Saturday, October 9, 2010

Liu Xiaobo, he is hero



Liu Xiaobo (born 28 December 1955) is a Chinese intellectual, writer, and human rights activist and a political prisoner in China. He has served as President of the Independent Chinese PEN Center since 2003. On 8 December 2008, Liu was detained in response to his participation with Charter 08. He was formally arrested on 23 June 2009, on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power." He was tried on the same charges on 23 December 2009, and sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment and two years' deprivation of political rights on 25 December 2009.

During his 4th prison term from 2009 to 2020, he won the Nobel Peace Prize on 8 October 2010, for "his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China."

On 7 October 2010, Norwegian TV networks reported that Liu Xiaobo was a candidate for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. On 8 October 2010 the Nobel Committee awarded him the Prize "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China". The Norwegian Nobel Committee president Thorbjørn Jagland said the choice of Liu as the recipient of the prize had become clear early on in the process. The Chinese foreign ministry had previously warned the Nobel committee not to give Liu the prize, as they said that it would be against Nobel principles.

All news about the announcement of the award was immediately censored in China. Foreign news broadcasters including CNN and the BBC were immediately blacked out after mentioning the award in China. Web searches for Liu Xiabo were immediately deleted and no information can be searched about him in China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement that said, "The Nobel Peace Prize is meant to award individuals who promote international harmony and friendship, peace and disarmament. Liu Xiaobo is a criminal who has been sentenced by Chinese judicial departments for violating Chinese law. Awarding the peace to Liu runs completely counter to the principle of the award and is also a desecration of the Peace Prize." The state-run Xinhua News Agency later carried a report saying that awarding Liu Xiaobo the prize “defiles” (亵渎) Alfred Nobel's purpose of creating this prize and "may harm China-Norway relations". The spokeperson added that Liu had broken Chinese law and his "actions run contrary to the purpose of the Nobel Peace Prize."

In response to the award announcement, there were messages of congratulations from the world’s leaders. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, stated that, "The decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is a strong message of support to all those around the world who, sometimes with great personal sacrifice, are struggling for freedom and human rights." The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the award “shines a spotlight on the situation of human rights defenders worldwide,” and the Foreign Secretary William Hague continued asking for Liu’s release from jail. US President Barack Obama said in a statement, “By granting the prize to Mr. Liu, the Nobel Committee has chosen someone who has been an eloquent and courageous spokesman for the advance of universal values through peaceful and non-violent means, including his support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. But 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. We call on the Chinese government to release Mr. Liu as soon as possible.” The Dalai Lama praised the decision, and called on the Chinese government to release the jailed Liu and launch political, legal and constitutional reforms.

The Norwegian ambassador to the People's Republic of China was summoned by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on 8 October 2010 and was presented with an official complaint against the granting of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo. Seeing as the Chinese government had threatened Norwegian officials with "negative reactions" if the prize were to be given Liu, Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre, in advance of an official Chinese response to the Nobel Prize committee's decision, commented that a Chinese complaint to the Norwegian government is unnecessary, as the Nobel Prize nomination committee is independent from the Norwegian government (it is appointed by the Parliament of Norway.), adding that said independence may be difficult for the Chinese government to understand.

Liu was born in Changchun, Jilin, in 1955 to an intellectual family. From 1969 to 1973, he was taken by his father to the Horqin Right Front Banner of Inner Mongolia during the Down to the Countryside Movement. At the age of 19, it was once again arranged for him to work in a village in Jilin province and later at a construction company.

In 1976, he studied at Jilin University and obtained a B.A. degree in literature in 1982 and an M.A. degree in 1984 from Beijing Normal University.

After graduation, Liu joined the faculty at Beijing Normal University, where he also received a Ph.D. degree in 1988.

In the 1980s, his most important essays, Critique on Choices - Dialogue with Le Zehou and Aesthetics and Human Freedom earned him fame in the academic field. The essay criticised a prominent Chinese thinker Li Zehou's philosophy.

Between 1988 and 1989, he was a visiting scholar at several universities outside of China, including Columbia University, the University of Oslo and the University of Hawaii.

During the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests he was in the United States but decided to go back to China to join the movement. He was later named as one of the "Four Junzis of Tiananman Square" by many Hong Kong- and Taiwan-based Chinese media.
Human rights activities

Liu Xiaobo is a human rights activist who has called on the Chinese government to be accountable for its actions. He has been detained, arrested and sentenced repeatedly for his peaceful political activities, beginning with his participation in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and on four other occasions since.

In January 1991, Liu Xiaobo was convicted on charges of "counter-revolutionary propaganda and incitement," but he was exempt from criminal punishment. In October 1996, he was ordered to serve three years of re-education through labor on charges of "disturbing public order" for criticizing the Communist Party of China. In 2007, Liu was briefly detained and questioned about articles he wrote which were published online on websites hosted outside Mainland China.

Liu's human rights work has received international recognition. In 2004, Reporters Without Borders honored Liu's human rights work, awarding him the Fondation de France Prize as a defender of press freedom. (www.rainbowdiplomacy.com/wikipedia)
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Berry was eventually transferred


By: Yoedi Karyono

Statue of President of the United States (U.S.) Barrack Hussein Obama, who called at the time he was little was Berry. Statue of a child in short pants with a T-shirt with Obama's face a little time and a bow in his hand and was nearly four in Menteng Park since the day Sunday, February 14, 2010, dismantled the night of Menteng Park. The statue is scheduled to be built back in primary school 01 Menteng in Central Jakarta, where the Berry school for two years when he was in Jakarta in 60's.

Berry statue that had been in Menteng Park which houses the public spaces created before kontoversi and criticism, especially from the indigenous Betawi figures Jakarta and several mass organizations in Jakarta from Betawi Rempug Forum (FBR), Forum Betawi Families (Forkabi) and Betawi cultural. "Is not there anyone else who contributed to the city of Jakarta is a more worthy place Menteng Park, so Obama was there," said Ridwan Saidi Betawi cultural.

Governor Fauzi Bowo that when he placed the statue which was also inaugurated to feel uncomfortable with all the criticism and criticism, and finally secretly before midnight on Sunday, Berry statue dismantled and moved to the Elementary School Menteng 01. "At that place the statue Berry safer and more decent place," said Ridwan.

If you want in Menteng Park, continued Ridwan, anyone can put those who have contributed least to the development and advancement of Jakarta. They include Muhammad Husni Thamrin, and many other characters more clearly merit. "If Obama is what his services to progress in Jakarta. He was in Indonesia because they happened to join his mother who was married to an Indonesian, and now happens to Obama becomes U.S. President."

Berry small statue in Menteng Park may seem forced, and it all led to controversy and criticism. Some friends when together Menteng elementary school in 01 was very familiar with Obama. Yet when Obama was sworn in January 2009 no one friend who was familiar Obama was invited specially by Obama.

Ron Muller along with a few people in Indonesia, such as Mien Uno, Dalton Tanonaka, Surya Paloh and some famous people in Jakarta and their friends is the originator of ideas Berry built a statue of Obama finally placed in the Menteng Park. Indonesia will lose "if it moved the statue outside Obama Menteng Park, let alone to remove the statue," said Ron Muller.
Up to now, have not felt any benefits to Taman Menteng, Jakarta or the town school where Obama had been for two years in Jakarta.

Then on 22 until February 23 next President Obama planned to conduct a state visit and a working visit in Indonesia, but Jakarta is Obama and his family planned to visit Borobudur. (photo:Dana Anwari/www.rainbowdiplomacy.com)

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Who is Mahinda Rajapaksa?

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa won re-election, Wednesday (27/1), although the announcement was a victory of opposition from other candidates of General Sarath Fonseka.

Election Commission of Sri Lanka states, Rajapaksa collecting 57.8 percent from 10.4 million votes contested. Instead Fonseka, Rajapaksa colleagues in the civil war ended over 25 years in Sri Lanka to face Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels, collecting 40.2 percent. "Mahinda Rajapaksa has won the presidential election," says Chief Election Commission of Sri Lanka Dayananda Dissanayake.

Rajapaksa was born in Weerakatiya in the southern rural district of Hambantota. He hails from a well known political family in Sri Lanka. His father, D. A. Rajapaksa, was a prominent politician, independence agitator, Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijeyananda Dahanayake's government. D.M. Rajapaksa, his uncle, was a State Councillor for Hambantota in the 1930s who started wearing the earthy brown shawl to represent kurakkan (finger millet) cultivated by the people of his area, whose cause he championed throughout his life. It is from his example that Rajapaksa wears his characteristic shawl.

Rajapaksa was educated at Richmond College, Galle before moving to Nalanda College Colombo and later Thurstan College, Colombo. He also had a few cameo roles as a movie actor in Sinhalese movies and worked as a library assistant at Vidyodaya University.

Following the death of his father in 1967, Rajapaksa took over as the SLFP candidate for Beliatta constituency and was elected to Parliament in 1970 as the youngest Member of Parliament at the age of 24. Later he studied law at the Sri Lanka Law College and took oaths as an attorney-at-law in November 1977. Throughout his parliamentary career, except for the period from 1994-2001 when he was a minister, he continued his law practice in Tangalle.

He lost his parliamentary seat in the landslide defeat of the SLFP in 1977. During the 1985 by-election campaign in the Mulkirigala electorate in Hambantota district, for which his brother Chamal Rajapaksa contested representing the SLFP, during this time Mahinda was remanded for allegations of possession of unauthorized fire arms, but he was cleared of charges due to lack of evidence.

In 1989 he was re-elected to Parliament to represent Hambantota District under Proportional Representation. He came into prominence as a leader, together with Manorani Saravanamuttu, of the Mothers Front, which organised the mothers of the "disappeared" in the white terror of 1988-90 instigated by a rebel group that called themselves Deshapremi Jathika Vyaparaya or 'Patriotic National Movement'

Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa; known as Mahinda Rajapaksa (born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6, 2004 until his victory in the 2005 Presidential election. He was sworn in for a six-year term as president on November 19, 2005. He was re-elected for a second term in office on January 27, 2010. He was conferred with Doctor of Law by the University of Colombo on September 6, 2009. (rainbowdiplomacy.com/wikipedia/photo:thehindu.com)

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

One year, Obama charisma decreased

By Suzie S Sudarman

President Barack Obama in the presidential campaign represents himself as a character as if conciliation has been made to create a balance and have the intuition that can unite and act as a leader and not a breaker healer.

However, a year later, President Obama deal with it very ironic, which is a major defeat in the election of Democrat Governor of Virginia, New Jersey, and Senator in Massachusetts, in addition to poll public opinion about him and the policies that tend to decrease.

According to the poll in The Economist, the United States (U.S.) still like President Obama, but not the performance. Columnist EJ Dionne (2010) explains this phenomenon as a failure of the liberals turned conservative narrative about President Obama, or others, such as Alvin Felzenberg (2010), a political science expert, said that the American people love Obama and his family, but now increasingly dubious competence levels.

The views on the fact the subject of conversation Political Science expert Aaron Wildavsky (1975) in the past. According to Wildavsky, Americans do not have a president, but he has two presidency (two presidencies); one which deals with domestic issues and others are more concerned with matters of defense and foreign policy. Usainya since World War II, President of the United States was more successful mastering issues concerning defense and foreign affairs than domestic policy control.

Wildavsky's view as a concrete example in one year tenure of President Obama needs a new balance. As where typically, each party in the U.S. has a policy preferences change very little and make it easier to adjust the president compared with foreign issues.

The development is now increasingly difficult world responded to the changes. Collective vision of world order that is still far from perfect and does not guarantee protection against major conflicts that can arise at any time between the forces of major powers in the world (the world's great powers). To establish a global order of the 21st century better, the U.S. continually seeks to form various circuits of cooperation. According to Zbigniew Brzezinski (2010), President Obama managed to redefine the world view the U.S. and state mengoneksi and strategy by the historical context of the 21st century that appears to be easy to overcome the challenges of the global geopolitical and other issues. However, because President Obama is expected to focus on the definition of big domestic issues of foreign policy, the U.S. was vulnerable in its implementation.

He did manage to boost the U.S. image in the world, but high unemployment in the U.S. also threatened his reputation as a moderate leader who could overcome the U.S. economic recession. Although it is too early to measure the success of President Obama would make a priority, there are some short-term urgent issues that can be used to test the ability and determination to reshape the American political paradigm and overcome its domestic economic problems.

Strategic Creativity

Clearly, the U.S. now need a program providing a solid job, not enough to simply focus on the problem of health services (health care). 787 billion stimulus package aimed dollars to stop the trend as unemployment reached 7.6 percent, now that number reaches 10 percent, so President Obama can not get out too quickly from the economic stimulus program. Another problem facing the Democrats is health care legislation has had on the public as karikaturkan by big government programs (big government) are going about high tax rates and would lead to defeat in the elections through November 2010.

As is the case with President Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR), President Obama inheriting the U.S. who are experiencing severe recession. Like FDR, President Obama finished his campaign with a promise to act decisively against the greedy bankers and confirmed the prospect of profits for a handful of people will no longer be able to dictate the fate of other people. However, Americans and then assess and suspect that President Obama is not really sincere because he needed campaign funds from Wall Street.

A year later, just after the Democratic defeat in Massachusetts, President Obama following up his promise and seeks to apply Jobs Bill (Law Employment Provision) in the form of stimulus legislation that includes tax deferred small business that provides employment and for those who seek make his home more energy efficient.

Themes budget restrictions will color State of the Union address of his in Congress. The deficit this year of 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars certainly increase the amount of national debt of 12 trillion U.S. dollars, and President Obama's plan for a bipartisan commission to recommend a reduction to the budget deficit by the end of 2010.

Anti tax

Even if President Obama promised reform U.S. capitalism, many people who believe that the progressive goal will not be achieved because of U.S. history shows the necessity of continuing activism organized trade unions and the unemployed in high levels in order to achieve a structural change. There will never be the legislation of civil rights that can be enacted without the existence of a mass movement that was effective.

In the reign of Obama's ironic that just the other managed to do the collection, calling itself Movement Tea Party (Tea Party movement) and to protest President Obama, the federal budget, a stimulus package, and the possibility of increased taxation in the future. The name "Tea Party" refers to U.S. history, the Boston Tea Party against taxation by the colonial British. And the acronym "TEA" is short for the word already taxed enough (is enough in taxes).
Suzie S Sudarman Chairman American Area Studies Center, University of Indonesia
(www.rainbowdiplomacy.com/Kompasdaily January 25, 2010/google translate)



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Friday, January 22, 2010

Who is Manmohan Singh?

Manmohan Singh (born September 26, 1932) is the 14th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the first Indian Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. He is also the first Sikh to hold the post. Earlier, during his tenure as the Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, Singh was widely credited for carrying out economic reforms in India in 1991 which resulted in the end of the infamous Licence Raj system.

Manmohan Singh was born to Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur on 26 September 1932, in Gah, Punjab (now in Chakwal District, Pakistan), British India, into a Sikh family. He lost his mother when he was very young, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother, to whom he was very close. He was a hard working student who studied by candlelight, as his village did not have electricity. After the Partition of India, he migrated to Amritsar, India. He attended Punjab University, Chandigarh studying Economics and attaining his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1952 and 1954 respectively, standing first throughout his academic career. He went on to read for the Economics Tripos at Cambridge University as a member of St John's College. (In the Oxbridge tradition, holders of the BA degree with honours are entitled in due course to an MA degree.) He won the Wright's Prize for distinguished performance in 1955 and 1957. He was also one of the few recipients of the Wrenbury scholarship. In 1962, Singh completed his DPhil from the University of Oxford where he was a member of Nuffield College. The title of his doctoral thesis was "India’s export performance, 1951-1960, export prospects and policy implications", and his thesis supervisor was Dr I M D Little. From this thesis he published the book "India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth".

In 1997, the University of Alberta presented him with an Honorary Doctor of Laws. The University of Oxford awarded him an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree in June 2006, and in October 2006, the University of Cambridge followed with the same honour. St. John's College further honored him by naming a PhD Scholarship after him, the Dr Manmohan Singh Scholarship.

After completing his D.Phil, Singh worked for UNCTAD(United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) from 1966–1969. During the 1970s, he taught at the University of Delhi and worked for the Ministry of Foreign Trade with then Cabinet Minister for Foreign Trade Lalit Narayan Mishra and for Finance Ministry of India. In 1982, he was appointed the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and held the post until 1985. He went on to become the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India from 1985 to 1987.

An economist by profession, Singh was the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982 to 1985, the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India from 1985 to 1987 and the Finance Minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is also a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, currently serving his fourth term.

Manmohan Singh is a graduate of Punjab University, Chandigarh, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford. After serving as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, Singh was appointed as the Union Minister of Finance in 1991 by then-Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. During his tenure as the Finance Minister, Singh was widely credited for carrying out economic reforms in India in 1991 which resulted in the end of the infamous Licence Raj system.

Following the 2004 general elections, Singh was unexpectedly declared as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. He was sworn in as the prime minister on 22 May 2004, along with the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet. After the Indian National Congress won the 2009 general elections, On 22 May 2009, Manmohan Singh was sworn in as the Prime Minister at the Asoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. (www.rainbowdiplomacy.com/wikipedia/photo:risingpowers)

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