Another Fallen Hero: 譚作人

From the Associated Press.

Another China activist charged with subversion

(AP) – Jul 31, 2009

BEIJING — A Chinese activist who questioned why so many schoolchildren died in 2008's massive earthquake has been charged with subversion and will stand trial in mid-August, his lawyer said Friday.

Tan Zuoren's trial is to begin Aug. 12 in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province where a devastating earthquake last year left nearly 90,000 dead or missing, said lawyer Pu Zhiqiang of Beijing's Huayi Law Firm.

Tan is accused of inciting to subvert state power, but it was not immediately clear what evidence will be brought against him, Pu said by telephone from Chengdu.

Beijing routinely uses the charge of subversion to imprison dissidents for years.
Following the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan, Tan tried to investigate the collapse of school buildings in the quake and the number of schoolchildren killed, estimating at least 5,600 students were victims.

Tan had hoped to complete his investigation before the May 12 anniversary of the quake, but he was detained in late March, Hong Kong-based activist network Chinese Human Rights Defenders said earlier.

In May, the government finally released its own count of students killed in the disaster, putting the official toll at 5,335.

Critics allege that corruption-enabled shoddy construction caused several schools to collapse while buildings nearby remained intact — a politically sensitive theory that the government has tried to quash.

Officials blame the sheer force of the quake as the main cause of the number of flattened schools.

Pu said the charges appear to be linked to Tan's quake investigation as well as essays he wrote about the 1989 student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square that ended in a deadly military crackdown.

China has always reacted sharply to any challenges to its one-party system, but it is also cracking down on any dissent ahead of a gala celebrating the communist regime's 60th anniversary on Oct. 1.

Subversion. That's what most of China's greatest modern heroes are often accused of. Why? Because our great nation is so corrupt and backwards and too proud/afraid/stupid to admit that they fucked up.

Prostitutes: 1 Politicians: 0

From the Hong Kong Standard...

Poll gives prostitutes a leg up

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Prostitutes are considered more trustworthy in China than government officials and scientists, a survey suggests.

Sex workers are considered trustworthy by 7.9 percent of 3,376 respondents, putting them in third place after farmers and religious workers, Insight China magazine said.

"A list like this is at the same time surprising and embarrassing," the China Daily said yesterday in an editorial.

"The sex workers' unexpected prominence on this list of honor is indeed unusual."

The list showed scientists and teachers ranked "way below, and that government functionaries, too, scored hardly better."

Soldiers and students were ranked right after sex workers.

The editorial found it "worrisome" that there was a "dramatic drop in government credibility ratings."

More than 91 percent of the respondents admitted "they would take government data with a pinch of salt," it said.

"Given the constant feed of scandals involving the country's elite, this is not bad at all."

It added: "At least the scientists and officials have not slid into the least credible category, which consists of real estate developers, secretaries, agents, entertainers and directors."

Why why why why why am I not surprised.

I understand that defeating corruption is a daunting task. I know that this is not a job that can be accomplished quickly, but when your people (if this were a truthful national survey, I'll bet the number would be higher than 7.9%) trust prostitutes more than they trust government officials... YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM!

My brainstorming...

Instead of using the media to their advantage, the government tres to conceal pretty much everything. Why not use the media to put pressure on corrupt officials? Why not purposely leak information to expose local government criminals? Yes, it is difficult for good China officials to go against the flow and risk being ousted by their corrupt peers. So perhaps covert operations are in order. Leak information to the press, give them the freedom to expose the most corrupt officials, give covert protection to reporters who face danger.

Instead of creating secret "police" to "maintain peace" (the government has unlicensed, unofficial, unlawful, brutally violent secret police that beat up citizens for minor infractions), the good politicians should create secret police that exposes corruption and protects the whistleblowers. Naturally, the high up officials must be able to cut all ties with these covert operators in order to not arouse suspicion among their peers. I think with covert operations, the press, and internet bloggers working together, it is possible to defeat corruption and regain the faith of the people.

Anyways, that would be my dream anti-corruption operation. I'm almost 100% sure it will never happen.

Can Jonas Blane and The Unit beat corruption?