Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Thursday 17th January

In this Bulletin
- Letters reveal the misery of Columbian hostages
- New aid package offered to South East Asia and
- Thousand of workers on strike everyday in Guangdong, China

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Letters carried out of the Columbian jungle by two women freed by rebels details the suffering and depredation of the hostages still held captive.

The letters catalog the misery of eight captive politicians, police and soldiers who are often chained by the neck, they suffer from malaria, tropical parasites, heart ailments and diarrhea so severe that one captive couldn’t walk.

Colombia estimates the rebels still hold 750 hostages in small groups in far-flung jungle

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Police in Kenya fought hundreds of protesters across the country overnight, killing two people.

The clashes happened as the opposition defied a ban on rallies against President Mwai Kibaki’s disputed re-election.

From the western towns of Kisumu and Eldoret to the capital Nairobi and the coast, security forces clashed with gangs of youths, some of whom set up roadblocks and burnt tyres.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
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To encourage South East Asia to improve their human rights and democratization, Japan has offered a new aid package to five nations.

The Japanese Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda made the offer during a meeting at his official residence in Tokyo.
He told foreign ministers from five Mekong River nations – Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – to use “wisdom” when considering human rights.

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Wei Wenhua once a model communist and is now being recognized as a “citizen journalist” turned martyr.

The construction company manager was driving his car when he witnessed an ugly scene: a team of about 50 city inspectors beating villagers who tried to block trucks from unloading trash near their homes.

Wei took out his cell phone and began taking pictures. The city inspectors saw Wei and then attacked him in a beating that lasted five minutes. He was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival.

His death earlier this month continues to stir controversy. In China’s mainstream media and angry Chinese are demanding action.

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And now for our original SOH news direct from China
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In the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong Province, at least thousands of locals participate in a strike action everyday with the outburst of many small-scale strikes.

Central News Agency (CNA) reported that an activist in a labour movement in China, HAN Dong-Fang believes the international community has an unrealistic illusion about China an that China’s economy has improved.

Behind the economic miracle, people sacrifice health and human rights, which the international community needs to be aware of.
Local governments only intervene when the situation becomes serious, which in turn drives workers to take radical action. To strike is now an effective way to fight for the rights of workers.

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Rights representatives on behalf of the lost-land farmers in Fujin of Jiamusi will be severely punished for exposing the officials enclosing land of farmers unlawfully.

Radio Free Asia reported on 16th January that Yu Chang-Wu, who was arrested 30 days ago and faces two years of forced labour term for ‘reformation’ whilst Wang Gui-Lin was trapped and seized last week, facing the same fate.

Another rights advocate Yang Chun-Lin who fights for the rights of the lost-land farmers will be on trial before the Chinese lunar New Year.

A rights activist Yuan Xian-Chen who concerns the rights of lost-land farmers in Fujin expressed farmers should not accept the practices of the government.

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Today marks the last day of the Holiday Wonders shows in Montreal and San diego, before continuing on the next leg of the tour of 60 cities worldwide.

Once again the Spectacular continues to delighted audiences who express their feelings of amazement and joy after watching the shows.

The spectaculars depict traditional Chinese values that have been suppressed in China over decades of communist rule and have received rave reviews from audiences of previous shows.

The international community is learning what the real China is all about while the Chinese audiences are reconnecting with China’s traditional culture.

For show information please visit http://holidaywonders.net/index_at.php
“Asia Cast… keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the World.”