Hong Kong Catholic Bishop Calls for Release of Liu Xiaobo

Pro-Democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong : photo source

Bishop John Tong, Roman Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong, called today for the release of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo and others held prisoner because of their dissenting views on politics and religion . His plea was met with a deafening silence from Beijing.  The silence, along with the government strong arm efforts to silence the free press simply underscore the justice of the Bishop's plea.

The official paranoid Party line( and I do mean Party) is on view at China's official English language press outlet, Global Times    Here's a sample:

"A rising China with different fundamental principles disturbs the West, which is beleaguered in deep economic woes. Discrediting China is a way to maintain the moral superiority of the developed world, and consequently keep the privilege of the West, which helps maximize the interests of the developed countries.

The Nobel Peace Prize is not a lone voice. Actually, it is part of a concerto supplemented by various NGOs, economic identities and international organizations orchestrated by the developed countries. They hope to harass China's growth, and press China to surrender more economic interests. They even hope that China will one day collapse under the West's ideological crusade.

From Google threatening to withdraw from China earlier this year, to the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to a Chinese criminal, the ideological war against China is far from over."

Meanwhile, a dozen dissidents have disappeared in China and Liu's wife is under house arrest; unable to visit her husband or to be contacted by foreign journalists.  It looks like China's real worry is not contamination by ideas from the West, but demands for basic human rights from within. Though I would hardly call the Roman Catholic Church a participatory democracy or an organization that tolerates dissent, The Bishop of Hong Kong is absolutely right on this one.  Kudos to him for speaking out.

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China Pouts over Nobel Peace Prize

Two weeks ago China warned the Nobel Committee not to award this year's Peace Prize to jailed dissident, Liu Xiaobo, whom the government regards as a criminal and the rest of the world sees as a fighter for basic human rights in China. 

Yesterday, the Nobel Committee awarded the 2010 peace prize to Liu Xiaobo in spite of the warning.. China is not amused. Western news sources, radio, TV, and internet are being blocked while Chinese officials are calling the award an " obscenity" and official news sources note that the award was made" just to annoy China"

The BBC's China experts commented thusly:

One editorial in the Global Times newspaper said in English: "Obviously, the Nobel Peace Prize this year is meant to irritate China, but it will not succeed."

"On the contrary, the committee disgraced itself."
The paper's Chinese-language edition called the award "an arrogant showcase of Western ideology" and said that it had disrespected the Chinese people.

Liu Xiaobo has been fighting for human rightsfor decades. .He participated in the 1989 Tiananmen  Square uprising and has been outspoken ever since.  He is currently  in a Chinese jail, serving his fourth prison term--this one for his participation in  Charter08, a manifesto calling for greater civil rights and freedom of speech in China, as well as an end to one party rule.

The central  communist party rules with an iron hand, and often, there is not much of a velvet glove covering it. China is concerned with being seen as a world leader. It likes things like the Beijing Olympics which increase its prestige.  It does not like criticism from outside and simply will not tolerate it from within. You might say it is a bit paranoid. The award may make Westerners feel all warm and cuddly, but it probably will not do much for human rights in China or the attitude of China towards human rights around the world.

A repressive communist government is already cracking down in the wake of the award. Dozens of rights activists have suddenly disappeared.  Mr. Liu's wife was prevented from meeting with reporters on Friday and, as of this week-end is nowhere to be found. She has just disappeared-- a not uncommon occurence in China, especially for those the government finds embarrassing.   If the past is any guide, the award will only lead to greater repression and pain for those fighting for truth, justice and freedom of speech.  What a pity.

The increasingly nervous Chinese Government is more concerned with its image abroad than the welfare of its people.  It is also increasingly worried about losing control domestically. There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction which could become domestic unrest. The memory of Tienneman Square still burns bright. 

While there is no question that Liu Xiaobo,deserves  the Nobel Peace prize, one has to hope that the resulting government crackdown will not tarnish the honor for him, his family and his followers. . Kudos to the  Nobel Committee for not caving in to Chinese government pressure. May the rest of us who already enjoy personal freedom be as brave.

 

Update 10/12/2010

For a glimpse inside the soul of Liu Xiaobo please read this post by Andrew Leonard posted today on Salon.com.