The gag order

The fact that China lets out only that information which it wants the world to see is well known and documented. Yet, it comes as a shock to know that in this age of digitization and computerization, where all information is instant and shared in social networks, something as big a news as a riot in a village in China is squashed.

Amidst all this news, the Chinese Govt ensured that no news was spread about wide spread rioting in the village of Wukan in Guangdong province. This was mainly on account of long running land disputes and charges of corruption. People posted news of how their relatives, even as old as grandparents were carried away by the govt in the middle of the night but soon the news was pulled off from the social media. There were some pictures of the protests too put up but only to be blocked soon.

Information from Wukan was on near lockdown in mainland China, except for posts on official government accounts in Weibo, a Twitter equivalent, condemning the protests. BBC was not allowed to enter the village.

It is just telling how China, which if it becomes the super power that it wants to become, essentially become the “America” for the world, can put the entire world into a crisis. Super power is not just about economics, it is about protecting human rights first.