Dongshan Island - China Riots

The following is what I found on Time Blog

Back in June, the people of the coastal city of Xiamen came out onto the streets for two successive days to protest plans to allow a billion-dollar chemical plant to be built within city limits. It was an unprecedented but entirely peaceful demonstration and, after considerable twists and turns, eventually resulted in the municipal government deciding to relocate the project to an island about 100 kilometers to the south of Xiamen. At the time, we noted that the authorities would have a hard time controlling the impulse to demonstrate in other cities. Sure enough, there were protests in Shanghai (over a planned train project) and elsewhere. They were entirely peaceful and relatively small, involving only a few hundred people. Now however, it looks as though that same chemical plant that caused the trouble in Xiamen is sparking large protest again, this time violent, with one or more protesters possibly dying. Reports remain sketchy—material on the internet in China is rapidly blocked or deleted—but it's now clear that many thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of residents living near the proposed site of the relocated plant have been showing their displeasure at the plan.

One post entitled, "New development on PX Project: Protest at Dongshan Island" on a Sohu.com (a popular portal) bulletin board mysteriously survived three days of censorship. Although the authorities never officially announced the plan to relocate the chemical plant to Gulei Peninsula in Zhangzhou City, the local opposition to the project was very strong. On Dongshan Island, which is next to the proposed project site, that opposition burst into the open on Feb.29.

"On Feb. 29th, the peaceful island witnessed a historic breakout by the residents. Thousands of people blocked the main roads in town and stopped all vehicles leaving for the government district of Dongshan County", the post recounts. And this was only the prelude. On March 1, "thousands of motorcycles, vans, buses, and even more people took to the streets", and an "even bigger demonstration has been planned for the next day". According to the posts, several police cars were destroyed by "furious protestors", and severe injuries occurred on both sides. A death toll of 1 or 3 is cited in the follow-up posts.

With a population of only 220,000, Dongshan Island mostly depends on tourism and the fishing industry for its local GDP. "We are diligent, honest and law abiding people. We put up with constant military exercises, we make a living by hard, honest labor, and what more do we have to give?" says an angry poster, "We can't afford to live in Xiamen with the salary we make, and now we are driven away from Dongshan as well! If we put up with the pollution from PX and endure the consequences, how can we explain to future generations?"

The local Dongshan authorities responded to the protest on the morning of the 2nd with an "Open letter to Dongshan citizens", broadcast only on local TV. Internet posts on the riot are quickly deleted as soon as they appear, but bits and pieces of surviving information indicate that the government's open letter--which warned against further protests--failed to mollify the demonstrators.

I shall give more information tomorrow!!

Flickr = Censorship

Flickr = Censorship, originally uploaded by Thomas Hawk.

The following is by Thomas Hawk:

Flickr = Censorship

[I'm CEO of Zooomr]

Well it is with great disappointment that I found myself yet again a victim of censorship on Flickr. Earlier today while engaging in a debate about Flickr's recent censorship in Germany I had over a dozen of my comments permanently deleted out of a debate by Flickr staff.

You can see the references to my involvement in the debate here and here among other places.

It's ironic that of all places that Flickr would choose to censor me would be in a thread protesting their censorship. And without any warning even or explanation.

This is not the first time I've been censored by Flickr.

The points that I was making in my debate about censorship on Flickr had a lot to do with what I see as problems at Yahoo. The fact that their CEO is the highest paid CEO in the United States, the fact that Yahoo 2 days ago rejected an important shareholder proposal denouncing censorship. And yes this most recent issue of censorship where people in Germany can only access Flickr in "safe mode."

Now some might say that it's not right for me as a competitor to Yahoo to be critical of their practices. But let me point you to the screen shot above. It comes from Flickr employee Dunstan Orchard's public zipline on Zooomr. Dunstan and other Flickr employees have been on Zooomr disparaging our site for the past week. So to me it seems a tad hypocritical that when I legitimately object to censorship on Flickr that I would have my words censored, while Flickr staff seems to feel that it's perfectly appropriate to disparage Zooomr over at Zooomr.

It's not right. And what Flickr doesn't understand is that by censoring your critic you only make him stronger. I'm sure it's probably only a matter of time before I get kicked off of Flickr entirely. All my photographs destroyed and deleted as well. Over 40,000 comments from many good friends.

This is the difference though between me and Flickr. When Dunstan and other Flickr employees disparaged Zooomr I let their words stand. Rather than censor them, I took the high road and did not. Meanwhile Flickr continues to build a name for itself: Flickr = censorship. Silencing me will not change this and it's a sad state of affairs to see happen to the Flickr that I once loved so much and that even now professes to "love me" on the little icon above my page.

Censorship is borne out of fear and weakness. This is something always to remember.

Uploaded by Thomas Hawk on 14 Jun 07, 3.24AM PDT.
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The following is my comments:


I have been a supporter of flickr like TH all along. Although I have a Zooomr account, but I am not too active.

To me, These events are a history repeated by itself of flickr-Yahoo.

Yahoo - flickr = Yahoo!

TH is a user of flickr. However, flickr have the Supreme God & goddess. Whom decide who should be censored; block or deleted...etc.

I have experience that since Sept 29, 2005 till today.

To me flickr is a great photo management community, but over time the Power - politics seem to be happening in both internal & external which are the "customers".

If the management on the top is assuming the imperialism management or authoritarian style then e-gangsterism or e-hooliganism would born naturally.

TH is good heart by sounding out for flickr to improve. It means well & good. However, that is not really appreciated as my earlier experiences.

Perhaps it is the same as what I have been served & f-team God think that it is a threat to their existence.

Especially, TH have commented at his own flickr. Which they have the power to do what they want. Anytime a violating the TOS can just created. & then they can exercise their power.

flickr junior staffs messing at Zooomr site are totally un-professional in the web2.0 era.

In my opinion, Yahoo CEO Terry Semel should need to come forward to the front to assume the leadership to iron out those censorship issue including Germany, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea & also those blockage, suspensions, deletions, harassments; oppressions; bully to the Yahoo customers..etc. before it is too late.

China begins purge on Internet porn!! "Strip shows, images, stories, audio, video. ‘This pervion corrupts China's young minds" says Chinese government

CharlieBrown8989 says: name reply / icon reply www.itwire.com.au/content/view/8877/53/ Chinese Internet population hits 137m PDF Print E-mail By Alex Zaharov-Reutt Wednesday, 24 January 2007 That leaves over 1.1b Chinese offline, but figures have grown an impressive 23.4% in the last year, now reaching 10.5% of the Chinese population. Related stories * Salesforce.com adds content management to SaaS lineup * Yahoo's Alpha in beta * Firefox goes social with The Coop * MySpace debut for Eisner's Prom Queen * Old media "YouTube killers" just don't get it The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) has published its 19th report (although unavailable at the English version of the website at the time of writing), announcing a big jump in Chinese Internet users, according to Reuters and Cnet. Actually the un official number could be even more. I am told by end of Dec 2006, China already over took US as Number 1 internet population in the world. When I visit the mountain logs area un rural China. I am surprising to find that there are computer center & internet cafe. In 2005, when I visit the same area, there isn't any computer there!! From my research & up bring in, Chinese culture is not to eat other people bowl of rice. The Legend Teaching is: " Just clean up your own front yard snow, Never border about other Ice on their neighbour roof!!" masterdebater16 remark is exactly the requirement on China for Many thousand years. You see Marco Polo is the great embassador of the west on the trade, he is the advisor to Gengiskhan, he trades the culture & technology at both end. But he never put rules on China!! Looking back into the end of the last China imperialism era, those 8 Nations attempt to colonized China , Japanese Invasion, Soviet Union Communist International attempts to control over China all failed!! Looking at 1977 the War "To Teach North Vietnam" a lesson!! That exactly exhibited China did use the Sun Zi Art of War strategy. As well as behave as a big brother of North Vietnam then. In the Chinese culture, they know what is the family affair & what is external. I believe the leaders there know how to treat friends & allies nice. So that they have the life boat when they call the term ended!! They do know that as a big country if they don't behave like what they suppose to conduct then with the internet technology & the international pressure they would cannot be a bully. It is the Chinese family teaching for the 6,XXX years of civilization that one should be behave more on the "Yin" & take losses then be a aggressor. That is Chinese people call Virtue. Although there might be some hawks may attempt to flex the power. But as the Dao of Nature. Nothing is Permanant!! Birth & Death is just in a Cycle!! - Gotama The above is my additional comments on my understanding of Chinese Culture.... Additional reading: http://www.flickr.com/photos/journalism/457862733/?#comment72157600074369149