Charter 08 in China


Cheering from the next stadium over, because I'm not there

China is always worth watching. There is an epic struggle for freedom going on there, and it's anyone's guess who is going to win.

Hers is the 3,943rd signature on the list that has swelled to more than 8,100 from across China. Although their numbers are still small, those signing the document, and the broad spectrum from which they come, have made the human rights manifesto, known as Charter 08, a significant marker in the demands for democracy in China, one of the few sustained campaigns since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Those who sign the charter risk arrest and punishment.

When the document first appeared online in mid-December, its impact was limited. Many of the original signers were lawyers, writers and other intellectuals who had long been known for their pro-democracy stance. The Chinese government moved quickly to censor the charter -- putting those suspected of having written it under surveillance, interrogating those who had signed, and deleting any mention of it from the Internet behind its great firewall.

My bet is on individuals.

Can't stop the signal.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Mon - February 2, 2009 at 01:20 PM  Tag


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