An opposition politician and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua has refused to apologize for posting a satirical photomontage featuring Malaysia’s deputy prime minister Najib Razak.  The photo links the nation’s prime minister to a murdered Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaaribuu.  Two of Deputy Prime Minister Razak’s police bodyguards are currently on trial, accused of killing the young woman.  Miss Shaariibuu’s body was found in a jungle clearing outside Kuala Lumpur last November.

Opposition politicians are using the Deputy Prime Minister’s link to the two bodyguards to hint at a possible political scandal, but others say Mr. Chua’s tactics are disgraceful and an example of dirty tactics.

A witness has said Mr. Tian Chua saw a photo of Miss Shaariibuu with the deputy prime minister.  This photo, however, has never been made public.  Instead, Mr. Chua created his own and put it on his website. 

What was supposedly comedy has sparked controversy.  Politicians want Mr. Chua to apologize for using the photo.  Others have demanded that action be taken against Mr. Chua.  One minister said if this were the case, others might also be tempted to insult the Prophet Muhammad.

Mr. Chua has refused to apologize or retract the photo from his website.

For more information, please see:

–http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6283056.stm

–http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/20070707085214/Article/index_html

–http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=271486

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 6.5 million people face food insecurity in Afghanistan.

In 2006, some areas of Afghanistan faced a food crisis when demand for food surpassed supply, FAO reported.

Floods and torrential rainfall have caused extensive damage to agriculture and livestock.

Acute malnutrition (severe weight loss) affects about 5 to 10 percent of children under five, according to the Afghan government and the UN. Acute malnutrition affects mostly children under two, and is often caused by diarrhea and other hygienic problems.

Afghanistan feeds a majority of its population through an underdeveloped agriculture system. Afghanistan is about 90 percent self-sufficient in cereal production, but it has a long way to go to properly feed its growing population, aid officials say.

Afghanistan needs to preserve its natural resources improve water and irrigation management, diversify agricultural production, expand its fruit and vegetable production, improve livestock production and help households diversify their sources of income, the FAO said.

For more information, please see:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/18a420db2b7c1a2d8fd9a19acd3cef9f.htm

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73131

http://afghandevnews.wordpress.com/2007/07/05/hundreds-of-families-displaced-by-floods-livelihoods-lost/

In Papua providence, Indonesian police beat and killed civilians and raped women during operations against separatists, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

Human Rights Watch interviewed alleged victims and witness, all of whom spoke anonymously due to fears of reprisal.

The report cited investigations of eight alleged killings by police and military since 2005, and several beatings. Human Rights Watch also reported two cases of rape.

Papua became part off Indonesia in 1969 after a U.N.-sponsored ballot, which has since been dismissed as a sham.

A separatist insurgency started in the majority Christian region in Muslim-majority Indonesia. Tens of thousands have died because of military action by Indonesian forces.

About 100 Papuans demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to demand an independence referendum.

Human Rights Watch said the abuse deepened mistrust of the national government and risked fueling separatist tensions in the region.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to open Papua to independent observers, and to allow independent and transparent investigations of rights abuses.

For more information, please see:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/05/asia/AS-GEN-Indonesia-Papua-Human-Rights.php

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/JAK225319.htm

http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailgeneral.asp?fileid=20070705160128&irec=19

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/286636/1/.html

Cao Wenzhuang, a former pharmaceutical registration department director at the State Food and Drug Administration in China, has been sentenced to death by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate Court.  Mr. Cao is accused of accepting over $300,000 in bribes from two pharmaceutical companies who were seeking approval to sell their products. 

Mr. Cao’s sentence comes less than two months after this same court sentenced the head of the State Food and Drug Administration, Zheng Xiaoyu, to death.  Mr. Zheng was sentenced to death in May for taking over $800,000 in bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic blamed for at least ten deaths.

Although the sentence may appear harsh, Mr. Cao’s sentence comes with a two-year reprieve, a lighter penalty that may allow him to serve his time as life in prison.  These actions by the Chinese government is also a sign that China is determined to crack down on fraud, corruption, and counterfeiting in the country.  Four other senior food and drug officials were also sentenced to long prison terms.  This comes at a time when China is under increasing international criticism over the quality and safety of its products.

Concerns began when China exported pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical.  Soon after, there were recalls of Chinese toothpaste, blocked imports of some Chinese seafood.

For more information, please see:
–http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/world/asia/06cnd-china.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
–http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=385&sid=1177730

In Islamabad, Pakistan, hundreds of militant student are inside Lal Masjid (Red Mosque), surrounded by 12,000 Pakistani troops, defying a government order to surrender.  The mosque attempted to set up a Taliban-style justice system.

Security forces began their assault on Lal Masjid this week, despite fears that action would inflame people across the country, especially in the pro-Taliban tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan.

At least 24 people have died, including militants, security officers and bystanders. Tanks fired shells at the mosque, destroying its front wall. Circling helicopters received heavy fire from within the mosque. The mosque’s chief was arrested and more than 1,000 of his followers surrendered.  Security agents caught him trying to leave the mosque wearing a burqa (head-to-toe women’s gown).

About eight explosions were followed by some gunfire, which was followed by an announcement from security force loudspeakers outside the mosque, calling on the students to surrender, a witness said.

The events followed clashes at the mosque between security forces and the militants, who have been in conflict with the government for months. At least nine people have been killed.

An estimated 1,000 students are still in the building, about half of them female students.

For more information, please see:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IG06Df03.html

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/35ec0ee2-2a49-11dc-9208-000b5df10621,_i_rssPage=5d866f00-6714-11da-a650-0000779e2340.html

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/286205/1/.html

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/286163/1/.html