Qiu,Gengmin: Lefted-handed “freedom of speech”
|
|
Date: 10/8/2010 1:54:06 PM
Sender: Qiu,Gengmin
|
Qiu,Gengmin: Lefted-handed “freedom of speech”
邱耿敏（Qiu,Gengmin）
I skimed through domestic news recently, and was surprised to see famous author Xie,Xhaoping was arrested. Xie,Xhaoping, a famous reporter and writer in China, objectively recorded history of migrants in Three Gorges Reservoir area, exposed problems of local officials embezzle resettlement fund, occupy migrants’ land, caused many migrants to appeal. Some powerful officials were offended, concerning image of local government and individual position, he was arrested and his “The big migration” was confiscated. Due to detailed contents and scrupulous writing of the article, local government didn’t find excuses and charged him with “illegal selling of books”.
Xie,Xhaoping is a famous domestic reporter and author, and has certain public appeal. As peers of literator, if the lips are gone, the teeth will feel cold, he speeded his pen and exposed to the public. Even so, he suffered retaliation. The masses who have no background can only run their own course when they face similar experience as Xie,Zhaoping.
Before I went abroad, I heard a local unjust case. An entrepreneur with certain achievements commented how China is not democratic and how officials corrupt, offended a local chief of the bureau of public security and that chief bore grudge against him. It happened to him that he had disputes with his business clients. The chief felt the chance comes. He incited the client to lodge a false accusation against the entrepreneur, and tried to find an unwarranted charge. The chief was absolutely lawless, and confound right and wrong. He used his power to list the entrepreneur as wanted through the internet. The entrepreneur was on a business trip at that time and didn’t dare to come back when he heard the news. He hid outside and appealed to judicial agency through his lawyer. Chinese officials shield one another and he had nowhere to appeal. He even consigned his friend to appeal but his friend was intercepted and was warned not to do that and took sole responsibility for his deeds. The entrepreneur couldn’t go home and hided outside ever since. His company could not operate anymore and faced bankruptcy.
The above two cases were caused by comments. Freedom of speech is usually considered an indispensable idea in modern democracy, and should not be investigated by government. However there is no freedom in China. Though the 35th article of the constitution guarantees people enjoy freedom of speech and liberty of the press, government can violate people’s freedom of speech in the name of “national security” and “state secrets”. Citizens have no freedom of speech to fight against illegal conducts of government, any reports or publications that expose corruption of local officials will be forced out, relevant reporters or authors will be persecuted for unwarranted crimes. The mistakes can’t be redressed. Local officials abuse their power brazenly and cause more serious social inequality, things like unjust, false and erroneous cases, destitute and homeless people, and people have nothing to depend on for their living are prevalent across the country. Appeal groups keep coming and group conflicts rise one after another.
Qiu,Gengmin
10/8/2010
|
|
| |
