'For five articles they sentence him to 3,5 years in prison. Our daughter will be four years before she will see her father again.' Two sentences spoken by Zeng Jinyan that I do remember from the interview she gave two days ago, after her husband, Hu Jia, had been sentenced.
At the end of the interview Zeng Jinyan is waving back towards the camera.
She has entered that part of Beijing where the Hu's have a flat: Freedom City.
Lovely name, isn't it? Almost as lovely as The Place of Heavenly Peace.
But who am I but a 'misinformed malicious Western blogger'?
Let's watch some videos, documenting how intensively Mr. Hu the leader of the leaders and thus General Secretary of the CPC Central Comitee lets care his best men for the safety and freedom of an unemployed father aged 34 and his family, never giving up the hope these black sheep may find back on the left path.
Here we go:
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 1 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 2 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 3 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 4 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 5 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 6 / 7)
Prisoners in Freedom City (part 7 / 7)
In this sense: The peace of the night.
I am shocked and do not know what to think.
ReplyDeleteChina may be advancing (?) materially and economically but the political, old school, authoritarian mentality will always remain unchanged.
:(
"sense"
ReplyDeleteBut yes - a fine piece, Sean.
Who would know what to think, Ardent? As for me, I do rather feel: helplessness and wrath.
ReplyDeleteJames,
thank you. The 'sence' is corrected.
Isn't it strange? I had noticed the typo after posting, but as being very tired I thought, 'oh well, tomorrow' - which is what most lazy people use to say. :)
Yes, ironic, those place names. I agree with J - a fine piece, Sean.
ReplyDeleteChina seems to be giving its people the worst of capitalism while retaining the old style repression of anyone who tries to exercise freedom of expression...
ReplyDelete...in the meanwhile, what was doctered by the Chinese authorities, the Olymic torch is carried through all kind countries where protest are being held: today France. Must be a nightmare for the Chinese to see their 'freedom flame' protected by tons of police men/women..))
ReplyDeleteWelsh,
ReplyDeletegrazie.
Jams,
from what one can come to know it does not only seems so. It's sad.
Hans,
it's a great pity, indeed.
And I am quite sure that most of those who voted for 'Beijing 2008', knew what the did ...
It's not often I find myself at a loss for words but I definitely was after these videos. I had not realized it was still that bad in China. Sometimes one is a tad bit ashamed to admit he belongs to the human species.
ReplyDeleteNext life time - a bird please.
Janice,
ReplyDeleteI know quite a few people (including myself) would now and then sigh 'I wish I were a bird', but they seem to have forgotten that this wish coming true would imply the possibility of becoming a force-feeded goose. :)
No, no. Feeling shame about others doings is 'fine', but not enough.
Bertold Brecht once stated:
'Aber man wird nicht sagen: / Die Zeiten waren finster / Sondern: Warum haben ihre Dichter / geschwiegen?' - 'And they won't say: / Those were dark times / But: Why did the poets / keep quiet?'
Thus: Hic Rhodos, hic salta! In this life we have to act, to prove our sense of responsiblity. We - and not only 'the' poets - have to - at least - open our mouths.
Ha ha ha, Sean's temperament! And how courageous this Sean is ... at least, as long as he has not to fear any negative consequences, as long as he has not to fear being tortured, being put into a re-education camp, etc. etc ...
A real hero he is, this Sean. :)