AsiaCast

Asia Cast for Thursday 8th January

In this Bulletin…

- 2009 forecast as a year of unrest in China;
- Cambodians mark 30 years since fall of Khmer Rouge ; and
- Action by Hamas militants mars a ‘humanitarian’ break in Israel’s assault on Gaza

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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In an uncharacteristically frank appraisal of the current level of social discontent in China, the country’s state-controlled news agency has published an article forecasting that 2009 will be a year of unrest.

The article explicitly acknowledged, “There is no doubt that China has now entered into a period of public unrest and in 2009 China’s society is likely to face more contradictions and conflicts.”

Corruption, land seizures, social imbalance and factory closures have all sparked recent incidents of mass unrest.

As the emerging social rights movement continues to gain momentum and the authorities are challenged over many of these issues by the people the prediction may well be fulfilled.

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Following on from our recent report on the Chinese Communist Party’s suppression of the Uyghur people, almost 1,300 people in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region were arrested on grounds of ‘endangering national security’ during 2008.

A stark increase on the previous year.

This vaguely defined offence is often employed by the Chinese regime to persecute those it wishes to silence.

Nicholas Bequelin, from Human Rights Watch said that if confirmed, the number of arrests highlights an alarming issue.

The criteria defining the crime of endangering national security were greatly relaxed as part of a ‘strike hard’ campaign the Chinese authorities launched prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Under the guise of ‘ensuring stability’, the campaign targeted dissidents and so-called ‘terrorism’ in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in an attempt to silence the Uyghurs.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast
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Over 40,000 people in Cambodia filled the capital’s Olympic stadium to mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the murderous Khmer Rouge.

Senate President Chea Sim lauded “those who sacrificed their lives to save us from genocide”, when Vietnamese-led forces ousted the regime in 1979.

Up to two million people died over the four years of Khmer Rouge rule.

But none of its surviving leaders have yet faced justice, triggering criticism of foot-dragging by the government.

Human Rights Watch accused Prime Minister Hun Sen of “doing his best to thwart justice”, and said in addition both the US and China and other nations had “blocked efforts at accountability”.

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Taiwan’s president has announced that 2009 will see the promotion of a special partnership with Japan at a gathering of Japanese expatriates in Taipei, says CNA.

Ma Ying-jeou said that as a result of warming relations across the Taiwan Straight, Taiwan had been able to join the World Trade Organisation’s Wednesday Government Procurement Agreement.

“As a result, companies in Japan, Europe and the United States will have a chance to bid for our government’s procurement deals and public construction projects,” Mr Ma told the expatriates, many of whom are corporate executives.

“In the year 2009, more efforts will be made to further promote a special partnership between our two countries,” he pledged.

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You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network
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Intermittent attacks by Hamas militants and retaliatory fire from Israeli forces marred a planned three-hour lull in Israel’s assault on Gaza.

Yesterday’s suspension of the campaign was intended to allow residents of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory to receive food and medical supplies.

Israel said Wednesday that it “welcomes” a truce plan by Egypt and France and will continue its discussions with both countries about how to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, an Israeli government spokesman told CNN.

One commentator writing in The Epoch Times says Hamas is waging a propaganda campaign along side its military one to portray itself as a victim who is being attacked, and one who guards the Palestinian people, while all the time exacerbating difficulties facing the region.

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There must be no let up in the fight against bird flu, Bernard Vallat, director general of the World Organisation for Animal Health said this week.

Outbreaks of H5N1 avian influence among poultry fell last year, as did the toll among humans who came into contact with infected birds, but the story is far from over, said Mr Vallat.

Egypt and Indonesia were singled out as countries where, he said, veterinary surveillance was currently insufficient.

On Monday, a 19-year-old Chinese woman died of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in Beijing after coming into contact with ducks at a poultry market. Authorities in Vietnam also announced on Tuesday an eight-year-old girl had tested positive for H5N1 in the north of the country.

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And now for our Divine Performing Arts quote of the day
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On the 7^th of January, at the War Memorial Opera house in San Francisco, the divine performing arts had another successful show  and Courtney  had a few heart felt words to  say..
Experience true Chinese culture like never before as Divine Performing Arts presents classical Chinese dance and music in gloriously colorful and exhilarating shows.

The Divine Performing Arts world tour is coming to a city near you soon. Don’t miss out, visit www.divineperformingarts.org today.
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This is (narrator’s name) for the SOH Radio Network.

“Asia Cast… keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the World.”