Letter - China report omitted human rights issue

PR Week UK, Friday, 01 September 2006, 12:00am,

Your feature about PR in China ('Agencies drawn by China's riches,' 21 July) made no direct mention of human rights - other than blogs being shut down by the government. I was almost inspired to reach for my pen.

But when Wahida Ashiq, founder and CEO of 931/2, just reiterated the line 'there is money to be made in China' on your letters page (11 August), I just had to respond.

Isn't PR about communications and helping people - all people - to get their message across without state censorship? China has massive human rights issues to overcome, and to ignore this matter in search of profits seems to me to be a sad state of play.

When PR practitioners go in search of Yuan, or western consumers go looking for cheap clothing or electrical items, they need to be aware that these 'bargains' come at a great cost in terms of human rights and working conditions for many in China.

Shaun Fisher, partner, Ethos Public Relations Send your letters (200 words maximum) to prweekletters@haynet.com or air your views with our online comment function: www.prweek.com/uk