MB report 95
The woman lawyer
recalls: “A few years ago
children could be beaten in
schools. Nowadays even the
spanking by a parent in some
countries can be seen as an
act of aggression. So why not
consider isolation in the same
light?”
Taking the example of
Sarah (see box ‘If I have had
counselling I wouldn’t have
done what I did’) a teacher
who used to work at the YOI
denounced what she sees
as lack of social integration
structures to support these
teenagers.
“There is more to this
than simply giving them food
and a formal education. They
need to talk to people, many
of them don’t even understand
basic life concepts.”
The teacher also adds:
Pride or prejudice
“There are certainly cultural
factors that prevent these
e
xPerts in international law have underlined
children from getting what-
the breakthrough Chinese authorities made
ever help they need. Their
by submitting what they described as a “fairly
real needs are not catered for
comprehensive report about torture in the Chinese
mainland” while characterising the Macau report as
and I really think there are not
basically a collection of laws and how they relate to
enough feelings among NGO’s
the Cat.
and the authorities towards the
Despite beijing’s official rejection of the latest issue. For example, talking to
Committee against torture’s final report on China -
these kids about sex. No-one
beijing described the uN document as “untrue and
does that in the YOI. It is not
slanderous accusations” - the Chinese did show signs
something you do in the Chi-
of openness on the issue by presenting answers to
nese culture anyway”
key and sensitive matters, while Macau’s responses
were vague “as if they had something to hide’’ said one
Dr Gisela Konopka, a
expert.
specialist from the Center
“Hong Kong and the mainland authorities’ reports
for Youth Development and
are detailed in many ways and cooperative, while Research at the University of
Macau’s shows signs of vagueness and even potential Minnesota says: “Isolating
fear to address certain issues. Perhaps Macau should
young children for any period
learn from beijing and Kong Kong, ” one expert said.
of time is wrong and demean-
the Chinese foreign Ministry issued a statement
ing because it only increases
on November 24 accusing the uN panel of prejudice
against beijing. the Cat’s final 15-page report about
anger, fosters alienation and
China said that the organisation was “deeply concerned
can do great harm to the
about the continued allegations, corroborated by
child.’’
numerous Chinese legal sources, of the routine and A psychologist contacted
widespread use of torture and ill-treatment of suspects by Macau Business agrees
in police custody to extract confessions or information
with concerns over soli-
to be used in criminal proceedings”.
tary confinement, isolation
the foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang
or whatever it is termed, in
replied: “the Cat was citing unverified or fabricated t
e
r
s
information.’’ o
minors, but one question re-
a source from Macau’s security Department
l
m
mains: “In cases where you
told Macau business that it wasn’t just the mainland Í
s a really must isolate them due
u
authorities who felt there was prejudice towards them, : l to extreme situations, negative
some members of Macau’s delegation to Geneva felt
t
o
o
influences and violence, what
the same.
J.P.
h
p should you do?”
february 2009
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