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China Crackdown to Come Under Scrutiny At UN Rights Review


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China, human rights, UN

Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Photo: Reuters)

BEIJING — China’s human rights record under President Xi Jinping will come under formal international scrutiny on Tuesday for the first time since he took power, with the main UN rights forum set to hear accusations that the government is expanding a crackdown on dissent.

The United Nations Human Rights Council, which reviews all UN members every four years, will give concerned countries a chance to challenge the administration of Xi, who some experts had thought would be less hardline than his predecessors.

Instead, critics say Xi has presided over a clampdown that has moved beyond the targeting of dissidents calling for political change. For example, authorities have detained at least 16 activists who have demanded officials publicly disclose their wealth as well as scores of people accused of online “rumor-mongering.â€

“Xi Jinping has definitely taken the country backwards on human rights,†prominent rights lawyer Mo Shaoping told Reuters.

“Look at the number of people who are being locked up and the measures that are being taken to lock them up.â€

China will make a presentation at the start of the debate in Geneva, during which diplomats will speak. Non-governmental organizations are not allowed to address the council but can submit reports, often echoed in country statements.

The council has no binding powers. Its rotating membership of 47 states does not include China, although Beijing is expected to run for a spot in about a month. The hearing will be the second time China has been assessed under a process that began in 2008.

Diplomats are likely to raise questions over China’s crackdown on dissent, the death penalty and the use of torture among other topics, said Maya Wang, an Asia researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Of special concern, Wang said, is the arrest in August of prominent activist Xu Zhiyong, who had called for officials to reveal their wealth. Wang also cited the September disappearance of Cao Shunli, who had helped stage a sit-in this year outside the Foreign Ministry to press for the public to be allowed to contribute to a national human rights report.

China had sent a large delegation to Geneva to engage in dialogue with an “open and frank attitude,†Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news conference on Monday.

“If there are some criticisms, some constructive criticisms, the Chinese government will listen with an open mind and accept them and will give them serious consideration,†she said.

“As for malicious, deliberate criticisms, of course we will uphold our own path and our own correct judgments.â€

In 2009, China rejected calls from Western and some Latin American nations to end the death penalty but agreed to suggestions from Cuba that it take firm action against “self-styled human rights defenders working against the Chinese state and people.â€

Crackdown Spreading

The ascendancy of Xi as Communist Party chief in a once-in-a-decade generational leadership transition last November gave many Chinese hope for political reform, spurring citizens to push officials to disclose their wealth in several movements throughout the country.

But the detention of activists making those calls is a strong indication the party will not tolerate any open challenge to its rule, even as it claims more transparency. The activists face trial on the charge of illegal assembly.

Hundreds of microbloggers, people who post short comments online, have also been detained since August in a campaign against “rumor-mongering,†according to Chinese media and rights groups. Most have been released, but some are still being held on criminal charges.

On Sunday, Chinese police arrested Wang Gongquan, a well-known venture capitalist, Wang’s lawyer, Chen Youxi, said on his microblog. Wang had helped lead a campaign for the release of another activist. Chen did not answer calls to his mobile phone.

“Before, officials used a selective form of suppression, which is to say, they mainly suppressed rights lawyers and dissidents,†said Huang Qi, a veteran rights activist.

“But in the past few months what the government used to allow some people to say online—things that violated or exceeded the official view—has now been suppressed.â€

Li Fangping, a prominent rights lawyer, said China would likely win a seat on the council given its international influence.

“I don’t believe that China is ready for that,†Li said. “There are still a huge number of citizens for whom a lack of human rights is a growing problem.â€

The post China Crackdown to Come Under Scrutiny At UN Rights Review appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.



Source: Irrawaddy.org
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This is much more about the CCP-PRC than it is about the UN.

The CCP is expressing a wish to join the Human Rights Council - it's not an accomplished fact.

It's the brass balls of the CCP that are the issue.

If the CCP actually believes it can throw its weight around at the UN in this way, then it means the CCP has zeroed in on grabbing global power in unprecedented ways. It means the CCP means to remake the world in its own image. It means the CCP has expanded its shameless ambitions to lord over the world.

It's just unimaginable that the CCP could ever legitimately lay claim to a seat on the UN Human Rights Council or even the Human Rights Council of Hell itself. This is strictly a power play by the CCP in Beijing, so it must be seen as that and summarily dismissed as such.

I reiterate that the CCP-PRC is a Marxist-Maoist-Leninist dictatorship that, in the 21st century is a censoring, punishing, elitist single party state and fascist dictatorship that detests democracy and human rights, and believes literally it has the inherent birthright to lord over all of the world irrespective of the rule of consensual international law.

This is an attempt by the CCP in Beijing at a raw power grab.

13 Reactions to China’s Bid for Seat on UN Human Rights Council

Allowing China to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council would call into question the Council’s credibility.

China’s human rights record is well-documented.

Numerous reports by the UN itself have highlighted degrading and inhumane treatment that are routine in China: forcible abortions, religious persecution, the oppression of minorities, etc

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/324342-13-reactions-to-china-attempting-to-join-the-un-human-rights-council/?photo=2

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http://www.hrw.org/europecentral-asia/united-kingdom

Have a read on this thread and the violators ...it's great to know in some parts of the world only China is the evil nation and the rest of the biggest nations are all Angels.

Keep fooling yourself ...big brother is watching or is the bigger brother NSA watching the smaller one to watch over the common people ...it's rather confusing :-)

Yawn ...will the Aussies at least have the courage to stand up and admit to the aboriginals act already ?

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Fersure, China is not the only human rights abuser. There are few countries without abuses, and there are several countries with worse recent occurrences than China.

This morning I happened to be in a hotel room in Burma, and the only Eng.Lang channel on the TV was CCTV (China Central TV). For the final quarter hour before the newscast, there was a travel article about bubbling mudpits (I assumed it was an attempt to make China look like it had an outdoor park). When the featured news began, the first 13 minutes were all about Russian Prez Putin's visit and the economic ties inherent in that. The next 7 minutes were Indian Prez visit and the related economic ties. No mention of any other country or news story (domestic or international) in the first 20 minutes. Only those two countries and all of it from an economic slant. Later there was a mention of how much China has helped Tibet in the 60 years since it 'peacefully liberated' it (their words) and a one-line reference to the Dalai Lama as a 'splitist' - a word Beijing has added to the English language.

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Wow, a little touchy there, LC, mention human rights in China and all of sudden there is deflection all over the place, a link to the UK's failings, a mention of the US, or at least the NSA, and you didn't even forget the Aussies.   Did you have any comment about China?

I have to pull in some perspective here as this current spat of China hate on the forum presents a very skewed view of China

The moderates out there deserve to know as I have posted prior the CCP is not perfect and have much to improve in many areas including human rights.

However there is a very select group that seems to want China to bring their 1.3 billion folks out of poverty, obey civil rights and have full transition from communist to democracy, support environmental practices and yet at the same time manufacture everything for the world without any pollution index.

All these in a span of 30 years...talk about being unrealistic and yet while the premier Li has made significant improvements for the very short period of time they have come into power such as removal of all labor camps by end of the year, it's is met with cynics who claims China can do more

This stems normally from the same where after years of imprisonment the prison remains in operation and the double standard is distinctly glaring...the funding of these agencies is questionable for some.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/us-un-and-international-law-8-24/torture-and-prison-abuse.html

China will improve all in due time and like anything Asian time is relative ...in the meantime any acts against humanity is deplorable.

And we all have to look at the mirror to know all nations are guilty at some point and some still are found lacking.

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Will HK and Taiwanese stop calling Chinese mainlanders Country Bumpkins?

Will Beijing ever have a soul?

China owes me personally.

LC can expect no leniency from me on this matter of the UN and China's motives.

Toxic society.

Let's examine the records and maybe perhaps put it in perspective

All countries including China can do better in how they treat the common people. Getting angry does not help, heckling does not help but understanding issues and cultures assist in opening up common understanding and seeing improvements

I believe China needs assistance on this , however settling a code of conduct while balancing the other acts take time ...the world unfortunately has to be patient.

In the meantime , these 3 articles attached would serve as bedtime cookies

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iRR4PTST0T8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiRR4PTST0T8

http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/uk-police-abuse-anti-terror-law-interrogate-activists-returning-palestine

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/17/uk-council-of-europe-prisoner-votes-human-rights

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I want answers to questions raised.

Deflectionary bullshit may be politically correct but unfortunately inadequate and unsatisfactory.

Had a go at the links yet and the video with the infamous UK police brutality on a main square on a decorated soldier of mistaken identity ?

I think those would assist in answering your questions.

I have already replied twice that the rights issues has room for improvement in china ..would love to hear your views on the UK ..has it been fair in its own dealings ?

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*Deleted post edited out*

Unjustified statement.

As of your post, @ 23:41 (Post #16 as of that time), I for one had posted to this thread once, and you know when it comes to the CCP-PRC I post all over the place according to the thread topic. smile.png

I notice some posters have ticked the "Like" function in your post referenced above, namely folium and Lawrence Chee, at least as of this writing. smile.png I would note to the embattled Mr. Chee that his linking UTube to us is interesting given UTube is banned in the PRC by the CCP, blocked by the Great Firewall of China. Offering that link might be self-contradictory or, at a minimum, embarrassing given the thread topic.

As to the thread topic, we might want to find out first which governments are currently members, and how members of the Council are selected. So I offer my own links in this respect:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/MembersByGroup.aspx

http://www.un.org/en/ga/67/meetings/elections/hrc.shtml

The CCP-PRC apparently served the regular 3-year term on the UN Human Rights Council from 2009 through 2012, but got insufficient support for a second term, so is trying again, two consecutive terms being the maximum. Beijing has taken most of this year working to line up support to be reelected to the Council, and feels now it is ready to renew its bid.

The resistance this time is very strong, given, among a myriad of other objections, the CCP in Beijing is the only government of the world to have a Nobel Peace Laureate (2010) Dr Liu Xiaobo imprisoned - for advocating a peaceful, gradual, evolutionary transition of the CCP-PRC to democracy. Dr Liu is guilty of sedition.

Imprisoning the Nobel Peace Laureate Dr Liu for advocating a peaceful transition to democracy alone disqualifies the CCP-PRC from another term, and there's no reason except power politics that Beijing ever should have had any term at all, and may get the second term it is seeking.

The key to membership is that a number of countries per defined region of the world are elected by the General Assembly, each candidate needing 97 votes. Beijing was elected to the Council for the term beginning in 2009 and which expired as scheduled in 2012 only because the Asia-Pacific States region which have 13 members ran exactly 13 candidates.

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I want answers to questions raised.

Deflectionary bullshit may be politically correct but unfortunately inadequate and unsatisfactory.

Had a go at the links yet and the video with the infamous UK police brutality on a main square on a decorated soldier of mistaken identity ?

I think those would assist in answering your questions.

I have already replied twice that the rights issues has room for improvement in china ..would love to hear your views on the UK ..has it been fair in its own dealings ?

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That is in no way comparable to Tienaman Square June 4, 1989. It's insane to suggest the two events are comparable - madness.

After the Tienaman Square Massacre, the CCP sent to the parents of the young PRChinese killed by the PLA the bill to pay for the bullets that killed their children. That's cruel, vicious, malevolent, heartless, sick, despicable, i.e., completely CCP.

The CCP belongs in prison forever.

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I want answers to questions raised.

Deflectionary bullshit may be politically correct but unfortunately inadequate and unsatisfactory.

Had a go at the links yet and the video with the infamous UK police brutality on a main square on a decorated soldier of mistaken identity ?

I think those would assist in answering your questions.

I have already replied twice that the rights issues has room for improvement in china ..would love to hear your views on the UK ..has it been fair in its own dealings ?

Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

That is in no way comparable to Tienaman Square June 4, 1989. It's insane to suggest the two events are comparable - madness.

 

After the Tienaman Square Massacre, the CCP sent to the parents of the young PRChinese killed by the PLA the bill to pay for the bullets that killed their children. That's cruel, vicious, malevolent, heartless, sick, despicable, i.e., completely CCP. 

 

The CCP belongs in prison forever.

U got the bill receipt ?

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China will improve all in due time...

Some of us are concerned about priorities. The nine old men at the top who dictate the direction China takes - they're of concern. What makes them tick? What are their motivations? What results ensue? Every edict they send down the tubes will be agreed upon by all their subordinates. They're the sole source of ideas for China's policies.

If you ask me, their priorities are as follows:

>>> maintain power, at all costs

>>> keep amassing money

>>> facilitate amassing money for their family and closest friends

>>> commandeer resources and add as much territory to China as possible

>>> closely monitor and control all info which is fed to the masses

>>> crush dissent. If moderate state resistance doesn't suffice, resort to stronger means.

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I want answers to questions raised.

Deflectionary bullshit may be politically correct but unfortunately inadequate and unsatisfactory.

Had a go at the links yet and the video with the infamous UK police brutality on a main square on a decorated soldier of mistaken identity ?

I think those would assist in answering your questions.

I have already replied twice that the rights issues has room for improvement in china ..would love to hear your views on the UK ..has it been fair in its own dealings ?

Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That is in no way comparable to Tienaman Square June 4, 1989. It's insane to suggest the two events are comparable - madness.

After the Tienaman Square Massacre, the CCP sent to the parents of the young PRChinese killed by the PLA the bill to pay for the bullets that killed their children. That's cruel, vicious, malevolent, heartless, sick, despicable, i.e., completely CCP.

The CCP belongs in prison forever.

U got the bill receipt ?

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I didn't pay for anything. I wasn't there.

As Human Rights Watch notes, the PRChinese people paid dearly and are continuing to pay severely, the group Tiananmen Mothers especially.

So I'd best let those who were there, and families who continue to be directly affected, speak for me on this one.

China: Tiananmen’s Unhealed Wounds

Two Decades on, Continuing Censorship and Persecution of Survivors and Critics

(New York) - Twenty years after the Chinese army killed untold numbers of unarmed civilians in Beijing and other cities on and around June 3-4, 1989, the Chinese government continues to victimize survivors, victims' families, and others who challenge the official version of events, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch today releases "The Tiananmen Legacy," an assessment of the continuing impact of Tiananmen and a multimedia feature on the crackdown's 20th anniversary, which can be accessed at http://www.hrw.org/en/node/83112.

Today, the detention of Liu Xiaobo [the 2010 Nobel Peace Laureate] represents the most visible symbol of the government's ongoing hostility to those involved in the 1989 protests and to any form of organized opposition.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2009/05/12/china-tiananmen-s-unhealed-wounds

Tiananmen mums blast Xi Jinping for inaction on political reform

Open letter accuses president of taking party backwards and failing to account for '89 events

More than 100 members of the Tiananmen Mothers support group issued an open letter yesterday saying they had been disappointed by President Xi Jinping's public speeches and his reluctance to tackle political reform.

"We also have not seen [Xi] criticise in the slightest or make anyone accountable for the three decades of Deng-style 'lame reform'," the group's letter said. "What we see, precisely, are giant steps backwards towards Maoist orthodoxy.

"This has caused those individuals who originally harboured hopes in him carrying out political reform to fall into sudden disappointment and despair," the letter said.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1250454/tiananmen-mothers-criticise-xi-jinping-lack-reforms

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There was another thread with regards to China forcibly ignoring ASEAN partners and claiming the South China Sea

Rather close to violation of human rights ?

Update in Philippines embarrassing turn on accusations against China

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE99M0A720131023?irpc=932

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There was another thread with regards to China forcibly ignoring ASEAN partners and claiming the South China Sea

Rather close to violation of human rights ?

Update in Philippines embarrassing turn on accusations against China

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE99M0A720131023?irpc=932

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Yeah, well, here are the two operative statements from your link above:

Friction over the South China Sea, one of the world's most important sea lanes, has surged as China uses its growing naval might to assert a vast claim over the oil-and-gas rich area more forcefully, raising fears of a military clash between it and other countries that border the area.

The Philippines is also fighting an unprecedented arbitration case under the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea against China's claims and has ignored growing pressure from Beijing to scrap the action. Any result will be unenforceable, legal experts say, but will carry considerable moral and political weight.

I've presented quotes by legal experts concerning the progress of the Philippines' case against the CCP-PRC now before the UN Tribunal on the International Law of the Sea, quotes in which the legal experts say they'd rather be sitting in the Philippines' chair before the Tribunal than in Beijing's chair.

Since when does an international outlaw of the sea, the CCP-PRC, get the moral or legal right to sit on the UN Human Rights Council? The CCP in Beijing already has announced it will ignore the UN Tribunal's findings in the case brought against it by the Phils. That's quite the example to set for a government that wants to sit on any UN body.

The CCP in Beijing explicitly said it will reject any UN Tribunal finding it doesn't like in the case. Yet the CCP in Beijing wants to regain membership of the UN Human Rights Council. We begin to see why the CCP in Beijing wasn't reelected to the Council when its term expired at the end of 2012. It's just a flat out straight and simple rotten example.

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Perhaps UN needs to examine right in other countries also . . .

-----

SANAA, Yemen -- Yemeni authorities are investigating the death of an eight-year-old girl from internal bleeding on her wedding night and will prosecute those responsible, the government said on Friday, a case that has rekindled international outrage over child brides.

Yemeni rights campaigner Arwa Othman said earlier this week that the girl, identified as Rawan, died after intercourse that ruptured her uterus following her wedding to a man five times her age.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/13/20476580-outrage-over-death-of-yemeni-child-bride-8-on-wedding-night?lite

Dad burned teenage daughter to death for contacting fiance: Yemen police

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/23/21091254-dad-burned-teenage-daughter-to-death-for-contacting-fiance-yemen-police?lite

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There was another thread with regards to China forcibly ignoring ASEAN partners and claiming the South China Sea

Rather close to violation of human rights ?

Update in Philippines embarrassing turn on accusations against China

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE99M0A720131023?irpc=932

Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

Yeah, well, here are the two operative statements from your link above:

 

 

Friction over the South China Sea, one of the world's most important sea lanes, has surged as China uses its growing naval might to assert a vast claim over the oil-and-gas rich area more forcefully, raising fears of a military clash between it and other countries that border the area.

 

The Philippines is also fighting an unprecedented arbitration case under the United Nations' Convention on the Law of the Sea against China's claims and has ignored growing pressure from Beijing to scrap the action. Any result will be unenforceable, legal experts say, but will carry considerable moral and political weight.

 

 

 

I've presented quotes by legal experts concerning the progress of the Philippines' case against the CCP-PRC now before the UN Tribunal on the International Law of the Sea, quotes in which the legal experts say they'd rather be sitting in the Philippines' chair before the Tribunal than in Beijing's chair.

 

Since when does an international outlaw of the sea, the CCP-PRC, get the moral or legal right to sit on the UN Human Rights Council? The CCP in Beijing already has announced it will ignore the UN Tribunal's findings in the case brought against it by the Phils. That's quite the example to set for a government that wants to sit on any UN body.

 

The CCP in Beijing explicitly said it will reject any UN Tribunal finding it doesn't like in the case. Yet the CCP in Beijing wants to regain membership of the UN Human Rights Council. We begin to see why the CCP in Beijing wasn't reelected to the Council when its term expired at the end of 2012. It's just a flat out straight and simple rotten example.

Show the exact official press link from the CCP that Beijing will reject or ignore the UN tribunal findings

I keep reading that China is attempting to resolve these issues ...till date reported in all international new links India & China resolves borders disputes yesterday, Vietnam & China setting up a hotline and agreeing to put aside any differences in South china Sea for further

dialogue ...

I think some on TVF have subscribed to the limited edition magazine and it's printed views ...the title of the magazine is "I hate China to the core and I have no other views"

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An inflammatory post has been deleted. As far as the assertion that there is only one view allowed, that is wrong. I believe we have a several posters expressing at least two different views. What is not allowed is for posters to express their views about other posters.

If you wish to comment on the topic, feel free to do so. If you wish to comment about your thoughts on other posters, your post will be deleted and you will be subject to a warning.

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Yes Lawrence you are exactly right. Only extreme anti China views are allowed here and any attempt to call the extremists out are not allowed. Sadly one is not permitted a moderate view on China.

The above quote proves the fallacy of its statement.

If this online forum were in China, then yes, you'd be correct in saying only one view allowed. That view, filtered through Chinese censors, would have to be praising (or at least tolerating) China's official policies - particularly if there were any references to Tibet, Taiwan, or the S.China island-grab. Indeed, a person in China who comments on Tibet, in any way which supports views of disenfranchised Tibetan people, might be visited late at night by some dour faced men in uniform.

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The above quote proves the fallacy of its statement.

If this online forum were in China, then yes, you'd be correct in saying only one view allowed. That view, filtered through Chinese censors, would have to be praising (or at least tolerating) China's official policies - particularly if there were any references to Tibet, Taiwan, or the S.China island-grab. Indeed, a person in China who comments on Tibet, in any way which supports views of disenfranchised Tibetan people, might be visited late at night by some dour faced men in uniform.

I always find this view strange ...if you have learnt how to speak and write in mandarin ...like any other languages ...many indirect ways to say something bad about the government and indeed if you have a weibo account , the criticism is at times very direct and very pointed and funny

I don't see any dour faced man visiting them.

However in the culture of Asia where it is still rude to openly use any adverse language at the politicians ( taught from young ) although politics discussed at home will make people blush at the language used among close friends and family of anything inept

In managing a big population , any incitement of hate and a gathering / protest that could result in property loss or danger to the general public ...you get the law enforcement on you no matter where you are ...land of the free or land of the communists.

I am sorry Asians in general are not good at being football hooligans , burning cars and street riots ...it does not mean we are not passionate ...just expressed in our family groups and friends.

In public we like a peaceful facade where everyone looks happy even if they are not so that business can go on and as little Inconvenience as possible to the general public

Riots and strikes are just not very popular and frowned upon especially if it hampers local transport or essential services

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