Category: Human Rights
Two Totally Different Reactions From the U.S. and China About Tanzania’s Recent Elections
The United States and China have issued starkly different assessments of last week's presidential elections in Tanzania. Incumbent John Magufuli declared victory with 84% of the vote, with some international observers reporting instances of fraud and voter intimidation.
China Takes Its Messaging on Xinjiang to Nigeria, the World’s 5th Largest Muslim Country
China appears to be increasingly confident about promoting its position on Xinjiang in countries that have large Muslim populations, like Nigeria. The Chinese embassy in Abuja on Tuesday posted criticism of U.S. and European accusations that Beijing is persecuting its Uyghur minority population.
Inspired by China’s Example, Nigeria’s Information Minister Wants to Regulate Social Media
Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, sparked widespread outrage on Tuesday when he called for the government to step in and begin to censor online content. "If we don’t regulate social media, it will destroy us," he told a House committee. "The ...
Nigeria’s Not the Only African Country Seeking to Impose Chinese-Style Restrictions on Internet Activity
The Chinese-inspired model of government control over digital communications and internet activity is becoming increasingly popular in a number of African countries. While no African country goes to the lengths that China does in regulating online behavior, states like Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Ethiopia are definitely employing ...
Conservation Group Reports “Appalling” Human Rights Violations Aboard Chinese-Owned Fishing Trawlers in Ghana
The London-based conservation group Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) published a damning report on Monday that details "appalling" human rights violations aboard Chinese-owned fishing trawlers that operate in Ghanaian waters. The report details extensive exploitation of local crew members by Chinese managers ...
At the UN, African Countries Steer Clear of Bitter Human Rights Feud Between China and U.S., European Countries
No African states joined the 39 countries that signed a German-sponsored joint statement at the United Nations on Tuesday that condemned China's human rights record in Xinjiang and expressed "grave concern" about "recent developments in Hong Kong." The bulk ...
China Fires Back at U.S.-German Joint Statement
China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, led the counter-attack against the United States/German-sponsored joint statement on Tuesday condemning China's human rights practices in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. "The U.S. and a few other countries’ attempt to smear ...
Labor Abuse Allegations Against Chinese Company in Nigeria Explodes Into a Full-Blown Scandal
The Chinese factory at the center of an increasingly bitter dispute over allegations of gross abuse of its workers is pushing back against its accusers and the government. Over the weekend the Inner Galaxy Steel Company hired a law firm and opened a Twitter account, which it's ...
Nigerian Government to Investigate Allegations of “Slave” Conditions at a Chinese Factory in Abia State
A representative from Nigeria's Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission said the agency is going to call in the Ministry of Labor and other authorities to investigate allegations of widespread abuse at a Chinese-owned factory in the southeast state of Abia.
There’s Mounting Grassroots Opposition to a Chinese Mining Company’s Desire to Expand its Operations in Northern Ghana
A coalition of grassroots organizations that includes women's groups, small-scale miners' and human rights organizations are all protesting against the Chinese-owned Shaanxi Mining Company's plans to expand its operations in the northern district of Talensi. This is just the latest bout ...
The UN Human Rights Council Statement on Hong Kong Highlights Why African Countries Are Becoming Increasingly Important to China
Africa's growing political importance to China was on full display at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week in Geneva where nearly half of the signatories of a statement supporting China's controversial national security law in Hong Kong were from African states. ...
The Complicated Politics of Chinese Dam Construction in Guinea
The 450-megawatt Souapiti hydroelectric dam in Guinea is scheduled to begin operating this fall and will bring badly-needed electricity to one of Africa’s poorest countries. The dam is one of dozens of similar hydroelectric power ...