Outside Opinion: Freedom of the Press is the Only Way Out

By Zhang Weiguo

(Clearwisdom.net) On July 8^th and 9^th, all major news media in China reported shocking news: from June 23 to June 30, nine CCTV channels that are broadcast through the Xin'nuo Satellite and ten major TV stations in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other provinces were interrupted by messages that held content about Falun Gong. The state-run Xinhua news agency published the important report. The Wireless Communication Administration Bureau of the State Information Technology Department issued a formal statement. All of the state-run media then again took up the chorus of slander against Falun Gong, using incendiary language like something out of the Cultural Revolution.

My immediate reaction about this incident was that, after three years of harsh persecution as the "No.1 enemy" of Jiang's government, Falun Gong was not "exterminated" as he had wished. Instead, it continues to exist and indeed is developing further. Yet the regime continues to wrack its brains, attempting to find ways to get help from the international society, and to have a new round of attacks on Falun Gong with the help of "the international forces." They proclaim that Falun Gong "has violated international treaties and the basic principle of civic communication," and has violated "the United Nations Charter, and the regulations regarding Telecommunication Rules and other treaties defined in the International Telecommunications Union." In fact, what the Chinese regime accuses Falun Gong of doing is precisely how the regime has stayed in power throughout its existence.

In Mainland China, because of long-term ideological control, the general population has developed a certain cynicism. Looking at the state-run propaganda and "the guidance of public opinion," the way people often see things the opposite way. Thus, from this angle, the new round of attacks against Falun Gong has actually promoted Falun Gong and revealing how poorly their campaign to snuff out Falun Gong has gone.

Secondly, the Chinese regime claimed that Falun Gong interrupted satellite broadcast signals, but provided (as usual) no independently verifiable evidence. Then they furiously defame and accuse Falun Gong with phrases last heard during the depths of the Cultural Revolution. They definitely come with ill intent. Jiang is trying to get on the bandwagon of anti-terrorism to categorize Falun Gong as a terrorist organization. The intent is all too obvious.

Throughout its existence, the Chinese regime has tightly controlled the expression of public opinion, completely deprived people of their freedom of speech, recklessly trampled human rights, and willfully flaunted international treaties and the declaration of human rights they have signed. The regime has broken its own promises that were prerequisites for entry into the World Trade Organization. The regime continues to severely interfere with international broadcasts. Recently, the regime has also begun thorough censorship of Internet traffic and content. And now the regime attempts to use the "satellite interruption" as another excuse to heap venom on Falun Gong.

Thirdly, why did the regime react so strongly and quickly to this supposed interruption? Was a most sensitive nerve actually tweaked, or is this yet another fabrication carefully designed to insert a treacherous idea? It shows that this incident is critical to the regime, which holds power only because it controls and defines what is legally and ideologically acceptable to express. The nation's top officials struggle as if fighting for their lives.

In fact, the international society can easily see through this ploy. Simply do a thorough and comprehensive inspection to China's communication market by what they claim to follow, "an international treaty and basic principle of civic communication." Bring up the issues that the Chinese regime has since long ago blocked and disturbed broadcast and TV signals of the international media. Look at their list of 500,000 banned websites. Look at them together and give them a thorough examination.

It doesn't matter who was responsible for the "satellite interruption." One thing we can be sure of is that such things do not happen in societies with the freedom of press and expression. Repeated inability to prevent such incidents, even supported by a dictatorial "rule by law," exposes the deepening crisis of incompetent governance in China. Confucian tradition holds "if one doesn't like it done to oneself, don't do it to others," which the Chinese has followed for a long time. The Chinese regime shouts against "double standards" of other countries and other groups and yet it strongly enforces its own. I believe currently only by truly allowing the freedom of the press and expression can this regime extract itself from the thicket of troubles it has put itself into. When the Chinese regime stops interfering with the international media, gets rid of unreasonable censorship of the Internet and civic society, and truly respects the freedom of the press, that would be the time when such things as "satellite and TV interruptions" will resolve themselves.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2002/7/12/33221.html

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