Introduction
Human rights entitle all individuals to be treated equally without discrimination. Although individuals are of different nationalities, color, ethnicity, religion, sex or place of residence, human rights are inherent.
As such, human rights guarantee equal treatment of individuals without discrimination on the basis of any of the above-mentioned status. In many cases, human rights are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent. Moreover, human rights are guaranteed and expressed by treaties and laws. It is the role of every government to promote and protect human rights of its citizens. This paper analyzes human rights in China.
Human Rights in China: Violations
China has for a long time been singled out as one of the worst human rights violators globally. According to Peerenboom (2005), given these human rights violations accusations, there have been eleven failed attempts by the U.N Commission on Human Rights aimed at censuring China. These human rights violations in China are said to have begun after the country crushed the democracy movement in 1989 (Svensson, 2002).
Since then, China has been on a collision course with human rights organizations globally with frequent accusations on how the situation keeps worsening daily. Although the country’s leadership continues to receive praise because of achievements so far in sustained growth in the economy, rapid urbanization and overall rise of China as a global power, little progress has so far been made as far as human rights is concerned.
An Amnesty International (2013) report on China indicates that there are widespread human rights violations. The report estimates that rights of approximately 500,000 people in China have had their rights violated. Out of these individuals, the report adds that some of them are in detention without trial whereas others cannot access the legal system in seeking redress for wherever griences they have.
On the other hand, increased violation has led to an increase in house arrests; minority groups such Tibetans have been repressed; harassment by authorities; internet and media censorship; imprisonment, and surveillance on human rights defenders in the country (Amnesty International, 2013).
This human rights issue in China has continued to shape relations between the country and the United States. Lum (2011) notes that the issue of human rights conditions in China has remained central the way the country relates with the United States. Observers argue that the Chinese leadership has remained authoritarian while economic development realized only strengthens the government at the expense of the citizens.
This is evident in continued government restrictions on religious, political, as well as other freedoms that the citizens ought to be enjoying. There are a number of recent developments that demonstrate increased violations on human rights in China including crackdown on dissent, issues on labor and illegal detentions.
Crackdown on Dissent and Illegal Detention
Since 2011, the Chinese government has intensified efforts aimed at suppressing the country’s civil society that was becoming increasingly active. According to Lum (2011), government efforts focus on bloggers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), activist lawyers, rights defenders, independent churches, as well as restrictive minority groups.
To the government, the active nature of these groups threaten social and political stability of China. During the crackdown, between 50 to 100 people were arrested and detained.
On the other hand, Lum states that over 20 people were facing prosecution for subversion while approximately 200 people were placed under heavy surveillance for a number of political reasons. Government dissent crackdown efforts, according to Human Rights Watch (2013), aim at curbing criticisms of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Recently, the crackdown has been blamed for the disappearance of an activist who was participating in a United Nations review of the country’s human rights record (VOA News, 2013). The activist who was part of a team helping the government in drafting a report to the U.N Human Rights Council is said to have been arrested, interrogated and detained in Beijing.
After the incident, Human Rights Watch blamed China for a systematic suppression of activists that goes against the human rights of these activists who are entitled to fully participate in the drafting of country reports.
VOA News (2013) article adds that since February 2013, over 50 activists in China had been arbitrarily detained, whereas critics and opinion leaders had been taken into custody as control on social media intensified countrywide. The government wants to use the crackdown in silencing its critics while at the same time subduing social forces in the country.
Furthermore, there have been reports of illegal detentions in China that are a violation to human rights. For instance, Lum (2011) states that other than facing various forms of abuses, many of the activists detained lack legal protections.
Additionally, they are denied an opportunity to contact their families while being subjected to rights abuses like being held in psychiatric hospitals where they are forced to take medications. Such a treatment is a violation of the rights of the illegally detained individuals.
Labor Issues
The year 2011 saw an upsurge in the number of labor disputes and unrests in China (Lum, 2011). Strikes due to stressful working conditions and wage disparities were experienced in firms like Honda, Hyundai and Foxconn led to increased campaigns on human rights issues in China.
With the country economic development, there have been cases of wage pressures; a decrease in the number of young workers as a result of demographic changes, and greater enforcement of the Labor Contract Law enacted in 2008. These issues, coupled with a growing awareness on the rights of workers, have been vital in fueling the unrests witnessed in the country in various firms.
Consequently, labor protestors sought to see improved working conditions in firms, full enforcement of labor laws, higher wages, and the right of workers to form their own labor unions, while being able to elect their own union representatives. Despite achieving these objectives, there were violations of the human rights of a dozen of labor activists who were detained.
Human Rights in China: Promotions
Although there have been cases of human rights violations in China, recent events and efforts depict the country as working towards promoting individual rights. For instance, through ratification of over twenty human rights treaties (Peerenboom, 2005); the Chinese leadership has shown efforts to promote the rights of its citizens.
Moreover, China has shown efforts for promotion of human rights through actively taking part in international human rights meetings. Another case has been its ability to submit reports on human rights issues. To add on this, China voted in favor of sanctions against an apartheid regime in South Africa.
Conclusion
China has been singled out as being a violator of human rights globally. Intensified government crackdowns on dissent recently are a case violation on the rights of its citizens. Additionally, rights of workers in various firms have been violated through allowing them to work under stressful conditions.
Nevertheless, the fact that the country continues to actively participate in human rights meetings shows that there are efforts to promote the rights of its citizens. Recently, rights have been firmly entrenched into both legal and political discourse.
References
Amnesty International. (2013). China Human Rights. Web.
Human Rights Watch. (2013). China: Nationwide Arrests of Activists, Critics Multiply. Web.
Lum, T. (2011). Human Rights in China and U.S. Policy. Web.
Peerenboom, R. (2005). Assessing Human Rights in China: Why the Double Standard? Cornell International Law Journal, 71-172.
Svensson, M. (2002). Debating Human Rights in China: A Conceptual and Political History. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
VOA News. (2013). Rights Group Slams China for ‘Forcibly Disappearing’ Activist. Web.