Outrage over Chinese Governement-ordered forced abortion

[Livewire]

Pretty sickening. Not for the faint of heart. Making on this on good faith that it will be handled maturely.

Source

Source

A photograph showing 23-year-old Feng Jianmei lying on a hospital bed, with the corpse of her unborn daughter on a plastic sheet beside her, has spread virally through the internet and forced the Chinese government to admit an illegal infanticide.

The photograph, taken by her cousin, A San, was posted onto the internet on June 11, a week after local Communist party cadres in Ankang, Shaanxi province, forcibly aborted Mrs Feng's child.

Mrs Feng and her 29-year-old husband, Deng Jiayuan, already have a child, a six-year-old girl. But, as farmers, they were entitled by Chinese law to have a second baby with the permission of their local Family Planning bureau.

When Mrs Feng was three months pregnant, officials said they visited her and asked her to fill in an official application form and to change her hukou, a Chinese registration permit, to say she lived in the countryside.

It is not clear why Mrs Feng failed to fill in the forms and transfer her residence. She has complained on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, that she was not warned of the consequences until it was too late. But as her pregnancy progressed, local officials offered her family a deal: pay 40,000 yuan (£4,000) to smooth the bureaucracy over.

When the couple said they did not have the money, Mrs Feng was taken from her home on May 30 by more than 20 officials and ransomed, her husband said. The officials held her for three days, apparently sending a series of threatening text messages to members of her family, before giving the foetus a lethal injection on June 2.

"It should not be a cent less than that [40,000 yuan]," read one text message, allegedly sent by Yuan Fang, a local Family Planning official, to Mr Deng's sister, Deng Yan. A photograph of the message on what appears to be an iPhone has been posted by the family to HSW.cn, a local Shaanxi internet portal by the family.

"I told your father this already and he said he did not have the money, so we did not have a choice. It is you guys that have been careless," the message continued. Mr Deng said he had tried to raise the money until the last minute, but had failed.

"At the hospital they held her down," said Mr Deng to All Girls Allowed, a Christian NGO in the United States that campaigns against the One Child policy. "They covered her head with a pillowcase. She could not do anything because they were restraining her," he added. He said his wife had tried to kill herself in the wake of the abortion.

Mrs Feng told the NGO that she could "feel the baby jumping around inside me all the time, but then she went still".

Mr Deng yesterday declined to comment on the case, but said the government's attitude is now "supportive". At 11pm last night, government officials were inside the family's home. Yu Yanmei, the deputy head of Ankang town, visited the family on Wednesday evening and the couple may have been instructed not to speak further to the media.

Mrs Yuan, at the local Family Planning bureau, explained that the 40,000 yuan had been a "deposit" which would have been returned to the family once Mrs Deng had transferred her household registration.

However, angry Chinese internet users compared the case to the atrocities inflicted by Japanese soldiers on Chinese victims during the war. By yesterday, more than a million comments had been left on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, about the abortion. The case is another illustration of how Chinese citizens can mobilise support over the internet to fight injustice.

Authorities in the province have now admitted that the abortion was illegal and said that they are sending a team to investigate. "Such action has seriously violated relevant policies and caused an extremely negative social impact," said a statement from the Shaanxi Population and Family Planning Commission.

Li Yuongjiou, the deputy chief of Ankang's Family Planning department, admitted to Caixin, a Chinese magazine, that the town had failed to hit its targets under the One Child policy for two years, and that this year there has been an emphasis on stricter enforcement.

Chai Ling, a former Tiananmen Square protester who now runs All Girls Allowed said officials in the region are "launching a campaign of forced abortions this month. They received a lower grade from the government because of â over-quota' births".

Since the government introduced the One Child policy in the late 1970s to curb population growth, millions of women have been forced to end their "illegal pregnancies." The number of "family planning abortions" peaked in 1983 with 14.37 million operations, according to the Health Ministry. Since 2000, such abortions have numbered about 7 million a year, with a spike in 2008 to 9.17 million cases.

Additional reporting by Valentina Luo

Good to see that we ignore gross human rights abuses because of posh trading deals.

Thoughts?

 

[Netto Azure]

Forced abortions sadly are sometimes used in developing countries. It should be the choice of the women in question, nothing more.

 

[mondays suck]

It might be cruel, very cruel, yes, but I think it's probably still the lesser evil compared to the suffering massive overpopulation would mean. China has this law for a reason, to curb one of humanity's many suicidal tendencies, I think in this issue they are actually going the right way for once.

 

[Dawn]

...A testament to misanthropy, no doubt. The corruption is laughably apparent, and with such a horrifying, utterly sickening result. China made it's choices and the rest of the world is judging. When things hit the fan, I seriously doubt the rest of the world will be all that ready to forget the atrocities against not only the rights of the people but life itself. Never mind the victims.

I'd say I was upset on a personal level if I weren't so dead inside to this issue in general.

Aside from that, I'd say that China and it's policies are a perfect example of why the government should not be given the job of enforcing morality. Serious food for thought, considering how hard we're fighting to give the US government that right/job as we speak.

 

[Esper]

This kind of story came up a lot when I was taking a class on modern Chinese history so I'm not as shocked by this as I would have been otherwise. The article doesn't even mention in passing all the instances of forced sterilization, but I guess it's about this case in particular.

The article says they don't know why she didn't change her permit to that of someone living in the country and don't speculate as to why, but I would guess it's probably because that would have restricted where she could live and work as people stuck in the countryside are often legally stuck there, too. Being able to live in a city/non-rural area is something that millions of Chinese want. I can only assume it means she had permission to live/work outside the countryside, which doesn't make much sense since they called her a farmer.

In any case, there is a big economic aspect to this story that's not being addressed: many rural couples want to have more than one child to help them farm because it's hard to support yourself in your old age and there is still a cultural expectation of girls leaving to live with husbands' families. So when a couple's first child is a girl a lot want a second child, a son, and even the law recognizes the "necessity" of having a son for rural people. But having more than one child pretty much kills your chances of ever leaving the countryside and improving your lot so couples are forced to make all kinds of tough decisions.

But needless to say, this is an awful thing.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Why is it only outrageous now? We've known about this for ages. Decades?

 

[Mr. X]

Murder to control the population?

I don't see what the outrage is about.

It's used all the time for various animals (Usually disguised as 'hunting'), so whats so wrong with following the ideals that we force upon other species?

 

[Esper]

Murder to control the population?

I don't see what the outrage is about.

It's used all the time for various animals (Usually disguised as 'hunting'), so whats so wrong with following the ideals that we force upon other species?

Because people have rights. Look, even if you believe that other animals are on a similar level as people the right conclusion to make is that we shouldn't hunt animals, not that we should allow the killing of people.

 

[Cosmotone8]

Life is precious. Period. China is basically taking away life and the ability that nature has given us to make it. I don't care what you say, life is worth more than everything. Why do you think it hasn't been found in the decades we've been trying to find it?

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Murder to control the population?

I don't see what the outrage is about.

It's used all the time for various animals (Usually disguised as 'hunting'), so whats so wrong with following the ideals that we force upon other species?

People are animals. But animals aren't people. Human rights don't extend to animals.

 

[droomph]

Call me the crazy cat man, but I think all animals should have equal rights, wether that means bringing them up or bringing us down.

But the problem is, how they handled this was wrong. In America, we have this thing called a "Vasectomy". Heard of it? Yeah. You should have let it slide and asked them to do that so a second time wouldn't happen. We forgive.

Just another reason I'm not going back there. Sorrrrry family

 

[ShadowStriatonTriad]

Very sickening. However, China isn't the only country killing innocent citizens and screwing their familes over illegally. Just consider what your own gove1nment could be behind. Illegally spying via modern technology? Using Facebook to record information.and add you to a list to "get you?" Maybe even putting something in our food and water? I've noticed the amount of cancer cases have skyrocketed after 2000. Seriously, it seems like everybody has it now. Coincidence?

 

[TRIFORCE89]

Call me the crazy cat man, but I think all animals should have equal rights, wether that means bringing them up or bringing us down.

But the problem is, how they handled this was wrong. In America, we have this thing called a "Vasectomy". Heard of it? Yeah. You should have let it slide and asked them to do that so a second time wouldn't happen. We forgive.

Just another reason I'm not going back there. Sorrrrry family

Well, that's different. You could argue that animals should have equal right, but they aren't equal now. They don't have the same rights. That was more what I was getting at.

Vasectomy could work, at least for population control. If your first born (well, not born I guess. Your first to-be born?) is female, I would still assume that they'd abort them then.

Very sickening. However, China isn't the only country killing innocent citizens and screwing their familes over illegally. Just consider what your own gove1nment could be behind. Illegally spying via modern technology? Using Facebook to record information.and add you to a list to "get you?" Maybe even putting something in our food and water? I've noticed the amount of cancer cases have skyrocketed after 2000. Seriously, it seems like everybody has it now. Coincidence?

So... you're claiming that Facebook causes cancer?

 

[Mr. X]

The government doesn't need to put anything in the water. We put enough crap in it ourselves.

Really.

Certain medications, that leave a persons body, can't be completely removed. Even after it's been through the sewage treatment plants, these chemicals still remain.

The effects of these can't really be documented, because there are so damn many different medicines that do this.

As for cancer, its to be expected. We've screwed up the ozone layer. More solar raidation gets through, causing more skin cancers. More factories are being built, a lot of which release various toxic chemicals through their smoke. Add on to that the numerous instances of improper disposal of toxic waste, and the prevalence of cigarettes. Given all this, its no suprise that cancer rates are getting higher, better detection aside.

I guess you could blame the government for the environmental issues. Afterall, one part of our government is against most/all measures that would protect and/or improve our environment. I see their point, not wanting to give government more power, however in this case it's damned if you do, ****ed if you don't.

As for facebook recording information, they can only record information that you give out. Don't want them to record your information? Don't give them any, or use fake info.

Edit - No. She's saying that the government is using facebook to collect information. Which, really, doesn't surprise me that much.

 

[droomph]

Vasectomy could work, at least for population control. If your first born (well, not born I guess. Your first to-be born?) is female, I would still assume that they'd abort them then.

I'm just saying, China is such a dumb place for me. Literally everybody smells like soot (for many different reasons) and there's so much pirated stuff coming from there, and now this? What a dumb place.

Also they just keep having girls until they have a boy. I haven't heard of something like this happening - one of my relatives has five children, with four of the older ones all girls. So that's how I thought stuff happened - only one boy, but you can have as many children as you want. I haven't heard of something like that, and that just makes my opinion of China drop that much lower.

 

[Esper]

I'm just saying, China is such a dumb place for me. Literally everybody smells like soot (for many different reasons) and there's so much pirated stuff coming from there, and now this? What a dumb place.

Also they just keep having girls until they have a boy. I haven't heard of something like this happening - one of my relatives has five children, with four of the older ones all girls. So that's how I thought stuff happened - only one boy, but you can have as many children as you want. I haven't heard of something like that, and that just makes my opinion of China drop that much lower.

China's one child policy only allowed couples one child, generally, but always had provisions for people in rural areas where having a son was considered necessary to help take care of his parents when they got older. More than two children would be very unusual in China though. No one is having girl babies after girl babies until they get a boy, even if there is a widespread preference for boys.

Of course, preference for male children isn't restricted to China or Chinese people which is why you might see families that have lots of girls and a boy as the youngest child in America and elsewhere. It's also why, back in China and other countries, wherever sonograms are available you see some elective abortions on girl fetuses.

As dumb as a lot of that is, you have to understand that for some people this is closer to their survival that it would be to someone like you or me. Being a Chinese peasant is not ideal in any sense. Having a crappy life often forces you to make crappy choices.

 

[Mr. X]

Back in the day, our ancestors made the exact decisions. Children weren't that valued, and if the family fell on hard times they were usually left in the woods to die. (This was extremely common back in the Dark Ages) This was done mostly with young children, or babies. If the child was older, then they would be put to work instead.

 

[KingCharizard]

Why is it only outrageous now? We've known about this for ages. Decades?

Exactly what I was gonna say... people need to get off their high horse and mind their business before china starts making everyone their Bi*#$&! for lack of a better word.

Because people have rights. Look, even if you believe that other animals are on a similar level as people the right conclusion to make is that we shouldn't hunt animals, not that we should allow the killing of people.

Ok so because their animals they dont have rights? They dont deserve to be treated with some sort of dignity? So if a higher race of beings such as Aliens came to earth they have a right to slaughter us and do with us what they wish because they can and we can't stop them? Honestly all life should be valued, if it be animal, human, or something else entirely...