1. Editor's Note
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Editor's Note
In this Issue:
1. Editor's Note
2. Liaoyang – Portrait of a Movement
3. Article 23 – Updates and Press Releases
4. News Review
5. Next Issue: Health and Safety in China
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Editor's Note
In March 2002, over 50,000 workers in Liaoyang began marching in protest at
official corruption, missing and unpaid wages and falling benefits. Nines months
later, two of the worker’s representatives were tried on charges of “subversion”.
Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang, sentenced to seven and four years respectively
have become symbols – both of government repression and the almost total denial
of the rights of freedom of association and expression in China and as symbols
of the growing workers struggles in China. The protests and the campaigns by
the Liaoyang workers to free Yao and Xiao and to bring gain redress for their
grievances still continue.
In this special issue, we chart the events in Liaoyang from 1008 until the rejection
of their appeals in June 2003. Portrait of a Movement contains an analysis of
event, a chronology, the court verdict, some personal insights into Yao Fuxin
and Xiao Yunliang as well as various interviews with local officials and workers.
Although their struggle is an historic one, it is still ongoing and needs your
support. China Labour Bulletin and LabourStart have teamed up to launch a global
signature campaign for their release. Please take the time to sign your
name here.
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Liaoyang : Portrait of a Movement
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Contents Page
Article:
China's Workers stand Up: The Liaoyang Protest Movement of 2002-03, and the
Arrest, Trial and Sentencing of the "Liaoyang Two"
Open Letter: To the Leadership by Liaoyang workers
Personal Viewpoint: The long and winding road: Two families destroyed
Personal profiles: Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang
Selected Interviews: Workers, officials and the families in Liaoyang
Chronology:1998 to 2003
Extracts: 330th Report of the Committee on Freedom of Association, ILO
Criminal Verdict: Intermediate People’s Court of Liaoyang Municipality, Liaoyang Province
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Article 23
After many months
of campaigning by China Labour Bulletin and many other groups in Hong Kong and
around the world, the Hong Kong SAR Government finally announced that it would
postpone the second and final reading of their proposed national security legislation
on Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law. The decision came after some 500,000
people marched against Article 23 Legislation on 1 July, the anniversary of
the 1997 resumption of Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong.
China Labour Bulletin
welcomes the decision not to press ahead with the second reading of the proposed
legislation on Article 23. Hong Kong people remain rightly concerned at the
use and abuse of similar legislation in China where thousands of people are
imprisoned on grounds of subversion and state secrets. Labour activists – including
Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang - are labeled “subversives” and are detained simply
for attempting to exercise their right to freedom of expression and association.
According to Article
68 of the Hong Kong Basic law, the ultimate aim for Hong Kong is the election
of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage. We now ask that the government
moves ahead with the necessary steps to create universal suffrage and then only
then move ahead with Article 23 legislation. Any move to introduce the proposed
legislation without a popularly elected government will only reinforce the chasm
between the government and the people.
9 July: Press Release on the postponement
9 July: Collection of materials on Article 23 Legislation
10 July: Update on events
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News Review
Highlights
1 May 2003 : May Day - The struggle continues
Protests
18 June 2003: Three workers detained during a strike in Zhejiang (news)
21 March 2003: Arrests begin in Tieshu protests (press release)
14 March 2003: Tieshu workers in Hubei province recommence their protests against
pension cuts (news)
21 March,18 March, 19 March,5 April 2003: Interviews with officials and protestors at Tieshu (interviews)
Health and Safety
7 July 2003: World's deadliest coal mines power China's progress – Mengjiagou
coal mine (news and interviews)
25 June 2003: The "battle" for coal mine safety (news)
14 May 2003 and 15 May 2003: Blast at Luling coal mine in Anhui (interviews)
12 April 2003: Twenty-one lives lost in 5 April blaze at the Qingdao Zhengda
food factory - at least six workers died after manager blocked their escape
(press statement)
7 April, 8 April 2003: Is Production more important than Life? Interviews with workers, victims and officials after the Qingdao Zhengda Factory fire (interviews)
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Next Issue: Health and Safety
In a follow up to our January issue on mining accidents and to continue our
ongoing campaign launched on 28 April to end corporate killings, we will be
taking a closer look at cases of industrial accidents and ill health in China
and analyzing occupational health and safety in China.