Weizhu, one of the most wanted criminals for human trafficking in China. Zhang is the third suspect to be arrested after the Chinese police launched a nationwide campaign against human trafficking in April.
Despite the efforts by the Chinese police, the parents of kidnapped children claim that the government efforts are not enough to curb this growing social problem. The parents are prevented by the police and neighborhood security committees from staging protests to bring attention to the problem. A parent of a missing child with the surname Mo said, “On the day we planned to hold the protest, the police kept watch at the bus terminal and intercepted us.”
Parents who try to report their missing children to the authorities are often met with refusal by the police, and the local media has failed to publicize information regarding the abducted children. A mother with the surname Deng said, “The TV station demanded a note from the police station proving that our child was really missing.” She added, “But the police station said this was a big criminal case and…cannot be publicized. They said it would have a bad effect on society.”
Young Chinese girl in Anhui Province (Source: AFP)
Nevertheless, Zhang Xinfeng, the Vice-Minister of Public Security, released a statement urging all authorities to continue their efforts in cracking down on the human trafficking rings and to compile a DNA database to identify the missing children.
There is apparently a huge market for children in China, and both boys and girls are being trafficked. 260 children were freed after the Chinese police solved 312 child trafficking cases since the campaign started in April, and there is a reward of 50,000 yuan ($7,326.55) for information leading to the arrest of the suspects on the top 10 most wanted list.
For more information, please see:
China View – China arrests most-wanted suspect in human trafficking cases – 22 May 2009
People’s Daily Online – Vice police chief vows to strike against human trafficking – 15 May 2009
Radio Free Asia – China Vows Action on Trafficking – 21 May 2009
Shanghai Daily – Police net third trafficker – 22 May 2009
