Taiwan

Translated by: Kenny Choi

Editor note: This article, originally published in inmediahk.net tells significant issues on free speech at Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Macao.

Caption: Hong Kong Netizens against the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2011，which forbid the exemption of derivative works as not being infringing.

At the beginning of the year, the Office for Personal Data Protection of Macau government issued the Guidelines on Publication of Personal Data on the Internet. In addition to include individual identification information, private life, medical records and other information as “personal data”, the guidelines also consists of “data revealing philosophical or political beliefs, political society or trade union membership, religion and racial or ethnic origin.” The Guideline states that except the consent of the litigants has been acquired or their information been published, any sensitive information cannot be publicized. Daily practice on the internet today could infringe Personal Data Protection Act. Therefore people who concern with freedom of speech requested amendment of the Guidelines.

[29 May 2010] Radio Melbourne, Australia
http://www.3cr.org.au/aggregator/sources/683

LabourStart (28 May 2010 - present)
China: Suicides at Foxconn, supplier to Apple and other international brands
http://www.labourstart.org/foxconn

Your message will be sent directly to Foxconn & Apple!

SUMMARY

China: Suicides at Foxconn, supplier to Apple and other international brands

It's been dubbed the "suicide express" by Chinese media. Twelve workers, all between 18 and 24 years old, have committed suicide, at the production facilities of Foxconn Technology Group, a Taiwan-owned enterprise based in Shenzhen, southern China.

Appeal by Sociologists:
Address to the Problems of New Generations of Chinese Migrant Workers,
End to Foxconn Tragedy Now
18th May 2010

Since January of this year at the Foxconn Group, nine workers have already attempted suicide by jumping from buildings, resulting in the tragic death of seven, with two injured. Why would these young people, roughly all in their twenties, choose to leave this world in life’s most beautiful time? This loss of life is so distressing, and makes us think deeply about the new problems of the second generation of migrant workers and the status of China as the “world’s factory.”

We are pleased to announce the launching of Info-Rhizome: Report on Independent Media in Chinese-speaking world (2008/09) and the re-launching of interlocals.net.

Info-Rhizome: Report on Independent Media in Chinese-speaking world (2008/09)

The book published in two languages English and traditional Chinese and is free to download for individual use.

To sign the petition online, go to: http://campaign.tw-npo.org/campaign/sign.php?id=2009042210484600

If you are holding an iPhone or an HTC in your hand, you might have contributed to the ordeals of nearly 8,000 factory workers in China and Taiwan, to speak of the least.

One of Apple’s major suppliers, WINTEK, is recently facing a fight back from angry workers, among who are the 700-strong on Taiwan’s manufacture lines that have been laid off early this year, who were rather surprised when they found out WINTEK began to recruit new workers immediately, while these veterans are left jobless. Meanwhile, “Masstop” (東莞萬士達公司) in Donguan, a subsidiary of WINTEK, saw more than 7,000 broke in outrage when the workers went on strike last Friday (17 April 2009), in protest of unlawful cuts on overtime wages and basic benefits.

The newly elected Taiwanese president, Ma Ying-jeou, took office on May 20, 2008, which means KMT, the party that had ruled Taiwan from 1945-2000, after 8 years away from power, has regained its familiar position. The restoration of a KMT regime is thought by many as a comeback of the conservatives, because KMT used to adopt a "development comes first" policy, putting labour and environmental justice out of its sight, while further oppressing Taiwan's democracy movement and social movement; at the same time, it also underlines people's disappointment toward the DPP, who used to be the symbol of democracy and reform.

Before election, both parties found Tibet a hot topic

When the outrage broke out in Tibet on Mar 14th, 2008, Taiwan was right in the midst of presidential election frenzy. Ma Ying-jeou, the KMT candidate, reprimanded the abuse of force from the PRC government, and reiterated the consistent respect of the ROC government for the cultural, religious, as well political rights of the Tibetan people. He also clarified the principle of handling cross-strait issues—following the opinion of the majority, which is maintaining the status quo, no independence, no unification, no force.