News » Politics » Hong Kong Activists Protest Harsh Sentence for Flag Burning
News » Politics » Hong Kong Activists Protest Harsh Sentence for Flag Burning |
- Hong Kong Activists Protest Harsh Sentence for Flag Burning
- China’s Left Behind Children
- Susan Buchanan: Lenten Seafood Demand Has Slipped, Louisiana Vendors Say
- AUO says price-fixing lawsuit fully settled with AT&T
- New transportation minister backs 'cross-strait gaming zone'
- New Taipei not against entertainment zone idea: mayor
- Acer's tablet shipments expected to surge in 2013
- Experts optimistic about Taiwan's economy this year
- Saudi investment in 360buy brokered by former CCTV anchorwoman
- New economic planner expects Taiwan's GDP growth to top 4%
- More real estate up for sale as luxury tax deadline approaches
- Former lawmaker Chu Hsing-yu dies in Kaohsiung motel at 57
- Hon Hai to expand Taiwan operations
- B&Q China looks to reverse losses in 3 years: new CEO
- For Affluent Chinese, Africa’s Growing Appeal
- Several electrical appliance brands fail quality tests in Shanghai
- Asustek world No. 3 notebook vendor in Q4
- 'Kissing disease' sends Taichung woman to emergency room
- N. China smog: the modern Great London Smog of 1952
- China News Broadcast, February 18, 2013: Protest over China’s Response to NK Nuclear Test
| Hong Kong Activists Protest Harsh Sentence for Flag Burning Posted: 18 Feb 2013 08:19 PM PST  Activists gathered in front of Stanley Prison on Feb. 17 to request the release of Sze Yiu Koo, who received a nine-month prison sentence for burning the People's Republic of China flag. (Zai-Shu Pan/The Epoch Times) Human rights groups gathered outside Stanley Prison in Hong Kong on Feb. 17 to protest the nine-month sentence recently given to activist Sze Yiu Koo. The protesters demanded Koo's release, and submitted a petition to Hong Kong Correctional Services with more than 50,000 signatures.
Koo was arrested in January for burning the flag of the People's Republic of China and voicing discontent over the alleged suicide of democracy activist Li Wangyang. Koo also publicly accused the local Hong Kong administration of being under the control of the communist regime, through the latter's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. Legislative Council Leung Kwok-hung announced that Koo has decided to appeal the unusually harsh sentence. The rights group Civil Human Rights Front expressed its determination to assist Koo's appeal. The activist groups maintain that Koo's long sentence is in fact political suppression of freedom of speech, and punishment for his criticism of the administration. Human Rights Front organizer Jackie Hung told The Epoch Times, "The appeal is not just for the penalty and sentencing at a personal level, but towards the entire prosecution system, and even the decision of the court. We foresee more political prosecutions in the future, and there will be more criticism of those political prosecutions from activist groups like us." Wong Hoyin, speaker for the Front, said that since the communist regime took over Hong Kong 16 years ago, the quality of life and human rights in Hong Kong have deteriorated. He urged all sectors of society to express solidarity to "oppose the suppression of dissent, and to defend our freedom of speech and expression," despite the political harassment. Outspoken activist Avery Ng, deputy chair of the League of Social Democrats, called for the immediate abolition of the National Flag and the Regional Flag Act. "Human rights are above the regime, the people are higher than the nation, their rights to express and elect must not be deprived. We must immediately abolish the National Flag and the Regional Flag Act." Related ArticlesRead the original Chinese article The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 21 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter. |
| Posted: 18 Feb 2013 08:13 PM PST  Twelve out of the 18 children in Poqi Village, Guizhou province, were left behind with their relatives during the Chinese New Year. There are a total of 85 million left-behind children in China, according to an estimate by Deutsche Welle.(Weibo.com) "I got up really early this morning to fix breakfast for my younger brother before he went to school," wrote sixth grader Yang Haijiao in her diary recently. The government was distributing water on the side of the road, and she had to take the day off to collect it. "The water has been gone completely in the past two days," she wrote. "Grandma has been ill for days. I can't expect her to get the water." Like many of estimated 85 million other "left behind children," the young Guizhou Province student too often misses school to assume the responsibilities of an adult, while her parents live and work in a city far from home. This is the one of the prices of the Chinese regime's economic growth model, which has brought astounding GDP statistics, but more than 30 years of fractured families and emotionally wounded children. Struggling to support their families, millions of rural parents leave their villages to seek work in factories in the cities. Their children are left at home with their elderly grandparents, or other relatives, or even alone. The care of the children is often limited to basic living support and safety, while education, behavior, and psychological needs are often neglected.
"I could not help crying whenever I thought that when the bus arrives, my father will leave." — Yang Haijiao Because of their low income and the strict household registration system in China, which makes it difficult for children to attend school anywhere but in their hometowns, most migrant workers' children cannot go with their parents, reports Deutche Welle. There are few local boarding schools for these children, and few schools for migrants' children in the cities. In Their Words"The Diary of Chinese Left-behind Children" http://english.cri.cn/8706/2012/03/06/2381s685182.htm, a collection of reflections written by 26 children from southwestern China's Guizhou Province, documents the plight of these children in their own words. Their teacher, Yang Yuansong, compiled and edited the narratives, which describe what statistics and studies could never convey.
Burdened with the responsibilities of an adult, Yang Haijiao missed school every other day to take care of her grandmother, or the family farm. "The weather is terrible. The drought has lasted for too long. If it rained, we'd have water and I would not have to miss school. I really don't want to continue missing school!" When it did finally rain, she had to plant corn. The overwhelming responsibilities are accompanied by the sorrow of separation. Yang Haijiao writes of the misery she felt at seeing her father leave: "I could not help crying whenever I thought that when the bus arrives, my father will leave and we will be left with many chores at home, and we won't know when he'll be back." When her father asked why she was crying, she didn't respond. He reminded her to "study hard." Yang writes: "I kept crying until father got on the bus." Another student, Xia Min, wrote of Xia Congli, her classmate who was left alone at home, "One day on the way to school, Xia Congli told me her mom and dad are leaving to work at a far away place and she started to cry. I told her not to feel bad and said her parents must have felt sorry, too." The note continued: "We often played games with her when we went to her house and hoped she would forget about the sad things. But she can not. She is still feeling as sad as before. I feel so bad." Psychological ProblemsThe daily pressure of this bitter life has left many children with psychological problems. According to a survey by Women of China, 57 percent of high school age left-behind children suffered from mental health problems. The longer their parents have stayed away from home, the more serious were the psychological problems the children developed. The survey showed that most of the left-behind children are prone to psychological problems because of the lack of affection or family supervision and guidance. They become weak, introverted and exhibit low self-esteem. The separation from their parents often caused resentment and loneliness. Learning disabilities are common in left-behind children. Frequent school absences and little, if any, help with homework coupled with the emotional trauma of the fractured family have left these children with few resources for gaining a proper education. The survey by the All China Women's Federation reported that 45 percent of grandparents had never attended school, and 50 percent only had a primary education, and could not be expected to help the children with their schoolwork. The left-behind children of Youji village of Guangxi are boarded at a primary school. School principal Lu Lipeng explained to Deutsche Welle: "The responsibility is immense. Their parents have all left for work and left their children at the school. Being a principal, their personal safety is my number one priority. Secondly, it is their room and board. They must be cared for like my own kids." Other left-behind children are not so fortunate, and must face difficult and even dangerous situations alone. Some of these vulnerable children even lose their lives. A 2005 flood in Hetang County, Hunan province killed 12 children, eleven of whom had been left behind. The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 21 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter. |
| Susan Buchanan: Lenten Seafood Demand Has Slipped, Louisiana Vendors Say Posted: 18 Feb 2013 03:31 PM PST (This article was published in "The Louisiana Weekly" in the Feb. 18, 2013 edition.) Seafood sales rise in the more than forty days from Ash Wednesd... Read more: Walmart, New Orleans, Red Snapper, Gulf of Mexico, Oysters, Asia, China, Westwego Seafood Market, Ash Wednesday, Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Indonesia, Vietnam, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Shrimp, East Coast, Branding, Hurricane Katrina, Crabs, BP Oil Spill, Mardi Gras, Louisiana Dept. Of Wildlife and Fisheries, Crawfish, Overfishing, Restaurant Depot, Mississippi River, Lent, Green News This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AUO says price-fixing lawsuit fully settled with AT&T Posted: 19 Feb 2013 04:14 AM PST Taiwan-based AU Optronics said Monday it has fully settled its price-fixing lawsuit with AT&T and has accounted for the settlement in its 2012 fourth quarter financial statement. It was AUO's first ... |
| New transportation minister backs 'cross-strait gaming zone' Posted: 19 Feb 2013 04:14 AM PST Taiwan's transportation minister Yeh Kuang-shih on Monday backed the idea of a special cross-strait gaming zone in support of a casino resort on Matsu but stressed that some problems still had to be r... |
| New Taipei not against entertainment zone idea: mayor Posted: 19 Feb 2013 04:02 AM PST New Taipei "would not reject" the idea of setting up an entertainment complex in the city based on the Las Vegas model if all conditions could be met, the city's mayor, Eric Li-luan Chu, said Monday. ... |
| Acer's tablet shipments expected to surge in 2013 Posted: 19 Feb 2013 04:02 AM PST Taiwanese computer maker Acer expects tablet computer shipments to surge in 2013 from a year earlier, helped by the successful introduction of lower-priced products and the diversification of its line... |
| Experts optimistic about Taiwan's economy this year Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:50 AM PST Several scholars and experts attending a seminar on Monday were optimistic about the economic growth of Taiwan this year. The seminar was sponsored by the think tank Taiwan Competitiveness Forum to c... |
| Saudi investment in 360buy brokered by former CCTV anchorwoman Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:50 AM PST A recent US$700 million investment in Chinese e-commerce giant 360buy Jingdong Mall by a consortium which includes a Saudi prince was brokered by Kui Yingchun, a former anchorwoman for China's nationa... |
| New economic planner expects Taiwan's GDP growth to top 4% Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:50 AM PST Taiwan's new top economic planner expressed "cautious optimism" Monday over the country's economic outlook, expecting GDP growth to exceed 4% and the unemployment rate to fall below 4%. "You can ca... |
| More real estate up for sale as luxury tax deadline approaches Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:50 AM PST The number of properties put on the market increased before the Lunar New Year as the expiration of the luxury tax approached, a real estate agent said Monday. Jessica Hsu, director of H&B Business ... |
| Former lawmaker Chu Hsing-yu dies in Kaohsiung motel at 57 Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:30 AM PST Former Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chu Hsing-yu, known for his outspokenness and fiery temper, was found dead in a motel in Kaohsiung Monday at the age of 57. Police said they found Chu, ... |
| Hon Hai to expand Taiwan operations Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:22 AM PST Hon Hai Group chairman Terry Gou on Monday expressed optimism over Taiwan's development prospects and pledged to continue to expand the company's operations in the country. Hon Hai will expand its in... |
| B&Q China looks to reverse losses in 3 years: new CEO Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:18 AM PST B&Q China, which has suffered six straight years of losses and shut down its shops repeatedly, will undergo another round of restructuring with its top priority on cutting product prices. It hopes to... |
| For Affluent Chinese, Africa’s Growing Appeal Posted: 18 Feb 2013 07:05 PM PST While Paris, Milan and Hong Kong are well-known to affluent Chinese, some of them are tiring of the usual luxury enclaves. For them, says Tianyin Shi, group head of China for Deutsche Bank's private wealth management group, Africa awaits. |
| Several electrical appliance brands fail quality tests in Shanghai Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:06 AM PST Over the Chinese New Year holiday, authorities in Shanghai announced a number of electrical appliances from brands including Panasonic, LG, Little Duck, Changhong, and Haier, failed to pass quality co... |
| Asustek world No. 3 notebook vendor in Q4 Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:06 AM PST Taiwan's Asustek Computer ranked among the world's top three notebook computer vendors in the fourth quarter of 2012, cracking the top three for the first time ever, according to data released by Inte... |
| 'Kissing disease' sends Taichung woman to emergency room Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:06 AM PST A young woman in Taichung was sent to a hospital recently after developing severe abdominal pain that was later found to be linked to infectious mononucleosis, also known as kissing disease. The woma... |
| N. China smog: the modern Great London Smog of 1952 Posted: 19 Feb 2013 03:02 AM PST Man-made pollutants were the main cause of the hazardous smog that has been plaguing the northern regions of China, reported the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The pollutants found are similar to the on... |
| China News Broadcast, February 18, 2013: Protest over China’s Response to NK Nuclear Test Posted: 18 Feb 2013 02:19 PM PST Chinese citizens protest over the Chinese regime's lack of response over North Korea's nuclear test. The brother of blind Chinese activist, Chen Guangcheng, has been denied a visa to visit him in the US. Toxic uniforms found in Shanghai. |
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