Infanticide, forced abortion and sterilisation in China

[Meringue33]

The author reports finding dead babies wrapped in bags in the street. Horrible, just horrible :(

m.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/may/06/chinas-barbaric-one-child-policy

[Abra1d]

I read that article and the bit that stuck in my mind was the description below.













It was about a forcibly aborted eight-month foetus clinging on to to the nurse who was trying to 'drop' him into the bin, and her prising his fingers off her one, by one. Sorry, it is very shocking, I know. But how could that ever be justifiable? Ever? It's murder.

[Meringue33]

Unbelievable that people can participate in this, though I imagine must also be terrified. And the monitoring of periods etc. Its like A Handmaid's Tale only in reverse.

[Forgetfulmog]

That has just made me cry. Why why why? My mind just doesn't process why such atrocities happen in the world. There are no words for it.

I remember watching a documentary in the 90s called The Dying Rooms - it was about baby girls literally being left to die in Chinese Orphanages. The images are now ingrained on my mind.

What is wrong with people that this is acceptable?

[Meringue33]

And has the UK government said anything about it to China??

[boogiewoogie]

Sadly, this has been going on for a very long time, with the one child policy and preference to having a boy. It makes me really ashamed of my ethnicity.

I did some voluntary work a while back in an orphanage, one day we saw an abandoned baby left outside. Very heartbreaking.

[nellyjelly]

Saw this and wept. I don't understand how the rest of the world doesn't do something about it? It is genocide on a massive scale. Truly horrific.

[Meringue33]

It makes me want to adopt a little girl but I know that's not the solution. We need a campaign.

[UnderwaterBasketWeaving]

What are we going to do?

[scaevola]

This policy was introduced in 1979, and the worst excesses of the policy have actually been toned down significantly (and nowadays officials are occasionally fined for breaching it).

But yes, this is what it looks like in a country where abortion is available on demand legally until the onset of labour, and where most couples are permitted only one child.

The 'world' did nothing at introduction because China was pretty much a closed country then (diplomatic relations had only opened up in 1976), and there was a fair amount of idealisation of China as a socialist utopia by the chattering classes.

[Dervel]

I have got nothing to say. I do not know how to make this better, and as such my opinion is of no special significance. I know that I must not be alone in thinking that, but I cannot read this article and not register somewhere that the reading of it has affected me deeply.

I became a father for the first time this year, and whilst I have always loved children, his existence calcifies an indisputable truth for me: children are important, not just because they are our future although that is certainly true, they are beautiful little ends and reasons in and of themselves. I cannot bear the thought of those bin bags by the sides of rivers.

That is even before I get to all those poor women. That thought is chambered in my mind like a bullet, and whilst right now all my heart is filled with is the children, but I know that bullet will fire and fill it again.

I do not care if I cannot do anything, I will not forget this and I will turn it over in my mind, and whilst it is unlikely I have the wisdom to figure out a solution, maybe if enough people have a think about it somebody somewhere will think of something. First thing I can think of is a letter to MP that IS something to be cared about and not swept under the carpet of politics.

[Xenia]

We have certainly known about it for decades. I was reading articles about it in the 1980s. I think it came in in about 1978.

One reason China now has a middle class and some wealth is because it tackled (by means most in the West do not agree with) it by imposing the one child policy. Had they not had that I think they would not have been able to feed the Chinese - more deaths? They have now loosened up the policy a bit. Country people can have a second child if the first baby is a worthless girl. In the cities you can have a second child if you pay a lot - I think about £15,000.
I have never understood a moral distinction between killing a newborn against be allowed under English law to abort up to 40 weeks if the child has disabilities like down's. We certainly allow abortions at 8 months in the UK if we think the child is not good enough. Perhaps those protesting might like to start addressing that UK issue first.

However of course most of us are against this and what needs to change is a culture that girls are worthless. By educating girls and ensuring they and boys are equally responsible for parents and girls keep their careers and perhaps getting 50% of the positions of power in the Communist Party in china into female hands things can get better.

[fromparistoberlin]

I think now that China are a (fast) growing economy in time this will change. Just like the publicity about the rapes in India

they cant want toplay and trade with the west, and still have these barbaric policies

It will take time, but times are changing

quite want to brain bleach though after erading about the 8 mo abportion, fuck thats grim

[Forgetfulmog]

But xenia not only are 40 week old abortions in the uk probably rare, we don't drop a live foetus in the bin. That's what got me the most - the sheer inhumanity.

Also abortions in the UK are voluntary not enforced.

[Xenia]

Yes, of course although if you think life begins at conception as plenty of people do then it is irrelevant if you murder at 4 weeks pregnant or when a baby is 4 weeks old after birth. I certainly do not support those in China (a huge country and hard to control every official) who are responsible for this. The rise of twitter or its Chinese equivalent is thankfully having a huge impact in getting details of local abuse in all kinds of areas publicised in China.

[Cerisier]

The article is horrific. How can this still be happening in 2013?

In Ireland the state dictates you can't have an abortion and in China the state insists you do have one.

I am glad my daughters and I don't live in either country and feel very sorry for those women who do.