Permalink Reply by 秉浩 on December 27, 2009 at 9:52pm
I will add the following excerpts from emails recently received and sent among sister organizations, without bothering to give credit where credit is due:"
Background
Liu Xiaobo is among a large number of dissidents to have been detained or harassed since December 2008 after issuing an open letter calling on the National People's Congress Standing Committee to ratify the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and launching Charter 08, a declaration calling for political reforms and human rights published on 9 December 2008. These activities were part of campaigns to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December), and were initially signed by over 300 scholars, journalists, freelance writers and activists and now have over 10,000 signatories from throughout China.
Liu Xiaobo was one of a group of writers and intellectuals given the label the "Black Hands of Beijing" by the government and arrested for their part in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Prior to his current arrest, Liu has spent a total of five years in prison, including a three year sentence passed in 1996, and has suffered frequent short arrests, harassment and censorship. In January 2009 over 300 writers signed a petition calling for his release.
A proud economy. A shameful nation
One may ask the question: why do we care about trouble makers like Liu. Afterall, the nation has done well with its blossoming economy. Compared to the democratic states, China should perhaps be proud of her achievements of the past decade. She has survived an earthquake, hosted the glamorous Olympic Games, participated in multinational efforts to avoid global financial collapse, and still roaring ahead with double-digit growth. What are these dissidents doing for the nation that would justify leniency?
To fellow citizens holding such belief, I can only say that the narcotic effect of economic "success" on the motherland's spirit is becoming worrisome -- like a euphoric driver running a Porsche, at 150 mph around a neighborhood devastated by arson, the Chinese Communist Party is merely showing off his brand new race car, while waving the 5-star flag, with an advertisement for this panacea called Morphine PRC ("invented" & manufactured in China), prominently displayed against the blood-tinged background of the national flag. Should fellow nieghbors be dazzled and impressed?
Some, as can be expected, would be impressed enough to give up the grounds on banning driving under the influence, and may even start telling their own kids to give it a try. Morphine comforts. Morphine makes people feel good. Maybe morphine was the way to go...
Nonetheless, should some pedestrians at least try to cry: "Danger! Watch out!" Should they be considered an enemy of the State? Should those few, who had the courage to do so, be locked up for 11 years?
What we are doing?
As one of many groups of human rights advocates in N. America, our group will be joining like-minded organizations in the outcry against this blatant violation of basic human rights, and onerous disregard of its own constitution by a government. "