Yesterday, June 4, was the 20th anniversary of the historic Tiananmen Square protests in China. Writing on democracy and freedom is one of fav pastimes. However, in this post I will only post a few links that shed light on what is, arguably, the most important event in post-1949 China.
For a complete timeline of the event click here: why, how, and what happened? (BBC)
Probably the single most powerful image of the protest episode was that of the 'Lone Protestor' who dared to stand in front of the military tanks that were called in to quell the protests. Here's a video of the Lone Protestor who was immediately arrested and has since 'disappeared'.
So what is the current mood at the Tiananmen Square like? (The Economist) Has China changed after the Tiananmen Episode? (This is a link to a range of views on the BBC.)
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Friday, June 5, 2009
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Video of Chinese soldiers shooting dead Tibetans
Ever since China occupied Tibet in 1959, the homeland of the Dalai Lama has remained a festering wound in the body-politic of the communist giant.
Let me share with you a video, shot sometime in 2006, capturing the killing of the unarmed Tibetans by soldiers of the Red Army.
Let me share with you a video, shot sometime in 2006, capturing the killing of the unarmed Tibetans by soldiers of the Red Army.
Friday, May 2, 2008
What the Chinese think about the West
It's been an age since I last blogged about my biggest interest: foreign affairs. I do not know how much has the world changed in the last twelve days. Has it changed for a Zimbabwean, for an Iraqi, for an Afghan, and for a Chinese?
The last word brings to the mind the 'torch travails' of the Chinese. The autocrats in China would have believed that the torch relay would be a great way of showcasing the best of China to the world. Little would they have anticipated that it would turn into a public relations disaster.
The 'torch relay' has put the human rights abuses, especially in Tibet, under the scanner. Critics say that these abuses are being perpretated by the commie regime in Beijing. In India, the torch relay generated its own controversy, an issue to which the Indian media has already devoted reams of newsprint and space (and I don't intend to).
The native Chinese feel hurt and dismayed at the double-standards of the western governments and the media alike. What do the overseas Chinese living in the USA and Europe feel about this issue?
I recently came across this poem written by an overseas Chinese. I am reproducing some parts of the poem:
"When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to our markets.
When we embraced Free Trade, you blame us for taking away your jobs.
When we were falling apart, you marched in your troops and wanted your “fair share”.
When we were putting the broken pieces together again, “Free Tibet” you scream, “it was an invasion!”
So, we tried communism, you hated us for being communists.
When we embraced capitalism, you hate us for being capitalists.
When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said it is human rights abuse.
When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.
When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.
When we buy oil, you call that exploitation and genocide.
When you fight for oil, you call that liberation and democracy.
When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you wanted rule of law for us.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you call that violating human rights."
If you wish to read the complete poem, check it out here.
The last word brings to the mind the 'torch travails' of the Chinese. The autocrats in China would have believed that the torch relay would be a great way of showcasing the best of China to the world. Little would they have anticipated that it would turn into a public relations disaster.
The 'torch relay' has put the human rights abuses, especially in Tibet, under the scanner. Critics say that these abuses are being perpretated by the commie regime in Beijing. In India, the torch relay generated its own controversy, an issue to which the Indian media has already devoted reams of newsprint and space (and I don't intend to).
The native Chinese feel hurt and dismayed at the double-standards of the western governments and the media alike. What do the overseas Chinese living in the USA and Europe feel about this issue?
I recently came across this poem written by an overseas Chinese. I am reproducing some parts of the poem:
"When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to our markets.
When we embraced Free Trade, you blame us for taking away your jobs.
When we were falling apart, you marched in your troops and wanted your “fair share”.
When we were putting the broken pieces together again, “Free Tibet” you scream, “it was an invasion!”
So, we tried communism, you hated us for being communists.
When we embraced capitalism, you hate us for being capitalists.
When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said it is human rights abuse.
When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.
When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.
When we buy oil, you call that exploitation and genocide.
When you fight for oil, you call that liberation and democracy.
When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you wanted rule of law for us.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you call that violating human rights."
If you wish to read the complete poem, check it out here.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Commie Doublespeak
It is an open secret that the Communists in India owe their allegiance to China. That they care more for the progress, welfare, and 'image' of China than for their motherland could be known from their policies on defence and economic issues.
Last week, the ruling Communist party banned protests by Tibetan exiles. For a change, the print media (count out The Hindu) spoke out against commie doublespeak.
Here's an excerpt from an editorial in The Telegraph, published from Kolkata:
“Many years ago, the walls of Calcutta buildings used to declare in ugly graffiti that “China’s chairman is our chairman”. The possessive pronoun in the slogan signified the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). This craven loyalty to China was resurrected by none other than the government of West Bengal, when last week it prohibited a rally to protest against the repression being carried out in Tibet by the Chinese government. That prohibition order is somewhat unique: neither the government of India nor any other state government has instituted such a ban on any show of protest by Tibetans against the Chinese government. To see such an order being passed on a protest rally in a city like Calcutta is enough to take anyone’s breath away. Calcutta is famous (or infamous) as a city of processions and rallies; the party that heads the government of West Bengal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has on innumerable occasions taken out rallies to protest against acts of “imperialist aggression” by the United States of America. But when it comes to China, the CPI(M) and the government it runs quietly and shamelessly retract their radical fangs... The exhibition of this kind of solidarity has only served to reveal the scant respect the CPI(M) and the government of West Bengal have for democracy and its rights. This might win the CPI(M) a few points in China but will fetch it none in India. It has covered the party in shame.”
I could have hardly put my views better than this.
Source:
Doublespeak
Editorial
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080416/jsp/opinion/story_9141947.jsp
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
China's Cyber War
China has, over the years, been indulging in industrial espionage. It has been trying various means to get its hands on sophisticated western technology.
China has, in fact, penetrated (with alarming success) American and western European companies and research labs to get access to sensitive military and industrial technology, especially related to missile defence and advanced weaponry.
The Communist giant is now waging a cyber war through hacking the networks of the western industrial behemoths. It's only natural that these attacks have left the governments in these countries nervous and shaky.
Shaken by these attacks, the western intelligence agencies, backed by their political masters, all pulling all stops to stop the Chinese hackers. Will they succeed?
Just last week, the Government of India vehemently denied that Chinese hackers have crashed the computer networks belonging to the Ministry of External Affairs.
We in India always live in denial.
China has, in fact, penetrated (with alarming success) American and western European companies and research labs to get access to sensitive military and industrial technology, especially related to missile defence and advanced weaponry.
The Communist giant is now waging a cyber war through hacking the networks of the western industrial behemoths. It's only natural that these attacks have left the governments in these countries nervous and shaky.
Shaken by these attacks, the western intelligence agencies, backed by their political masters, all pulling all stops to stop the Chinese hackers. Will they succeed?
Just last week, the Government of India vehemently denied that Chinese hackers have crashed the computer networks belonging to the Ministry of External Affairs.
We in India always live in denial.
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