Sunday, July 6, 2008
Flames raise in front of a police building in Weng'an China on Saturday, June 28, during a protest over officials' reaction to a student's death.
Aftershocks from the huge protests that took place on June 28 in the remote town of Weng'an continue to reverberate, with news breaking Friday that both the local Communist Party commissar Luo Liaping and the chief of police, Shen Guirong have been dismissed for what official media reports described as "severe malfeasance." Such speedy and decisive action by Beijing is, to put it mildly, unusual. That reflects both the gravity of the riot, which involved up to 30,000 people, and a desire by the central authorities — currently consumed by the build up to the Olympics — to stop the protests from continuing. But there are other signs that the incident is more than a mere pre-Olympics anomaly and may be part of a new, more open approach by Beijing to outbursts of long-simmering rage.
On June 28, tens of thousands took to the streets of Weng'an, a rural town in remote Guizhou Province, to protest what they believed was a cover up by the local authorities of the alleged rape and murder of a 15 year-old schoolgirl, Li Shufei. The protesters torched upwards of 20 cars and set fire to both the local police station and the Communist Party headquarters. Even before the dismissals of top local officials, it was clear this incident was going to be treated differently. On July 3 the provincial governor, Shi Zongyuan, made an unusually blunt statement condemning the conduct of the local police. His words drew a surprisingly revealing picture of the reasons behind the incident. Although on the surface it was sparked by the controversy over the schoolgirl's death, the governor said, the real reasons for the scale and violence of the protests were the suppressed anger at the behavior of local officials. He cited the demeanor of local government officers in denying residents the economic benefits of mining (read, large scale corruption) and the use of force during the resettlement of migrants and forced demolitions to make way for development projects
The governor's comments were particularly unexpected given that such protests in a remote county like Weng'an would normally be relatively unremarkable. Even the central government admits that such "mass event," as it terms them, are common, noting that some 87,000 occurred in 2006 (though the definition of what exactly constitutes a mass incident is vague).
Coverage of the "mass event" by the state media was also surprising. Normally such stories are ignored or simply dismissed by noting, for example, that a dozen farmers were arrested for disturbing social order. But this was different. Xinhua, China's official news agency, responded quickly and produced unusually long investigative stories. China's two largest websites, Sina and Sohu, published a headline about the incident on their front pages and updated their stories every few hours. And the local Guizhou television network broadcast live coverage up to 24 hours after the incident occurred, even showing the Weng'an police headquarters in flames, usually a strong taboo in China.
The Weng'an incident and its seemingly more open coverage are signs of the greater latitude enjoyed by the state media in the wake of the May 12 Sichuan earthquake. While the more lenient earthquake coverage appeared to be a spontaneous decision taken by Beijing, some observers believe that the extensive coverage of Weng'an could be a direct result of a policy change in Beijing signaled by a speech given in late June by Chinese President Hu Jintao. During a visit to offices of the Party mouthpiece, the People's Daily, Hu stressed that the media needed to concentrate on molding the public's perceptions of news events and presenting their reports in a more attractive and innovative way. To close observers of the party, this appeared to signal a new policy direction. "It seems the party will allow the Chinese media to report more transparently," says Russell Moses, a Beijing based scholar, "though of course they still dictate the lines of authority."
If the traditional media's coverage of Weng'an was allowed to be more "open," however, the online censors didn't seem to have got the same memo. The struggle between the ever inventive Chinese users of the Web and the Great Firewall, the Chinese internet censorship system, could be seen in a sort of online game of whack-a-mole, as posts, pictures and video of the rioting and its causes were deleted within hours, or even minutes, of being posted. But the locals have continued to create new ways to avoid being blocked. Instead of posting on social discussion forums, where such topics are usually raised, netizens wrote about the incident on video game bulletin boards and other unrelated sites. They also used jocular code words for the incident ("bonfire party") and deployed special software that reversed sentence order so that lines ran from right to left and horizontally instead of vertically. Xiao Qiang, a Berkeley-based Chinese media expert thinks the government censors lost this round. "In this particular case, netizens' anger was just too strong to be suppressed," he says.
TOKYO (AFP) — The Group of Eight richest nations is likely to pledge at the upcoming summit to take the lead in efforts to halve emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, a newspaper said Sunday.
Leaders of the G8 -- France, Germany, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United States -- are to start a three-day meeting Monday in the northern Japanese spa report of Toyako.
At the previous summit last July, host country Germany overcame fierce US resistance and coaxed the rich nations' club into agreeing to "consider seriously" the goal of at least halving worldwide emissions by 2050.
For the Toyako summit, negotiations are in the final stages for a leaders' declaration saying "the G8 will take the lead in making efforts to halve" emissions or something similar, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
Europe and Japan want to upgrade the expression "consider" in Germany to "agree" but the United States has been seeking an accord that would include China, India and other major emitters, Japan's best-selling newspaper said.
Another major daily, the Asahi Shimbun, reported Sunday that developed countries, including the United States, are to agree to set their own mid-term targets in cutting gas emissions.
The developed nations' pledge for country-by-country mid-term targets will be in a leaders' statement of 16 countries, including the G8 and developing countries, to be held on Wednesday, the newspaper said.
Japan's environment minister, Ichiro Kamoshita, said Sunday that Japan was unlikely to volunteer to declare its mid-term target at the upcoming summit.
"We should weigh this against our national interest. We will have heated discussions on mid-term targets from now," he told public broadcaster NHK.
Japan has vowed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 60-80 percent by 2050 but said it would only announce a mid-term goal next year.
TAIPEI (AFP) — The launch of regular direct flights between China and Taiwan has been hailed as a symbol of progress and a boon to tourism, but industry workers here are not all convinced.
Around 700 mainland tourists arrived on the island to much ceremony over the weekend after taking the charter route, seen as ushering in a new start and the most visible sign yet in the thawing of cross-strait relations.
Taiwan has restricted trade and travel since its split from the mainland in 1949 but the election of Beijing-friendly Ma Ying-jeou in March opened the door to warmer ties.
In a sign of rapprochement, the two sides last month held their first direct talks in a decade and signed agreements to launch the flights and treble the number of Chinese allowed to visit the island to 3,000 daily.
Tourism officials hope the extra visitors, beside promoting cordial people-to-people exchanges, will bring in 60 billion Taiwan dollars (1.97 billion US) annually, a big boost to local trade.
But some tour operators are sceptical.
"The agreements might look good on paper but I dare not think how much I can profit from that with a slow economy, rising inflation and high fuel prices," said Wu Shih-chih, who hires out yachts to tourists.
"I will not consider buying a new yacht or other equipment unless I can see a steady increase in business within six months," said Wu, who has four craft taking visitors around Sun Moon Lake, a popular destination in central Taiwan.
Others are concerned that Chinese tourists, sometimes seen as loud and ill-mannered, could drive away other international travellers.
"We have fewer Japanese visitors since the government opened up to more mainlanders," lamented a bus driver who works for a leading travel agency in Taipei.
"I am not thrilled at receiving the mainlanders because they can be proud and impolite, they think China is so important in the world," said the driver, who asked not to be named.
Jack Lee, manager of a Taipei travel agency, said he often gets complaints from restaurants or shops that Chinese tour groups are too noisy or pay no attention to no-smoking signs.
"Some waiters also complained that Chinese customers throw bones or leftovers on the floor instead of leaving them on the plates or let cigarette ash fall everywhere," Lee said, although most were willing to oblige when told.
Restaurateur Liu Ming-sung was blatant in expressing his dislike for mainland tourists, putting up a sign reading "refusing Chinese communists" at his establishment in southern Kaohsiung city.
"I think President Ma is wrong to see opening up to mainland investments and tourists as an elixir for Taiwan's economy," Liu said.
"Let's not forget that China is targeting Taiwan with thousands of missiles and they are still our enemies. Taiwan might be at risk under such rash moves," he said.
His sentiments mirror Ma's predecessor Chen Shui-bian, whose pro-independence rhetoric had angered Beijing. China claims Taiwan as its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
However, changes have been rapid since Ma took office in May.
Taiwan banks can now exchange Chinese currency, limits on Taiwanese investment on the mainland have been eased, and some Chinese media outlets which had been banned on the island now have clearance to work.
There will be 36 round-trip flights across the Taiwan Strait weekly, operating from Friday to Monday between six Taiwanese airports and five on the mainland.
Johnny Tsai, a manager at China Times Travel Service, called the weekend flights "a good start" to boost tourism although he expected a more tangible effect once the trips bed in.
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he might "refine" his timetable for withdrawing U.S. combat troops.
"For me to say that I'm going to refine my policies I don't think in any way is inconsistent with prior statements and doesn't change my strategic view that this war has to end and that I'm going to end it as president," Obama told reporters on his campaign plane.
Obama, who based his drive to capture the Democratic nomination on his early and ardent opposition to the war, said earlier this week he might alter his plan to bring combat troops home within 16 months of taking office if conditions on the ground changed.
The comment drew heavy coverage and sharp criticism from some on the left and the right, with Republicans saying it showed he was vacillating on Iraq.
"I was a little puzzled by the frenzy that I set off with what I thought was a pretty innocuous statement," he said on a flight from Montana to St. Louis. "I am absolutely committed to ending the war. I will call my joint chiefs of staff in and give them a new assignment and that is to end the war."
Obama will face Republican John McCain, a staunch advocate of the war, in a November presidential race that is certain to focus heavily on the future of U.S. troops in Iraq.
"What's really puzzling is that Barack Obama still doesn't understand that his words matter," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.
Obama said he did not make a mistake with his earlier choice of words in describing his Iraq position -- even though he called a second news conference a few hours after his initial comments to clarify his stance.
He laid the blame with reporters.
"I'm surprised at how finely calibrated every single word was measured. I wasn't saying anything I hadn't said before, that I didn't say a year ago or when I was a United States senator," said Obama, who is still a senator from Illinois.
'VERY CONSISTENT'
"If you look at our position, it's been very consistent," he said. "I am unwavering in the belief that this has been a strategic mistake and that this war has to end. It would be a further strategic mistake for us to continue with an open-ended occupation of the sort that John McCain has promised."
Obama said his willingness to consider changing conditions on the ground and the potential ramifications of the pull-out plan was a strength -- and a sharp contrast to Republican President George W. Bush's stay-the-course strategy in Iraq.
"The tactics of how we ensure our troops are safe as we pull out, how we execute the withdrawal -- those are things that are all based on facts and conditions," he said.
"I'm not somebody who, like George Bush, is willing to ignore facts on the basis of my preconceived notions. I want to pay attention to what is happening on the ground."
Under heavy pressure from McCain, who criticized his failure to visit Iraq since 2006, Obama plans to travel to Iraq and Afghanistan. The dates have not been announced for security reasons but the trip is expected within the next month.
While Obama would not admit a mistake in describing his views on Iraq, he said he had plenty of room for improvement as a presidential candidate.
"One of the things I've always tried to do is learn from mistakes and try to get better," he said.
"There is a learning curve and growth being a presidential candidate. I think I'm a much better candidate now than I was six months ago or 12 months ago. I think I'll be a better communicator and even more effective six months from now."
(Editing by John O'Callaghan)
HARARE, July 5 (Reuters) - South African President Thabo Mbeki met Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday to try to help end a political crisis after a violent election that extended Mugabe's 28-year rule.
The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said its leader Morgan Tsvangirai had declined to meet Mbeki, who has tried to mediate between the two sides.
Tsvangirai and his MDC have criticised Mbeki's mediation efforts, accusing him of siding with Mugabe and have asked the African Union to send an envoy to help with the talks.
Mugabe, in power since 1980, says he supports Mbeki's role in the mediation but has remained defiant in the face of growing condemnation from Western governments and even African neighbours after his disputed re-election on June 27.
"It is the view of the facilitators and the Zimbabwean leadership that we need to move with speed," Mbeki told reporters after a brief meeting with Mugabe and Arthur Mutambara, who leads a breakaway faction of the MDC.
"We agreed that MDC Tsvangirai has to be part of the negotiations, so we are hoping that the process will take place with them."
Mugabe said on Friday the MDC must drop its claim to power and accept he was the rightful head of state. He said Zimbabwe's crisis, which has ruined the economy and sent millions of refugees into neighbouring states, must be settled internally.
A spokesman for Tsvangirai's MDC, Nelson Chamisa, said the party was "mandated to negotiate under the resolutions of the Africa Union and the Southern Africa Development Community ... on the basis that there is accountability (and) transparency."
"If we were meeting Mugabe as head of (the ruling party) ZANU-PF no problem but not as head of state because we would have endorsed him but you know that his position is in dispute," Chimasa said.
VOTE RIGGING
Mbeki's trip follows a June 27 runoff election, in which Mugabe was the only candidate after Tsvangirai pulled out citing state-sponsored violence against MDC candidates and supporters.
"We will of course engage the AU (African Union) and I am quite certain that they will make their own contribution to move the process forward," said Mbeki.
A White House official said on Saturday that Zimbabwe was certain to come up at the Group of Eight summit in Japan on July 7-9, which will also be attended by the heads of seven African states.
"I think the G8 will strongly condemn what Mugabe has done," Dennis Wilder, a senior National Security Council official, told reporters aboard Air Force One as President George W. Bush was on his way to Japan.
"It will strongly condemn the legitimacy of his government and his governing of Zimbabwe."
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who leads the ZANU-PF negotiating team, criticised Tsvangirai for failing to attend Saturday's meeting, accusing him of behaving like a rebel.
"I think that what is becoming clear is that if the country is not careful it will be precipitated into a period of instability," Chinamasa told state television.
A film secretly taken by a Zimbabwe prison guard and smuggled out of the country shows rigging that took place for the June 27 run-off vote, Britain's Guardian newspaper said on Saturday.
The film taken by Shepherd Yuda using a camera supplied by the Guardian showed prison staff being told by a war veteran how to fill in their ballot papers for Mugabe. (Editing by Phumza Macanda, Ibon Villelabeitia and John O'Callaghan)
By MacDonald Dzirutwe
