November 30 RFA News Summary

This a summary of stories being carried on Radio Free Asia today November 30, 2009. Please use the links to go directly to the relevant RFA language website to listen to the stories or read original language transcripts. Some items are translated into English and are available on RFA’s English language page.

If there are stories that you want to hear more about or you would like to see covered we would love to hear from you. If you have a story to tell we will listen.RFAs main page has contact details for all the language services.

Lao:

1.       Lao  Supreme Court  fires a number of judges for illegal activities.

2.       Center for HIV/AIDS in Champasak province officially open.

3.       Broadcast rights committee to negotiate broadcast rights for SEA Games with countries which have not yet bought them.

Cantonese:

1. Private school with 1000+ students in Chongqing suddenly closes down, causing 100s of parents who paid tuition to protest.
2. Fujian farmer petitions in land grab. His son is rejected from PLA for this reason.
3. Dozens HIV-infected hemophiliacs petition in front of drug manufacturer, call for investigation into assault of several petitioners by company staffers last Friday.
4. “Tainted milk” civil lawsuit on tried Friday. Defense lawyer says victim’s family never received any compensation from Sanlu.

Tibetan:

Burmese:

1. EU-China Foreign Ministers discuss Burma issue in Beijing.
2. EU urges Thailand to issue work permits for Burmese refugees.
3. Woman activist charged with disturbing stability.

Vietnamese:

Mandarin:

1. In Jiangsu, violators of the one-child policy face fines, persecution by authorities.
2. Rights lawyer Tang Jingling briefly detained for attempting to deliver lecture on Internet censorship at vocational school in Guangzhou. PHOTOS
3. In Hubei, two separate groups of laid-off school teachers file petitions with authorities demanding better pension benefits. One group clashed with police.
4. In HK, 1000s protest construction of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-HK express rail link. VIDEO
5. San Francisco approves funding to help victims of domestic violence who do not speak English.
6. Wei Jingsheng commentary: On US-China relations and Obama’s visit to China.
7. Sanlu milk powder company declared bankrupt, no hope for victims to get compensation. Parents of sick children call for govt to establish compensation mechanism.
8. 24 detained in Guiyang city in protest against violent evacuation.
9. Activists in Guizhou hold fifth seminar on rights issues.
10. Update on Feng Zhenghu.
11. China sees explosive AIDS growth in homosexual males over past three years, threatening to expand further to rest of society.
12. Shunde city in Guangdong province to abolish “bureau of unification.”
13. China’s population enters climate debate.
14. China buys advertisement time from Western media, including CNN, to promote the “made in China” label.

Khmer:

1.       Community in Battambang appeals to NGOs and provincial authorities to stop regional military officer from harvesting their rice.

2.       Forest protection activists in Pursat report 100s of oxcarts each day haul illegally cut exotic timber in Phnom Kravanh.

3.       Public questions govt plan to cut 50% of teachers on contract (21,000) when children already lack teachers many of whom already work overtime and some classrooms hold 80+ students.

4.       In Prey Veng, nine French medical specialists provide free two-week medical services every six months.

5.       Health ministry reports increase of dengue fever to 11,378 cases in 2009, compared to 8,475 cases in 2008. But only 36 died versus 61 in 2008.  Children aged 15 and under most affected.

6.       In Kratie, locals rally in front of Snuol district office asking authorities to help stop a company from building on their land.

Korean:

1.       Special report: UNHRC’s first conference on NK human rights situation.

2.       Report from Thailand: Intl. parliamentarians’ coalition urges NK to close political prisoner camp at 6^th General Convention for NK Human Rights.

3.       U.S. and  NK may discuss establishment of U.S. liason office in NK during bilateral talks next week.

4.       NK tries again to establish Sinuiju as special economic zone.

5.       Russian electrical company issues feasibility study for U.S. $200M Russia/NK/SK electricity cooperation project.

6.       NK known to have implemented currency reform, 100:1, to fight against inflation, infiltration of capitalism into local markets.

7.       RNC identifies 10 key public policy positions including support for containment of NK.

Uyghur:

1. China’s ethnic unity law and policy.
2. China’s land issue and land issues in Xinjiang.
3. Kazakhstan holds conference on India-Kazakhstan relations, Uyghur scholars attend.
4. EU meeting in Nanjing.
5. China and World Uyghur Congress both support Pakistani Uyghurs during Kurban héyt

End