Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Monday 30th March

In this bulletin …

-Decline in China’s exports accelerates;
-Tibetan writer questions Beijing’s version of Tibetan history; and
-Lawyer named for Mumbai suspect.

But first, here’s our SOH focus on China
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The decline in Chinese exports accelerated in the first two months of this year as a slump in global demand worsened.

Chinese trade fell to US$266.77 billion, plunging 27.2 per cent from a year earlier in January and February, said the Chinese customs agency last week. Exports sank to US$155.33 billion, with a 21.1 per cent decrease, and imports were US$111.44 billion, down 34.2 per cent.

The export decline increases pressure on Beijing to reduce reliance on trade by boosting domestic demand with its 4 trillion yuan (US$586 billion) stimulus package.

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Tibetan writer Ms. Tsering Woeser has commented on media reports and articles which state that China liberated Tibet from serfdom. She says that these reports are only propaganda to demonize Tibet.

Woeser says that the old Tibet was not at all a ‘Hell on earth’ as Beijing describes it, and that back then, every Tibetan including, the nobles and officials, believed in Buddhism.

The official Chinese history depicts Tibet in the past as a barbaric feudal serfdom. Past Tibetan exhibitions demonstration held in Beijing, would include torture instruments used such as cages, shackles, stones, and knives used to dig out one’s eyeballs, as well as other torture devices.

According to Woeser, there were two very small prisons in Lhasa, which were only big enough for about 20 prisoners. She says that the prison management was very loose and the prisoners could go outside and beg for food. During the Tibetan New Year, the prisoners were allowed to go home to be with their families and come back thereafter.

Woeser questioned that if old Tibet was “Hell on Earth” and the reformed Tibet is Heaven on Earth, why is it that in the past 50 years under Beijing’s rule, protests and riots never cease? Last year the number of protests reached a record high and they were all over Tibet, even with intellectuals and students standing up.

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Riots are becoming a frequent occurrence in China’s Hainan Province. Government authorities have sent thousands of police to the area to control the situation.

On March 23, villagers from Gan Township of Hainan Province burned down the town government buildings and the Border Defence police station. On March 25, a riot occurred again in the city resulting in at least one death and several injuries.

Experts point out that the rising number of conflicts between average Chinese citizens and corrupt government officials has lead to increasing numbers of anti-government demonstrations. These demonstrations often escalate into riots. While local authorities always send police to put the riots down, the government always puts the blame for the riots on “overseas hostile forces.”

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Thirty years after the brutal Maoist regime fell,  prosecutors have started to outline the case against a former Khmer Rouge leader in Cambodia.

The UN-backed trial opened in Phnom Penh last month which is trying Comrade Duch. It is now hearing from prosecution lawyers and witnesses.

Duch ran a notorious prison camp and is accused of presiding over the murder and torture of at least 15,000 inmates.

In less than four years the Khmer Rouge killed up to two million people.

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The sole known surviving suspect from last November’s Mumbai (Bombay) attacks has been appointed a lawyer.

Anjali Waghmare has been named to fight the Ajmal Amir Qasab case who is charged with murder and “waging war” against India.

Through a video link Qasab appeared before the trial judge. Last week, he told the court he was from Pakistan’s Punjab province and asked for a lawyer.

Indian lawyers had refused to represent Qasab, after the attacks.

More than 170 people died in November’s attacks on India’s financial capital, and nine gunmen were killed.

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And now for our Shen Yun quote of the day
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Our quote of the day comes from the show in Australia’s capital, Canberra. Greens Parliamentary Convenor, Meredith Hunter was at the Shen Yun show on the 29th of March with her son. She commented about the show saying that the “the dancers are wonderful, lots of colourful costumes and the singing was world class.”

Don’t miss out on this wonderful show. Visit www.divineperformingarts.com to find out when the Shen Yun will be coming to your local city.

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“Asia Cast … Keeping you across the top headlines from Asia and the world.”