The Portrait of an Ugly "Olympic Host" -- Visiting Zeng Jinyan: The
Movie /Simon Elegant
http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2008/03/visiting_zeng_jinyan_the_movi...
-- Micky's HO: The images of Beijing's police are so vividly thuggish,
what a shame on Beijing Olympics! --
March 25, 2008 3:36
Visiting Zeng Jinyan: The Movie
Posted by Simon Elegant
Hu Jia, the activist about whom we have written often, stood trial in
Beijing's Intermediate Court No. 1 last week on subversion charges. His
conviction and sentence (a not guilty judgment is about as likely as
Steven Spielberg getting an engraved invitation to the Olympics Opening
Ceremony) is expected any time now. About a week earlier, my colleague
Austin Ramzy and I tried to visit his wife, Zeng Jinyan, who is under
house arrest. Here's a video of what happened:
http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2008/03/visiting_zeng_jinyan_the_movi...
Dear Simon:
Thank you this time for a non-biased report. Though we did not see that
in your previous two posts about Tibet, this is clearly an improvement.
Just a piece of advice: please do not forget you are a journalist all
the time.
Thank you again.
Posted by Xinqiang | March 25, 2008 4:22 AM
courage 89:
Simon,
Thanks so much for bringing us this video. I think about his wife and
child and hope so much they are OK.
No surprise here, China's policy toward the foreign press has not, and
will not change until that tyrannical government is out. Those lies they
told to the IOC and to the world about free and open press were just
that, BOLD FACED LIES!
They cant stand the fact that anyone would report the truth, they only
know how to lead their own "mouth piece newspapers" around by the nose,
and control what THEY THINK people should know. Makes you wonder just
how much they have to hide. The black out in Tibet is proof positive of
that. Any one that is tell the truth is clear and open for all to see.
My friends in China are very smart and know how to get around that type
of censorship. I think a lot of great Chinese people know that as well.
I hope for the day they don't have to sneak around anymore, but have
full and open lives.
It is so sad for Hu Jia, a real hero and someone that all Chinese can
look up to for sure. I know if convicted the world press will come to
his defense. He has done nothing wrong!
August is going to prove extremely interesting and very challenging to
say the least for that government, I for one am very much looking
forward to that!
Hope to see you there.
Posted by courage 89 | March 25, 2008 10:27 AM
Wu Di:
Simon, thanks for sharing what happens when you actually attempt to
visit Zeng Jinyan. I've been at "Bobo Freedom City" before. I'm sure
that most Chinese (and foreigners) living in the neighborhood know that
these things are happening, and I don't think they approve of these
measures to control people from speaking out and being visited.
How can controlling citizen's freedoms possibly be justified?
Posted by Wu Di | March 25, 2008 12:39 PM
Zhangsan:
Thanks a lot Simon. I've read about this sort of behavior, but this is
the first time I have seen a video on it. I wonder how much worse the
treatment might have been if you guys were 'only' a local mainlander
reporter, as opposed to a clearly foreign whom they would be perhaps
more afraid to be too forceful.
Much appreciated.
Posted by Zhangsan | March 25, 2008 2:35 PM
Zhangsan:
Thanks a lot Simon. I've read about this sort of behavior, but this is
the first time I have seen a video on it. I wonder how much worse the
treatment might have been if you guys were 'only' a local mainlander
reporter, as opposed to a clearly foreign whom they would be perhaps
more afraid to be too forceful.
Much appreciated.
Posted by Zhangsan | March 25, 2008 2:35 PM
Evan_Wu:
(the words ending with an asterisk have definition at the end)
I don't mean all, but like some other western media, this one, too, uses
partial to conclude and cloak the whole fact. during 1:20 to 1:50, the
journalist is talking to that lady police, the policy told him that they
are investigating a case, nobody including those people who live in the
Xiaoqu* can go in it now. But why the video doesn't show the translation
of this part. And when the Xiaoqu's security guard came(not policeman),
the subtitle begins.(at 1:53) , the guard tells the journalist not to
take pics and look at the sign at 02:11. The sign said "forbidden is
take pictures of the area"(although translation is little awkward, but
we know what that mean), in a lot of Xiaoqu* in China, the customer will
pay a Wuye* company to look after the Xiaoqu. So in some xiaoqu, they
will tell you no pics taking. and here, the sign was there long before
the journalist came(not made for him intendedly!!!) and the yellow
cordon at the beginning of the video(not made for the TIME journalist
too, it's already there before he came, they are investigating a case!
cuz no people can go in) At 2:30, the guy said this is my xiaoqu, no
picture taking, not as the subtitle there --"this is my neighborhood".
the reason why write this comment is that I'm really mad about western
media fabricationg and ungroundedly guessing sometimes, like recently
Tibet riot in which most pics show Nepal's police but saying that they
are chinese police and so on....
I admit that western media have more interview rights than their chinese
counterpart. And most events that were reported truely happened. But You
guys should report every case fully and objectively instead of full of
bias and partial facts which incline to an extreme view. I hope the
western readers, before you believe an article, read more about the
thing on the article, get sources from different approaches and then
judge yourself.
*Xiaoqu: in chinese, it's a apartment complex that were built by one
asset company, usually the building's style and color are the same.
*Wuye Company: a company whose business includes security, gardening,
ensuring the whole xiaoqu clean, registering coming strangers, etc. so
like if the people living in the xiaoqu and lost their bike or car's
lock was broken, if no criminal was arrested, to some extend, it's the
wuye's responsibility for the stealing or breaking. so more than 99%%
xiaoqu will have security guards at the xiaoqu's each door no matter
daytime or night.
Posted by Evan_Wu | March 26, 2008 9:08 PM
Xinqiang:
Oh my gosh. Thank you, Evan_Wu. I almost forgot that. In lots of
regulated and well-managed Xiaoqu in China, even Chinese are not allowed
to enter, let alone shooting videos. Plus, clearly that lady was a nice
policewoman. Yet for westerners, it did sound unbelieveable not to be
allowed to interview Zeng Jinyan, but the men shouting at Simon and his
colleague were definitely not policemen, but security guards employed by
the Xiaoqu. You can see a lot of them in China.
Posted by Xinqiang | March 27, 2008 12:16 AM
lululu:
why don't you arrange a trip with all your colleagues from the foreign
correspondents club? agree to pool the reporting, and with 30+ people
trying to go into that gate at least some will get through to her door
Posted by lululu | March 27, 2008 6:28 AM
fouete:
中国政府的恶劣形象都是拜这帮低素质的警察所赐，执法有很多方式的。
Posted by fouete | March 29, 2008 5:32 AM
ZW:
bravo Zeng jinyan.
and Simon, as one chinese, I appraciate what u have done in this visite.
Posted by ZW | March 29, 2008 9:18 AM
