Not fine China…

DOZENS of members of China's Uighur minority, including children, remain unaccounted for more than three months after security forces rounded them up amid ethnic clashes, Human Rights Watch said.

"They told everybody to get out of the houses,'' a resident identified as Aysanam said.

"Women and elderly were told to stand aside, and all men, 12 to 45 years old, were lined up against the wall.

"Some men were pushed on their knees, with hands tied around wooden sticks behind their backs; others were forced on the ground with hands on their heads."

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26240149-23109,00.html

This is not a scene out of a movie. This is real life happening to real people. Imagine, if you will, you're a minority fighting for the right to simply exist with the beliefs that are important to you. It's not a lot to ask is it? What if someone says 'bugger off - we want you to be like us and act like us otherwise we don’t want you around.’ You’d be pissed. Imagine that happening in your country? In your home town? You'd be up in arms demanding your personal freedom to be who you are with the beliefs you have. What if one day someone you loved was rounded up by the officials and you searched everywhere for them but no one would tell you where they were? What would you do?

I don’t care what religion you are, what colour you are or what you believe. If you are living peacefully and causing no harm to another person then you should be allowed to exist in peace. What has happened to these people in China is appalling. But, I have to wonder who really cares? It's not ‘us’ is it? It’s ‘them.’ I'm safe - you’re safe – we’re safe in our western worlds. We have 'normal' beliefs that fit in with others. We're okay, Jack. So why should we care about a bunch of people miles away from us? I'll tell you why - any one person who is denied the right to be a human being is one person too many. No one is any better than any one else and to shut up and allow it to happen is just wrong. I’m not one to shut up.

This image of China doesn't gel with the smiling happy faces we saw at the Olympics does it? China - you should be ashamed of your appalling human rights record and lack of respect for your citizens.

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Be daring...read an Amarinda book