THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014 INTERNATIONAL China drafts first domestic violence law

BEIJING: China has drafted its first national law zations. “At the very least, there’s finally move- ‘Not a private issue’ Resurgence of Gender Inequality in China”. from experience that many victims are not nec- against domestic violence, with activists hailing ment on this law,” she said. But advocates also Less than two decades ago, physical abuse “Despite the shortcomings we need to essarily at that point of seeking divorce or some it yesterday as a step forward in a country say the draft law, released by the Legislative was not even acceptable as grounds for divorce acknowledge that this is important legislation other kind of legal action that would be where abuse has long been sidelined as a pri- Affairs Office of China’s State Council on in China. In 2001 the marriage law was amend- and a very important first step towards tackling required to maintain the legal protection rul- vate matter. The new law formally defines Tuesday, excludes unmarried and divorced cou- ed to explicitly ban domestic violence for the this epidemic of domestic violence in China,” ing.” domestic violence for the first time and stream- ples and falls short in some other areas. first time. But without a legal definition of the she said. Currently little protection is available if Nearly 40 percent of Chinese women who lines the process for obtaining restraining Julia Broussard, country program manager term, many victims-if they report abuse at all- a partner threatens violence against a victim are married or in a relationship have experi- orders-measures long advocated by anti- for UN Women, said that UN agencies were have been shuffled from police to women’s fed- who tries to leave, activists note, as restraining enced physical or sexual violence, the state-run domestic abuse groups. “Over the years, we’ve “thrilled” to see the law made public after more eration to neighborhood committee, with orders are rarely issued in China and shelters China Daily newspaper reported yesterday, cit- many times felt powerless ourselves to help vic- than a decade of efforts by Chinese advocates, authorities reluctant to intervene unless serious are nearly non-existent. ing figures from the All China Women’s tims,” said Hou Zhiming, a veteran women’s “but we did note right away that it doesn’t injury is involved. Courts must rule on restraining order Federation. The group, which is linked to the rights advocate who heads the Maple Women’s extend to any non-family relations”. “We know “It’s very important for China to have some requests within 48 hours, according to the draft ruling Communist Party, has previously report- Psychological Counseling Centre in Beijing. that domestic violence is also occurring in the kind of nationwide, targeted domestic violence law-but if one is granted, the victim must start a ed that abuse takes place in nearly a quarter of “If this law is actually enacted-because the context of other relationships not defined as legislation on the books, because it has not had lawsuit within 30 days or it will lapse. Experts Chinese families. “Domestic violence is illegal issuing of a draft means it will now enter the family relationships,” including dating, cohabiting it, and it’s been a real legal barrier for a lot of say that it is rare for domestic violence laws to and affects family members physically and psy- law-making process-we will be very pleased,” and same-sex couples, Broussard said. “And so, women seeking to extricate themselves from require victims to undertake a lawsuit in order chologically,” Tan Lin, head of the federation, said Hou, whose centre is one of China’s our concern is that some of the violence is not very abusive relationships,” said Leta Hong- to obtain or maintain a restraining order. “This is told the China Daily. “It is not a private issue but longest-running anti-domestic violence organi- going to be addressed by the law,” she added. Fincher, author of “Leftover Women: The a bit problematic,” Broussard said. “We know a social problem.” —AFP Afghan police taught how to stay alive as casualties soar Poor tactical awareness blamed for devastating toll

KABUL: At a training centre near focused on improving the survival understand, but they still have a lot impart the importance of avoiding Kabul, one overriding lesson is skills of government forces. During of casualties.” The Afghan army and risks through reconnaissance, disci- drilled into Afghan police by their a mock assault exercise using plas- police have suffered badly in pline and planning. Lessons French instructors-don’t become tic weapons, one wayward recruit recent years, with 4,634 killed in include how to storm a house with- yet another unnecessary battlefield takes a dangerous position oppo- combat from January to the begin- out exposing oneself or colleagues casualty. Every day this year more site a doorway. “Always think of ning of November this year, on top to gunfire, and how to use than a dozen Afghan police and your own safety, guys!” the exas- of 4,350 killed during 2013, accord- weapons safely and accurately. But soldiers have died in the fight perated instructor shouts, before ing to the US military. not all goes to plan as two Afghan against Taleban insurgents, with reflecting: “They just don’t have Lieutenant General Joseph policemen try to show off their poor tactical awareness a key fac- basic training, either for shooting Anderson, the number two US officer best routines. The French instruc- tors use an interpreter to call out “where’s the danger?” and they berate officers who stand in the wrong place with their guns point- ing at the floor rather than held up, ready to fire. “Look, we could easily A Siberian tiger prowls at the Federal Center for rehabilitation of rare gun them all down from here,” species of animals in the village of Alexeyevka in the Russian Far East during whispers one instructor observing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit. A rare Siberian tiger released into the scene. the wild by Russian President Vladimir Putin is keeping farmers in north- Then the whole scenario is replayed with the police advised eastern China on edge. —AP how to improve their tactics. On the firing range, the instructors run China blames Putin tiger through the basic shooting posi- tions and stress the need for strict safety standards.”Put your weapon for goat slaughter spree in the belt holster when you are BEIJING: An endangered tiger set free in attacks occurred, known as Bolshoi not on the firing line!” shouts one Russia has killed 18 Chinese goats after Ussuriysky in Russian and Heixiazi in French trainer as a policeman crossing the frontier, with Beijing’s state Chinese, was the subject of a border dispute holds his gun casually by his side. media saying yesterday that the feline felon between the two powers before they The weapons being used-Beretta had been freed by President Vladimir Putin. agreed to divide it in 2004. and P38 handguns-are ancient and The Siberian tiger, named Ustin, wreaked Relations between Beijing and Moscow in bad repair. caprine carnage as it carried out repeated have warmed significantly in recent years, One gun gets a bullet jammed nighttime raids on a farm on a border island, with Russia turning to its Asian neighbor as in the barrel during the exercise, the official Xinhua news agency reported. a trading partner as the US and Europe have and ammunition is in short supply. “Dead goats were everywhere,” farmer enforced harsh sanctions over the crisis in “Ten rounds each is not enough. It Guo Yulin told Xinhua of the scene which Ukraine. Russia is a major exporter of raw is not worth even wasting money greeted him on Monday morning. Five materials to China, often from the Siberian KABUL: In this photograph, Afghan policemen look at targets after a pistol shooting session dur- on petrol to drive us out for so lit- goats were killed on one night and 13 on region which is home to the big cats, also ing a training program by their French instructors at the police training centre in Kabul. —AFP tle,” said one young Afghan police- another, Xinhua said, adding experts were known as Amur tigers. Hundreds of them man after firing off his bullets. pointing the finger at Ustin after its foot- once roamed the lush pine and oak forests tor blamed for the devastating toll. weapons or on the tactical level.” At in Afghanistan, recently said the local Another challenge is the risk of so- prints were found around Guo’s goat house of Manchuria, but due to centuries of poach- The high casualty rate is one of the the invitation of Kabul police chief security forces were increasingly called “green-on-blue” attacks- and on the roof. Xinhua said the tiger was ing only a couple of dozen are believed to biggest concerns for Afghan lead- Zahir Zahir, the RAID team has capable but he admitted the casualty when Afghan soldiers or police one of five big cats released into the wild by still survive in China. ers as the US-led NATO coalition taught practical exercises and live rate was “not sustainable in the long turn their guns on international Putin in May. Listed as “endangered” by the International ends its 13-year war next month firing sessions to several groups of term”. Afghan battlefield tactics are troops-a major problem during But according to the Kremlin’s website Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red and the national security forces 30 police cadets. often still based on the 1980s Soviet NATO’s long years fighting along- and multiple reports at the time, Putin only List, they have fared better in Russia, where take over the task of thwarting the “The purpose of this course is to era, with men sent charging towards side Afghan forces. To prevent any freed three tigers-Kuzya, Borya and Ilona. more than 400 still live, sometimes preying on militants. minimize the loss of human lives,” danger without assessing the situa- such disaster, a French marksman Ustin and another feline, Svetlaya, were set local bears. Local authorities vowed to com- In one effort to help reduce said Eric Petit, a French police com- tion or following an assault plan. stands close by, surveying the les- free in a separate location in June, without pensate the farmer for his lost animals, Xinhua fatalities and injuries, France’s elite mander and expert on internation- son closely. “The first week has giv- the presence of the Russian leader, who is said, but added that he was encouraged “to police unit RAID has been holding al security training. “This is the top Safety first en mixed results... this is an initial known for his outdoor stunts involving ani- relocate his goats or further reinforce the week-long training courses priority of the Afghan police, I The French instructors try to training,” admitted Petit. —AFP mals. All five cubs had been found starving farm,” to avoid further attacks. Meanwhile Guo in the Russian taiga two years ago, and were “is stressed about the tiger and was busy rescued, treated, and taught to hunt before clearing the bodies of dead goats,” Xinhua HK police reopen main road being released. The island where the goat said.—AFP after clearing protest camp ‘I Hate Thailand’: New Thai tourism strategy HONG KONG: Hundreds of Hong Kong police yester- site. The movement’s student leaders Wong and Lester the leadership of the semi-autonomous southern day cleared a pro-democracy protest camp, arresting Shum were arrested at the scene, according to protest Chinese city in 2017. But China has refused to budge BANGKOK: It’s been a bad year for tourism in ing the Tourism Authority of Thailand to issue Joshua Wong and another student leader and reopen- group Scholarism and the Hong Kong Federation of on its arrangements for the poll. Thailand, and at first glance it looked like a a press release Monday saying it was behind ing a main road blocked for almost two months. Students. A well-known protester and member of the Police said they arrested at total of 148 people, new YouTube video was adding to the misery. what it called the “romantic-comedy short Pushing back protesters, police with the help of work- League of Social Democrats party, Raphael Wong, including a 14-year-old boy, in the two-day Mongkok The video called “I Hate Thailand” drew more film.” “There’s been much hype and specula- men removed tents and other obstacles blocking the who was arrested along with the pair said on his operation and that 22 police officers were injured. “If than 1 million views within days of being tion following the release of the I Hate six-lane Nathan Road in Mongkok district. It is seen as Facebook page that they were being held at a police anyone attempts to block reopened roads...police are posted last week. But it turned out the clip Thailand video,” TAT Governor Thawatchai the most significant move so far in efforts to clear station. “I am at the Kwai Chung police station, next to duty bound to take resolute actions,” Police was produced by Thailand’s tourism authority, Arunyik is quoted as saying. “The intention of away protest camps at three separate locations in the me is Joshua and Lester, we have been charged with spokesman Hui Chun-tak told media at a briefing yes- using a counterintuitive strategy to attract this video is solely to depict the renowned city, as public sympathy with the demonstrators contempt of court and obstructing public officers,” terday. Yesterday’s clearance was the third since Hong tourists after the country’s image was bat- Thai hospitality.” wanes. Wong wrote. “It is possible we won’t get bail tonight Kong’s high court granted injunctions ordering the tered by a military coup in May and the brutal The tourism authority said it was inspired Scuffles broke out earlier in the day as police wear- and will be at a magistrates’ court tomorrow.” Police operations, responding to petitions from a building murders of two British tourists on an idyllic by research showing that “unbranded” adver- ing helmets and brandishing batons moved in to pro- were unable to immediately give a reason why the owner and public transport operators. “Please obey beach in September. tisements tend to receive more interest than tect the workmen from the crowds that surged for- three had been arrested when contacted by AFP. the injunction, leave immediately,” a court bailiff told The 5-minute video shows an angry British conventional commercials. The video, which ward to try to stop them tearing down road barri- the crowd before the operation began. Civilians wear- tourist on a beach. He introduces himself as bears no indication of being funded by the cades. The operation went ahead a day after nearly ‘We won’t lose heart’ ing “I love HK” T-shirts and red baseball caps began James and says his bag was stolen: “I hate this Thai government, was posted on a YouTube 150 demonstrators were arrested as authorities Tensions were running high yesterday after scuf- removing barricades blocking the road but protesters place. I hate Thailand,” he tells a handheld account that also gave no clue of ties to offi- cleared a smaller section of the Mongkok protest fles the previous day when police used pepper spray remained defiant. “I won’t leave. It’s (the sit-in) been camera. After mouthing off to a policeman, cialdom. The strategy is part of a massive cam- camp. Hundreds of police quickly pushed protesters on protesters at the site. Mongkok was the scene of illegal from day one with or without the court order,” he meets an attractive Thai woman and finds paign to restore Thailand’s battered image back, and removed wooden and metal barricades, some of the most violent clashes since the sit-ins said one demonstrator, wearing a yellow helmet and reasons to like Thailand. In the end, the overseas and revive tourism, which accounts tents and other obstructions along a 500-metre began in the city on September 28. “If we lose here, we a mask, who refused to give his name. unshaven, bare-chested foreigner cleans up, for about 7 percent of the economy. The stretch of Nathan Road. won’t lose heart. We can go somewhere else (to occu- puts on clothes, befriends the locals and gets tourism authority has forecast that tourist Around two hours after the operation started, only py). It doesn’t need to be here,” Kelvin Ng, 21 said. Waning public support his bag back - wallet, passport and all. arrivals for 2014 will drop for the first time in a handful of protesters remained at the edge of the Demonstrators are demanding fully free elections for The protests on a few occasions drew tens of Several Thai newspapers reported the years, after a record year in 2013 when 26.7 thousands of people onto the streets. But the video as a real news item last week, prompt- million visitors came to Thailand. —AP crowds have dwindled markedly in recent weeks as the movement has struggled to maintain momen- tum and commuters have grown weary of transport disruptions. The Hong Kong Federation of Students, Japan man sues women’s which has led the protests, said it was considering the next step. “The path of communication has run university over rejection its course. If the government continues to resort to collusion with the police, unscrupulously going TOKYO: A young Japanese man who was rejected by ties for education, but that role is no longer necessary.” against the tide, then we can only take the next step an all-women university where he wanted to study Earlier this month, the plaintiff applied to the depart- of action,” it said on its Facebook page without elab- nutrition is suing the college over gender discrimina- ment of food and health sciences at the university for a orating. tion, reports said yesterday. In what is believed to be course that would result in a dietitian’s licence, a nation- Separately, seven police officers who were sus- the first case in Japan challenging the constitutionality ally-recognized qualification, the reports said. pended after a video emerged of them beating and of a publicly-run women’s university, the man is seek- Fukuoka Women’s University was the only public kicking a handcuffed man have been arrested. “Police ing a ruling that would allow him to take an entrance institution in the area to offer the course, and the have arrested seven police officers suspected of exam at Fukuoka Women’s University, the Asahi young man could not afford to apply to a private col- assault causing bodily harm,” police said in a state- Shimbun reported. lege, the Asahi reported. A university official declined ment yesterday, adding that investigations are ongo- “Not allowing men to take the exam violates Article to comment on the specific case, but added: ing. The video that emerged in October showed 14 of the constitution which proclaims equality before “Generally speaking if we receive an application from plainclothes officers hauling a handcuffed and the law,” said the man, who was not identified in the a man we refuse to accept it.” “We have 91 years of unarmed demonstrator to a dark corner of a protest- report. He also wants 500,000 yen ($4,200) compensa- history as a women’s university with the mission of HONG KONG: Pro-democracy protesters shout slogans at police officers (not seen) as hit public park. One officer stands over the man and tion. Kyodo News cited his lawyer as saying: “In the educating the next generation of female leaders, and punches him, as three others are seen repeatedly they retreat from a street in the Mongkok district of Hong Kong yesterday. —AFP past, women’s universities had the role of giving prefer- this remains unchanged to this day,” the spokesman kicking him. —AFP ential treatment to women who had fewer opportuni- said. —AFP