Rice Discusses Earthquake Recovery and Human Rights in China; Presidential Hopefuls Plan to Shut Down Guantanamo Bay; Civilian Death Toll Rises in Mexican Drug War

By Gabrielle Meury
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

DUJIANGYAN, China- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited China this weekend to speak about China’s post-earthquake recovery and to discuss human rights and Tibet with Chinese officials. Washington has been a critic of China’s human rights record and has urged China to continue conversation with the Dalai Lama. Beijing denounces the Dalai Lama as a separatist and blames him for the March 14 riots in Lhasa as an attempt to derail preparations for the Beijing Olympics in August. 
Rice also spoke in Dujiangyan about Washington’s proposed aid to earthquake victims. Dujiangyan is one of the cities devastated by the May 12 earthquake, with 90% of the buildings still unhabitable and 3,000 people dead.

For more information, please see:

Reuters- Rice Emphasizes Friendship During China Visit- 29 June 2008

Associated Press- Rice Praises China’s Post-Quake Recovery Efforts- 29 June 2008

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba- The Bush administration now lacks legally sound rationale for holding terrorism suspects without trial, thanks to the Supreme Court judgment of June 12 which decided that the detainees have legal rights. Both John McCain and Barack Obama have called for the prison to be shut down. McCain wants to move the 270 detainees currently imprisoned at Guantanamo to the military’s prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. McCain also wants the prisoners to be tried at military commissions. Obama would move the detainees to both civilian and military facilities in the U.S. Obama wants the detainees to be tried in federal criminal courts.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press- Guantanamo’s Days Numbered, Tough Choices Ahead- 28 June 2008

Detroit Free Press- Writing is on the Wall for Guantanamo Bay Prison- 29 June 2008

HUETAMO, Mexico- This month, soldiers attempting to curb the business of drug trafficking shot and killed two men speeding through a checkpoint in Chihuahua state along with another motorist who was unfortunate enough to be driving behind them. There have been at least 13 civilian deaths since December 2006. The public was also shocked when troops shot dead two women and three children traveling to a funeral in Sinaloa in 2007.
Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission has documented 634 cases of alleged abuse by the military since President Felipe Calderon sent more than 20,000 soldiers to take back territory controlled by drug traffickers. The U.S. Congress’ newly approved drug-war aid, amounting to $400 million, does not require the U.S. to independently verify that the military abide by international human rights standards. The aid comes with no yearly evaluations and few conditions.
Human rights groups say that the military operates with impunity, torturing and killing innocents and pillaging homes.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press- Mexico Cheers U.S. Aid Against Drug War- 27 June 2008

Time- Civilian Victims in Mexico’s Drug War- 28 June 2008

Comments

[Tom]

I’m an American in China, and watched through the media the devastation caused by the earthquake. Cities and towns were destroyed, tens of thousands dead or missing, and millions left homeless. I also watch the heroic efforts to find buried survivors, the outpouring of aid from countries all over the world, and the resolve of the Chinese people to rebuild their lives.

At dinner one evening with three Chinese reporters, we talk about the earthquake. One of the reporters asked how I felt about the American government donating $500,000 to the relief fund.

I was stunned and couldn’t believe our government would offer such a paltry sum. I couldn’t even believe our government was capable of writing a check for such a small amount. I told him I found it hard to believe and would check it out. If what he said were true, I’d have to hang my head in shame.

Needless to say, while the Red Cross, American businesses, and private charities gave over twenty million dollars, our frugal (at least in this case) government truly gave only $500,000.

Thanks to this outrageous effort by our government, I will have a hard time looking the Chinese people in the eye.