Argument Two

Have an argument, but not crash, with my team leader again.
We are working on a piece concerning children and women trafficking to China from Vietnam. An article by a Vietnamese news agency said the number of children and women illegally sent to China accounted for 65 percent of all trafficking cases. The article said most of the women were sent to China to work as prostitute, illegal workers, and were forced to marry Chinese men.
In some extreme cases, some of the victims will have their organs surgically removed and sold, the article said.
It is that sentence concerning organs trading triggering our debate.

My team leader asked to delete that statement for the following reasons;
1) This is a statement made by Vietnam, and there is no Chinese authorities proving whether the situation is true;
2) Organs trading is not the focus of the article;
3) Organs trading sounds very horrible;
4) There are allegations that illegal organs trading exist in China. If we publish the statement without verifying whether it is true, is it an indirect acknowledgment that illegal organs trading really happens in the country. Illegal organs trading is not something desirable;
5) The statement is an “allegation” that may be offensive to someone.

I do not agree with his reasons because;
1) We are quoting from a Vietnam news agency, and we have made attribution;
2) We sometimes quote information from other Chinese media without verifying its authenticity. Why do we have to apply a different standard to Vietnamese press? His answer, “Because it is overseas.”;
3) I don’t think the statement is an allegation. It is not accusing anyone of any wrongdoings, but merely pointing out the situation;
4) Organs trading is very horrible, I admit. This is one of the reasons why we are concerned with human trafficking. People tricked into other countries may not only be forced to work as prostitutes or slaves, but have their organs removed and they may die;
5) Organs trading is not a focus of the article, but it is parts of the problem of human trafficking.

As expected, I loss. The statement is not published.

Again, I don’t think I am wrong.