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Petition Tag - china
We, overseas Vietnamese who are struggling for a democratic and free Vietnam, respectfully submit this petition to request the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and all NGO’s Humanitarian entities to urge the Communist Vietnam to unconditionally release all innocent people whose only “crimes” is to love their Motherland Vietnam.
2. Ensure a Fair Trial for Zeng Hanlin! 
Zeng Hanlin is the former chairman of Guangdong Flying Dragon Group.
In Oct 1997, Guangdong Flying Dragon Group acquired 40% equity shares in Chengdu Lianyi Industrial Stock Ltd (a listed company) for a value of $68 million yuan, and in the meantime also injecting its high quality Flying Dragon High-speed Passenger shares into the listed company owned by Chengdu Lianyi Group.
End of 1999, due to the delayed payment to Chengdu Lianyi Group's for the acquisition, a simple civil dispute was transformed into a Contract Fraud case by the Chengdu police, placed Zeng Hanlin under criminal investigation, issued arrest warrant against him in just 1 week and followed by freezing of all his assets. In desperation, he borrowed HKD80,000 from a friend in Hong Kong and fled to Canada.
Since then, he was proclaimed by China mainland as "Major Economic Crimes Most Wanted" and one of China Police "Top 10 Fraud Suspects", his reputation discredited, condemned by the world and suffered reviled.
17 Feb 2011, Zeng Hanlin was repatriated, the 1st person to be forcedly repatriated by Canadian government back to China.
17 Nov 2011, given the attention by the social communities and foreign affairs department, Chengdu Intermediate People's Court started the case hearing secretly. During the trial, all outside contact was rejected; family members were being refused contact with any case information. In addition to the allowed 2 family members in the court, the rest present at the hearing are all local government officials.
During the trial, defendant's counsel defended Zeng Hanlin as Not Guilty.
Prosecutors and Defendant's Counsel hold opposite views on the fact findings made on this crime case.
Although it is a closed-door trial, there is plenty of substantial evidence to prove that Zeng Hanlin is not guilty.
3. Take Shark Fin Soup Off the Menu in BC, Canada
100-150 million sharks are killed every year. In the past 20 years, shark population has decreased by 90%. Scientists predict that within the next 15-20 years, sharks will be completely wiped out.
The are the most important species on Earth, simply because they control levels further down on the food pyramid, as tertiary consumers, and therefore the oxygen levels in the ocean, which controls everything on earth, as it covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface.
Please protect this beautiful creature, and ban the act of shark finning. It starts out locally, but when brought to a global perspective can change the situation dramatically. The slaughter of sharks will soon affect you, so please, take action and sign the petition.
Thank you.
Wang Yue (nicknamed YUE YUE), a 2 year old toddler who died 2 days ago (October 20th 2011) in Foshan City of China.
Wang Yue wandered away from her mother when she was run over by a truck. The truck stopped for a moment, then ran over her again with the back wheels. People passed by with nothing as much as a glance to her body on the floor. A second truck ran over her body, 18 pedestrians passed by her and a motorcycle drove around her body.
Wang Yue was then picked up by a woman (Chen Xianmei, 58) who put her aside and her mother was found. She was sent to the hospital. The doctors reported her condition as 'brain dead but stable' for a few days.
Wang Yue perished yesterday, October 21st.
Instead of labeling YUE YUE a victim, let her be a lesson and encouragement for reform and awareness.
This is a petition focusing on the Canadian-Chinese Ambassador. I encourage everybody to make a similar petition and forward it to their respective country Ambassadors.
The surveillance tape of the event (GRAPHIC CONTENT) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Tc0QpXx-Q&feature=related
Wherever you are, sign the petition.
5. Say No to Walmart in Staten Island and all of NYC
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html?page=0%2C0
Walmart will kill businesses in Staten Island, will make no competition and will fight every person trying to start a union to help working conditions they are used to abusing. When all it's competition is killed, everything will be made outside the US and people will be forced to buy what they sell.
So a few jobs created with horrible wages will actually kill thousands of job. Please read the link above and watch the documentary, Wal-Mart The High Cost of Low Price.
6. The UN should recognize Japanese War Crimes as an act of Genocide
In WWII the Japanese committed a genocide on the Chinese, Korean, Filipinos, Malays, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indonesians, and the Burmese. The Japanese murdered women, children and men who weren't part of the war and sometimes raped them. They made women their sex slaves. One of their most horrific act was the Rape of Nanjing.
They committed cruel acts on POWs lie bury them alive, used chemical weapons to kill many ( Hilter refused to use and the Nazis had tons of chemical weapons ), etc.. Find out more at your local library or search Japanese War Crimes.
7. China Should Stop Bullying its Neighboring Countries
On this first day of July 2011, Voice of Vietnamese Americans (VVA) stands in solidarity with all people of Vietnamese descent, all Southeast Asian citizens represented by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and all international communities represented by the United Nations (UN) to raise a collective concern on the global security threat posed by China Communist Party’s (CPC) expansion policy in the Southeast Asia Sea (South China Sea).
The CPC has shown increasing aggressions with disrespect for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Southeast Asia Sea (1982), disregarding the ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea (1992), as well as ignoring the ASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) (2002).
China’s navy has opened fire on Vietnamese fishermen, cutting cables of Vietnamese surveying ships, banned fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zones belonging to Vietnam and the Philippines, and threatened to use its power to claim ownership of more than 80% of the Southeast Asia Sea. It has imposed the 9 dotted line called U shape which infringes on the sovereignty of Southeast Asian nations, disregarding all regional and international agreements China has officially signed with ASEAN and the United Nations.
While recognizing Chinese People as peace-loving and hard-working people, we condemn the CPC for abusing its power, under-minding traditional Chinese culture, not honoring its own signature on the UNCLOS and international treaties, and putting the Chinese people in severe conflicts with their traditional culture and with the world.
Declaration of Facebook Media Group and Multi-networking Media Group Protesting China’s Aggression of Vietnam - Tuyên Cáo Của Nhóm Truyền Thông Facebook và Nhóm Truyền Thông Liên Mạng Phản Đối Trung Quốc Xâm Lược VN
The East China Sea territories presently claimed by many ASEAN nations such as Viet Nam and China and the conflicts there are mounting. Nations, communities and people claiming territories and or resources have petition (http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/tuy%C3%AAn-c%C3%A1o-c%E1%BB%A7a-nh%C3%B3m-truy%E1%BB%81n-th%C3%B4ng-facebook-v%C3%A0-nh.html) the UN to resolve the territory dispute. Therefore, it is necessary for the UN World Court (and any related institution(s)) to actively and promptly resolve the conflict to prevent further global communities divisiveness, anger, hatred, mistrust, animosity and potential destruction and violence.
Resolution by the UN may not prevent conflicts since conflicts can be function of political, economical, cultural and social factors. However, it would establish mechanisms for rule of law; mechanisms for conflict prevention dialogue and resolution; respect of UN Charter, values, principles and membership; global responsibility and accountability; and Global Responsibility To Protect. An effective and comprehensive Global Responsibility To Protect mechanism should not only be limited to intervening when there are such as violence, abuse, atrocities, crimes against humanity and genocides but it should also cover the responsibility and accountability to prevent and resolve conflicts before they escalated. Act promptly to prevent and resolve conflicts are also opportunities for the UN to build up the resources, institutions and structures for common good and the benefits of all.
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Vào lúc 5g58 sáng ngày 26/05/2011, ba tàu chiến Trung quốc, còn gọi là Hải giám mang số 17, 72, và 84 đã ngang nhiên xâm nhập lãnh hải Việt Nam trong phạm vi thềm lục địa 200 hải lý của Việt Nam cắt cáp thăm dò của tàu Bình Minh 02. Cho dù phía Việt Nam đã nhiều lần cảnh báo sự xâm nhập trái phép này. Tọa độ bị cắt cáp ở vị trí 12o48’25” Bắc và 111o26’48” Đông, cách mũi Đại Lãnh (Phú Yên) khoảng 120 hải lý.
Sự xâm lược nói trên của Trung Quốc vi phạm nghiêm trọng quyền chủ quyền của Việt Nam, và vi phạm Công ước Luật biển năm 1982 của Liên Hiệp Quốc, trái với tinh thần và nội dung của Tuyên bố năm 2002 giữa ASEAN và Trung Quốc về ứng xử của các bên ở Biển Đông (DOC).
Do sự xâm nhập trái phép cũng như có những hành động vượt qua mức độ của một quốc gia có trách nhiệm đã dấy lên sự quan ngại của các nước lân cận trong khu vực nói chung, và người Việt Nam ở trong cũng như ngoài nước nói riêng.
Nhóm Truyền Thông Facebook và Nhóm Truyền Thông Liên Mạng đòi hỏi phía Trung quốc phải lên tiếng xin lỗi với dân tộc Việt Nam và bồi thường thích đáng cho sự vi phạm này. Mong rằng những hành động xâm nhập trái phép như trên sẽ không xảy ra trong tương lai.
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Bốn vị linh mục đại diện Liên đoàn Tinh thần Nguyễn Kim Điền đồng ký tên ủng hộ Tuyên cáo:
- Linh mục Chân Tín, 38 Kỳ Đồng Sài Gòn.
- Linh mục Nguyễn Hữu Giải, Thừa Thiên-Huê.
- Linh mục Nguyễn Văn Lý, Huế.
- Linh mục Phan Văn Lợi, Huế.
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Ông Nguyễn Mậu Hiệp, Hoa Kỳ ủng hộ tuyên cáo
艾未未於２０１１年４月３日，在北京機場被公安帶走，原因不明。我們要求北京以合理、合法的手段對待人民，並呼籲北京當局立即釋放艾未未。
10. China: Let Liu Xiaobo or Family Attend Nobel Ceremony
The Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, scheduled for Dec. 10, will likely be held without the guest of honor or anyone from his family to represent him.
11. Issue passports to the family of Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of UKPNP
Despite of the fact that it's the basic right of every citizen to get passport of their nationality however Pakistani secrete agencies are interfering for the issuance of new passports to the family members of United Kashmir People's National Party's chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmir.
Although, the civilian and elected Home Minister Rehman Malik has ordered to the Pakistani High Commission in Switzerland to issue passports, but the agencies are forcing High Commission not to issue the passports.
Since the passports and fee is deposited seven months ago, still this family is waiting for their passports, which is a basic and fundamental right of every citizen of Kashmir.
12. Ban the import of fur from china to help an animal welfare act to be put in place
I don't know much about petitions but i'm going to try start one... On the 10th of August i saw some distressing footage of the cruelty to animals in zoos and parks in China on a news channel,although they showed the footage and caused alot of distress to people i was talking too, there seems no reason to show it as there's no way us brits can help..But if we said no to fur ( as 50% of fur comes from china- and these animals are kept in unbelievable environments- and if that wasn't enough there skin is then peeled off whilst the poor animals are usually still alive...) would anyone actually want to wear fur if they knew the facts????and im hoping we will speak up and say we want no fur/imports from china until animals in china have rights and are treated in a humane way...
im hoping that england and other countries will be guilt free in knowing there not fuelling this cruelty...and china will then start some sort of act in animal rights PLEASE PLEASE sign this petition no one could possibly disagree in this view and im hoping that people will sign and someone somewhere will take action,i know this is a very long shot but i want to speak up and not feel so helpless. also if possible can you pass this link to as many people as possible to help my cause
13. Save The Tocharian Mummies
The white Tocharian mummies of Xinjiang are being allowed to deteriorate by not being preserved under worldwide museum climate control standards for archaeological mummies.
We respectfully beseech the People's Republic of China and Xinjiang Province to preserve these important white archaeological treasures, in the interest of shared histories and continued global amity amongst our peoples.
The Uyghur people are indigenous to East Turkestan [also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China]. For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs' peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs' culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated Uyghurs' peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the "three evils" – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial/ethnic discrimination in employment.
This is a petition addressed to three United Kingdom officials: William Hague, the Secretary of State for the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Jeremy Browne, Foreign Office Minister of State; and Peter Gooderham, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UK to the United Nations in Geneva. The petition asks that during the general debate on Item 4 ("Human rights situations that require the Council's attention") at the 14th session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2010, the United Kingdom discuss the grave human rights violations that the authorities in China committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the peaceful Uyghur protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009 in Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan. These human rights violations have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
This petition is open for signatories who live in the United Kingdom. Copies of the petition with signatures will be transmitted to Secretary Hague, Minister Browne, and Ambassador Gooderham, as well as to other officials in the UK government.
The Uyghur people are indigenous to East Turkestan [also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China]. For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs' peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs' culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated Uyghurs' peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the "three evils" – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition addressed to two Canadian officials: The Honourable Mr. Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs; and His Excellency Mr. Marius Grinius, Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. The petition asks that during the general debate on Item 4 ("Human rights situations that require the Council's attention") at the 14th session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2010, Canada raise the grave human rights violations that the authorities in China committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the peaceful Uyghur protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009 in Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan. These human rights violations have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
This petition is open for signatories who live in Canada. Copies of the petition with signatures will be transmitted to Minister Cannon and Ambassador Grinius, as well as to other officials in the Canadian government.
The Uyghur people are indigenous to East Turkestan [also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China]. For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs' peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs' culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated Uyghurs' peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the "three evils" – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition addressed to two Australian officials: The Honorable Stephen Smith MP, Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs; and His Excellency Mr. Peter Woolcott, Australia's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. The petition asks that during the general debate on Item 4 ("Human rights situations that require the Council's attention") at the 14th session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2010, Australia raise the grave human rights violations that the authorities in China committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the peaceful Uyghur protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009 in Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan. These human rights violations have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
This petition is open for signatories who live in Australia. Copies of the petition with signatures will be transmitted to Minister Smith and Ambassador Woolcott, as well as to other officials in the Australian government.
17. Free Ogyen Trinley Dorje - His Holiness The 17th Karmapa
Indian National Congress
Congress President, Sonia Gandhi
24 Akbar Road
New Delhi, India
110011
Dear Respected Sonia Gandhi,
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about His Holiness the Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje who has been living in exile in India since 2000. As he is not a criminal, but is in fact an important spiritual teacher for the entire world, this confinement contravenes the fundamental principles to the preservation of human dignity and respect for universal, fundamental and ethical principles. We call on you to secure his immediate and unconditional release.
In article 51 (c) of The Constitution of India it states; "the State [India] shall endeavor to foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another.” You have also stated; "The Indian National Congress has always represented a secular, democratic, just and inclusive India, an India that is empowering the disadvantaged and the discriminated, an India that is blending tradition with modernity is anchored in unity amidst its many diversities."
We respectfully request the Government of India to adhere to its commitment to democracy and provide the permission necessary for the Karmapa to travel abroad, now and in the future. We seek a diplomatic solution that will allow the Karmapa to fulfill his spiritual responsibilities through his presence in thousands of centers and monasteries all over the world. We call for Orgyen Trinley Dorje’s immediate and unconditional release from confinement in India.
The International community stands together in concurrence for the Karmapa’s human right to individual freedom of expression and action.
18. To UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Uyghur people need your help
The Uyghurs are indigenous to East Turkestan, which is also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.
For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs’ peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs’ culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the “three evils” – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking him to make a public statement in relation to: the Chinese authorities' brutal suppression of a peaceful Uyghur protest on July 5, 2009; and the grave human rights violations that the authorities committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009. These violations have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
The Uyghur people are indigenous to East Turkestan [also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China]. For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs' peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs' culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated Uyghurs' peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the "three evils" – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition addressed to two United States officials: Ambassador Betty E. King, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations in Geneva; and Mr. Douglas Griffiths, Deputy Permanent Representative of the US to the UN in Geneva. The petition asks that during the general debate on Item 4 ("Human rights situations that require the Council's attention") at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in March 2010, the United States raise the grave human rights violations that the authorities in China committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the peaceful Uyghur protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009 in Urumchi [the regional capital of East Turkestan (also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China)]. These rights violations have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has regular meetings three times each year at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. A regular meeting is currently in session during the month of March 2010. During the general debate on Item 4 ("Human rights situations that require the Council's attention"), the HRC's member States and observer States, as well as the European Union and other intergovernmental organizations, have the opportunity to take the floor and raise human rights issues of concern. During the general debate on Item 4 at the last Human Rights Council meeting in September 2009, the United States raised the issues of the July 2009 incidents in Urumchi and the aftermath. We are very grateful for this and we are asking the United States to raise the issues again.
The Uyghur people are indigenous to East Turkestan [also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China]. For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs' peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs' culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the "three evils" – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition addressed to two European Union officials: John Clarke, Acting Head of the Permanent Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Geneva; and Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission. The petition asks the EU to raise -- during the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in March -- the Chinese authorities' brutal suppression of a peaceful Uyghur protest on July 5, 2009; and the grave human rights violations that the authorities committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009, which have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
The UN Human Rights Council meets three times each year at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, with the next meeting being held in March 2010. The meeting has a general debate portion when each member State and observer State, as well as the European Union and other intergovernmental organizations, have the opportunity to take the floor and raise human rights issues of concern and we are asking the European Union to raise the issues outlined above and in the petition below as matters of concern.
21. For United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon -- the Uyghurs desperately need your help
The Uyghurs are indigenous to East Turkestan, which is also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.
For many years, the Chinese government has waged an intense and often brutal campaign to repress all forms of Uyghur dissent, crack down on Uyghurs’ peaceful religious activities and independent expressions of ethnicity, dilute Uyghurs’ culture and identity as a distinct people, and threaten the survival of the Uyghur language. The authorities have routinely equated peaceful political, religious, and cultural activities with the “three evils” – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. The authorities have also economically marginalized the Uyghurs in East Turkestan through intense and blatant racial discrimination in employment.
This is a petition to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking him to make a public statement in relation to: the Chinese authorities' brutal suppression of a peaceful Uyghur protest on July 5, 2009; and the grave human rights violations that the authorities committed during -- and have committed in the aftermath of -- the protest and the ethnic unrest in July 2009, which have included, but have not been limited to, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary sentencing of individuals to death after trials plagued with politicization and intense strangleholds on due process, and arbitrary executions.
22. Media and democracy in South Korea: Save Mediact
The world has watched as South Korea has moved from dictatorship toward democracy, over the last half a century at great cost. However, democracy, including incredible advances made in the culture and media sectors, has suffered serious damage in South Korea under the Lee Myung-bak regime. This damage has been inflected by way of unilateral passage of new media and news laws, the Grand National Party's (GNP) and conservative newspapers' attempt to take-over of public broadcasting and the evening news in particular, and the replacement of major broadcasting networks' executives with pro-government figure. Furthermore, a principle of checks-and-balances among the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches of the government has been repeatedly violated and weakened the legitimacy of democratic governance.
South Korea in the past two years has been witness to the use of the Public Prosecutor's Office to detain and question journalists critical of the government, infringing on the professional autonomy of rank-and-file reporters and threatening the development of a free and independent press. In addition, the National Tax Service has been used to mobilize politically-motivated institutional audits, while various ministries have been involved in the revocation of NGO licenses and contracts, forced personnel changes, budget cuts, imposition of a real name registration system, pressing of charges of national security violations, and investigations into family members of media movement activists and cultural sector leaders that have been classified as "Born in the Time of DJ (Kim Dae-jung), and Raised by Roh Moo-hyun."
During the past year there have been several forced resignations and/or illegal firings, many of which the Seoul Administrative Court has determined have been illegal but not reversible. While the list is extensive and include the massive personnel and budget cuts at both South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the NHRCK that violates the latter's autonomy outlined and protected under Article 10 of the Constitution, notable incidents include:
* Arts Council Korea (ARKO) Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Kim Jung-heun
* National Museum of Contemporary Art Director Kim Yoon-soo
* Korean National University of Arts President Hwang Ji-woo
* KBS President Jung Yun-joo
* KBS Director Shin Tae-seop
* National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) Chairperson Ahn Kyung-whan
There have also been:
* many resignations made under political protest of four MBC Board of Directors members and media personality Kim Je-dong
* the parachute appointment of the YTN president
* the defunding of Migrant Worker TV
* the defunding of the Seoul Human Rights Film Festival hosted by Sarangbang
* defunding of RTV (national public access satellite cable channel/ a must-carry channel that launched in 2007)
* an attack on Article 38 of the Broadcast Law stipulating that funds are to be used for supporting viewer-produced programs and providing broadcast access to those otherwise excluded from the mainstream
* shut-down of Indie-Space
These and numerous other instances that suggest consequences of a democracy that is taking backward steps in South Korea have been drawing international attention, including from:
* Experts serving on the United Nations (UN) Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
* Reporters without Borders (Reporters sans frontieres, RSF) (According to its 2009 World Press Freedom index, South Korea has dropped 30 places in the past year under President Lee)
* Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
* Amnesty International
* International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection Human Rights
* Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions
* Asia Human Rights Commission & a Statement From Professors In North America Concerned About Korean Democracy.
In addition to calls being made to KOFIC at (02)958-7521 or 02-9587-526 and emails being sent to snowmt@kofic.or.kr ...
23. Reform of the Human Tissue Act
Mail on Sunday article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1241931/Bodies-Revealed-exhibition-accused-putting-executed-Chinese-prisoners-show.html
Letter in Daily Telegraph (29/1/2010)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/7094467/The-Iraq-inquiry-and-the-reluctance-of-politicians-to-heed-legal-advice.html
Hospital Doctor (10/2/2010)
http://www.hospitaldr.co.uk/blogs/our-news/call-for-ban-on-imports-of-tissue-from-suspect-human-corpses
The Observer- 14/2/2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2010/feb/14/letters-medical-research
The Lancet backs the campaign to change the Human Tissue Act (The Lancet, Volume 375, Issue 9715, Page 612, 20 February 2010)
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)60249-8/fulltext?_eventId=login
24. Stop The Use Of Sweatshops Globally
The rise of sweatshops is at its highest with companies such as Nike, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Wal-Mart. Cancers and other hazards to workers in sweathshops located in China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Phillippines are exposed. 90% of women are workers of sweatshops.
250 million children ages 2-14 are sacrificing educational needs to work in sweatshops for multi-million dollar companies. Children and women are exposed to pesticide poisoning and hazardous chemicals in sweatshops.
Help us stop the use of sweatshops GLOBALLY.
昨日十五名在立法會內的菜園村居民及支援組成員，因運輸及房屋局局長鄭汝華聲稱「見過村民四十次」，在旁聽席上批評其說假，休會期間被以「藐視立法會」的罪名集體拘捕，當中4名七十歲以上、5名六十多歲的村民被押送到海傍警署，竟直至晚上十時才獲准保釋。
26. Stop Gadimai
Can you picture 7,000 young buffaloes being rounded up and killed by a thousand drunk men carrying large knives? A festival where 200,000 animals are killed to please a goddess?
This is exactly what -if nothing is done- will happen from November 24, 2009, onwards in Nepal. The Gadimai Festival in Bariyarpur, Bara District, is held each 5 years. The mass sacrifice turns the entire area into a marshy land of blood. The Animal Welfare Network Nepal together with Anti-sacrifice Alliance want to end this bloody, cruel practice.
For more information go to Worship Without Cruelty at http://animalnepal.org/campaigns_wwc.htm
27. Free Tibet
Dear President of China,
the world can no longer see what you do with the people in Tibet so we will say FREE Tibet NOW.
Please respect us and make Tibet FREE.
28. Stop The Brutal Finning Of Sharks!
Every year thousands of sharks are hacked to death for their fins. The still alive body is then dumped back into the ocean to drown, bleed to death or get eaten alive.
29. Mexico should boycott countries that have banned pork products from Mexico
On April 2009, Mexico suffered a outbreak of Swine flu and many countries have taken action against the Swine flu. For example, Russia has banned all pork products from infected countries. China has taken lots of action including isolating Mexican tourists.
Even though Swine flu in Mexico is no longer severe and people can stop worrying, Russia and China still upholds their bans. Also, the US State Department warns travelers from specific countries to avoid going to China because of the treatment the tourists were given in unsanitary conditions.
And thanks to these pork bans, Mexico's economy has plummeted in recession. Tell Mexico to boycott!
30. Support a Tanjong Rhu Road Pedestrians' Crossing
We believe it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs on Tanjong Rhu Road. We cross the road each day taking our children to the bus station, or going to Kallang Leissure for daily shopping - it is unsafe and very scary, especially at rush hour.
Cars are coming from both directions, in and out of all four condominiums in the area (Water Place, Sanctuary Green, Park Shore and Pebble Bay), while parents with children in strollers or on tricyles/bicycles cannot cross safely. We believe that a pedestrians crossing would improve the situation considerably.
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