Shot in the Head

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2014070,00.html

Take another look around you, breathe in and be extremely grateful that you live in South Africa. Despite our issues, can you imagine living in the country regarded as one with the highest Human Rights abuses in the world.

China is decreasing the number of crimes punishable by the death from the current 68. Thirteen so called economic crimes (such as smuggling endangered animals and relics) are being dropped from the current policy. Convicted felons above the age of 75 will also now be eligible for exemption.

Human Rights organisations believe that the number of executions a year range in the thousands. Beijing is extremely secretive about the actual number of executions. China caused the worlds gaze to shift back to their controversial policy when they executed a British man accused of drug trafficking in 2009. If our government initiated a similar policy, we would have no SAA flight staff left.

China has always been a covered in a cloud of secrecy. It would be very very naïve of us to underestimate their power, intelligence and ability to fool the world for their gain. They may be ‘reviewing’ the policy to get the international bodies off their backs but they are no pushovers. There is a very powerful giant hiding under this cloak of compromise that we see on the international stage. Watch out world, if you are standing in their path, you might get stepped on.