Robert Sharp » China

Lui Xiaobo Goes Viral

Robert — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:38:01 +0000

Congratulations to Lui Xiaobo, Chinese dissident, winner in absentia of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. PEN American Centre have asked their members to republish Xiaobo’s voice and writings on their own sites and in their own Twitter feeds, so that he may be heard even though he is incarcerated by the panicked Chinese regime.

Here is Liu Xia (Lui Xiaobo’s wife) and Victoria Redel reading his “Greed’s Prisoner” in Beijing:

Elsehwere, you can hear Lui Xia describe the Chinese authorities confiscating Xiaobo’s papers, and Lui Xiaobo himself discussing free expression (or the lack of it) in China. PEN American Centre has a lot more multimedia on their site. Please disseminate widely.

Four billion!?

Robert — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:24:50 +0000

So, the games have opened. I am all for having a global party, and for the Olympics to be seen a symbol of peace and shared humanity, &ct &ct… But surely these media claims that four billion people watched the ceremony is stinking hyperbole. That’s pretty much two in every three people. What with it being a working day in many parts of the world, what with legions of other people being asleep, and millions more without access to a TV, I don’t think it would be possible – even if every person in China was watching.

‘Free Tibet’ flags made in China

Robert — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:19:12 +0000

Loving it:

The factory in Guangdong had been completing overseas orders for the flag of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Workers said they thought they were just making colourful flags and did not realise their meaning.

But then some of them saw TV images of protesters holding the emblem and they alerted the authorities, according to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper.

Which is odd, because it means that footage of the Free Tibet Olympic torch harassing in London, Paris or San Francisco must have squeezed past Chinese censors.

Ask the Dalai Lama

Robert — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:29:39 +0000

As the farcical torch relay reaches India, and Western political leaders fret over whether to boycott the Beijing Games, Adrian Hamilton has a cheeky route out of the impasse:

I have a suggestion for breaking out of the impasse over the issue of Tibet and the Olympics. It is for the West to make the Dalai Lama the arbiter of whether we should attend the opening ceremonies or not.

Did I mention I’d met the Dalai Lama. I did? Oh, well, sorry to have troubled you.

Chinese Reincarnation

Robert — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 11:42:19 +0000

This caption, from BBC News early on Saturday morning, caught my eye:

China Buddhism
New Regulations on Reincarnation

There is plenty of debate in the UK (and in Europe) about the parameters of political discourse, and the role played by religion. Our governments are accused of disingenuous behaviour and doublespeak. But let us be thankful that we do not have to deal with dictats so utterly senseless and evil as those reported here.

The move by the Chinese is another depressing chapter in their suppression of Tibet. My interview with the Dalai Lama is here.