Newsdesk: Student riots in Shandong province

HONG KONG–More than 2,000 students in the northern Chinese province of Shandong rioted last week over plans to change their accommodation just ahead of the exam period, a student told RFA’s Cantonese service.

Video taken by a student on the scene, showed students of Zaozhuang College protesting the changes. Posters demanding compensation for the upheaval had appeared around campus before the riots began, but the school had rejected the idea.

“It took place at 11:00pm on July 6,” the student said. “About 2,000 people protested. Then they vandalized any stuff around them. Some teachers were even beaten.”

The student said the school had cut off communication with the outside world, including the Internet, to stop news of the riot leaking out. No students had been detained.

A spokesman for the college denied the reports. “There was no such incident,” he said. “But if you want to check this issue, you need to contact the relevant departments.” He gave no further details.

An officer at the local police station declined to comment on the report.

<em>Reported in Cantonese by Lee Kin Kwan. RFA Cantonese service director: Shiny Li. Edited by Luisetta Mudie and Sarah Jackson-Han.</em>

China Netcom tracks URLs of broadband users

UPDATE: ADDS comment from Rebecca MacKinnon, Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong‘s Journalism and Media Studies Centre.

 

“The data retention and sharing with the law enforcement situation there isn’t much different than in many places. The only difference relates to what is considered a crime, how loosely the information is given out or protected, and the extent to which somebody whose data was wrongfully given out or used can fight in court.”

 

 

Analysis: China’s media law on unexpected public incidents

MANDARIN: Law on Handling Unexpected Public Incidents (6/24/07)
Reporter: Yang Jiadai

Yang Jiadai: The draft of the Law on Handling Unexpected Public Incidents was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for its first review in June 2006. At that time, the Office of Legislative Affairs of the State Council defended an article in the draft that prohibits the media from violating rules by publishing news concerning unexpected public incidents without authorization.

Panel discussion: Shanxi brick kiln slave scandal

MANDARIN: Brick Kiln Slave Labor (06/18/07)
Length: 4:40
Reporter: Shen Hua

Shen Hua (SH): According to Chinese media reports, Wang Dongji, father of Wang Bingbing, owner of the black brick kiln in Caosheng Village of Hongdong County in Shanxi Province, served as the delegate of the Hongdong County People’s Congress for two consecutive terms and the Secretary of the Caosheng Village Party branch. He is now removed from his office and has been expelled from the Party. In addition, Wang Bingbing, labor contractor of the black brick kiln Heng Tinghan, and some hatchet men were arrested and brought to justice. A report by the English-language China Daily stated that more than 160 suspects implicated in the brick kiln slave labor case have been detained so far. Meanwhile, several hundred imprisoned peasant workers were rescued and were each given RMB 1,000 yuan as consolation money from the government.

Video: Chongqing riot over student’s death

RFA’s Cantonese service obtained this mobile phone video of the Chongqing unrest described here:

BEIJING, July 2 (AFP) — Thousands of villagers in southwest China smashed cars and fought with police in a protest over a murdered student, an official and a rights group said Monday.

Mandarin: The Internet and civil rights in China

RFA Mandarin service reporter Wu Jing is currently airing an eight-part feature series on the Internet in China (ZH), and its role in the country’s civil rights movement. Here, she summarizes her programs in English, beginning with Part 1:

A magazine editor in Fujian province for example confesses that, staying online 12 hours everyday, he is in a state of being” possessed by the devil.” His online activities include almost everything from chatting to listening to music, watching movies, booking flight tickets, looking up maps, and to writing and publishing articles. The Internet has intruded his life so deeply and widely that he cannot imagine what life would be like without it.