Radio Free Asia reports on the growing defending rights (weiquan) movement in China:
Lawyers and political analysts note a new awareness of civil rights among ordinary Chinese”epitomized by the failed attempt in July 2005 by villagers in Taishi, Guangdong province, to recall their elected village chief amid corruption allegations.
A new adjective is being applied to people and activities: weiquan, meaning simply “rights protection,” although it is closer to the concept of civil rights than of universal values of human rights.
Rather than penning well-crafted essays on broad themes aimed at Party ideologues and the urban elite, the new breed of Chinese activist is more likely to use their pens on countless official forms and letters, culminating in complaints, lawsuits, or appeals to Party disciplinary systems. [Full text]
RFA ran a four-part series on the defending rights movement on the Mandarin program. Read more about the movement, via CDT.
