Social Cause 01 (Jul 08 - Jul 15)

[winston]

Malaysian tribunal finds Bush guilty of war crimes

A symbolic War Crimes Tribunal in Malaysia has found former U.S. President George W. Bush and several other members of his administration guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity , Press TV reports.

The second “Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal”, part of an initiative by former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, in a unanimous vote on Saturday found Bush and seven of his associates, including former Vice President d**k Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld guilty of torture and war crimes.

The court also heard evidence from former detainees in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, of torture methods used by U.S. soldiers during their captivity in prisons run by American forces.

A former inmate, Abbas Abid appeared in a scarf fearing reprisals. He enacted how U.S. troops subjected him to electric shocks, beatings and sexual abuse over a number of months.

High ranking former UN officials present in the courtroom expressed frustration over the evidence. “The UN is a weak body ... and it’s corrupted by member states, who use the Security Council for their own interests. They don’t respect the charter. They don’t respect the international law. They don’t respect the Geneva Conventions,” former UN Assistant Secretary General, Denis Halliday told Press TV.

“As long as they continue to use the UN it’s going to be somehow redundant possibly a dangerous and certainly corrupted organization,” Halliday went on to say.

Meanwhile, Mahatir remains determined to bring Bush and his cohorts to justice.

In response to a question on the sidelines of the court regarding the Malaysian police’s authority to arrest the criminals of war, Mahathir expressed hope that the charged officials won’t be invited to Malaysia.

“I hope people in the world will take notice and they should actually ... these are basically murderers and they kill on large scale,” the former Malaysian premier maintained.

The symbolic court was first held in November 2011 during which Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair were found guilty for committing "crimes against peace" during the Iraq war.


(Source: Press TV)

[winston]

Bereaved Mothers Call For Tiananmen Square Review

(RTTNews) - Mothers of those killed in the Chinese military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests have demanded the government review the massacre four days ahead of Monday's 23rd anniversary.

Many people were killed or wounded when the Chinese military used tanks and fired on students and other democracy demonstrators gathered in and around the Beijing square on June 4, 1989. Details of the clampdown still remain unknown.

On Thursday, 121 mothers and kins of the victims released on the Internet a statement demanding the government clarify what happened in the crackdown and fix responsibility. The statement says it is becoming extremely difficult to bring a fair resolution to the incident and people are feeling terribly hopeless about their future.

The statement, carried in media reports, says human rights violations, gap between rich and poor, and corruption among bureaucrats, have only become worse in China in the past decade under the administration of President Hu Jintao.

While China's economy rapidly grew under his administration, the government missed a great opportunity to start democratizing politics and reassessing the Tiananmen incident, the statement added.


Source: RTT

[winston]

Over 400 people mark 25th anniversary of ISA arrests By Ewen Boey

More than 400 people gathered at Hong Lim Park's Speakers' Corner on Saturday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first arrests and detentions in Singapore of alleged Marxist conspirators.

Human rights non-governmental organisation MARUAH and Function 8, a citizen-led move to facilitate civic discussions, remembered those who had been arrested in "Operation Spectrum" between 1987 and 1988 for their alleged involvement in a "Marxist conspiracy" to topple the government.

The two groups also called for the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA), under which such detentions without trial have been made.

Playwright Alfian Sa'at and Singapore Democratic Party treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha, among others, aired their personal views on why they believe ISA is no longer applicable today.

"I think today's turnout was really invigorating, because I think hopefully people in Singapore are getting concerned on a lot of issues that matter to them, and are willing to stand and and speak up for these issues… I think we will have a better civil society who will engage the government on issues that will matter to them," said MARUAH president Braema Mathi.

Present as well were eight ex-detainees of 1987, who shared their experiences with members of the public in a breakout session after the event. The 24 who had been detained under the ISA were a mix of social workers, church workers and professionals.

Teo Soh Lung, one of the 24 who had been detained, said, "I'm actually happy with the turnout and the weather. The turnout is beyond my expectations. I think the young people is the most important in the crowd. The younger ones may not know (about what happened).

William Yap, the only former detainee to have spoken on stage, said, "There were so many people who wanted the speak. All the ex-detainees were prepared to speak, but we thought we should give our guests precedence. Since there was nobody going to speak in Mandarin, they asked me and I said okay… I got some feedback and people were quite happy with the speech."

The event also featured exhibits of the detention cells and interogation rooms, which were set up in two weeks by the ex-detainees themselves, with the help of some of their friends.

The organisers also urged the public to support the call for the abolition of the ISA by signing a petition.

"This is a very difficult issue to come and talk about the ISA and 'Operation Spectrum', and yet there are number of people who are willing to support their names with IC numbers. I'm very proud of Singaporeans," said Braema.

The MARUAH president added that their organisation, together with Function 8, intend to take 2012 to raise awareness of this issue and plan for more activities.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/over-400-peopl ... rests.html

[winston]

China cracks down on Tiananmen anniversary

Police in China beat and detained political activists marking the 23rd anniversary of the brutal crackdown of the Tiananmen democracy protests on Sunday, rights campaigners said.

Officers used violence against rights defenders in the southeast Fujian province and detained them, while more than 30 petitioners were held in Beijing and forced to return to their home province, the activists reported.

"Around 20 rights defenders were stopped by police and beaten this morning on May First Square," Shi Liping, the wife of activist Lin Bingxing, told AFP by phone from Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province.

"The police said they were going to 'beat them to death'. They took about eight people into custody, including my husband. I fear he has been beaten badly."

Police in Fuzhou, when contacted by AFP, denied anyone had been detained.

People's Liberation Army soldiers stormed into central Beijing on June 3-4, 1989, firing upon unarmed demonstrators and citizens, killing hundreds if not thousands, as they ended six weeks of democracy protests on Tiananmen Square.

Over two decades later, Beijing still considers the incident a "counter revolutionary rebellion" and a "political storm" and has refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing or consider compensation for those killed.

In Beijing, police arrested at least 30 activists from eastern China's Zhejiang province at a Beijing railway station Saturday and put them on a bus to their hometown of Wuxi.

"The police told us it was because of June 4 (the day of the crackdown), that during sensitive periods they had to clean up unstable elements," petitioner Xie Qiming, told AFP from the bus.

"No one was beaten, but there were no legal procedures either, they just forced us on to the bus and are sending us home."

Any mention of the protests is banned in state media. The overseas dissident website www.molihua.org in recent days urged those opposed to the crackdown to dress in black and "stroll" in public places throughout China on June 3-4.

The call, which spread through numerous microblogs like Twitter, was similar to calls last year urging Chinese to hold protests akin to those that spread through the Arab world.


Source:AFP Asian Edition

[winston]

Record turnout for June 4 vigil

A sea of candles lit up Victoria Park last night as a record number of mourners gave public voice to their grief at China's only large-scale event commemorating those killed in the 1989.


Source: SCMP

[winston]

Where were you when the Tiananmen Massacre happened ? I was on vacation in Montreal that morning. It was a cold summer morning. And we had no mood for breakfast ....

Watch: Yesterday night's candlelight vigil in Hong Kong's Victoria Park

Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen candlelight vigil drew a record-breaking turnout yesterday at Victoria Park, as residents in the semi-autonomous territory as well as from the mainland came together, to participate in the only large-scale event commemorating the 1989 crackdown allowed to take place on Chinese soil. Organisers say 180,000 people took part in the event, but local police put the number at just 85,000.

Fang Zheng, who was run over by a tank in 1989 and lost both his legs, told participants, "Hong Kong is really an ocean of love and conscience. It was stunning to see the sea of candle light. Your participation shows that you have not forgotten the movement 23 years ago. I have to thank you all on behalf of the victims."

News of the record turnout had Beijing-based activist Hu Jia lamenting over how feel people in his hometown cared about the incident. He opined: "There are 7.07 million Hong Kongers and 180,000 of them are gathered in Victoria Park.

Beijing is home to 21 million residents, but only very few of us are remembering the 23rd anniversary of the massacre, and we're gathered just online. The people of Hong Kong are commemorating the victims in Beijing. What are we Beijingers doing ourselves?"

http://shanghaiist.com/2012/06/05/watch ... elight.php

[winston]

Top China dissident found dead

Leading Chinese dissident Li Wangyang, jailed for more than 22 years after the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protests, died in strange circumstances in central China Wednesday, his family and rights groups said.

Li, 62, was found dead in a ward at Daxiang hospital in Shaoyang city, Hunan province Wednesday morning, his brother-in-law Zhao Baozhu told AFP by telephone.

Police appeared to suspect suicide as the cause of death and had taken Li's body away without the family's permission, Zhao said.

"Last evening we were together, Li Wangyang did not show any signs of suicide, it is strange," Zhao said.

"Li Wangyang is a man with a strong mind and strong spirit. Police have taken away his body without the approval of the family."

Zhao refused to comment further, saying he feared his phone was being monitored by police.

Officials at the hospital when contacted by AFP said the cause of death was unclear.

As a leading dissident Li was subjected to heavy police surveillance with up to 10 guards monitoring his hospital ward, rights groups said.

Li had met supporters ahead of the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen democracy protests, brutally crushed when soldiers fired upon unarmed students and citizens in central Beijing on June 3-4, leaving hundreds, if not thousands, dead.

The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in China said Li was found by his sister and brother-in-law hanging from a window in his ward by a bandage tied around his neck.

"We cannot rule out that security guards monitoring him tortured him to death and faked a suicide," the centre said in a statement.

Once a factory worker in Shaoyang, Li was sentenced to 13 years in prison for "counter-revolutionary" crimes for his role in the 1989 Tiananmen protests, which spread nationwide, the centre said.

Not long after his release in 2001, he was arrested and convicted of "inciting subversion" and sentenced to another 10 years.

According to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, mistreatment in prison left Li nearly deaf and blind and he had trouble walking.

"Li's sudden death leaves one shocked and suspicious," the group said in a statement.

"He did not commit suicide after over 22 years of bitter, bitter treatment in prison, so why would he commit suicide after gaining his freedom?"

http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/top-ch ... 30741.html

[winston]

Activist cremated 'without consent'

Former Tiananmen dissident Li Wangyang's body was cremated yesterday, three days after his suspicious death in hospital, stoking criticism of the authorities in Shaoyang, Hunan.


Source: SCMP

[winston]

Hong Kong Protesters Demand Probe Into Chinese Dissident’s Death By Bei Hu

Thousands of people rallied in Hong Kong today, demanding Chinese authorities investigate the death of blind Chinese dissident Li Wangyang.

Protesters, many dressed in black or holding white flowers and Li’s portraits, called for China’s government to re-assess the 1989 pro-democracy movement.

The rally marched to the Chinese government’s liaison office, where there were scuffles with the police, television footage from i-Cable showed.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-1 ... death.html

[winston]

Hong Kong official questions whether Chinese activist killed himself

Protesters in Hong Kong have called for an investigation

Friends say the official claim that he hanged himself is "ridiculous"

Hong Kong (CNN) -- A Hong Kong government minister on Tuesday joined a growing chorus of people questioning the circumstances of the death last week of a prominent Chinese dissident who was found hanged in his hospital room.

Dr. York Chow, the Hong Kong secretary for food and health, said in an interview with CNN affiliate i-CABLE News that the weak physical condition of Li Wangyang, a blind and deaf labor rights activist, made it hard to believe the hospital authorities' claim that he had committed suicide.

Chow also cited an interview that Li gave to i-CABLE a few weeks before his death in which he expressed his commitment to promoting democracy in China.

"It seems that his character and personality are not of a person who is suicidal and are not of a person who would not have left a suicide note," Chow said.

He urged other officials to convey the feelings of Hong Kong citizens about Li's death to the Chinese government in Beijing.

Chow has said he will finish his term as health secretary in Hong Kong when the territory's new Beijing-backed chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, takes over next month.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/world ... index.html