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RFA Breaking News: Nearly Half of Uyghurs in Xinjiang’s Hotan Targeted For Re-Education Camps

by Paul Eckert

Nearly Half of Uyghurs in Xinjiang’s Hotan Targeted For Re-Education Camps Oct. 9, 2017 - Authorities in a county of northwest China’s Xinjiang region that is largely populated by Muslim ethnic Uyghurs have been ordered to send almost half of area residents to re-education camps, according to officials, who say they are struggling to meet the number. Officials from two villages in Hotan (in Chinese, Hetian) prefecture’s Qaraqash (Moyu) county recently acknowledged to RFA’s Uyghur Service that they had been given a target percentage for arrests as part of a verbal directive issued by higher-level authorities during an “online conference.” Since Xinjiang Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo was appointed to run the region in August last year, he has initiated several harsh policies targeting the religious freedom of Uyghurs. The new quota for sending residents to re-education camps appears to be Chen’s latest measure aimed at assimilating members of the ethnic minority, who complain of pervasive ethnic discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule in the region. When asked about whether a target percentage of re-education arrests had been ordered by authorities, an official from No. 1 Village, in Qaraqash’s Aqsaray township, confirmed the directive, but referred RFA to the local Communist Party secretary—who had recently been admitted to the hospital and was unreachable—for the exact number. But a police officer from Aqsaray’s No. 2 Village, said he had been informed during an “online conference” in mid-June that his department was to detain 40 percent of the local population for exhibiting signs of “religious extremism.” No deadline was set for the initiative, he added. “We were told to target people who are religious … for example, those who grow beards despite being young,” said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “There are 82 people who have been placed in re-education camps [since the order was given], and 61 [of them were later] imprisoned … This is far from the expectations of village officials, but compared to other districts in the township, we have the best rate in achieving our target.” According to the officer, No. 2 Village is home to 2,060 people, meaning his department had failed to send even four percent of the population for re-education since the order was given. The department had planned to send an additional 85 people for re-education by the end of September, he said. ‘Severely punished’ An officer at the Shaptul township police station in neighboring Kashgar (Kashi) prefecture’s Peyziwat (Jiashi) county told RFA that while he had not been given a target percentage of people to detain for re-education camps, he was informed at an online staff meeting in June that 80 percent of those arrested were to be “severely punished,” including those with “extreme views.” “We were not given exact numbers [to arrest], but we must ensure that we do not miss anyone with extreme views and we must punish 80 percent of all those arrested severely,” said the officer, who also asked to remain unnamed. “We didn’t receive any formal documentation—it was all announced during one of our meetings. These days, we have online conferences, where we meet in the police station and view the monitor to listen to speeches.” According to the officer, 46 people had been detained in Shaptul since the order was given—33 of whom were imprisoned. While the imprisonment rate meant that his department had only “severely punished” nearly 72 percent of detainees, the officer said that the remaining 13 people had been placed in re-education camps, and that they could be sent to jail at a later date. “If we find any evidence against them during re-education, they will be transferred to prison,” he said. Vast network The ruling Chinese Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in China in recent years, but critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the ethnic group, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009. Rights groups accuse Chinese authorities of heavy-handed rule in Xinjiang, including violent police raids on Uyghur homes that sources say in some areas have detained one member of every two households. At the end of last month, sources told RFA that re-education camps in Ghulja (Yining) county, in Ili Kazakh (Yili Hasake) Autonomous Prefecture, and Korla (Kuerle) city, in neighboring Bayin’gholin Mongol (Bayinguoleng Menggu) Autonomous Prefecture, hold at least 3,600 inmates and are labeled “career development centers” in a bid to mask their true nature. The thousands of “politically incorrect” inmates are rarely freed despite undergoing months of “training,” the sources said. Investigations by RFA suggest there is a vast network of re-education camps throughout the Xinjiang region. Sources indicate that there are almost no majority ethnic Han Chinese held in the Xinjiang camps, and that the number of detainees in the region’s south—where the highest concentration of Uyghurs are based—far surpasses that in the north. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/camps-10092017164000.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 3 months

RFA Breaking News: Re-Education Camps in Two Xinjiang Counties Hold Thousands of Uyghurs: Officials

by Paul Eckert

Re-Education Camps in Two Xinjiang Counties Hold Thousands of Uyghurs: Officials Sept. 29, 2017 - Re-education camps in two counties in northwest China’s Xinjiang region, where mostly Muslim ethnic Uyghurs have protested Beijing’s rule, house thousands of “politically incorrect” inmates who are rarely freed despite undergoing months of “training,” according to sources. The camps in Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining) county, in Ili Kazakh (Yili Hasake) Autonomous Prefecture, and Korla (Kuerle) city, in neighboring Bayin’gholin Mongol (Bayinguoleng Menggu) Autonomous Prefecture hold at least 3,600 inmates, local officials told RFA’s Uyghur Service, and are labeled “career development centers” in a bid to mask their true nature, they said. Minewer Ablet, a middle school teacher in Ghulja’s Turpanyuz township who was assigned to work as an assistant cadre and a Chinese instructor at Camp No. 4—one of the county’s five re-education camps—said it was unclear exactly how many people were detained in the county camp system. “I am responsible for teaching class No. 33, and I have seen on the teacher’s notice board that the last class number is 44,” she said of the county camps, where other courses include “law, regulations, and career training.” “There are 30 to 50 students in each class, so I estimate the total number of people who are undertaking the re-education program [across the county] to be at least 1,500.” Assistant cadre Tursun Qadir, who teaches at the same camp, told RFA that of the 45 people in his class, the majority are “former criminals or suspects,” including a number of Uyghurs who had served time in prison following an uprising against Chinese rule in Ghulja 20 years ago. “Among them are a number of former prisoners who served 10-15 years in prison after being accused of involvement in the Feb. 5, 1997 Ghulja Incident,” Qadir said, referring to protests sparked by reports of the execution of 30 Uyghur independence activists that were violently suppressed by authorities, leaving nine dead, according to official media, though exile groups put the number at as many as 167. “The most common reason that people are brought here is that they attended [or overheard] illegal [religious] teachings,” he said, adding that other detainees included “men who grew beards 10 years ago” and “parents who sent their children to underground religious schools.” “The oldest student is 66 years old and the youngest is 19. The group also includes a number of illiterate people.” ‘Training center’ None of the four instructors RFA contacted at Camp No. 4 could recall the official name of the facility, but one, who spoke on condition of anonymity, agreed during a phone interview to walk out to the courtyard to read the name of the camp’s sign. “The name of our camp is ‘The Center for Developing Skills for a Professional Career,’” the instructor said, adding that the reason he hadn’t been able to remember the name was because it was “changed four times in the past eight months.” “At first, it was called ‘The Law and Regulation Training Center For Citizens’ and then it was renamed ‘The Career Training Center For The Unemployed’ for a while, but now it is called ‘The Center For Developing Skills For a Professional Career,’” he said. “Obviously, the reason for changing the name is to avoid giving others a bad impression.” According to the instructor, staff live inside the camp and share the same courtyard with detainees. The center’s main gate is guarded 24 hours a day and instructors are required to obtain permission if they need to leave the facility. “Students are not allowed to leave the camp until they have completed the full program, but the length of the training is unclear—the rules only say that the program is complete once a ‘satisfactory level has been achieved,’” he said. “I have been teaching for the last six months, but there is no one in my class who has completed the course and no one knows when the training will end.” Detainees The same instructor passed his phone to a detainee who told RFA that he had been detained at Camp No. 4 after helping his brother send money to his son, who was studying in Turkey. “Because my ‘crime’ was not deemed serious, I was placed here, but my brother, Abdurshit, is in prison [facing charges for] sending his son abroad without governmental permission,” the detainee said. “I know this camp is called ‘The Center For Developing Skills For a Professional Career,’ but I was brought here in handcuffs with a black hood over my head. It was only after I passed through the security gate that the handcuffs and hood were removed.” Another detainee named Osman Tursun, who spoke to RFA on a phone handed to him by an instructor, said he had been placed in the camp after he and several of his fellow residents from Yengitam village overheard religious teachings at a wedding ceremony in 2012. “Five years ago, I went to a wedding in my neighborhood where a man discussed teachings from the Quran, though I don't remember the exact information,” he said. “There are 22 of us here from my village because we were at the same wedding and listened to the discussion. Apart from us, there are seven others from my village here who are former prisoners.” Korla city Sources in Bayin’gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture’s Korla city, where Uyghurs have protested house-to-house raids on their homes during “strike hard” anti-terrorism campaigns in recent years, told RFA that the municipality houses three re-education camps with at least 2,100 detainees, as well as a “Socialism Institute,” where more than 40 religious figures are being held. Rehim Yasin, the Communist Party secretary of Korla’s Qara Yulghun village, said that 86 of his village’s 1,678 residents are currently being held in the city’s three re-education camps, which are known as “Professional Career Improvement Centers.” “They are all designed to re-educate people who are deemed politically incorrect,” he said. “Each camp holds at least 700 people, so in the three re-education camps there are at least 2,100 people.” Mutellep Esset, the party secretary for the Saybagh Street office in Korla, told RFA it was unclear how many people from his district had been detained at the city’s re-education centers, but said many of those held had overseas connections. “I learned through my work that among the detainees [from my district] are 13 people held for traveling abroad with a tourist company, one person who had been on a hajj [Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca] two years ago, and two people who studied in Turkey for a short time before returning home,” he said. Vast network Investigations by RFA suggest there is a vast network of re-education camps throughout the Xinjiang region. Sources indicate that there are almost no majority ethnic Han Chinese held in the Xinjiang camps, and that the number of detainees in the region’s south—where the highest concentration of Uyghurs are based—far surpasses that in the north. Earlier this month, local officials in Xinjiang told RFA that thousands of Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities—including Kyrgyz and Kazakh—are being held in re-education camps without contact with their families under a policy designed to counter "extremism" in the region. New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch has called on the Chinese government to free the thousands of Xinjiang people placed in re-education camps since April 2017 and close them down. China’s ruling Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in China in recent years, but critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the ethnic group, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009. China regularly conducts “strike hard” campaigns in Xinjiang, including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/camps-09292017160826.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 3 months

RFA Breaking News: Egyptian Authorities Forcibly Disappear 16 Uyghur Students From Notorious Prison

by Paul Eckert

Egyptian Authorities Forcibly Disappear 16 Uyghur Students From Notorious Prison Sept. 25, 2017 - Egyptian authorities have released up to 25 of more than 100 Uyghur students from northwestern China’s Xinjiang region who were detained earlier this year in the country’s notorious Tora Prison, though armed police put black hoods on 16 others and took them away, three recently released Uyghurs said. The three students, who were released in early September, told RFA’s Uyghur Service that they do not know why the 16 were whisked away or whether they were deported to China, though prison guards told them the students were “in trouble.” One of them was 17 years old, they said. Egypt’s secret police began detaining Uyghur and ethnic minority Kazakh Muslims from China en masse on July 4, in an operation activists said was requested by Beijing, sources told RFA at the time. The 200 students, many of them religious students at Cairo’s Islamic Al-Azhar University, were rounded up in restaurants or at their homes, with others seized at airports as they tried to flee to safer countries, the sources said. The Egyptian government has not disclosed the charges, the number of detentions, the whereabouts of the detainees, or whether any were sent back to China. Ethnic minority Kazakh Muslims from China were among some 200 ethnic minority holders of Chinese passports targeted in July by Egypt's secret police The three Uyghur students who were later released said that the detainees were first interrogated by Egyptian security officials, and later by Chinese security officials. The Egyptian officials gave every Uyghur student a form in Arabic to fill out, though many could not fully comprehend the questions because of their poor Arabic skills and responded “yes” to all items out of fear, they said. The students were then divided into three categories in prison — red, yellow, and green — according to their interrogation results, answers on the forms, and the contents of their mobile phones, they said. The ones placed in the green category are those who had legal status in Egypt and were enrolled in Al-Azhar or other Egyptian universities. The ones in the yellow category had either status issues or were not enrolled in a university, and those in the red category had cell phones with content that Chinese security officials deemed problematic. It was unclear what kind of content was found on their mobile devices. Prior to the mass detentions, the majority of Uyghur students in Egypt used the Chinese instant messaging service WeChat to communicate with family and friends at home and abroad. WeChat is an app developed by China’s internet company Tencent, which shares all private user data with the Chinese government. Many Uyghurs in Xinjiang have gotten in trouble with the Chinese authorities in recent years because of the content on their mobile phones, including the sharing of political and religious content on WeChat. Police frequently check the mobile phones of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and detain them for possessing unapproved content. Divided up into jail cells One recently released Uyghur student in Egypt who spoke on condition of anonymity said that more than 100 Uyghur students were divided into two huge jail cells after they were detained on Aug. 31 and their mobile phones were confiscated. “We were first interrogated by the Egyptian police, but not tortured or mistreated,” he said. “After the interrogations, they told us that they had detained us because of a Chinese government request that we were ‘terrorists.’” The police said they could not find any evidence of terrorism after the interrogations and would soon release the students, noting that “this is politics between two countries,” he said. “In our jail cell, there were 54 students, including me,” he said. “Suddenly fully armed police came in that day and told us in Arabic to face the wall.” The police handcuffed some of the students and took them away, he said. “We saw altogether 16 were taken from both cells,” the Uyghur student said. “Later when we asked prison guards where they had been taken, they simply said that they were ‘in trouble.’ These 16 Uyghurs belonged to the red category.” Another Uyghur student from Al-Azhar University who spoke on condition of anonymity said he was placed into the green category because authorities could not accuse him of any criminal conduct. The 25 students who were released were all placed into the green category, he said, adding that some in the yellow category may have been released as well. “This place is no longer safe for any of us now,” he said. “But what worries me most is the fate of 16 who belonged to the red category. There is no sign of them. They simply vanished.” A third Uyghur student who fled to Turkey soon after his release from prison said that he and others who were detained by Egyptian police on July 4 were divided into two jails cells at Tora Prison, a detention complex for criminal and political detainees on the southern outskirts of the capital Cairo. “We were not tortured, but we were terrified of being possibly deported to China,” said the student who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity. “The Arab [Egyptian] police didn’t treat us badly, but the Chinese security officials put black hoods on our heads and repeatedly interrogated us, asking questions like, ‘Why did you come to Egypt?’ [and] ‘Which organizations did you participate in?’” “In the end, I was released after the Eid [al-Adha] holiday [on Aug. 31], so I guess some of those who belonged to the yellow category may have also been released,” he said. Sent back home? Both released Uyghur students and Uyghurs in hiding in Egypt said they fear that the 16 others who have vanished may have been sent back home in light of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s visit to China to attend the BRICS Summit in early September and strengthen economic ties with Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Sisi to participate in the summit as “a reaffirmation of Egypt's position and its economic, political and commercial status that qualifies it to become a member of the BRICS,” according to the Egyptian government’s information service. During Sisi’s visit on Sept. 3-5, some major trade deals were signed between Egypt and China, including a memorandum of understanding for Beijing to finance a U.S. $739 million rail link that will connect a new, yet-to-be-named capital the North African country is building to an industrial zone. Reported by Gulchehra Hoja for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/egyptian-authorities-forcibly-disapp… Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 3 months

Aung San Suu Kyi Rejects Claims She's 'Soft' on Myanmar's Military

by Richard Finney

cid:db5c53ccb2f2c28f5afa2b46deb76600b893914b@zimbra Aung San Suu Kyi Rejects Claims She's 'Soft' on Myanmar's Military Sept. 19, 2017--Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, under mounting criticism over her government's military offensive against minority Muslim Rohingyas, on Tuesday rejected claims that she had softened her stand towards the military after her party took power last year. In an interview with Radio Free Asia, she said she has remained firm with the generals since her days under house arrest during military junta rule. "I've stood firm with the military before, and still do now," the Nobel laureate told RFA in a wide-ranging interview covering topics such as the Rohingya refugee crisis, her election pledge to bring about political and other reforms, as well as economic growth and media freedom. "We've never changed our stand," Aung San Suu Kyi said, adding that her National League for Democracy (NLD) party's goal has been national reconciliation "from the very beginning." "We have never criticized the military itself, but only their actions. We may disagree on these types of actions," said Aung San Suu Kyi, who had spent more than a decade under house arrest before her election victory in 2015. The military has come under severe criticism from the international community for its security crackdown against the Rohingyas in Myanmar's Rakhine state since Rohingya militants staged deadly attacks on police posts on August 25. Army-led security operations have left more than 1,000 dead according to U.N. figures and sent more than 500,000 people"-roughly half the Rohingya population in Rakhine state-fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh, triggering an international humanitarian crisis. Rights abuses condemned On Tuesday, in her first address to the nation since the crisis flared, Aung San Suu Kyi condemned rights abuses in Rakhine state and said that violators will be punished, but did not criticize the powerful military or address U.N. accusations of ethnic cleansing. She insisted that military "clearance operations" ended on Sept 5. Britain says it has suspended its military training program in Myanmar, and French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned "unacceptable ethnic cleansing" in Rakhine, while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to all military operations in the state. In her interview, Aung San Suu Kyi said her party had tried in 2012 but failed to revoke a key provision in Myanmar's constitution that would have removed the military's effective veto on legislative reform. "We did this openly within the bounds of the law. We'll continue to bring changes within the parliament. I've stood firm with the military before, and still do now," she said. Under Myanmar's Constitution, Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from becoming president and has no effective role in security issues, although her NLD party scored a landslide victory in 2015 elections. The military runs three key security-related ministries, has an allocation of 25 per cent of the seats in Parliament, and appoints one of two vice-presidents. Aung San Suu Kyi pointed out that Myanmar wants to work with the international community to resolve the Rohingyas crisis, citing her invitation Tuesday to the diplomatic corps to visit Rakhine. "Nobody can live in isolation in this age," she said. "Globalization is the norm and we need to have enough courage to associate globally too. So, if we prohibit outside visits, it will be like we have something to hide." Human rights investigators from the United Nations, which has labeled the Rohingya one of the world's most persecuted minorities, say they need "full and unfettered" access to Myanmar to investigate the Rohingya crisis, but Aung San Suu Kyi's government renewed its rejection of the probe on Tuesday. "We continue to believe that instituting such a mission is not a helpful course of action in solving the already-intricate Rakhine issue," Myanmar's U.N. ambassador Htin Lynn told the U.N. Human Rights Council. Reported by Khin Maung Soe of RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Nyein Shwe and Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Richard Finney. Below are excerpts from the interview: Q: What are Myanmar's most important challenges? A: As the whole world knows, the biggest one now is the situation in Rakhine state. And then there is the peace process [to bring about a cease-fire with ethnic rebel groups seeking greater autonomy since independence from the British in 1948]. The world thinks the Rakhine situation is the most important. But for us, peace [with the rebel groups] has been the most challenging. Q: What's the peace situation then? A: We believe that it will finally be successful. But this will take time. If we look at other peace processes, they never go smoothly. Because there was no peace in the beginning, we are now working for peace. Overall we can say it's not too bad. Q: How is the economic situation in Myanmar? A: In the earlier part of the year, before the Investment Law was passed, foreign investments were very slow. After that law was passed, it had to be followed by by-laws and a Companies Act. And after that we had to deal with laws pertaining to foreigners. These all are connected, and we understand that after everything is in place we can expect more investments. Q: What's your assessment of the current Rakhine situation? A: The Rakhine situation was not calm and peaceful long before we came into power. However, now that the world's attention is focused on it, it has become overly sensitive to handle. It is always the case when a situation is given a lot of attention, that it becomes difficult and sensitive. People have been criticizing and faulting each other. If you just look at it narrowly instead of effectively, instead of solving the problem you can make it worse. As I said this morning, we should look at the good points too. There are villages where people get along. We need to find out why and how. We have to encourage them and make their ties stronger. Q: You have said that half the [Muslim] population [in Rakhine state] has fled, and that half or more are still living here. You have requested the international community to cooperate and help. A: Nobody can live in isolation in this age. Globalization is the norm and we need to have enough courage to associate globally too. So, if we prohibit outside visits, it will be like we have something to hide. In the end, we have to rely on ourselves for our country's development. Q: What do you think about the comments by the international community including the U.N. on the Rakhine situation? A: These comments are not good for the country, of course. But we have to find out how much truth there is or what evidence they have. And if it is true, then we'll have to correct it. If it's not true, we have to find out why they are saying untruths. Is it because of misunderstanding, or are they intentionally attacking us? We'll have to find the cause and find an appropriate answer. Q: May I know the current relationship between you and the military? A: It's normal. Q: Does normal mean it's the same as before you formed the government? A: No, there was very little contact between us before, but now we do meet regularly. In some cases we always try to get cooperation. Q: Regarding the peace issue, it has been said that the military takes a hard-line position. What do you think? A: There is a difference in looking at the peace process between groups that are armed and those that are not. We have to negotiate on this. Q: You never gave in to the military while you were under house arrest, but now you seem to have softened toward them. Are they right, or do you have some other objective? A: We've never changed our stand. Our goal has been national reconciliation from the very beginning. We have never criticized the military itself, but only their actions. We may disagree on these types of actions. For example, after 2012 in Parliament, we tried to revoke Article 436 [ which effectively gives the military a de facto veto over any constitutional changes]. We did this openly within the bounds of the law. We'll continue to bring changes within the parliament. I've stood firm with the military before, and still do now. Q: We are now seeing a lot of extremist Buddhists, including monks. There were some anti-government protests in Yangon and Mandalay recently. And then not too long ago in Pa-an, there was a rally where there was a lot of extreme hate speech. What do you think of this? A: Hate speech is never good. Spreading hate speech is against Lord Buddha's teachings. He never encouraged hate speech. Buddhism does not espouse anger, and any kind of extremism is never good. Buddhism follows the middle path. It doesn't accept any kind of extremes. Q: What do you think of social media, which is becoming so popular nowadays? A: Even developed countries with a high level of communications technology have admitted that social media is becoming very hard to deal with. People write whatever they want and use it to spread hate speech, and that has become a big concern with no solution in sight yet. Q: Some people are saying they have less freedom since your government came into power. What would you like to say? Especially concerning freedom of the media, the arrest of some reporters, etc. A: These arrests have been made according to existing laws. We don't have any new ones yet. Lately, Parliament has made some amendments to relax the old laws like Article 66 (D). Q: Can you tell us how the international community and Myanmar people should view the current situation in the country? A: They should view it with a sense of responsibility, both the international community and Myanmar people. Our people should know that we in Myanmar have more responsibility. If we want to see our country developed and peaceful, we will have to do it ourselves. We cannot ignore the world, as we are in the age of globalization. Everything is connected, and we cannot ignore this. We need to be in harmony with the world; that is also our responsibility. Simply put, we have to be responsible for our country, and the world has to be responsible for the world. If everybody has a sense of responsibility, then nobody will have any problems. However, having a sense of responsibility is not always easy. Q: What do you think of current U.S. policies and views towards Myanmar? A: Any country will change its policy and views toward Myanmar depending on that specific country's policy and its people's views. Q: Is the road to democracy still tough? A: The road to democracy will never end. Whether or not this is tough is not the main issue. Some think there is an end to democracy. But has the road to democracy in U.S. come to the end? There will never be an end as long as the world exists. Democracy is harder to sustain than other systems because you have to take the will of the people into consideration. We need to give and take when it depends on the will of the people. Dictatorships never have to give and take. They do what they want. Superficially it looks easier to govern this way, but the effect on a country is worse. In a democracy, to be able to get the support of the people, you have to work harder. In the long run it's good for the country. As [British statesman Winston] Churchill said, democracy is not a good system, but it's better than all the others. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/rejects-09192017204613.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

7 years, 3 months

RFA Breaking News: RFA Closes Phnom Penh Bureau Amid Crackdown by Hun Sen

by Paul Eckert

RFA Closes Phnom Penh Bureau Amid Crackdown by Hun Sen Sept. 12, 2017 - Radio Free Asia has decided to close its nearly 20-year old bureau in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh amid a relentless crackdown by Prime Minister Hun Sen's authoritarian regime on independent media ahead of critical polls next year, RFA President Libby Liu announced Tuesday. Using a pretext of tax and administrative violations, the Cambodian authorities have recently closed independent radio stations carrying reports from RFA and its sister US government-funded radio station, the Voice of America, as well as the Voice of Democracy station, and forced the closure of the American-owned Cambodia Daily newspaper. Liu said the authorities had employed the same tactics against RFA, despite its full cooperation to comply with all government requests and its efforts to register as a licensed media company in Cambodia. They had resorted to "false statements" and "increasingly threatening and intimidating rhetoric" about RFA, made mostly through leaked documents on government mouthpiece media and random statements from different ministries, she said. "After almost 20 years of bringing the Cambodian people independent, reliable and trustworthy news and information from inside the country, Radio Free Asia has regrettably been forced to close its Phnom Penh bureau," Liu said in a statement. "The government’s relentless crackdown on independent voices in recent weeks has made it impossible to keep the bureau open while guaranteeing the integrity of RFA’s journalistic mission." Liu stressed however that RFA, which broadcasts into six countries, including North Korea, China, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, would continue reporting on Cambodia as part of its mission to provide accurate and timely news and information to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press. "RFA stands resolved to stay true to its vital mission in Cambodia, now more than ever, to go forward shining a light even in the darkest of hours," she said. "RFA will keep reporting on the most important and censored issues and events inside the country - and we will continue to broadcast and publish our programs, reports and content on shortwave radio, social media, and on our website. "As history has shown, dictators may rise and force their will on nations, but the people will always seek truth in pursuit of freedom." Through the years, Cambodian journalists working for RFA have risked their lives to report on corruption, illegal logging, forced evictions, bribery, labor disputes, and rights abuses, among other important stories largely ignored by state-controlled media. "Their hard work has helped to build the foundation of RFA’s investigative, in-depth journalism from the ground up and has earned us the trust of the Cambodian people -- to whom we also owe our heartfelt gratitude," Liu said. She said she hoped that the government would not persecute "the individual brave Cambodians" who worked with RFA in retaliation for RFA’s efforts to bring reliable free press to their countrymen and women. The RFA closure of its Phnom Penh office on Tuesday came as the U.S. ambassador to Cambodia rejected accusations by the Hun Sen government of interference by the United States as “inaccurate, misleading and baseless” and called for the release of detained opposition leader Kem Sokha. Kem Sokha was arrested on Sept. 3 and charged with treason and accused of plotting with the United States to take power from Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who has ruled Cambodia for more than 30 years. On Monday, Hun Sen, who could face his biggest election challenge next year. threatened to dissolve Kem Sokha’s Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) if it continued to back him. "It has become increasingly apparent that Prime Minister Hun Sun has no intention of allowing free media to continue operating inside the country ahead of the 2018 elections. The government has instead seized on every opportunity to go after critics, political opponents, NGOs, and independent media committed to reporting the truth," Liu said. Libby Liu's full statement is at http://www.rfa.org/about/releases/statement-on-cambodia-09122017092506.html View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/crackdown-raf-09122017084157.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 4 months

RFA Breaking News: Demolition of Tibetan Residences Underway at Sichuan’s Yachen Gar Buddhist Center

by Paul Eckert

Demolition of Tibetan Residences Underway at Sichuan’s Yachen Gar Buddhist Center Aug. 15, 2017 - Authorities in western China’s Sichuan province have begun demolishing 2,000 residences of Tibetan clergy at the Yachen Gar Buddhist Center and are set to expel an equal number of monks and nuns from the complex by the end of the year, according to Tibetan sources in the region. “Chinese authorities ordered the demolition of 2,000 houses of monks and nuns at Yachen Buddhist Center … [by the end of] this year,” one source told RFA’s Tibetan Service recently, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The demolition began on Aug. 8 and the work is said to be ongoing at Yachen Gar, while the same number of monks and nuns [2,000] are also to be expelled from the Buddhist center this year alone.” Sources said that the monks and nuns had been ordered to tear down any homes built with wooden materials, and that demolition workers would be sent by the local authorities to raze any concrete structures in the area. One nun is said to have been injured in the demolition. Yachen Gar, located in Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture’s Palyul (Baiyu) county and founded in 1985, until recently housed an estimated 10,000 monks, nuns, and lay practitioners devoted to scriptural study and meditation. In April, sources told RFA that authorities had demolished at least 200 tents set up by Tibetan pilgrims visiting Yachen Gar to receive teachings and accumulate merit, citing difficulties posed by the encampments to the orderly management of the complex. Following the beginning of the demolitions last week, a senior lama at Yachen Gar issued an appeal to the monks and nuns at the complex to “exercise patience and tolerance.” “About 2,000 houses will be demolished this year and around same number of monks and nuns will be asked to leave the complex—this is an order from the powerful authorities and cannot be resisted, just as falling boulders from a mountain cannot be stopped,” the lama said. “Most important is to remain humble and adhere to proper conduct, and things may get better. Also, it is important for all monks and nuns to take care of their health,” he added. “The monks and nuns should exercise patience and tolerance under the stress of the demolitions and expulsion orders—this is crucial.” Another Tibetan from the region, who also asked to remain unnamed, told RFA that the new order had placed “tremendous stress and hardship” on Yachen Gar’s Buddhist community. “The demolition will cause a great amount of stress, as many monks and nuns will lack accommodations and be forced to leave,” the source said. “Yachen monks and nuns are solely focused on Buddhist practice and not involved in any form of politics,” he added. Restricted access Authorities have been restricting access to the sprawling complex and areas nearby, with foreign visitors drawing particular scrutiny from police, sources told RFA in earlier reports. In April, following the demolition of the pilgrim tents, sources told RFA that Chinese surveillance and other tightened security measures at Yachen Gar had become growing causes of concern for the center’s resident monks and nuns, and that it was increasingly difficult for news about the complex to reach the outside world. They said that while Yachen Gar has internet service, residents had been reluctant to speak out about what was happening at the complex for fear of retaliation by authorities. Restrictions on Yachen Gar and the better-known Larung Gar complex in Sichuan’s Serthar (Seda) county are part of “an unfolding political strategy” aimed at controlling the influence and growth of these important centers for Tibetan Buddhist study and practice, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a March 13 report, “Shadow of Dust Across the Sun.” “[Both centers] have drawn thousands of Chinese practitioners to study Buddhist ethics and receive spiritual teaching since their establishment, and have bridged Tibetan and Chinese communities,” ICT said in its report. At the end of June, a senior abbot at Larung Gar said that Chinese authorities had destroyed 4,725 monastic dwellings over the course of a year at the complex, with a total of more than 7,000 demolished since efforts to reduce the number of monks and nuns living at the sprawling center began in 2001. The abbot said that more than 4,828 monks and nuns had also been expelled since 2016, with many forced back to their hometowns and deprived of opportunities to pursue religious studies. Many thousands of Tibetans and Han Chinese once studied at Larung Gar Academy, which was founded in 1980 by the late religious teacher Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok and is one of the world’s largest and most important centers for the study of Tibetan Buddhism. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin and Lhuboom for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/demolition-08152017145510.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 5 months

RFA Breaking News: China Bans Uyghur Language in Xinjiang Schools

by Paul Eckert

China Bans Uyghur Language in Xinjiang Schools July 28, 2017 - Authorities in northwest China’s Xinjiang region have issued a directive completely banning the use of the Uyghur language at all education levels up to and including secondary school, according to official sources, and those found in violation of the order will face “severe punishment.” The new ban marks one of the strongest measures yet from Beijing aimed at assimilating ethnic Uyghurs, who complain of pervasive ethnic discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression by the China’s ruling Communist Party in Xinjiang. In late June, the Education Department in Xinjiang’s Hotan (in Chinese, Hetian) prefecture issued a five-point directive outlawing the use of Uyghur at schools in favor of Mandarin Chinese “in order to strengthen elementary and middle/high school bilingual education.” Under the directive—a copy of which was obtained by RFA’s Uyghur Service—schools must “insist on fully popularizing the national common language and writing system according to law, and add the education of ethnic language under the bilingual education basic principle.” Beginning in the fall semester this year, Mandarin Chinese “must be resolutely and fully implemented” for the three years of preschool, and “promoted” from the first years of elementary and middle school “in order to realize the full coverage of the common language and writing system education.” The directive instructs schools to “resolutely correct the flawed method of providing Uyghur language training to Chinese language teachers” and “prohibit the use of Uyghur language, writing, signs and pictures in the educational system and on campuses.” Additionally, the order bans the use of Uyghur language in “collective activities, public activities and management work of the education system.” Any school or individual that fails to enforce the new policy, that “plays politics, pretends to implement, or acts one way and does another,” will be designated “two-faced” and “severely punished,” it said, using a term regularly applied by the government to Uyghurs who do not willingly follow such directives. ‘Encouraging’ Mandarin Four different officials anonymously confirmed the directive to RFA and said their local county governments were preparing to implement it ahead of the fall semester. A Han Chinese official at Hotan’s Qaraqash (Moyu) county Education Bureau said that the directive was issued on June 28 and distributed to all county education bureaus two days later. “I can give you the contents of this directive, but only the Prefectural Educational Department has the right to explain them,” he said, referring further questions to the department. A Uyghur official with Hotan’s Chira (Cele) county government said she had heard about the directive, but was not fully aware of its contents. “I heard that all teaching in elementary and middle/high schools will be done in the Chinese language, beginning in September, and Uyghur language will not be used,” she said. A Uyghur official at the same county’s Education Bureau was able to provide more information about the new policy, which he said his bureau was “urgently discussing the implementation of.” “All teachings will be conducted in the Chinese, not Uyghur, language in the upcoming semester,” he said. “Even the Uyghur textbooks will be replaced with Chinese textbooks from inland China. All teachers and students are required to speak the Chinese language only in the school and education system,” he added. The Uyghur official said that while Hotan prefecture had repeatedly tried to implement a bilingual education policy over the past 10 years, “the national language hasn’t become popularized.” “As a result, the Prefectural Education Department issued this directive to deal with this situation,” he said. A Han Chinese official from the Education Bureau for the seat of Hotan prefecture told RFA that the directive is being implemented throughout the prefecture to “encourage” the learning of the national language. “Education authorities decided to ban the use of the Uyghur language in order to create a favorable environment for minorities to study the national language,” he said. “This is, in fact, good for Uyghurs to study the national language. Uyghur students will not study Mandarin if they learn from Uyghur language materials in the school system. That is why they should immerse themselves daily in Chinese language announcements, propaganda, signs and other materials.” “All meetings and collective activities” in the school system will be held in Mandarin in the future, the official added. Illegal policy While Beijing has attempted to implement a “bilingual” system in Xinjiang’s schools over the past decade, Uyghurs say the system is monolingual and reject it as part of a bid to eliminate their mother tongue and increase their assimilation into Han Chinese culture. Additionally, the bilingual education policy is in violation of both China’s constitution and regional ethnic autonomy laws. Article 4 of the first chapter of China’s constitution states that “the people of all nationalities have the freedom to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and to preserve or reform their own ways and customs.” Article 121 of the charter’s sixth section states that in performing their function, the organs of self-government in China’s autonomous regions should “employ the spoken and written language or languages in common use in the locality.” Additionally, Article 10 of the first chapter of China’s Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law on Language states that agencies in ethnic autonomous areas “guarantee the freedom of the nationalities in these areas to use and develop their own spoken and written languages and their freedom to preserve or reform their own folkways and customs.” Article 37 of the law’s third chapter states that “schools (classes) and other educational organizations recruiting mostly ethnic minority students should, whenever possible, use textbooks in their own languages and use these languages as the media of instruction.” Ilshat Hassan, president of the Washington-based Uyghur American Association, told RFA that Beijing is attempting to skirt its own laws by labeling the new policy part of a bilingual education, while it works to “eradicate one of the most ancient Turkic languages in the world.” “In fact, by enforcing this new policy at the preschool level, the Chinese government intends to kill the Uyghur language at the cradle,” he said. “It is nothing short of cultural genocide. The international community must not allow China to destroy our beautiful language and culture, which has thrived for several millennia.” Reported by Eset Sulaiman for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/language-07282017143037.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 5 months

RFA Breaking News: China Launches Racial Profiling Campaign to Assess Uyghurs’ Security Risk

by Paul Eckert

China Launches Racial Profiling Campaign to Assess Uyghurs’ Security Risk July 14, 2017 - Authorities in northwest China’s Xinjiang region have launched a racial profiling campaign to assess the security threat posed by non-Han Chinese majority residents of the capital Urumqi, with points automatically docked for members of the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority, according to a local official. On July 10, the Western Hebei Road Neighborhood Committee in Urumqi’s Yengisheher (in Chinese, Xinshiqu) district circulated a document listing 13 non-Han residents of the area and grading their individual risk to security based on ten categories. While the title suggests that all non-Han residents of Western Hebei Road had been graded, subsequent mentions of ethnicity on the document only refer to the “Uyghur” minority, and only Uyghurs were listed on the copy obtained by RFA’s Uyghur Service. The ruling Chinese Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in recent years, but critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the ethnic group, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009. According to the document from the Western Hebei Road Neighborhood Committee, each resident is assigned a 100-point value and 10 points are subtracted from that value for each of the 10 categories that applies to them. The remaining value for each resident is used to determine the security risk they pose to the community, with anyone rated 80 points or higher designated “safe,” anyone rated between 50 and 70 points seen as “average,” and anyone rated below 50 points considered “unsafe.” The 10 categories on the form consist of: Between Ages of 15 and 55, Ethnic Uyghur, Unemployed, Possesses Passport, Prays Daily, Possesses Religious Knowledge, Visited [one of] 26 [flagged] Countries, Belated Return to China, Has Association With Foreign Country, and Family With Children Who Are Homeschooled. Additionally, personal information for each resident is listed on the document, including their name, home address, age and number of family members. In one example, 85-year-old Ibrahim Ismail (Yibulaying Simayi), was rated an “average” security threat based on a 50-point score after 10 points each were subtracted for being a Uyghur, possessing a passport, praying daily, possessing religious knowledge, and visiting a flagged country. Another resident, 29-year-old Misir Emet (Misaier Aimaiti), was also rated “average” based on a 70-point score after he lost points for being Uyghur, falling within the “risky” age range, and being unemployed. While the 11 other residents were rated “safe” with scores of 80 points or more, all of them were docked at least 10 points for being Uyghur. ‘Gathering information’ When contacted by RFA, officials from the Yengisheher district Party Committee and the district government office said they were unfamiliar with the document and referred questions to the area Political Law Committee. But an official from the Yengisheher district Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee confirmed that the Western Hebei Road Neighborhood Committee had prepared the document and brought it to his office, where it was officially endorsed. “We examined the content related to religious affairs and compared it to our own findings, and then stamped the document—we also kept one for our records,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We can say that the purpose of this document is to gather general … [and] personal information from the residents in our jurisdiction.” According to the official, the campaign had been underway for “two to three weeks already,” and “various neighborhood committees” in the district had brought their completed lists to his office for endorsement immediately after the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which ended on June 24 this year. “I cannot say it is mainly targeting Uyghurs, but I do not know—you can view it however you’d like to,” he said. “[Neighborhood committee representatives] told us that the document was issued to collect basic information from the residents. That’s all we know. I’m not aware who was responsible for ordering this kind of documentation.” The official referred further questions about the matter to the county propaganda department. Being Uyghur is ‘a crime’ Ilshat Hassan, president of the Washington-based Uyghur American Association, told RFA that his group was “extremely concerned” by the document, adding that it was an example of how “extreme” China’s Uyghur policy had become. “China deems being Uyghur a crime,” he said. “This campaign reminds us of how Nazi Germany first racially profiled Jews, perceiving them as a security threat, and then committed the Holocaust during World War II.” According to Hassan, the document shows that even Uyghurs who identify predominantly as “Chinese” and abide by the policies of the state will always be viewed as terrorists by the authorities, simply because of their ethnic background. “The Chinese government doesn’t trust any Uyghur, because … being a Uyghur simply increases [a person’s] threat level, according to the document,” he said. “The simple fact that China is specifically targeting the Uyghur population and subtracting points for such information clearly demonstrates its intention to enforce ever more repressive policies against the minority group with ethnic cleansing in mind.” China regularly conducts “strike hard” campaigns in Xinjiang, including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material. Reported by Eset Sulaiman for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Mamatjan Juma and Alim Seytoff. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/campaign-07142017165301.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 6 months

RFA Breaking News: Chinese Dissident, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo, 61, Dies of Cancer

by Paul Eckert

Chinese Dissident, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo, 61, Dies of Cancer July 13, 2017 - Prominent Chinese dissident and Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo has died of liver cancer after being transferred to hospital from prison only after his disease was in the final stages. He was 61. Liu's late diagnosis, and the refusal of the ruling Chinese Communist Party to allow him to go overseas on medical parole, had sparked widespread public anger, with the governments of Germany and the U.S. offering him the best possible treatment. At the time of his death, Liu had been serving an 11-year jail term for "incitement to subvert state power," linked to his online writings promoting democracy and constitutional government. They included Charter 08, a document that was signed by more than 300 prominent scholars, writers, and rights activists around the country. In it, the former literature professor called for concerned Chinese citizens to rally to bring about change, citing an increasing loss of control by the Communist Party and heightened hostility between the authorities and ordinary people. "Among the great nations of the world, China, alone, still clings to an authoritarian political way of life," said the Charter, translated into English by California-Riverside East Asian Studies Professor Perry Link. "As a result, it has caused an unbroken chain of human rights disasters and social crises, held back the development of the Chinese people, and hindered the progress of human civilization." The Charter called for a genuine use of the Constitution and institutions that uphold the rule of law, democratic reforms, and human rights, warning of disaster amid growing social tensions in the absence of such reforms. Before the Charter, Liu had served as the president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center writers' group from 2003 to 2007, as well as heading Democratic China magazine since the mid-1990s. Empty chair in Oslo He was the third person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in prison or detention, and was represented at the awards ceremony in Oslo in December 2010 by an empty chair. Born in Changchun, in the northeastern province of Jilin, Liu was taken by his father to Inner Mongolia in 1969, when intellectuals across China were sent "down to the countryside" during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), and initially worked as a farm laborer. But with the reinstatement of China's universities, Liu joined the rest of his generation in applying to college, winning a place to read Chinese literature at Jilin University in 1977, and receiving his master's degree from Beijing Normal University, and began to make a mark in literary and ideological circles with his radical opinions. He went on to lecture at the same university after gaining his PhD, and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University, the University of Oslo, and the University of Hawaii. His books were banned in China soon after the 1989 student-led pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square. Liu was detained by police two days before the Charter went public on Human Rights Day 2008, and formally arrested on June 23 , 2009. His lawyers said the case against him was mostly built around six articles he published since 2005, as well as his participation in the drafting and promotion of Charter 08. The articles appeared on foreign news Web sites including China Observer and the BBC, and including titles such as "China's Dictatorial Patriotism," "The Many Facets of Chinese Communist Party Dictatorship," and "The Negative Effects on World Democracy of the Rise of Dictatorship." House arrest for Liu's wife The indictment document described Liu's crimes as "very great," accusing him of "using rumors and slander to overthrow the socialist system." He was found guilty on Dec. 25, 2009 of "engaging in agitation activities, such as the spreading of rumors and defaming of the government, aimed at subversion of the state and overthrowing the socialist system" and handed an 11-year jail term, which he served mostly in Liaoning, far from his Beijing-based friends and family. After his Nobel peace prize was announced in October 2010 , Liu's wife Liu Xia was held for several years under house arrest at the couple's home in Beijing, and prevented from receiving visitors or earning a living. She suffered from pronounced mental and physical health problems that friends blamed on this unofficial incarceration. During his last illness, many retired officials and Chinese intellectuals expressed their anger over Liu's treatment at the hands of the government. Former top Communist Party aide Bao Tong said Liu had never been guilty of subversion. "To subvert the state would be to remove power from the people and put it elsewhere. Any act that does not have this result cannot be called subversion," Bao wrote in a Dec. 23, 2009 essay ahead of Liu's trial. "It is patriotic to defend the sovereignty of the people. All movements that try to do this are patriotic movements," he wrote. "It is patriotic to defend the right to freedom of speech, publication, association, demonstration, and public protest, and to safeguard the public's right to know what is happening, to express themselves, to take part in political life and to oversee the government." In a statement written on the same day, which was never read out at his trial, Liu said he didn't blame the authorities for their treatment of him. "I have no enemies, and no hatred," he wrote. "None of the police who have monitored, arrested and interrogated me, the prosecutors who prosecuted me, or the judges who sentence me, are my enemies." "For hatred is corrosive of a person’s wisdom and conscience; the mentality of enmity can poison a nation’s spirit, instigate brutal life and death struggles, destroy a society’s tolerance and humanity, and block a nation’s progress to freedom and democracy," Liu wrote. But while he said he hoped to "defuse hatred with love," Liu added: "I do not feel guilty for following my constitutional right to freedom of expression, for fulfilling my social responsibility as a Chinese citizen." Reported by RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/liu-death-07132017094322.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 6 months

RFA Breaking News: Xinjiang Authorities Take Further Steps Towards Total Digital Surveillance

by Paul Eckert

Xinjiang Authorities Take Further Steps Towards Total Digital Surveillance June 29, 2017 - Chinese authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang are ordering residents to hand in all digital devices for “checking” at local police stations by Aug. 1, as part of an operation targeting “terrorist videos,” according to an announcement and official sources. "According to the requirements of stability maintenance measures, the Baoshan community district will be carrying out a specific anti-terrorist videos operation," a notice issued to residents of the regional capital Urumqi’s Baoshan district said. “Please would all residents and business owners of the district submit their personal ID cards, cell phones, external drives, portable hard drives, notebook computers and media storage cards and any similar devices to our district police post for registration and scanning by Aug. 1, 2017," the June 27 notice said. "Anyone who fails to submit the above devices and content by the stated time will be dealt with according to the relevant national law, should any problems arise," it said, calling on local people to respond "proactively" to the order. An employee who answered the phone at the Baoshan district committee offices confirmed to RFA that the order is genuine. "Handheld computers, smartphones, and storage devices [must be handed in]," she said. "We have a special system for scanning them, and this is happening across the whole city, not just here in our district." "These are orders from higher up." ‘Everyone must obey’ A Han Chinese officer at the Baoshan district police station also confirmed the directive, saying the directive was to “check and clean up illegal audio-video content.” “As long as you are a Chinese citizen, it is your obligation to cooperate with us, under the necessity of stability maintenance,” he said. “As soon as residents see the announcement, they should bring their smart phones, USB drives, [tablets] and notebook computers—these four types of devices—to the nearest police station for inspection.” According to the officer, authorities will install software that opens “everything” stored on the devices, including documents, archived items, and “anything unclean,” without providing details. He said that “every Chinese citizen has an obligation to participate” in the inspection, though he acknowledged that the order did not extend beyond Xinjiang, where he said the situation is “unlike any other part” of China in the aftermath of ethnic unrest in Urumqi, on July 5, 2009. If anyone fails to bring a device for inspection, “we will find them through their mobile phone,” the officer said. “Everyone must obey—if they don’t come, they will face legal consequences,” he added. The officer said that anyone born in Xinjiang must comply with the order, regardless of whether they are living in other parts of China, or even in one of “26 designated countries” abroad, without specifying which nations. “They must bring their devices for checkup as soon as they return,” he said. “This includes all Han Chinese and ethnic minorities. As long as you are from Xinjiang, you understand well what we’re doing here.” Increasing restrictions The new measures come after the regional government issued orders earlier this year for all vehicles to have compulsory GPS trackers and microchip license plates installed, enabling police to pinpoint the position of vehicles at all times. Beijing in December 2015 passed an anti-terrorism law banning anyone from disseminating images or information regarding “terrorist” activities, and authorizing anti-terrorist operations by security forces beyond China's borders. U.S. officials have said they fear the new law could be used to target peaceful dissent and religious activities among ethnic minorities in China, particularly among the Uyghur ethnic group. The ruling Chinese Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in recent years. But critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the Uyghurs, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009. Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the exile World Uyghur Congress group, said the monitoring program will likely result in even more arrests. "I think this will mean that the situation gets even more unpredictable," Raxit said. "They are now forcibly prying into Uyghurs' private belongings." Control and surveil Sophie Richardson, China director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, called the new measure an unprecedented strategy by Chinese authorities to control and surveil residents of Xinjiang, and questioned its legality. “There is no basis for that in Chinese law, absent some sort of credible suggestion that the communications are taking place with the view towards committing some kind of actual crime,” she said. “From our perspective it’s another counterproductive strategy. Instead of actually addressing the legitimate grievances of the Uyghur people in the region … authorities are compounding them by preventing people from discussing them freely.” An ethnic Kazakh resident of Urumqi told RFA that the authorities are increasingly stepping up pressure on his ethnic group too, however. "Since 2000, all the ethnic minority schools, including Uyghur and Kazakh schools, have been merged with Han Chinese schools," the Kazakh resident said. "That includes 2,000 Kazakh schools that have been merged with Chinese schools." "Ethnic minorities' right to their language and religious beliefs have been stripped away," he said. "We should continue to fight for justice, and say what needs to be said. We shouldn't allow them to suppress us." Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service and Ghulchehra Hoja for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Translated by Luisetta Mudie, Alim Seytoff and Mamatjan Juma. Written in English by Luisetta Mudie and Joshua Lipes. View this s tory online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/surveillance-06292017134132.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news , information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA ’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

7 years, 6 months

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