The United Nations Fund for Population Activity (UNFPA) claims that many parts of the developing world have an “unmet need” for abortions, coils, Pills, condoms and sterilisation.   It claims to meet this need by supplying family planning.  It also claims to only fund projects that allow free choice in contraception.  

We question the whole idea of “unmet need”, and wonder if government-supplied family planning can ever be truly uncoercive.  The stories of government coercion that have surfaced repeatedly over the last 30 years support our view.   However, supporters of internationally aided government-funded population control always claim that such things no longer occur.  

This is why we report specific examples of UNFPA supported enforced sterilisations and abortions in China today.   UNFPA provides funding, surgical, and technical support to 32 county projects in China.   

Last month, a team of independent journalists from Radio Free Asia interviewed residents of Korla City, Xinjiang Province, in Western China. Xinjiang is the homeland of China’s Uyghur minority. Korla City is one of county projects in China that UNFPA supports. Here’s what people living in Korla City had to say about China’s coercive population program (1):

RFA: “I am Radio Free Asia. We heard that the first of January, in 2003, comes a new resolution about birth control policy. Can you give us some information about that?”

Birth Control Officer in Korla City: “It is a new resolution which was made based on the Uyghur region’s condition; it has proceeded since January first, in 2003.”

RFA: “If someone [is] against the plan, what kind punishment will be given for?”

Birth Control Officer in Korla City: “Punishment will be given according to the new resolution.  If they hide [a] new born baby they have to pay a social compensation fee.”

RFA: “If someone’s illegal pregnancy is found what will happened?”

Birth Control Officer in Korla City: “We don’t allow her to bear [the] baby.”

Here’s what another birth control official in Korla had to say:

RFA: “Your office is proceeding with the new birth control plan?”

Birth Control Officer 2 in Korla City: “Yes, we received a new birth control plan, the first of January in 2003, and started our job according to the new plan.”

RFA: “If someone is suspected with illegal pregnancy what would happen?”

Birth Control Officer 2 in Korla City: “We forcibly make her abort her child”

RFA: “Does it have to be forced? If she refuse what will be happen?”

Birth Control Officer 2 in Korla City: “Yes, it must be forced. If not, how we can control the population? It is clearly mentioned in our birth control policy.”

RFA also interviewed women who have been involved in the UNFPA county project:


RFA: “Usually [do] hospitals explain anything about the risks of IUDs or abortions?”

Woman: “No…. we accept insertion of IUD because we have to do it. Peasants [are] against birth control but government workers [are] not.”

RFA: “Today, how many children are peasants allowed to have?”

Woman: “Three.”

RFA: “If they wanted more than three what would happen?”

Woman: “They have to pay [a] heavy fine.”

RFA: “If government workers wanted to have more children, what would happen?”

Woman: “They have to pay [a] heavy fine or they will be fired.”

RFA: “If the government finds out someone is illegally pregnant, in spite of the age of [preborn] baby, will they force her to do abortion?”

Woman: “Yes, pregnant women will be forcibly brought to the hospital by birth control officers. Birth control officials wait for her until the operation is done, because they want to make sure the baby was killed or not.”

RFA: “How do birth control officers find that someone’s pregnancy?”

Woman: “Their job is searching about each family’s private life everyday.  They can find out. In case someone had not been [discovered], all responsibility would [go] on birth control officer’s head.”

Presumably UNFPA will conduct an investigation and soon announce that such forcible abortions and sterilisations have now stopped.  Wouldn’t it be much better if they set an example to governments everywhere by getting out of the private realm of reproductive choice?

Jim Thornton.  Nottingham 8 May 2003

Reference

Radio Free Asia, “Family Planning in Uyghur Region,” March 17, 2003 http://www.rfa.org/service/audio.html?service=uyg;
pnm://real.rfa.global.speedera.net/real.rfa.global/ProgName-UYG-2003-0316-2000.rm