Chinese blogger and filmmaker detained
The Beijing or Bust blog, maintained by Hao Wu, eerily remains stuck on February 22nd. For this was the day that Hao was detained by the Beijing division of China’s State Security Bureau.
Chinese bloggers sat on this news for several days scared that the same fate might await them if they said something they were not supposed to to make sure something was wrong before raising an alarm. Hao Wu was also North East Asia editor for a blog mentioned many times on PP, Global Voices Online, where he contributed under the name Tian Yi.
Ethan Zuckerman, also of GVO, has created a blog where you can learn more about Hao and find out what you can do. His blogging is probably not the reason for his detention, although it is not known for sure. Most think his filmmaking career is what angered the Chinese authorities.
Hao gave up a US-based job to move to Beijing in order to make the film after which his blog was named, Beijing or Bust. Some believe he has been detained so that film he has shot about China’s underground churches may be used to secure prosecutions.
Update: Mentioned on Comment is Free and Harry’s Place too.
Correction: We sat on it because we were afraid it would hurt Hao Wu if we raised undo publicity, not because we were afraid we would put ourselves in danger. This was at the request of his relatives. Once they gave the word, we publicized.
There seems to be a large growth in religions like Christianity and Falun Gong in China. I wonder if this phenomenon is partly caused by the censorship and heavy handedness of the ruling state party, like a displacement of all that energy of censorship and political repression. After all, where does the political energy go? You simply can’t repress it forever. Maybe it takes the form of religion, and these religions become the battleground between the people and the state.
Down with Communism, down with Islamism. The twin forces for totalitaranism in the modern world. This is not the time for the free world to cower.
Yeah! Yeah! Freedom Rulez! Freedom Rocks!
Communism in many ways is like a religion, in China it is embodied in the Red Book of Mao. Like all dogmatic religions, others are repressed or curtailed.
Correction made Richard, thanks.
I’d now expect Indian commies to protest in thousands when Chinese premier vists India.
[I’d now expect Indian commies to protest in thousands when Chinese premier vists India.]
Haha!
On the bright side, many Chinese are rediscovering Buddhism.
Rohin,
I’ve written to Amnesty International UK as their search engine gave me no results when I entered Hao Wu. Perhaps they can help.