China attacks US rights record

[Steve]

China lashed out Thursday at a U.S. report critical of its human rights record, accusing Washington of causing the modern world's "biggest human rights tragedy" in Iraq and of hypocrisy for passing judgment on other nations.

 

China's State Council, or cabinet, said the U.S. record on human rights was "tattered and shocking" and criticized America for its violent crimes, large prison population and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

"The invasion of Iraq by U.S. troops has produced the biggest human rights tragedy and the greatest humanitarian disaster in the modern world," the council said in its report.

 

"It is high time for the U.S. government to face its own human rights problems with courage ... and give up the unwise practices of applying double standards on human rights issues and using it to suppress other countries."

 

The State Department took China to task this week for widespread human rights violations in an annual report that details increased attempts by authorities to control and censor the Internet and tighten restrictions on freedom of speech and the domestic press.

 

It noted that "China's overall human rights record remains poor."

 

The counter-accusations come five months before Beijing hosts the Olympics Games, which have already put the spotlight on the country's human rights record. China is preparing to increasingly defend itself against accusations on everything from its restrictions on religion, its oil purchases from Sudan, and its control of Tibet.

 

The U.S. report gave a chilling account of alleged torture in China, including the use of electric shocks, beatings, and shackles. It also details claims by citizens forced from their homes to make way for Olympic projects in Beijing.

 

China has voiced strong opposition to the State Department's annual rights reports, and says it respects and safeguards human rights.

 

"We resolutely oppose the U.S. issuing such a human rights report every year, and pointing fingers at other countries' human rights. It never reflects on its own human rights, so it cannot justify itself," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a news briefing.

 

The rest of the story in this link.

 

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I'll prepare myself physically as well as mentally for the posts that are about to come...hehehehe

 

[TheCorinthian]

From the country that executes more of its citizens than anywhere else.....

[Faustian]

But they are right and America, under Bush, really doesn't have an argument.

 

China is appalling, but America is rife with hypocrisy. America has lost the moral high ground. It's difficult to accuse others of being murderous, tyrannical regimes, involved in torture and repression of others, when you are openly doing that yourself.

[Bangkoktraveler]

Faustian, you are right on.

[Flashermac]

This is called the "You're one too!" argument. It doesn't answer the charges, which generally cannot be. Instead, it says ... "Look who's talking."

 

Still, all things considered, I suspect most of us would prefer to live in the USA over the PRC.

 

Meanwhile, back at the raunch ...

 

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Report links China arms sales to Darfur carnage

 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chinese sales of assault rifles and other small arms to its ally Sudan have grown rapidly during the Darfur conflict despite a U.N. arms embargo, a human rights group said on Thursday.

 

Human Rights First, a U.S.-based nonprofit group, said a detailed study of Sudanese and U.N. trade data showed that China was virtually the sole supplier of small arms to Sudan, which pays for the weapons with its growing oil revenues.

 

Chinese-made AK-47 assault rifles, grenade launchers and ammunition for rifles and heavy machine guns have all flowed into Darfur, said the report.

 

"The people of Sudan's Darfur region will endure more death, disease and dislocation, and this will be due in no small part to China's callousness," said the report, which called on Beijing to stop all arms sales to Sudan and urged the world to link that campaign to the Beijing Olympics.

 

China bristles at Western criticism that it has not used its influence to press for an end to the bloodshed in Darfur, which the United States has labeled as genocide. It angrily rejects efforts to link its policies to the showcase Beijing Games due to take place this summer.

 

China sold Sudan $55 million worth of small arms from 2003-2006 and provided 90 percent of Sudan's small arms since 2004 when a U.N. arms embargo took effect, the report said.

 

Link

 

[Bangkoktraveler]

Shit, the USA should bitch about this as a human right violation; the USA should have sold all of the weapons. Somebody is going to catch hell for this.

[Flashermac]

Nah, Africa has been conceded to the PRC.

 

 

[Julian2]

Back to human rights issues....