Women Detained After Naked Protest on Beijing's Tiananmen Square

 
Authorities in the Chinese capital on Friday released from police detention two elderly petitioners who staged a naked protest on Tiananmen Square, although relatives said they were on their way back home under escort by local officials, known as interceptors.

Xing Jiaying and He Zeying from Xinyang city in the central province of Henan were detained on May 25 on a seven-day administrative jail term for "disturbing public order" after they staged the protest along with one other petitioner from their hometown."We took off all our clothes and protested on Tiananmen Square about injustices we have suffered," He said.

"We were surrounded by a large number of police officers and taken to the Tiananmen branch police station," she said, adding that she and Xing had been roughly treated during their days in detention."I don't know yet whether we can go straight home," she said. But she gave no details of the third protester, who is believed to have escaped detention at the time.

The two women and their male relative—He's son-in-law and Xing's son—were met by interceptors from their hometown on Friday and escorted home, He told RFA."I have been in detention for the past few days," she said by phone on her way back to Henan under the escort of four police officers. "They said I was disturbing public order on the Square.""Now we are out. We were released by police officers from Xi county [under the administration of Xinyang city]," she said.

Traffic accident

He's son-in-law Xing Wangli, known online by his nickname Wu Quanli, a pun on "powerless," said the women were protesting at a lack of compensation or redress after Xing's grandson was involved in a traffic accident.

"The family has been petitioning for a long time, but they have been subjected to revenge attacks by the government," he said.He said the authorities had organized a student protest against him in Xi county on Thursday, for allowing his mother to shed her clothes on Tiananmen Square.

Sichuan-based rights activist Huang Qi, whose Tianwang website first reported the incident, said he had been contacted by officials and told to delete the original news story from his site."A guy calling himself the head of the Xi county chamber of commerce called up and ... said Tianwang should delete the report," Huang said."They said they would give Wu Quanli 500,000 yuan (U.S. $80,000) and three mu (one-half acre) of land near his home at [a discounted price]," he said.

Huang said he had refused the takedown request, however."Tianwang hasn't deleted a post in 16 years, even when there is a risk of going to jail," he said.

Petitions

Faced with thousands of complaints about its officials every day, China recently moved to ban its citizens from taking petitions directly to the central government without first going through local authorities.From May 1, departments at higher levels of the central government have refused to accept petitions that bypass the local government and its immediate superiors, and have rejected petitions deemed to be the preserve of the judiciary or legislative bodies.

Beijing has repeatedly tried to stem the flood of thousands of petitioners who descend on the capital with complaints, often ahead of key political events, when petitioners hope their cases will get a more sympathetic hearing.

Next week, activists will mark the 25th anniversary of the military crackdown on student-led pro-democracy protests on Tiananmen Square.Petitioners say corrupt networks of power and influence at local levels ensure that a fair hearing is all but impossible, and that they are repeatedly stonewalled, detained in "black jails," beaten, and harassed by local authorities if they try to take complaints to the top.

'The 23' found guilty, released

Phnom Penh Municipal Court erupted in cheers this morning as judges announced the release of jailed unionist Vorn Pov and 22 others arrested during unruly garment wage protests in January of this year.The release, as has become increasingly typical in such cases, was not without caveats.

All 23 were found guilty and given sentences ranging from one to four-and-a-half years, before those sentences were suspended.The verdicts brought to an end a months-long drama that has loomed over the garment industry, and particularly over recent meetings between major brands and the manufacturers that supply them. 

Presiding judge Keo Mony said yesterday that four of Pov’s cohorts were also slapped with fines of 8 million riel (about $2,000), but those were suspended as well.“The Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge has decided to release the workers, including Vorn Pov,” Mony said yesterday. “Vorn Pov’s suspended sentence is four years and six months, and a fine of 8 million riel. The court will allow them to file an appeal within one month if they do not favour the court’s decision.” 

Sam Sokong, Pov’s lawyer, said yesterday that while he welcomed the release, the court should have never sentenced his client in the first place, and that the question of an appeal was still up for debate.

“As for the decision of the court, some parts my client favours, and some parts my client does not favour,” he said. “In any event, my client will consider whether to take it to the Appeal Court or not.”

Meanwhile, in a separate courtroom, presiding judge Leang Sam Nath sentenced another group of 13 defendants – all of whom were arrested during a violent wage protest on Veng Sreng Boulevard, where state security forces shot and killed at least four demonstrators – to one to four years in prison, likewise suspending their sentences.“Based on hearings, the court has found that they have been the guilty,” Sam Nat said, adding that the court had decided to drop the complaint filed by the owner of clinic that was smashed by the rioting workers.

In a separate decision, the court also sentenced two people, including a minor, who were arrested at a violent protest in Stung Meanchey last November, before suspending their sentences as well.

Rights groups were quick to condemn the convictions of all 25 defendants today, and have maintained throughout the trial that the rights of the suspects had been abused.

“The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) welcomes today’s decision by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance to suspend the sentences of the 25 human rights defenders, activists and protestors,” read a statement from CCHR released yesterday. “However, CCHR strongly condemns the decision of the judges to convict them despite a complete lack of evidence, and serious violations of their right to a fair trial, as detailed by CCHR ahead of the verdict.”

CCHR went on to criticise the lack of an independent investigation into the use of deadly force by security personnel, and Chhay Chhunly, coordinator of CCHR’s human rights defenders project, was quoted in the statement as saying that no reliable evidence had been brought against the accused.

“The only thing the 25 can be blamed for is to have exercised their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” he said. “The lack of any incriminatory evidence demonstrates that the verdict is based on political considerations rather than evidence.”Am Sam Ath, a senior monitor with rights group Licadho, also pointed towards political pressure, calling the verdict a product of competing pressure from the government – in favour of conviction – and visiting garment brands – who in recent meetings have said that any verdict should be based on credible evidence.“I think that the court’s decision was under political pressure,” he said. “The court gets pressure from the government [to convict]… and all the buyers from other countries pressured them to protect the worker’s rights.”

The International Senior Lawyers Project, which works to promote rule of law, issued a statement saying the court’s handling of the case “fell far short of international standards for the conduct of fair trials”.The criticism of the verdict didn’t dampen the overall sense of celebration among those who turned out in support of the defendants, Prak Sovanary, the wife of Vorn Pov, had her reservations as well.“I am so happy that my husband could be released and set free, but I also do not like that the court decided to sentence my husband to four years and six months in prison,” she said. “My husband did nothing wrong. He shouldn’t have any sentence.”

Italian politicians voice concern over China’s acts in East Sea

Chairperson of the Italian Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Pier Ferdinando Casini has voiced deep concern over China’s acts in the East Sea following its illegal placement of a drilling rig in Vietnam’s waters.

Two Chinese ships chase one Vietnamese Coast Guard ship (Source: VNA)

Speaking at a workshop on international sea law on May 28, the Senator stated that the East Sea issue must be settled through peaceful measures and dialogues, on the basis of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He confirmed his committee’s backing of the May 8 statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, which said that unilateral actions could affect security in the region.

Casini is not the only Italian politician raising objection to China’s acts since it unilaterally positioned its Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, violating Vietnam’s sovereignty as well as international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea to which China is also a signatory.
Earlier on May 16, Deputy Enzo Amendola of the Democratic Party said all unilateral acts will pose serious threat to security in the region, which is one of the world’s economic hubs.
According to him, to eliminate tensions in the East Sea, involved parties should seek peaceful and cooperative solutions in line with international law, especially the UNCLOS, in order to continue ensuring the freedom of navigation.

On May 14, Senator Antonio Razzi asked Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini to promptly issue orientations to the country’s reaction relating to developments in the East Sea.
At the beginning of May, China illegally dispatched the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig, as well as a large fleet of armed ships and aircraft, to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
On May 27, China moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 22 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 36 seconds east longitude, still completely within Vietnam’s continental shelf.
Chinese ships around the rig have repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships which are carrying out their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters, leaving many Vietnamese ships damaged and many fisheries surveillance officers injured.

China’s long-term plot to capture the East Sea

Seen in the context of its actions over the past half century, there is nothing surprising about China’s recent deployment of an illegal drilling rig in Vietnam’s waters. This is just one more notch in the ratchet Beijing has long wielded to "monopolize the East Sea". The strategy was hatched by the Middle Kingdom long ago and the country has continuously found ways to implement it without regard for international law or its commitments to the world community.

China’s U-shaped line covers over 80% of the East Sea.

China self-draws the so-called “nine-dotted line”
China is the country that is most vociferous about raising claims in the East Sea, but it wasn’t until 1951 that Beijing issued its first statement on the matter. At the San Francisco Conference, Premier Zhou Enlai said that Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands), Truong Sa (Spratly Island) and Pratas Islands “were and always had been” part of Chinese territory.

The claims were then pushed to a higher level in 1997, when the Chinese Foreign Minister said that China’s sovereignty over the East Sea China was "nonnegotiable", although the claims reached the southern tip of the Reed Bank, close to the Borneo territories of Malaysia. However, when it came to justifying such claims, only vague assertions were made, with the general argument that China had "useful evidence" on the issue of its sovereignty.

The so-called "historical evidence" was ultimately revealed by China in May of 2009, a day after Malaysia and Vietnam filed their joint report registering the extended continental shelf in the south of East Sea to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). China responded with a diplomatic note to the UN Secretary-General to object, and included an attached "9-dotted line" map, which asserts Chinese sovereignty over more than 80% of the East Sea and the entire Spratly and Paracel archipelagos of Vietnam.

In fact, this is the "11-dotted line" map, made by the Chiang Kai-shek government of the Republic of China in 1947, with two lines extending into the Gulf of Tonkin, which were removed in 1953. Even Chinese researchers have had to acknowledge the legal weakness of the so-called "9-dotted line” sovereignty.Not only raising the 9-dotted line claims, China also claims the East Sea a "core interest" – a concept that Beijing uses to refer to "hot spot" issues concerning national sovereignty. Other Chinese “hot spots” include  Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan. These are issues over which China says it will not compromise, and will resort to force "if necessary".
Chinese officials and Chinese media have repeatedly underscored this point. A Xinhua article published in August 2011 asserted that China has "indisputable sovereignty" over three million square kilometers of East Sea waters, and that these waters are part of the "core interests" of China.
All of the above statements reveal a single intention: China resolves to monopolize the East Sea and turn it into its own pond.

The steps to monopolize the East Sea
To fulfill its ambition of coopting the East Sea, China has continuously taken acts that lead to instability in the region, focusing on the following measures:
“Legalizing sovereignty": This is a series of continuous steps, under the first phase of the road map to "control, master and monopolize" the East Sea, aiming to mold public opinion at home and abroad. In 1996, shortly after the signing the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China immediately approved an agreement ratifying this Convention, with the reserved clause “historical rights” belonging to China before the provisions of UNCLOS. China has also inculcated its children with its supposed East Sea sovereignty, promoting the "nine-dotted line" in school textbooks.
In 2012, "legitimizing sovereignty" escalated to a new level, when China announced its establishment of the so-called Sansha City on Phu Lam Island of the Paracel archipelago of Vietnam, which China claims has the authority to administer both the Paracel and Spratly Islands of Vietnam. Six months later, China placed the 9-dotted line in electronic passports – a wrongful act in international relations that was many countries objected to.

Invasion through economic activities: This is the act of mastering the East Sea step by step, based on arguments that, where maritime economic activities are conducted, sovereignty is established. Along with strong investment in law enforcement forces at sea such as the Coast Guard, the Fisheries Administration and the Marine Patrol forces, China has encouraged Chinese fishermen to ply their trade in the remote fishing grounds in the overlapped areas or even in the waters of other countries.
In addition, the Hainan provincial government, with the consent of the central government, annually issues a "fishing ban" over the East Sea.

And, as evidenced in recent days, China has urged its national petroleum corporations to extend their activities to the East Sea. In June of 2012, the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) invited international bidding for nine oil blocks with a total area of over 160,000 km2, located deep in the continental shelf of Vietnam. On May 1, 2014, CNOOC illegally deployed the HD-981 oil rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, evoking strong opposition from regional and international communities."Breaking the status quo": A systematic process to assert sovereignty in the step-by-step manner of "silkworms eating mulberry". China ultimately expects countries in the region to resign themselves to its claims of sovereignty as a fait accompli.Even the use of force is treated as just another tool that the Middle Kingdom is ready to wield in furthering its insatiable ambitions. In 1956 China invaded a part of the Paracels and in 1974 completed its occupation of the entire archipelago. In 1988, Chinese troops invaded Gac Ma Island of Vietnam’s Spratlys.

In a similar scenario, China sent seven boats in 1995 to occupy Vanh Khan Island of the Spratly archipelago. In early 2013, the Beijing government illegal occupied Scarborough Shoal/ Huangyan, over which the Philippines claims sovereignty, and has maintained a permanent presence of ships around this shoal in order to, again, “change the status quo”. The deployment of the HD-981 rig in Vietnam's waters is just another step in “status quo transformation”.
Enhancing naval power: The goal is to create "military deterrence", to apply further pressure on regional countries to resign themselves to Chinese claims of sovereignty. Thanks to its rapid economic growth, China has strengthened its military capabilities, especially naval power, and especially in the East Sea. Once the weakling of China’s naval forces, the South Sea Fleet has been heavily upgraded to become the pride of the Chinese navy, with the biggest and most modern warships. Along with that, the Sanya/Hainan naval base is being continuously expanded to receive nuclear submarines and even aircraft carriers.

Three arrested after girls are gang-raped and left hanging from tree in India

 

A police officer and two other people have been arrested after two teenage girls were gang-raped and left hanging from the branches of a mango tree in a northern Indian village, authorities said Friday.

The shocking attack on the girls -- two cousins aged 14 and 16 -- sparked outrage in the village of Katra Sadatganj and beyond.Angry villagers protested around the bodies, preventing police from taking them down from the tree for about 15 hours Wednesday, the day after the attack, said Mukesh Saxena, a local police official. 

A photo from the village, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, showed the body of one girl, dressed in a green tunic and pants, hanging from the tree. A large group of people, many of them young children, were gathered around the grisly scene.Police said an autopsy confirmed the girls had been raped and strangled. The cremation of their remains took place late Wednesday night in line with Hindu customs, Saxena said.Armed police officers have been deployed in the village to prevent any further unrest, he added.

Alleged gang rape, hanging of 2 girls in India sparks global outrage

Police under scrutiny

The girls' families accused three brothers of carrying out the rape and killing. Two of the brothers are now in custody, said R.K.S. Rathore, a deputy-inspector general of police. One was arrested Thursday night, he said.Police are still searching for the third brother The families of the victims have accused local police of initially failing to respond and siding with the suspects when the parents went to report the case. The allegations have fueled anger among the villagers.

Saxena said three police officers have been temporarily suspended for negligence of duty, and one has been arrested.He said the girls had gone out into the orchard to relieve themselves Tuesday night when they were grabbed by the attackers.Some people saw the abduction but were unable to stop it, he said, citing eyewitnesses 'Endemic' violenceThe horrific gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi in late 2012 shook India, focusing sharp attention on violent crimes against women in the country, the world's second most populous after China.

The case prompted protests in many cities, soul-searching in the media and changes to the law. But shocking instances of sexual violence continue to come to light with grim regularity.

"Laws can only do so much when you have to end something which is as endemic and as entrenched as violence against women," said Divya Iyer, a senior researcher for Amnesty International in Bangalore, India.The country's new prime minister, Narendra Modi, has said he wants to take steps to make sure woman are safe, particularly in rural India. But women's rights groups have criticized what they say is a lack of specific proposals to tackle the problem, suggesting gender inequality doesn't appear to be high on his list of priorities."There is a lot more to do," Iyer told CNN. "That political leadership is unfortunately missing."

Four men convicted over gang rape of photojournalist in Mumbai

'Medieval lawlessness'

An opinion article in The Times of India, a prominent daily newspaper, linked the attack this week to rising crime and a crisis of authority in Uttar Pradesh, which it said was sliding into "medieval lawlessness."It wasn't immediately clear whether India's entrenched caste system, which continues to cause prejudice and persecution in some rural areas, played a role in the attack. Rathore, the police official, said that the victims and the suspects belonged to different low caste groups.Zainab Salbi, the founder of Women for Women International, pointed out that "violence against women is a global issue," not limited to developing countries.But Salbi told CNN that in many Asian and Middle Eastern countries, "the concept of women as property is still a common thing," meaning they don't get treated as equal human beings.

Groups Demand Fair Court Verdict for 23 Cambodian Workers, Activists

Workers' unions, rights groups and a consortium of international clothing brands have called for a fair verdict for 23 textile workers and activists charged over their links to a deadly strike ahead of a court decision Friday.

The 23 are facing charges of “causing intentional violence” and “damaging property” during the opposition-backed strike and face up to five years’ imprisonment as well as fines from U.S. $1,000 to $2,500 if convicted.The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), which had monitored their trial, said the court hearings revealed "a complete lack of any incriminatory evidence, serious concerns relating to the independence of the court [and] repeated violations of the defendants’ fair trial rights."

Ahead of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court verdict Friday, the CCHR also raised concerns that some of the detainees who were wounded during the January strike which led to a government crackdown were deprived of immediate medical care.

The 23 were arrested following the crackdown on an opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)-backed strike by workers demanding higher wages, which left five people shot dead by security forces and nearly 40 wounded.

“If the 23 are found guilty, it will do little besides illustrating that the judiciary in Cambodia is not independent, and only partial to the interests of the elite and the Royal Government of Cambodia,” CCHR project coordinator Chhunly Chhay said in a statement Thursday.Chhunly Chhay said that while the defendants were standing trial “despite a serious lack of evidence,” no security personnel had yet been investigated or even questioned about the violence that occurred in January.

“After … five days of hearing, it is clear that the judicial system of Cambodia is not a tool for justice but a tool to repress opposition voices,” he said.“In light of the lack of evidence, we call for the acquittal of the 23, for their immediate release and for a prompt and independent investigation into the excessive use of force by state security forces.”

Brands, unions weigh in

On Monday, 30 international clothing brands and trade unions confronted the government about the trial of the 23 protesters, according to a statement by IndustriALL Global Union, which represents workers worldwide in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors, and which was present at the meeting.

“Brands and unions also expressed their concerns that the trial of 23 protestors … must be based on evidence and stand up to international scrutiny,” the statement said.“There is a question mark over evidence of direct links to damage to property by the 23 detainees, while IndustriALL sources have cast serious doubts about the impartiality of judicial proceedings in their trial.”

IndustriALL cited sources as saying that the detainees are set to receive prison sentences of two to three years when they are sentenced on Friday.“If these rumours are true, it will seriously damage the reputation of Cambodia’s judicial system internationally and who knows what reaction it will generate on the streets of Phnom Penh,” said the group’s general secretary Jyrki Raina.

The brands and unions also urged the government that “those who shot at demonstrators ... be brought to justice” and asked “that worker actions, such as peaceful strikes and demonstrations, are not met with violence.”

Trial and health concerns

CCHR said that documentary video of the incident presented by the prosecution as evidence at hearings for the 23 “did not show any of the defendants,” while many of the questions focused on establishing whether they were present at the protests.

It said that while the prosecution questioned the accuracy of defendants’ testimonies, it ignored “evidence that many of the defendants’ original statements were obtained under duress.”“These questions and the defendants’ answers alone are not sufficient to prove guilt … As such, any guilty verdict made against the 23 accused will be untenable,” it said.

Additionally, CCHR highlighted concerns for the physical and mental health of some of the defendants, who have repeatedly been denied bail.The group said cited Center for Labor Rights of Cambodia activist Sambath Piseth, who had raised concerns about his hand, which was broken during his arrest, and his difficulty breathing.

CCHR also highlighted the plight of one of the detainees, Vorn Pao, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA), who repeatedly raised concerns about his health, and who had collapsed during one of his hearings.The two are among four human rights activists in the group of 23 facing additional charges of “instigation” of acts of violence and damage of property during the strike.

Key industry

At Monday’s meeting with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon and senior government officials in the capital Phnom Penh, the delegation of global brands and trade unions also expressed international concerns on the treatment of Cambodian garment workers.In their joint statement, IndustriALL and the brands—including H&M, GAP, Puma and Levi’s—said that Cambodia was “at risk of losing its status as a strategic sourcing market” due to the concerns.

According to IndustriALL, one major clothing brand revealed during the meeting that it had cut its sourcing from Cambodia by 50 percent in the past year due to concerns about political instability and human rights violations in the country.The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Levi’s had “cut back its Cambodia sourcing to minimize supply-chain risk and ensure delivery,” citing company spokeswoman Amber McCasland.

Around a half million people work in Cambodia’s garment industry, which earns some U.S. $4.6 billion a year producing goods for Western clothing firms, but workers often work long shifts for little pay, trade unions complain.It is the country's biggest employer and key export earner.Cambodian garment unions are fighting to increase the minimum wage from U.S. $100 to U.S. $160 per month.

Monks protest over institute

 

A group of about 100 people, including 50 or so monks, attempted to march yesterday to protest outside Phnom Penh’s Buddhist Institute, but were thwarted by droves of military police and district security guards on Sisowath Quay.No violence occurred as Independent Monk Network leader But Buntenh called off the march after vocally denouncing the government, which he alleged was selling off the institute’s land to casino operator NagaCorp. 

The march came despite the Ministry of Cult and Religion insisting on Tuesday that the destruction of part of the entrance and wall surrounding the institute was only to assist the construction of an electricity substation on the institute’s grounds by NagaCorp and Electricite du Cambodge.

The substation will be used to power a new addition to the casino across the street from the institute, and the government hasn’t sold or leased any of its land, the ministry said.

As the monks and protesters marched up Sisowath Quay yesterday afternoon, Seng Somony, spokesman for the Ministry of Cult and Religion, attempted to stop them from advancing further, brandishing copies of documents detailing exactly what the government had agreed to with NagaCorp.

“If NagaWorld does not follow this contract, I myself will bring all of you to protest in front of NagaWorld,” he said.He added that the government was engaging with the project for development purposes and the destruction of the wall had only occurred in order to avoid the pillars collapsing during underground construction work for the electricity substation.However Buntenh, speaking through a loudspeaker, would not buy that argument.“We want the government to issue a land title to the Buddhist Institute to guarantee that it is not sold in the future. Or else protests against the selling-off of state property will spread throughout the country,” he told the crowd, which included Boeung Kak community members. 

The group tried to continue marching onwards but were met with barricades and assembled military police, in addition to security guards.A standoff ensued, with Meas Samnang, an adviser to the Ministry of Cult and Religion, allegedly lobbing insults at the monks from inside the ministry compound.The crowd, which in turn accused the official of disrespecting Buddhism, had to be calmed down by Somony, who said that the ministry would “educate him” to be more respectful.

NagaCorp announced in February it would invest $369 million in its new Naga2 casino opposite the institute.Earlier this week, a manager at the institute said visitors to the centre had dropped from an average of 30 a day to about three since the construction began.

Brands’ eyes on verdicts of 23

 

As 23 men accused of violent crimes stemming from demonstrations earlier this year brace for a verdict against them today, civil society groups are alleging that no credible evidence was presented by the prosecution during the entire trial.Nearly five months after soldiers arrested 10 men at a protest in front of Yakjin garment factory on January 2, and 13 others on Veng Sreng Boulevard a day later, the 23, as they’ve come to be known, face sentencing on crimes ranging from incitement to intentional violence. At least four workers were shot dead by state security forces during the deadly garment strikes.“The consensus among civil society is there’s not one shred of evidence that can be used to convict any of the 23 of the crimes they’re accused of,” said Joel Preston, a consultant from the Community Legal Education Center, which is providing legal representation for some defendants.

Preston said a guilty verdict and harsh sentencing could result in a major backlash in the international community – namely, from clothing brands that source products from Cambodia.

Today’s verdict comes at the end of a jam-packed week of labour-related talks and negotiations, which were made more tense by the looming court date.After a Monday meeting between government officials, an international labour union and brands that include Puma, H&M, Gap Inc and Levi Strauss, the buyers released a statement saying the verdict should hinge on evidence that holds up to international scrutiny.The statement warned that instability in the garment sector could result in Cambodia losing its “status as a strategic sourcing market”.IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina reported after the meeting that one of the four major brands had already cut orders from factories in Cambodia by 50 per cent.Global brands’ specific interest in Cambodia’s garment sector practices confounded Ministry of Labour spokesman Heng Sour.

“If the international brands are concerned about the 23 [defendants], then why are they not concerned about their [business] in countries where conditions are much worse than [in] Cambodia?” Sour asked.Yesterday also marked the end of a workshop on a draft union law attended by representatives from unions, industry and the government.The ministry will take comments into consideration and possibly hold another workshop before the draft legislation goes before the National Assembly, Sour said.

Vietnam's ‘golden population' begins to fade

Viet Nam is still experiencing a "golden population structure". This means that for every two people working, there is only one dependent person. However, the Vietnamese population is ageing rapidly. What are the population challenges faced by Viet Nam?
Viet Nam started to step into the so-called golden population structure in 2007 and it is predicted that it will last for about 30-40 years. The structure is a chance to use the plentiful human resources for socio-economic development and improvement of the human resource for increasing social welfare, health care, education and job for future.
The golden population structure has created not only opportunities but also challenges to the country as the labour force was big in quantity but low in quality due to lack of skilled labourers and limits in management skills.
In addition, there is a rapidly ageing population. This is unavoidable in every country with socio-economic development and big improvements in people's lives. Viet Nam's population is ageing at historic speed due to growing life expectancy and reduced births and deaths.
Viet Nam is facing a growing imbalance between boys and girls at birth. There are now significantly more boys born than girls. How will this affect society?
The sex imbalance has become a hot topic in the mass media since 2006. The increase is expected to have many unexpected effects on society and security - especially when the young start thinking of marriage.
A surplus of males would probably lead to the breakdown of family structures. It would force many men to marry late and many to have no chance of finding a partner.
The sex imbalance not only lowers the position of women but also deepens gender inequality. For instance, many women would have to marry earlier, increasing the chances of divorce and remarriage for women. There is also the likelihood of prostitutes becoming commonplace to ease the situation - and more human trafficking. So, the sex imbalance is an important way of measuring levels of gender inequality.
What are the future population risks faced by Viet Nam?
There are two existing problems, including the present rapid increase in population and the trend towards a more aged population. The country's population was 90 million in 2014 and is forecast to increase to 120 million in 2050.
This growth could put pressure on the nation's already declining natural resources. High population density in urban areas is already creating pressures on traffic, health care, education and the environment. And all of these fields are becoming overloaded.
The second challenge is the ageing population. There is an increasing number of elderly people living alone and many more old couples. The elderly also have to spend an average of eight times more on medical services due to their increasing years.
The biggest challenge for the health-care system is that the country has only one national geriatrics institute. It is situated in Ha Noi. There are a few geriatrics facilities in some provincial hospitals.
The ageing population increases pressure on the healthcare and pension system because retirees are generally living much longer than a decade or so ago.
The monthly pension and social welfare are an important income source for the elderly, however coverage [because the country's rate of people involvement in social insurance was low] of these programmes is still low.
With a society with an ageing population, job structure will change [because retired people or the dependent people will be bigger than those still in working age] and create heavier economic burdens for the younger generation. All these difficulties will be a huge challenge if we do not draw up proper policies and strategies.

PM counsels perseverance and peaceful means of defending sovereignty

China’s rig has been moved to a new location but it still lies entirely in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam.

The head of government stressed that the Party, the State and the people of Vietnam are determined to defend the country’s sovereignty by all peaceful means and in accordance with international law.
"The Constitution affirms that the country’s independence and sovereignty are sacred and inviolable, so they cannot be traded off for anything. In accordance, I have stated unequivocally that Vietnam will never relinquish its independence and sovereignty for some kind of elusive, dependent peace and quasi-friendship," the Prime Minister reiterated.

As China moved its illegal drilling rig to a new location, one which is still entirely in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam, the Prime Minister outlined three sets of solutions for the coming days.
On the field, the vessels of the Vietnamese law enforcement forces must always be available at the new location. "Though Chinese ships will continue ramming ours, we must stay resolute and maintain our restraint," the Prime Minister said. He went on to inform attendants that, to date, 30 ships of Vietnam’s law enforcement forces had been damaged by attacks by Chinese ships. The Prime Minister appreciated the frequent presence of dozens of independent fishing boats near this area to help assert the country's sovereignty.On the diplomatic front, the Prime Minister insisted that Vietnam will persevere and continue the fight at the highest level to make clear the wrongdoing of China, and will continue to demand that Beijing pull the rig out of Vietnam’s waters.With the struggle over public opinion, the Prime Minister asked the relevant bodies to provide complete, truthful and convincing evidence of the wrongful acts of China to the international community.

"Legal actions are also peaceful means. This approach will be used at the right time, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law," he added.
Reviewing Vietnam’s actions over the past month, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam had contacted China’s representatives over 30 times to ask them to withdraw the rig from Vietnam’s waters. Vietnam has informed the international community of China’s misconduct as well as Vietnam’s good will efforts to solve the tensions by peaceful means. Voices from the international community have expressed their support for Vietnam and condemned China's actions.
Deputy head of the Central Information and Public Relations  Committee, Mr. Nguyen The Ky, said in a recent month, four foreign news agencies and 14 international newspapers sent reporters to Vietnam to cover the news of China’s illegal actions in Vietnamese waters.
Economic cooperation continues

Vietnam will continue to attach importance to friendly cooperation with China and Chinese in other fields in a normal way, the Prime Minister noted.He cited two specific examples to demonstrate this spirit: the active participation of the Vietnam delegation, led by Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, at an international conference in Shanghai; and most recently, the operational launch of a steel plant with a capacity of 500,000 tons, and 49% Chinese funding, in Lao Cai Province.
"The fight for sovereignty must continue but business cooperation will be still maintained," said the Prime Minister.Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang said many power and chemical projects with the participation of Chinese contractors are still being implemented normally. And trade across the Vietnam-China border areas is still bustling.

Thai military releases former interim PM days after coup

 

Former interim Thai Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan is among the latest batch of people that the military has released following last week's coup, a military officer said Thursday.Also among the 31 people recently released was former Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Col. Sirichan Ngathong told reporters.The military had summoned, and in some cases detained, scores of political officials and other prominent figures after the May 22 coup, which the military carried out after months of unrest that had destabilized the elected government and caused outbursts of deadly violence in Bangkok.But the sudden intervention by the armed forces -- the latest in a series of coups that have punctuated modern Thai history -- has been criticized by human rights activists and foreign governments, including the United States.

Small groups of protesters also have gathered in Bangkok in recent days, with demonstrators calling for democratic elections. But security forces sealed off one of the main protest sites -- a monument -- on Thursday, days after the officer who led the coup suggested that the military wouldn't tolerate public displays of dissent indefinitely.Boonsongpaisan was interim prime minister when the military conducted the coup. The military, which tore up the country's constitution and declared martial law, says it so far has summoned at least 280 people, and about 200 of them -- including former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra -- turned themselves in.

The military says it has released about 155 people so far, including Yingluck, who was in office when the current phase of political turmoil began in November.Yingluck, who was removed from office by the courts earlier this month, was released from a military facility over the weekend after she followed a summons to report to military authorities on Friday.A military source said Yingluck was asked to "help us maintain peace and order and not to get involved with protesters or any political movement" and now has freedom of movement and communication. But a close aide to Yingluck disagreed with the assertion that she was free to move and communicate.

 

The military has said it would impress upon the summoned people the negative consequences their actions have had for the country in the sometimes bloody conflict of the last seven months.

Detainees determined to have no significant link to conflict and who find "common ground" for the good of the country will be released, a military spokesman previously said.

The recent unrest was driven by months of protests against Yingluck's government.

The protest leaders said they wanted to rid Thailand of the influence of Yingluck and her wealthy brother, the exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in the country's last military coup in 2006.

The siblings' powerful political movement, which has dominated elections for more than a decade, draws its support from Thailand's populous rural regions in the north and northeast.

But it is unpopular among the Bangkok elites, who accuse it of buying votes through ill-judged, populist policies.The protesters who campaigned against Yingluck's government claimed Thailand needed reforms to be imposed by an unelected council before any further elections could take place.

With the military's intervention, they appear to have gotten their wish, although some of the protest leaders were taken into custody after the coup.On Monday, the officer who led the coup, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters there was "no set time period" for when new elections might be held, and he outlined the steps he said his junta plan to take, including setting up a committee to introduce reforms.

READ: Thai general warns protesters after announcing royal endorsement

Hun Sen Rules Out Hosting Exile Thai Gov’t

 

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday rejected speculation that Cambodia could play host to an exile government formed by the forces loyal to former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who were ousted in a coup d’etat last week.In a speech delivered at Phnom Penh’s Koh Pich at a ceremony for graduates from the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Mr. Hun Sen also warned Mr. Thaksin, his long-term ally and friend, of the instability that could be caused by forming a government-in-exile. 

“Firstly, Cambodia regards the Thai situation as Thailand’s internal problem, and Cambodia will not interfere and has not interfered in Thailand’s internal problems,” Mr. Hun Sen said at the ceremony.

The prime minister explained that he had been in Shanghai when the Thai military declared martial law at 3 a.m. on Tuesday and had phoned instructions immediately back to Phnom Penh.

“When there was a coup, I contacted [Deputy Prime Minister] Sar Kheng and asked him to issue a directive for the armed forces along the border to maintain a normal relationship and to not deploy armed forces to avoid any misunderstandings,” Mr. Hun Sen said.

“Our attitude is to work hard to keep a normal relationship with the Thais whether there is a civilian government or military government,” he added. “Now I hear that the Thai king signed [off the military] to lead the country, so it is finished because their king has signed to lead the country.”

“I hope that former prime ministers Yingluck and Thaksin will understand about Cambodia’s stance, because now Yingluck and Thaksin are not the prime ministers leading their country,” Mr. Hun Sen said.

Mr. Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted as prime minister three weeks ago in a highly politicized decision from Thailand’s Constitutional Court. On Thursday, the Thai military then ousted the rest of her government and assumed power.Mr. Thaksin was ousted as prime minister in a military coup in 2006 and fled to Dubai to avoid charges of corruption.Mr. Hun Sen, who has for many years cultivated a close personal relationship with Mr. Thaksin—whom he once dubbed his “eternal friend”—had promised the former Thai leader and his followers safe passage and sanctuary in Cambodia, and even allowed Mr. Thaksin and his red-shirt supporters to rally at Angkor Wat in 2012.

“Prime Minister Hun Sen has an iron heart and it is lucky for the neighboring country,” Mr. Thaksin told supporters at the time. “If he did not have [an] iron heart like this, thousands of you could not come here.”The friendship led to speculation in international media earlier this week that Mr. Thaksin could be allowed to organize forces in Cambodia.Mr. Thaksin’s international lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, was on Sunday quoted by Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, as saying Ms. Yingluck’s ousted government and Mr. Thaksin’s supporters were planning to set up a government-in-exile to oppose the military junta. The ABC openly speculated that Cambodia could play host.

At Tuesday’s ceremony, however, Mr. Hun Sen put the kibosh on rumors that Mr. Thaksin’s forces could be allowed to organize in Cambodia. Instead, he called on the red shirts in Thailand to wait for the junta to call fresh elections in the country in “a year and a half or two years.”

“I confirm that Cambodia is not the location to provide any countries or any group of Thais or any countries to create an exile government, and the Cambodian Constitution does not allow Cambodia to become a location opposed to any countries,” Mr. Hun Sen said.

Mr. Hun Sen also said a government-in-exile could lead Ms. Yingluck, Mr. Thaksin and their Pheu Thai party to “meet with an incident” and called on the pair to reject Mr. Amsterdam’s public claim.

“This opinion, if I were Thaksin, I would reject now,” Mr. Hun Sen said, before explaining that he was offering the advice in his capacity as a political analyst and not as Cambodia’s prime minister. “If I were Yingluck, I would reject it now because it is a very dangerous opinion.”“This opinion, it could make Yingluck and Thaksin die,” he added.The prime minister called on Cambodians living in Thailand to follow the orders handed down by the Thai military and to avoid joining in activities that could be perceived as political or insurrectionary.“Please don’t join any groups to oppose any other groups,” he said.

Mr. Hun Sen cut his teeth as prime minister under the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK), which fought through the 1980s and early 1990s against a Cambodian government-in-exile on the Thai border formed from remnants of regimes from the 1960s and 1970s.

The exiled forces were backed by Thailand, the U.S. and China and frequently withdrew into Thai territory to the protection of the country’s strong military when attacked by the forces of the Vietnamese and PRK.The Foreign Affairs Ministry also released a statement Tuesday informing Cambodians living in Thailand of the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew imposed by the Thai military and announcing that Cambodia’s embassy in Bangkok had set up a hotline for anyone facing “emergency problems.”“There will be no problems if our Cambodian people respect their rules and laws,” said Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong.

Two Uyghur Teens Shot Dead After Kashgar Knife Attack

 

Authorities in northwestern China’s Xinjiang on Wednesday shot and killed two teenage Uyghur suspects who allegedly injured two people in a knife attack, police said, in the latest violence to hit the restive region.The incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time in Kashgar city, southwest of the regional capital Urumqi, after police attempted to arrest the two armed men in response to a public complaint, local authorities told RFA’s Uyghur Service.“We arrived at the spot after the public report and we encircled the suspects, as they were holding knives,” said Alimjan, chief of police at Kashgar’s Yengibazar (in Chinese, Dongmen) police station.

“However, they attacked the public upon seeing us, injuring two Han Chinese, so we fired on the suspects,” he said, adding that the action was based on the government’s “shoot to kill” order following increasingly deadly violence attributed to “separatist” groups in the region.Alimjan said that one of the suspects died at the scene, while the other succumbed to gunshot wounds during treatment at an area hospital.

The police chief said that his unit had only been called in to “keep order and calm the situation,” so he was unclear about the identification of the two suspects.“When I saw them, they looked like they were 17 or 18 years old. Later, I was told by investigators that they were both born in 1996,” he said, before referring further questions to the Kashgar prefectural police department.

The chief of police for Kashgar’s Yawagh district told RFA that the knife attack had been carried out by “separatists,” referring to Uyghurs who chafe under Chinese rule in the Xinjiang region.“We are so busy after … [the] separatist attack,” he said.“Right now we are tightening our checks and surveillance of the entire city.”Dawutjan Hoshur, chief of Kashgar’s Kumbagh police department, said that the incident occurred 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from his station, near a hospital for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

“Han Chinese traders reported [the suspects] to the authorities, so the Yengibazar police, together with a SWAT team, dealt with the suspects,” he said.“I do not know the details of the incident. This happened in the Yengibazar police jurisdiction, so they know more information.”

Recent violence

The latest incident occurred less than a week after a bomb exploded in front of a police department and four other bombs were defused by authorities in Yarkand (Shache) county in Kashgar prefecture on May 23.

A day earlier, five suicide bombers carried out an attack on a vegetable market in Urumqi, leaving 39 people dead and more than 90 others injured in the worst violence in Xinjiang in years amid tensions between ethnic minority Uyghurs and Han Chinese, the dominant ethnic group in China.Uyghurs in Xinjiang say they are subjected to discriminatory and often violent checks and searches and restrictive religious and cultural policies and suffer from a lack of economic opportunity.

China Central Television recently reported that the elite Politburo, a decision-making body of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, had met under the chairmanship of President Xi Jinping and discussed measures to counter "extremists" in Xinjiang in the wake of last week’s explosions.Beijing has announced a one-year crackdown to hunt down and punish "terrorists" in Xinjiang and "prevent terrorism and extremism from spreading to other regions."

Mysterious bones stoke conspiracy

 
A package containing charred human remains was delivered to the Cambodia National Rescue Party office in Phnom Penh yesterday morning.Despite a seeming complete absence of hard evidence, some are convinced the remains – found on Saturday at a mountain in Kampong Speu – belong to 16-year-old garment worker Khim Saphath, last seen with blood pouring from his chest after police opened fire with live ammunition during a January 3 garment strike crackdown on Veng Sreng Boulevard.

Dim Keang, a local CNRP activist, retrieved the remains from Mareas Prov mountain in Samrong Tong district on Saturday, after being led there by local villager Mao Touch.Because locals say they saw a truck travelling to the vicinity on the night of January 3, followed by what appeared to be the glow of a fire, Keang said he believes that Saphath’s body was burned there by soldiers, despite no examination of the remains having been carried out to this point.Yesterday, just hours after making the trip from Kampong Speu with the remains in tow, Keang went into hiding after learning that Touch had been detained by police for questioning.“Police took my son this morning at 7am, and to this point he has not returned,” Yim Sorn, Touch’s father-in-law, said yesterday evening.

“They took him to the commune police station and now to the provincial police station. “My son did not do anything wrong, he just found the area [where the body was burned].”
According to Preap Porn, a CNRP official who sits on the council of Srang commune, where Touch lives, and who accompanied Keang to Phnom Penh with the remains, Keang is now in hiding because he fears being arrested.But Sam Sak, head of the Kampong Speu provincial police’s serious crime department, said officers had merely called in Touch to clarify what he had found at Mareas Prov mountain.“We want him to clarify and show us what he saw at the place where the incident took place. He has clarified differently from [what] Dim Keang has claimed. He said that he has never met Dim Keang although Dim Keang has said that he went to [the site] with Mao Touch. He also said that he only found ashes there and no remains,” he said.

Sak added that Touch would be released tomorrow and that police now wished to speak with Keang.
Teang Sien, an opposition provincial councillor in Kampong Speu province, told the Post yesterday that he, Keang and Porn had brought the remains to Phnom Penh in a car yesterday on the orders of Nuth Romdoul, a CNRP lawmaker-elect in Kampong Speu.A Post reporter also saw a package allegedly containing those remains – which are said to include a skull and several bones – on the table of an office at CNRP headquarters yesterday morning.Both Romdoul and CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith declined to comment yesterday as to what they were going to do with the remains or why the party was keeping them.Kim Souern, the father of Khim Saphath, whose family held a funeral for their missing son soon after he disappeared in January, said yesterday that he had no idea whether the remains belonged to Saphath.

He also revealed that weeks after Saphath disappeared, the family received an anonymous phone call saying that two to three bodies had been burned near Mareas Prov mountain, not far from an army barracks.“They said that two or three dead bodies were burnt in a fire with car tyres. But I don’t know whether or not either of them were my son,” he said.“I have nothing more to say. I just have regret. If someone asks me to examine the remains I will.”Providing further fodder for conspiracy theorists, police and rights groups attempting to access the site where the remains were found yesterday were blocked by soldiers, who said that they were conducting a training exercise with live ammunition.
Investigators from rights groups Adhoc and Licadho both said that soldiers from the elite Brigade 70 unit had blocked them from entering the site.
“The soldiers guarding there did not even allow police to examine the location where the body was burned.… I think the allegation that the army is training is just a pretext,” Rath Thavy, a senior investigator for rights group Adhoc, said.
But Sak, of the Kampong Speu police unit that is investigating the case, said that after the military exercise concluded today, police would be allowed to enter to investigate.
Adhoc has also called for the remains to be sent to Thailand for DNA testing.
“We cannot know if the remains belong to anyone until we do a DNA test,” Ny Chakrya, head of human rights and legal aid at the organisation, said.
Mao Sophan, commander of Brigade 70, could not be reached yesterday.

Royal documents affirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea, islands

The acknowledgement was announced at the sixth working session of the Asia Pacific Regional Committee for the Memory of the World Programme held in Guangzhou, China.

According to Deputy Secretary-General of Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Nguyen Manh Thang, the heritage won the UNESCO vote thanks to its accuracy and uniqueness, as well as its role in Vietnam’s relations with foreign countries.The documents, which were formulated as part of the State management under the Nguyen dynasty (1802 -1945) - the country’s last monarchy, comprised more than 700 original collections of papers circulated in 11 out of 13 reigns of the dynasty.They were categorised into documents submitted by central and local agencies for the King’sapproval, those promulgated by the King, and diplomatic documents.The papers contain rich and trustworthy information which fully reflects all aspects in Vietnam’s social life from early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, from politics, economy, diplomacy, public security and defence, to culture, education and health.Notably, the heritage is among rare documents stored all over the world that had autographs of the Kings, providing viewers with a closer approach to the literary styles, thoughts and opinions of the Kings about specific issues.

The collection is also a treasured source of reference for further research on the domestic and foreign policies of the Nguyen dynasty.Furthermore, the documents gathered much information on diplomacy, agreements and trade agreements signed between the Nguyen dynasty and foreign countries, such as China, Laos, Thailand, France and Spain. They were also made of reports presented to the Kings by envoys after their visits abroad.A strong evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islandsThe dossier of the collection was submitted to the UNESCO on October 31, 2013, by the National Archives Centre. However, the documents had drawn much attention from historical researchers decades ago.

The researchers have found a source of information written in the documents reflecting the Nguyen dynasty’s exercise of sovereignty over its sea and islands, particularly over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.These documents were a link to a historical fact that since 1816, King Gia Long – the founder of the Nguyen dynasty, assigned naval forces to carry out surveys in the Hoang Sa archipelago.The surveys in the archipelago became a general rule in the following reigns, as a number of the documents revealed the measurement, mapping, tree planting, temple construction, and coral exploitation conducted by the soldiers.

Most of the papers referring to the Hoang Sa archipelago were seen under King Minh Mang’s reign (1820 -1841), including the paper dated June 27, 1830, on the rescue of a French merchant ship sunk in the archipelago, one dated on April 2, 1838, on weather forecasting in preparation for an upcoming survey, and another dated July 19, 1838, to ask for tax exemption for ships on missions to Hoang Sa.

Under King Bao Dai’s reign (1925 -1945) – the last King of the Nguyen dynasty – the issue was also mentioned in some of the documents, such as the paper dated December 15, 1939, on bestowing a medal to Liuis Pontan, a French officer who died while performing his duty in Hoang Sa, and the paper dated February 10, 1939 on the King’s approval to honour a troop for their contributions to establishing a military post in Hoang Sa.Therefore, the King Nguyen approved papers not only took effect in the country’s administration but are also legal instruments asserting the undeniable sovereignty of Vietnam over its sea and islands.UNESCO’s recognition for the heritage is a significant step representing the world’s appreciation for the fact that Vietnam has exercised its sovereignty over its sea and island throughout the country’s history.

A dangerous dance: China, Vietnam posture in the South China Sea

 

It takes a long time to get to the middle of nowhere. For a contingent of almost 40 reporters, hours of waiting both on land and then at sea preceded a trip to one of the world's most hotly contested areas of maritime real estate.The Vietnamese government had been at pains to keep this media trip under wraps, keeping print, online and broadcast journalists from Asia and the United States guessing as to the day and time of departure.That secrecy may have been for naught: at a pre-departure briefing we are told that while the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not formally informed its Chinese counterpart of the presence of journalists in the area, a Coast Guard official mentions that "chances are" China knows about it.

But depart we do, boarding a small coastguard support vessel Monday evening as the sun dies over Da Nang, bound for the disputed waters surrounding the South China Sea's Paracel Islands, known to China as the Xisha Islands.China's controversial installation of an oil-rig in these waters at the beginning of May sparked protests -- some of which turned violent -- in Vietnam and statements from a variety of world leaders, urging the two sides to resolve this dispute quickly and without bloodshed.

READ: Chinese ships reach Vietnam to evacuate citizensOne side, at least, appears to be in agreement. "The Vietnamese Coast Guard are committed to resolving the situation peacefully," says Hoang Tuan Anh, the captain of the supply ship upon which we hitch a ride.

Strictly utilitarian, our sturdy ride boasts one 125mm cannon on its prow and two 14.5mm guns aft. It is the kind of supply ship that every coast guard needs, and also houses a huge number of plastic 10-gallon jugs of drinking water, a galley piled with vegetables, and a bevy of live chickens under one of the exterior staircases -- supplies badly needed by their crew mates and friends on the front line.As the sun rises again the next morning, we're still chugging steadily toward our destination, claimed by both China and Vietnam. 

Vietnamese boat sinks after collision with Chinese vessel

Clear messageA mid-sea ship change to CG 8003 -- and slightly less cramped conditions -- awaits us as noon approaches. By then we have reached the area where China had, earlier in the month, unilaterally planted a flag on this area of supposedly oil rich sea. The flag, in this case, was an imposing oil-rig that sent a clear message: the Xisha Islands are ours to do with what we will. 

 

No buoys mark the territory, and there is no landfall in sight: just a shimmering expanse of deep water, albeit one with the promise of fossil fuel riches beneath.As we arrive news comes that the rig -- run by state-owned oil company the China National Offshore Oil Corporation's (CNOOC) -- has been moved: no small task for something as big and unwieldy -- yet politically volatile.The operation to move the structure began on Monday morning and was completed by 10.30 p.m. local time, just hours after our voyage began but, equally, hours before we arrived in the zone.

Approaching the area, dots on the horizon become ships, which then become a flotilla -- or perhaps more accurately two separate flotilla -- of both Chinese and Vietnamese commercial and coast guard vessels.This mishmash of fishing and military vessels is all that remains of the flashpoint of a couple of weeks ago, and in a seemingly stage-crafted set of maneuvers dance around this expanse of utterly blue, clear sea.

Aggressive foghorns

It's a lively affair, alternating between angry, static-y rhetoric that informs the Chinese that they are in violation of international law, and aggressive foghorns and sirens, raising a cacophony on this otherwise peaceful, sunny afternoon."I've traveled out to these waters many times but recently the Chinese have been more aggressive towards the Vietnamese," says Hoang, captain of the support vessel. "I'm proud to protect Vietnam."The dance is supervised by the respective country's coast guard vessels, who hopefully have too much sense to engage directly with each other. But hanging over the day's events is the knowledge that just hours before, a Chinese fishing vessel had rammed and sunk one of its Vietnamese counterparts.

No lives were lost in this incident but it is the first time that a boat has been sunk in this chapter of the often-acrimonious relationship between these two ideologically similar neighbors.

As the afternoon begins to wrap up, one of the larger Chinese coast-guard vessel homes in on our ship, horn blasting incoherently as it attempts a little maritime brinksmanship.

Nobody on board CG 8003 seems to be overly worried, although life jackets are donned as a fillip. Like a dog reaching the end of its chain, the Chinese vessel barks at us a few remaining times, before turning heel.Off the starboard bow, two other Chinese vessels harry a smaller Vietnamese fishing boat, pushing it further from the center of this disagreement which, if left untended, could have dramatic consequences for these two countries, key players in a region that is -- perhaps belatedly -- starting to buck under the weight of Chinese hegemony.

Chaturon arrested at FCCT

Former education minister Chaturon Chaisaeng was arrested by the military while holding a press briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand at the Maneeya Building on Phloenchit Road in Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon. 

Mr Chaturon is taken into custody shortly after briefing foreign correspondents on Tuesday. - KOSOL NAKACHOL

In a short statement to reporters before his arrest, Mr Chaturon said since he no longer wanted to go into hiding and did not want to leave the country, he was prepared to be arrested.About 3.45pm, a team of soldiers arrived at the FCCT and took Mr Chaturon into custody.  He was then whisked away from the building in a van.

He was quoted by AP as saying at the conference: " A coup d'etat is not a solution to the problems of conflict in Thai society."But it will make the conflict even worse, and ... it may lead to violence. A coup is unacceptable, it is an abrogation of democracy.''

Mr Chaturon said he would not resist arrest or go underground, but  "I still insist on exercising my own rights and liberty to call for the return to democracy''.He decided to hold the briefing at the FCCT because he knew Thai media might have been restricted from reporting what he had to say.

Mr Chaturon is one of the Pheu Thai politicians summoned by the NCPO. Many of them had not complied.  They included Mr Chaturon, Pheu Thai party leader and former interior minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, Payap Panket, Sombat Boonngam-anong, director and founder of The Mirror Foundation, and Arisman  Pongruangrong.This prompted the NCPO to issue Order No. 10 to prohibit individuals, juristic persons and financial institutions from entering into financial and property transactions with Mr Chaturon and Mr Charupong.

They were also prohibited from giving financial assistance to the two politicians and ordered to report to the NCPO any financial transactions made by them between Mar 1 and May 24. Under another order, those who fail to report to the NCPO also face a possible two-year prison term and a fine of 40,000 baht.Mr Chaturon on May 25 gave an interview to Reuters, saying he believed the army had led the government into a trap when it acted as mediator of the peace talks on May 21-22.He was banned from politics for five years after the court disbanded the Thai Rak Thai party in 2007 following a coup the previous year. His exile from politics expired last year.

Prawit, Somkid Pridiyathorn named advisers

 

The coup council has appointed a six-member advisory board to look after security, the economy and laws, according to a source. Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, a former defence minister, is "chairman of the board".Gen Anupong Paojinda, ex-army chief, will look after security issues.Somkid Jatusripitak, a former deputy prime minister, will handle foreign affairs.

M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, well known by his nickname "Mom Oui", a former deputy prime minister, is the economy czar. He is also chairman of the board of Post Publishing Plc, the publisher of the Bangkok Post, Post Today and M2Fnewspapers.Narongchai Akrasanee, a former commerce minister, will be assistant to Mom Oui.

Visanu Krue-ngam, an ex-deputy prime minister, will be in charge of administering laws and justice.Former deputy army chief Gen Daopong Rattanasuwan will serve as secretary-general of the advisory team.Yongyuth Yutthawong, a former science and technology minister, is an adviser to the council. So are former air force chief ACM Itthiporn Supawong, and Noppadon Inthapanya, former secretary to Gen Prawit.Also on Tuesday, coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered all army regions to set up offices to begin yet another attempt at national reconciliation among those divided by colour-coded politics.

A Reconciliation Centre for Reform will be opened by the army in each of the four military regions "to create unity and end the division" between supporters of the red shirts and other-colour groups, army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said.The National Council for Peace and Order will be the main driver of the campaign and the first, second, third and fourth army regions will establish the centres in their areas.

Community leaders and key members of all groups will be selected to run the campaign, Col Winthai added.Army deputy spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong said one of the tasks of the centres was to bring together people with different views to sit at the same table for better understanding and to prevent the spreading of divisive information.The new move came after security authorities led by the army warned or closed down community radios, most of them run by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) supporters. The latest one was the Rak Chiang Mai 51 station in Muang district of Chiang Mai, which was searched by soldiers.

They seized a number of items including documents and equipment in the raid.Protests against the coup have continued since Gen Pruyuth seized power on Thursday after all conflicting parties showed no compromise on their demands.A group of protesters rallied at the Victory Monument again on Tuesday calling for the army leader to end the coup, with banners and shouts for new elections. They were monitored by police and soldiers dispatched to the area.