Thu, Sep 21, 2006 -- 6:30 PM

Pacific Time 2006-09-21
Asian American Health Needs Work -- Last week, 600 health professionals and health advocates from across the U.S. and Pacific Islands gathered in San Jose for a three-day summit to celebrate two decades of the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum's achievements. But time for celebration was cut short when the urgent health needs facing Asian and Pacific Islanders communities simply left too much to do.

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Host: Sydnie Kohara

Turmoil in Thailand
Although an instant opinion poll shows the military coup in Thailand is very popular among people there, the Southeast Asian country's neighbors want the soldiers to restore democracy as soon as possible.

Guests:

Music Bridge #1
"The World's Gone Mad" by Handsome Boy Modeling School, from "White People Instrumental" (Atlantic/Elektra Records 62988-2)

As China Grows, Human Rights Concerns Remain
This week, U.S. lawmakers issued their annual report on China's human rights record. The Congressional commission charged with keeping tabs on China's human rights record says it's worried.

Gory Accusations About China's Campaign Against Falun Gong
One of the most widely publicized human rights charges against the Chinese government involves its campaign against the spiritual movement Falun Gong. Canadian politician David Kilgour has investigated some of the charges. He believes that as many as 41,000 Falun Gong members have been killed and their organs harvested for transplant in the past six years. Kilgour admits he has not uncovered what he calls "the smoking scalpel," but he says there's a mountain of circumstantial evidence.

Guests:

Music Bridge #2
"Heart Mountain Seven" by Asian Crisis on the self-titled CD (Asian Crisis Records AC0001)

Asian Health Summit Shows How Much Is Left To Do
Earlier this month, 600 health professionals and advocates from across the U.S. and Pacific Islands gathered in California for a three-day summit. In addition to planning the next phase of their health movement, participants were to celebrate 20 years of achievements. But it became clear that there was no time to celebrate -- the urgent health needs facing Asian and Pacific Islander communities leave too much to do.

New Life for Japan's Traditional 13-Stringed Instrument
Taiko is the most popular Asian instrument in America. There are more than a hundred taiko groups across the country, classes for kids and adult beginners, festivals, newsletters, even online stores. Other traditional instruments are much less popular, but musician Shirley Muramoto and her son Brian Mitsuhiro Wong hope to revive interest in the koto.

End Music
Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, live koto performance recorded on September 19, 2006