Asia-Cast

Asia Cast for Sunday 14th March

In this Bulletin…

- China’s suppression of media freedom spreads across Asia;
- US releases annual human rights report; and
- Bangkok braced for anti-government protests.

But first we have our Shen Yun quote of the day

[audio]

For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

But first we bring you a special update on Era Baru Radio, our media partner in Indonesia.

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Indonesia’s Communications and Information Technology Ministry has said it plans to force the privately owned Radio Erabaru off the air.

Radio Erabaru’s target audience are Chinese-Indonesians. The station transmits 30 per cent of its broadcasts in Mandarin. Broadcasts provided by SOH. But by airing news on sensitive subjects, like the Chinese regime’s persecution of the Falun Gong spiritual group, the station has apparently angered the Chinese embassy in Jakarta.

In 2009 the Indonesian government declined to extend the station’s broadcasting license, first issued in 2007. The station has now been told it’s also interfering with other radio frequencies.

But Indonesia’s Legal Aid Foundation suspects the action against Radio Erabaru came after political pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta.

Station director Raymond Tan said the Chinese government was behind the efforts to close Radio Erabaru because the station aired news on Falun Gong. Tan added, the news was aired because it was worthy of being aired.

The Legal Aid Foundation said it had written proof about Chinese interference in the affair. It says the document states that if the station continues broadcasting it might damage relations between the two countries.

Radio Erabaru said it will continue broadcasting as it had not been given a deadline to cease operations.

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And now for the rest of today’s Asia Cast

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Taiwan’s justice minister has stepped down over her reluctance to sign execution orders for the country’s 44 death row convicts.

But in an ironic twist of fate her departure may actually speed up the executions. Willingness to sign the death penalty orders has become the main consideration in appointing a new justice minister.

The Vice Justice Minister has also tendered his resignation over the matter.

The Taiwanese Premier told a legislative hearing Friday that Taiwan is a country ruled by law. He stressed that the new justice minister must carry out his official duties without any hesitation.

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The United States government has released it’s 34th annual human rights report. In it the US says that China and Iran have stepped up human rights abuses.

The report accused China of violating cultural and religious freedom, and for broadening its effort in monitoring information on the Internet.

According to the report China increased its efforts to monitor Internet use, control content, restrict information, block access to foreign and domestic websites, encourage self-censorship, and punish those who violated regulations.

Iran was accused for the violent suppression of mass protests, which followed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The US also criticized Cuba, Burma, North Korea, Russia and Sri Lanka for human rights

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“You’re listening to Asia Cast on the SOH Radio Network”

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The president of Afghanistan has agreed to let two foreigners join a panel monitoring September’s parliamentary elections. This is a reversal of an earlier decision.

Last month the Afghan president signed a decree letting him appoint all five members of the Electoral Complaints Commission.

The decree was met with stiff criticism. Some saw it as an attempt to control a body which stripped nearly a third of his votes in last year’s fraud-tainted election.

On Saturday, a spokesman said the president would now accept some foreigners on the body. But with three out of the five votes the Electoral Complaints Commission would still be controlled by Afghans.

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Hundreds of thousands of protesters were expected in Bangkok Sunday. The protesters, all supporters of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had been arriving for days.

The series of anti-government rallies they planned to hold over the weekend have been seen as the biggest threat yet to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s power.

Security forces have been guarding state buildings after government warnings of arson and bombings. Protesters say authorities are trying to fan public fears to justify a potential crackdown.

The government said the 50,000 security personnel handling the protest would not be armed.

You can see more on the build up to the protests on the NTDTV website.

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