This CNNfyi.com lesson plan is supplemented with material from

Discussion/activity: Amnesty report critical of China

February 13, 2001
Web posted at: 5:12 PM EST (2212 GMT)

Editor's note: If you are planning to use the news story that this discussion/activity is based on for a homework assignment, please write the URL on the board and have your students copy it. CNNfyi.com updates the site in the early evening, so students may have difficulty finding it without the URL. You can find the lesson plan by going to the Subject Areas page and clicking PREVIOUS in the square for Today's Lesson Plan.

Ask the following questions after students read the CNNfyi.com article "Tales of horror or hearsay?"

1. Of what crimes does Amnesty International accuse China? What is China's response? On what does Amnesty base its allegations? What are some of the examples?

2. What is meant by "unauthorized pregnancy"? What do you know about China's policy on couples having children? How would you feel if you were told you could only have one child?

3. What is a forced confession? How do you think that forced confessions affect finding the truth? If forced confessions do not arrive at the truth, why do you think they would be useful? Why would a country use this practice? Can you think of other countries that have used this technique in the past or presently?

4. What bid is China hoping to win from the International Olympic Committee? Why was the country turned down for the 2000 Games that were held in Sydney, Australia? Do you think China should win the bid for 2008? Why or why not?

5. Using Web sites listed below or other resources, have students write or present reports about China's birth policies or forced confessions and punishment.

6. What would be some possible effects if the 2008 Summer Olympics are held in Beijing? Certainly there is potential for the world to see and demand improved human rights. On the other hand, China could crack down and hide abuses. Have students consider the possibilities, then write an argument for or against holding the Games in China.

Extension: For a lesson plan on the history of China and social policies, use HighWired.com's "What's happening in China?" Or refer to CNNfyi.com lesson plans and profiles listed below.

Lesson plan: China's Falun Gong movement
January 16, 2001
Lesson plan: Jiang Zemin seeks prolonged power
December 26, 2000
Lesson Plan: Human rights violations
March 29, 2000
Profile -- Deng Xiaoping: Reformer with an iron fist
Profile -- Jiang Zemin: Shrewd guardian of the Deng legacy

China refines its birth-control policy to limit population to 1.4 billion by 2010
"Two child" law does not mean change of birth-control policy in China
1997 Human Rights Report -- China
Amnesty International Report 2000 -- China

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