Tear down this firewall!

Comparisons to Nelson Mandela
were nearly automatic once
 the announcement of  imprisoned
Liu Xiaobo was finalized.
PHOTO: AFP

Ever since the Norwegian Nobel Institute awarded this year's prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo earlier this month, much of the world has cautiously watched the Chinese government's questionable handling of the announcement. Pulling up nearly three million Google results, Xiaobo seems to be all over the internet.

Not so in China. According to CNN, "Liu Xiaobo" is not a searchable name in his home country. CNN also reports the Nobel Institute's website and any international broadcasts concerning the peace prize were blocked within hours of the announcement.  Xiaobo, a major contributor to Charter 08 -- a manifesto calling for the furthering of human rights in China, is currently imprisoned for "inciting subversion of state power." Xiaobo isn't scheduled to be released for another ten years.




These governmental tactics at censorship are nothing new; numerous countries control all or the majority of national media. In fact, as restricting as its actions might appear of late, China did not even crack the top ten most censored countries in a 2006 report from the Committee to Protect Journalists.  (http://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php)

CPJ listed North Korea as the most censored nation in the world, citing the government's total control of all domestic media and the limited access given to any international journalists. Other notable countries on the list include Cuba, Syria and Libya, labeled the most restricting in the Middle East.

Dr. Joshua Landis, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oklahoma, agrees censorship is an issue but thinks social media and technological advancements have provided a unique opportunity to override censoring.

Landis, who has lived in the Middle East for much of his life, said,"All over the Middle East -- Facebook, Youtube are restricted, but there are proxies. You can't find a computer in Syria where Facebook is not accessible. They [government] have a very hard time censoring sites because you can go through just about anything and get to Facebook. The president and the first lady of Syria have Facebook sites."

In much the same way, Chinese citizens use these proxies to get desired information, says OU Chinese History professor Dr. Miriam Gross, although, she adds, most in China have not heard of Xiaobo. Liu Xia, Xiaobo's wife, has been under house arrest since her husband's achievement, but has still managed to maintain her twitter account. Xia has added thousands of followers in the mere weeks.

Landis said along with the introduction of satellite television, social media has helped people manage dialogue more effectively. "They're realizing they don't have to be as frightened of free speech," he said.

For more with Dr. Landis, check out these excerpts.

Starbuckle Wilderness

For the Martyrs

Protesters in Hong Kong cry out with fists raised
and hearts outstretched for Liu Xiaobo's freedom outside
China's liaison office. Kin Cheung/AP

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo Friday, despite a stiff warning from the Chinese government. Xiaobo is currently serving his first of an eleven year prison term for "inciting subversion of state power" after participating in the authoring of Charter 08, a manifesto calling for furthering of human rights in China.

Since Friday's announcement, the Chinese government has heavily censored any news concerning the prize, even blacking out CNN and BBC programming. CNN also reports blogs and internet search engines in the country are being tightly controlled. Xiaobo's wife, Liu Xia, has also announced on Twitter.com that she has been under house arrest after visiting her husband in prison following the pronouncement.

These recent acts by the Chinese government have met considerable global hostility, including from last year's laureate, President Barack Obama.

"This award reminds us that political reform has not kept pace, and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be respected," Obama said. "We call on the Chinese government to release Liu as soon as possible."

Mark Frazier, Associate Director of OU's Institute for U.S. - China Issues, says the awarding of the prize has "put a great deal more pressure," on China, but does not foresee a release of Xiaobo in the near future. Dr. Miriam Gross, an assistant Chinese history professor at OU, agrees, saying the Chinese government won't let Xiaobo go for fear of looking weak. "They [Chinese government] are very afraid ...  "They saw the USSR fall like a house of cards," she said.

While the situation looks bleak, Xia and Xiaobo have acknowledged imprisonment as necessary for progression of liberty, with Xia even posting that Xiaobo began to cry upon hearing of his prize before saying "This is for the martyrs of Tiananmen Square."

Thousands have began following Xia's Twitter account since Friday.

Venezuela's Parliamentary Election Hints Change

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gives a speech in Caracas, Venezeula.
Jorge Silva / Reuters

Winds of change are blowing in Venezuela as the Latin American country held a parliamentary election Sept. 26, its first in five years. The results offered a glimpse into the spirits of many Venezuelans, with the Hugo Chavez-led United Socialist Party receiving a party victory of 98 to 67, the lowest it has seen in the 12-year-reign of Chavez. Even more revealing, the popular vote was a near split, leaving Chavez and his cohorts with less than the two-thirds majority they have become so accustomed to.

Without the majority, the United Socialists should find pushing legislation more difficult. In 1999, Chavez led the movement to a new Venezuelan constitution. In 2009, Chavez succeeded in eliminating presidential term limits, despite voters rejecting a similar bill two years earlier. Even more alarming for Chavez supporters, the parliamentary results are concrete signs that Venezuelans might be wary of another term for the charismatic leader.

Chavez, known for his relationship with Fidel Castro and a follower of the teachings of Simon Bolivar, Che Guevara and Karl Marx, is a key leader of the "Bolivarian" socialist movement in South America. A Venezuela without Chavez could mark a political change in much of Latin America.

Chavez became president in 1998, after a failed coup d'etat of President Carlos Perez six years prior. Chavez was arrested and imprisoned but became a hero to the Venezuelan destitute in the process. Once president, he made great strides for the poor, even placing hospitals in the country's barrios and socializing health care.

Despite such implements, Venezuela has seen massive inflation and an alarmingly high murder rate under Chavez.

Native Venezuelan and OU graduate student Juan Uzcategui said these issues are a direct consequence of Chavez. Uzcategui explained, saying the government's tight control on the economy has brought tremendous inflation and Chavez's Robin Hood-style approach to government has caused noticeable class tension that may explain the high crime and murder rate.

Uzcategui said it wasn't always like this. "He [Chavez] had very good plans, very good ideas ... People cried when he spoke. Now everything's politicized. The government owns everything," he said.

But Uzcategui said he is excited for the future.

Maria Camero, left, and Juan Uzcategui

"A change is coming. There is pluralism in the parliament ... Some people say this is the beginning of the end, I say it's the beginning of change," he said. 

Uzcategui is also a member of the University of Oklahoma's Association Friends of Venezuela. Graduate student and president of the organization, Maria Camero, could not comment on her country's political state but said she is very excited to share the culture she loves this semester. Camero said she is looking forward to two upcoming events in particular, including a Latin-infused campus scavenger hunt Oct. 23 and an honoring of "La Chinita," a Venezuelan-specific holiday on Nov. 19.

For more information about Association Friends of Venezuela, contact Camero at marycamero@ou.edu.