Would Obama administration protect Chen, the blind Chinese human rights dissident?

Ever wondered why Chinese authorities- the Communist Party of China (CPC) and even the PLA, never give press conferences? 2012, being the election year, is creating hullabaloo from everywhere from France to India; China remains quiet. The international community’s intelligence fails more when it comes to discerning about China than even Iran or North Korea. But the silence before the storm did end. And the man that did so, was  blind dissident Chen Guangcheng. 

The self taught lawyer was placed under house arrest for 4 years. He had gained fame and massive empathy after fighting against the inhuman trends used by Chinese government to retain ‘One couple, One child policy’. Be it sterilising, abortions or even vasectomy, the Chinese government left no stone unturned. In the province of Shandong, 500 km south of Beijing, the entire concept of social contract theory, liberty and right to life failed. While the atrocities of China in Tibet and Taiwan have been in limelight, these brutal cases of population control hardly received media attention.

Chen Guangcheng and his wife, both in their 40s, have been in house arrest for Chen’s human rights activism. But last week of April, he somehow managed to escape by bluffing the Chinese guards that he was ill and hence, they had decreased the vigilance. With the help of his other activist colleagues, Chen travelled 500 kms north to the US Embassy in Beijing. Now, there are two loopholes in this narration. First, if Chen was in house arrest, how did he manage to communicate about his run off to his colleagues? Secondly, why was US embassy chosen?

Anyways, as the story goes on, Chen goes to the US embassy, talks with the embassy officials there and reveals about his four year long arrest. He also talks to Hillary Clinton who promises him that he and his wife would be getting protection from America. But justice is not that simple. Chinese dragon glared at Uncle Sam. US has no right to intervene in the political matters of China. Criticism started and the rivalries got difficult to contain. Sadly, the wrath of it all, was faced by Chen’s wife who was nearly beaten to death in her house after her husband escaped.

Chen on the other hand, was ‘suggested’ to leave the premises of US embassy as his story got international attention. US officials took picture of him, revealing how happy he was to go to the hospital. One of the embassy staff even mentioned that Chen was so pleased with American response that he exclaimed he could even kiss Hillary Clinton. The photographs were preserved, less like a souvenir but more like evidences for defense. Chen was consoled that he would be having officials at the hospital with him. There was nothing to worry. But that’s exactly when the story changed.

When Chen arrived at the hospital, he was all alone. He had no idea that his escape has caused so much of impact. He had no idea what his wife was going through. Now, there comes another loophole in the story. When Chen was in the embassy, how come, he did not communicate with his wife? He also had fellow colleagues in Shandong who would certainly know what was going on. Anyways, the US embassy stated that Chen did not seek refuge for protection but for medical emergency. Also, they stated that he wanted to head to the hospital and it was not the suggestion of US officials. What exactly happened, very few people know about.

This entire case of human rights has emerged during the election campaign time for Obama. So, would he provide safety to Chen or ignore him? The issue took graver position as Hillary Clinton would be in Beijing next week to talk about trade relations. China might simply back off in anger if Chen’s issue is given more attention. After all, US- China ties have been going through worst confrontational period due to the Syria and Iran issue. Another addition to it can further fire up the volatile issue.

Only time would tell if Chen, the human rights dissident gets justice or is his story simply forgotten?

What rebels, NATO, Western countries and technology are doing in Libya?

Osama Fathy Ashour, the 29 year old rebel fighter in Libya is dead. Mourners are praying at his funeral. Its a ritual now. A sacred duty to offer condolence, lament, grieve in pain and yet continue the fight. How many more rebels will be sacrificed, we dont know. 

Moving towards the international and regional politics involved in the country, the past few weeks have witnessed a lot of globetrotters,speeches, funding hopes and yes, bombings.

‘NATO’s stand’

‘One piece of human intelligence is not enough,’ says one of the sources from the private security companies who are helping NATO to identify and target the movements of Colonel Gadaffi supporters in Misrata, Libya.

Currently, Libyan government has started accusing the NATO for killing the 718 civilians. Also, more than 4000 civilians have been injured due to the air strikes.

When I asked David Heathfiel, video journalist from NatoChannel. TV, he had stated that everything can not be bombed in Libya by the Nato. With the blame game starting in such a stupendous manner against the entire force, there needs to be this acceptance that at some point, even Nato, irrespective of how flawless it seems, does have its own limitations.

‘Libya: how we see it’

In February, it seemed like  a country which would imitate the Tunisian and Egyptian independence. Today, it has become just another story lost in the commercial pages of newspapers. People have stopped talking about it. Even if they do, the superficiality becomes evident. No one cares. Its becoming like Afghanistan where the war in itself became anonymous after some time.

Opinions are changing and so is the pursuit for it.

‘Gadaffi will not go’

However, the Libyan TV has recently broadcasted pictures of Colonel Gadaffi while having conversation with South African President Jacob Zuma. Their talks have been summoned as ‘inconclusive’. Initially, what seemed like an agreement to ceasefire is now once again, just proving to be the same old rut.

On the other hand, President Barack Obama and British PM Cameron have stated their reluctance against ‘boots on the ground.’ With US calling the soldiers back from Afghanistan in the coming months, definitely another military pursuit in another Islamic country might demand a greater price to pay.

Though, Hillary Clinton plans to visit the UAE on 9th June to hold talks with countries backing Libyan rebels.

‘Technology and Libya’

In a discussion with Tim Weber, the business editor in BBC, one point became clear. If in today’s social networking sparked revolution, Libya and other countries like it, have the boon and bane of technology, side by side.

Everyone stated that technology can be harnessed for knowing more information about the middle eastern conflict. But then, Tim also made me realise that if we are talking about technology, then so are those dictators who are ruling over the masses.

Its no doubt, a double edged sword.

Credit: Photo from Reuters

No country can dominate the technology and people, says Jared Cohen

There’s a reason why Jared Cohen has been named by Devex as one of the top40 people under 40 in the world. And you know it exactly why, when you hear him speak.

Smart. To the point. Brilliant story teller. And above all, someone who lets you speak, anxiously framing the right answers in his head, gearing up to drown you with his enormous data base of knowledge.

Very often, his eyes keep reaching out to other spectators involved in the listening process. He gives a blank expression. He is lost. Only to bounce back, again. Dressed in well fitted suit, trying to find relaxation after being jet lagged in his flight from New York to London, Jared Cohen knows when exactly the ball is in his court.

Loaded with statistical information, accurate digits and data, when Condoleeza Rice introduced him in as a member of US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, he no doubt was the youngest member in the history of America. No one knew then, the history had just started for Cohen.

Now he is the director of Google Ideas, a new initiative which aims to reframe and function on the old challenges.

Not once in the entire interview did he bend in a lazy posture. With eyes direct to his target, he pounces. Listening to him demands recording him. With the pace so fast and so over loaded with information, the guy is a living wikipedia.

The 31 year old adjunct fellow lets you delve deeper into his life by stating how many years he studied about foreign relations and international policies. Few of the books which he has written, like ‘One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide‘, ‘Children of Jihad: A Young American’s Travels among the Youth in the Middle East’ give a fair idea of what his interests are.

Delving deeper into how the Obama administration works and giving real life examples of how he saw the President maintain the government obligations and still adopt the stand of a leader, Jared shares the example of ‘Neda Sultan’s death.’

‘If the data is good enough, it will go viral,’ he states.

Adding further to how fast communication has spread in the world, he reveals how President Obama could not avoid giving a speech on the death footage of Neda during the 2009 elections in Iran. ‘The footage not only reached him, he had to watch it. Even if Iran tried to control it, the footage had spread. Everyone was talking about it. How could President Obama not know about it? He knew and he had to address the population,‘ he revealed.

Therefore, he believes that technology has empowered the international domains to such a large extent that it can not be controlled or shut down.

Though, he also states that ‘Technology is a part of both the problem and the solution’

When I asked regarding how those rural masses can be involved in circulating the information to the wider world when they themselves hardly have enough money to buy a mobile, he recounted the example of Afghanistan.

He revealed how in Afghanistan, mobile devices are used to pay salary to the police officers. ‘Initially, the country witnessed bombing of towers. But when the police started getting their salary through mobile exchange, interestingly, in one of the only country in the world that does that, things changed.’

Thus, he hinted on development which occurs in various countries, both in terms of technology, combining the rural and the rich classes through ways of innovation and need.

The hint of ‘demand’ was more logically omnipresent in his voice, through out.

Well, one of the very reasons why he left his government job to join Google Ideas where different innovations with technology can be experimented and used.

He also hinted how several people in the past have  kept questioning him about the change his career and asked him if he did not love his government job so much but he humbly declines, giving a very straight answer stating how he loved ‘innovation’ more.

And as he approaches the end, sitting alert in the most vigilant position for an interviewee, he gets flooded with high profile professionals. And courteously speaking in his strongly accented American English and removing his collar mike, he runs out for his next endeavor.