Tuesday, February 22, 2011

CHINA - The jasmine flowers do not thrive

Since February 17, 2011, a message calling on Chinese to follow the example of Tunisia and Egypt has been released on Boxun, an information site located in the United States. Customers were asked to gather on February 20 in thirteen cities chanting messages such as "We want to eat, we want work, we want housing" or "We want justice".

The appeal, of unknown origin, has circulated on the Internet through social networks and microblogging like Twitter, Sina and QQ. Many Chinese activists, as Mo Zhixue have seen as an opportunity to make a "performance art" rather than a real call for revolution. The daily Taiwanese Wang Bao, rallies have not had much success.

They would have mobilized a few hundred people across the country. The power has not been slow to implement restrictive measures. On the eve of the gathering, Chinese President Hu Jintao in a speech to party officials, called for better population management and the Internet to ensure the stability of the country, tells the Wang Bao.

At a meeting with provincial officials, Zhou Yongkang, Minister of State Security, also stressed the need for stricter control of the Internet, reports the official Xinhua news agency. In its edition of February 20, the Hong Kong daily Pingguo Ribao (Apple Daily) headline: "Chinese Internet users launch the revolution of jasmine, the Liberation Army is combat ready." The police has indeed deployed extensive security arrangements.

The business daily HK Shunpo indicates that the word "jasmine" and "tomorrow" have been censored on the Internet. Boxun was the victim of cyber attacks since February 19. Dozens of activists and defenders of human rights have been arrested or have disappeared and others were under house arrest.

According to messages left on discussion forums, security forces were deployed even in cities not on the list. In its editorial, the Hong Kong daily Ming Pao questioned the effectiveness of repression by the authorities. "If he wants to avoid a revolution of jasmine, the authority must first solve the problems of corruption and implement social policies that truly defend the interests of the people."

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