By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Report, Asia

BEIJING, China – The United Nations Human Rights Council opened its fourth session of the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva last week.  The session will examine the human rights records of 16 countries, including Germany, Canada, China, Cuba, Mexico, Russia and Saudi Arabia.  In a hearing, while European delegations called on Beijing to end the death penalty and halt torture in prisons.  Many Asian and African countries praised China’s achievements in the promotion and protection of human rights, and said China is an example for them to follow.

However, days before UN’s review on China’s Human Rights record, the officers stationed outside a government building in Beijing took away at least eight people.  They are members of a group of 30 who had traveled to the capital from around the country, protesting various problems involving local corruption.  One member carried a banner says “Safeguard human rights. I love China”.  Li Fengxian, a gray-haired woman, held up a sign with the character for “injustice”.  Li, 65, said she has spent years fighting officials in her village who give away a poverty allowance allotted to her family to other officials.

The incident is not unusual.  These people often come with stacks of documents and pictures of their loved ones.  Most are detained by police and sent home.  “My goal today is to defeat corruption with the law and win some justice,” said Chen Xinchun, a 40-year-old farmer from Sichuan province. He has come to Beijing five times trying to plead with the Cabinet, the courts and the public security bureau for an investigation into the death of his mother at 20 years ago.  Chen said someone connected with local police beat his mother to death.

China presented a report on human rights in the country to the United Nations.  In the report, China said, “The international community should respect the principle of the indivisibility of human rights and attach equal importance to civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights as well as the right to development.”

China’s ambassador, Li Baodong, defended his country’s rights record to the council.  He rejected suggestions from Western countries that China uses torture and jails dissidents and insisting China’s policies are guided by the rule of law. “China is the world’s largest developing country. We are fully aware of our difficulties and challenges in the field of human rights,” he said.

Some human rights activists were angered by the report, stating China had failed to address key concerns such as persecution on religious and ethnic grounds and press censorship.  The report omits any references to abuses that are occurring across China, according to Amnesty International.  It fails to mention the unrest in Tibet last year, the crackdown on Uighurs in the western Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and the persecution of religious followers, including members of Falun Gong, the London- based group said.

For more information, please see:

AP – China hammers dissent despite looming UN review – 07 February 2009

AP – China police take away citizens airing grievances – 06 February 2009

Reuters – China human rights record stirs struggle at home – 08 February 2009

Reuters – China says protects human rights, West voices doubt – 09 February 2009

Wall Street Journal – Human Rights, the U.N. and China – 09 February 2009

XinHua – Foreign Ministry: UN human rights review important to China – 05 February 2009

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari visited Myanmar last week. During the trip, he met with detained National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and with government ministers and diplomats.  However, he was not granted an audience with Senior General Than Shwe, the top military ruler of Myanmar.

Junta has detained Suu Kyi for 13 years.  She told Mr. Gambari that she would only hold talks with the junta if all political prisoners are released and the results of 1990 elections won by her National League for Democracy are recognized.  Last August, Suu Kyi declined Mr. Gambari’s visit despite being held under house arrest since May 2003.  Analysts believe her snub was to show displeasure at the acceptance by the United Nations of planned 2010 elections in Myanmar.

NLD members also said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should not visit until all Burma’s political prisoners are free.  According to the U.S. State Department, currently more than 2,000 political prisoners are held in Myanmar’s jails.

Junta accused her of setting unrealistic conditions for talks.  “A dialogue will be practical and successful only if the discussions are based on the reality of prevailing conditions,” Information Minister Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan said in a statement carried by state media yesterday. “There will be no success if it is based on unrealistic conditions.”

Mr. Gambari asked Myanmar’s Prime Minister Thein Sein to release political prisoners, to have a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and to make the military-guided political process inclusive for all.  However, Thein Sein told Gambari that the UN should press for the lifting of international sanctions to promote political improvements in the country.  “If the U.N. wants to see economic development and political stability, the U.N. should first try to remove economic sanctions and visa bans,” was the prime minister’s response, according to state television.

For more information, please see:

BBC – UN envoy’s Burma trip criticized – 04 February 2009

Bloomberg – Myanmar Junta Calls Suu Kyi’s Conditions for Talks Unrealistic – 05 February 2009

New York Times – Opposition Leader in Myanmar Expresses Frustration With U.N. – 04 February 2009

Reuters – Myanmar’s Suu Kyi meets UN envoy, sticks to terms – 02 February 2009

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan – Violence has been occurring against Afghan female students to prevent them from going to school.  Men and even young boys intimidate girls through the use of harassment, sexual assault, murder and acid attacks.  They have even gone so far as burning school buildings and killing teachers.  Not surprisingly, this violence has had a severe effect on school attendance.

“A lot of my classmates and other female students don’t care for school anymore because they fear the boys’ harassment and kidnappings,” said Maryam Mansoor, an 18 year old female student who quit school.

Maryam’s father urged her to quit school in concern for her safety.  “The security situation is worsening every day.”  He continues, “I am not against my girls completing their education, but their safety is more important.  I don’t want them to study outside anymore.”

According to Reuters, the degree of violence varies according to geography.  In rural areas, “the Taliban have burned down schools, killed female students and teachers and attacked schoolgirls by throwing acid in their faces.”  On the other hand, in Kabul, schoolgirls suffer from abuse, sexual harassment and kidnappings.

Under Taliban rule, females were prohibited from going to school and work and were not able to leave their house unless accompanied by a male relative.

Since the Taliban was removed from power in 2001, the Afghan government has tried to improve access to education for all.  As a result, about 6.2 million Afghans are currently in school, two million of which are girls, compared with less than one million males while the Taliban was in power.

According to the Ministry of Education, spokesman Asif Nang reported that “in the past eight months, around 138 students and teachers have lost their lives and another 172 have been wounded in criminal and terror attacks.”  Moreover, “about 651 schools have become inactive mostly due to insecurity and another 122 school buildings have been blown up or burned down.”

The Ministry of Education requests that “Afghan and foreign forces including elders to get involved and take extra measures in providing security for all students and teachers.”

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – Afghan Girls Return to School After Acid Attacks – 24 January 2009

CNN – Afghan Girls Maimed Vow to go to School – 23 January 2009

Reuters – Harassment Forces Afghan Girls Out of School – 28 January 2009