Tuesday, February 21, 2006

News of the Day (February 21)

From the China Freedom Blog Alliance: The Korea Liberator promotes a nice shirt, ponders the effects of North Korea human rights events on the South Korean Parliamentary election, and of course, has all the latest SNK news.

More on the would-be colony: The special economic zone in Shinuiju may be ready to go next month, and over 25,000 residents will go whether they're ready or not (Daily NK); it will be interesting to see if the Stalinist choose an administrator without corruption charges hanging over his head (sixth and fourth items). Meanwhile, former prisoner Ahn Hyok has another painful installment of life in a Stalinist prison; the title says it all: "Prisoners Catching Rats for Survival" (Daily NK).

Washington Post series on blogs concludes: In today's final installment, the Post follows the story of blocked blogger Zhao Jing (fifth, tenth, and third items), and reveals the painful truth about the internet in Communist China: "surveys show most Internet users are members of the urban elite who are benefiting from China's booming economy and have avoided writing about politics," i.e., the cadres are not only blocking cyberdissidents, but have also tailored their web to ensure an apathetic, or even sympathetic, netizenry.

More on Communist censorship: Reporters Without Borders gives its "sickened" (Boxun) response to the shell-like return of Freezing Point and more journalists under arrest. Liu Xiaobo, Epoch Times, marvels at the ability of a Communist to lie, and lie repeatedly, about this subject. Finally, lawyer and Washington Times columnist Bruce Fein runs away with the Ignorant Comment of the Day for whitewashing American tech companies who are aiding the Communist internet crackdown.

Practitioners on hunger strike in Daqing prison: Over 20 Falun Gong practitioners held in Daqing prison "have been on a hunger strike for nearly one month to protest the persecution of Falun Gong in China" (Epoch Times). Despite this, the persecution continues.

"Buried beneath the glittering skyscrapers of booming Shanghai are countless stories of the miseries of families." This was how Gu Qinger (Epoch Times) began the story of Wu Gengqiang, who had his house destroyed by the cadres in that city.

Japanese trade minister in Communist China: Toshihiro Nikai "headed for Beijing" (BBC) earlier this morning. Among those who will see him is Communist Premier Wen Jiabao.

EU may slap tariff on Communist shoes: The European Union has "found evidence that Chinese and Vietnamese firms were dumping footwear on European markets" (BBC). Said dumping (selling exported goods below cost to crowd out local competitors), "appeared to be fuelled by the actions of the governments in Beijing and Hanoi." The EU could respond with a 20% shoe tariff as soon as April.

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