China Police take away ciztens airing grievances

Adonya Douglas

Feb 6, 2009

11:27 am

Human Rights not in China!

Police in China arrested at least eight people trying to air their grievances in front of a government buliding this morning, days away fromI a key review of the country's human rights record by the United Nations. The eight are part of a local group who came to Beihijing in hopes the central government would help them with problems. mostly centered around corruption.

The resulting report will be closely watched because China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is often criticized for its human rights record.

While the government has made some progress in opening up, journalists, lawyers and activists are still regularly detained or imprisoned under murky subversion charges. The Internet is heavily censored, with content that criticizes or embarrasses the Communist Party leadership quickly removed.

Authorities are especially sensitive this year, the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests and the subsequent military crackdown. On Thursday, two events commemorating a milestone 1989 Chinese art exhibition were shut down.For many in China's poverty-stricken countryside, the pilgrimage to the capital is their last hope for recourse after being ignored or mistreated by local officials for years. The centuries-old practice dates back from days when people could petition the emperor.The people often come armed with stacks of documents and pictures of their loved ones. Most are detained by police and sent home.

It is amazing that people are still being arrested for non- violent acts. These people were not trying to do anything bad they were just standing up for what they believe in. I feel that is was not right for them to be arrested, and this goes to show just how different yet similar governments around the world are.

http://wwwh.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5giTztR3Q-N_HzD1QpNL4ecZgMQEAD965TGIG0