Chinese bloggers meet in secret to speak freely

By Harrison Mitchell

In a scruffy cafe in China’s third largest city Guangzhou, 20 bloggers gather in secret to debate the unrest in Tibet. The almost complete media blackout surrounding Tibet has provoked a good turnout to this meeting, and the atmosphere is charged with interest. But the strong state reaction is also of concern to the participants, and some are clearly nervous.

“The events in Tibet are one of the most important things to happen in China in the past 20 years�, one blogger says, “yet most people in China are only peripherally aware that it is happening at all.�

The bloggers are young and old, men and women from a diverse range of backgrounds –businessmen to teachers to journalists. Before beginning, each person stands up to give their name, or a pseudonym that often provokes laughter from other corners.

To begin the meeting, Chinese journalist familiar with the Tibetan regions of China talks about the protests to attentive silence. After he has finished the room erupts in lively debate as questions put to the speaker provoke strong reactions.

One questioner asks whether it is the goal of the Chinese government to destroy Tibetan culture and tradition. Another asserts the government is concerned that dissent in Tibet will create other problems in the rest of China.

Despite appearances, the people here are not necessarily anti-government, in fact many defend the Chinese government and criticise the alleged loss of life and property caused by the rioting. However, all the bloggers believe in the right to openly and freely discuss the problems in their own country.

The regular meetings are organised by the civil rights activist known as Bei Fang, who says that bloggers come to discuss a wide variety of topics typically forbidden or restricted in wider public debate. Bei Fang believes that all Chinese have the right to freely discuss any topics. “What we are trying to do by having these events is enlarge the space of free speech�, explains Bei Fang, “These are our rights, we don’t need the government to approve them.�

Free speech in China remains severely restricted by the government, controlling all access to sources, particularly the internet. The country’s so-called Great Firewall of China censors internet content at two levels. At the first level, all internet traffic goes through one of the central hubs located in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou; there it is subject to software which filters the content. At the second level surfers go through a similar filtering process via their local ISP.

During the height of the protests in Tibet, access to Youtube and international news sites was blocked; frustrating attempts to get objective news from outside of China. However, the bloggers in Guangzhou recognise a third level of censorship, which they say is even more far-reaching than the Great Firewall – self censorship.

For the bloggers, self-censorship is the worst kind of filtering as it shows the success of the Chinese Communist Party in limiting critical discussion - even in day to day life. Arden, a journalist and blogger, explains that although there are ways to get around the Great Firewall for information, reading current events is not the same as debating them.

The construction of the China-Tibet railway is one example of this lack of critical discussion in the country. “In China, we learnt that the railway had been completed,� Arden says, “but we didn’t discuss the implications of the railway on the local Tibetan culture.� He believes that the protests in Tibet show debate in China is desperately needed.

Like many others here, Arden uses the meetings as a means to freely discuss issues he is not allowed to write in his newspaper. “It means a lot to me, to us, to come here.� In normal circumstances, journalists are afraid of talking about issues of national security report bare facts without further discussion. Those who defy this unwritten rule and consistently report controversial matters face removal from their position. Or worse.

Intimidation or arrest remains a real danger for these bloggers, as the arrest and trial of civil rights activist Hu Jia in Beijing shows. Hu Jia was arrested in December 2007 as part of a crackdown against free speech by the Chinese authorities. He is accused of inciting subversion of state power and the socialist system and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

While Feng says that the worst the authorities could do is close the group down, he admits the authorities are currently winning the battle against free speech. He also says they are aware that the bloggers meet here, but as yet have chosen not to do anything about it. “One day a lawyer came to see me here�, he says, “he told me we know you are talking about sensitive things and you should stop.�

One of the problems Bei Feng and the other bloggers have broadening debate in China is that censorship on the issue of free speech itself makes it difficult for them to assess whether other Chinese really want it. A lack of education on civil or human rights, as well as television and radio media that is largely propaganda, contribute to a general absence of critical thinking.

However, the bloggers are determined to continue to test the limits and vigilance of the censors. “We want a future where the expression of free speech is everywhere – on the internet, newspaper, radio, television.� One blogger says “It is our right to choose in what way and what to express.�Another blogger explains that recently he tried to publish his blog on the Gansu province server but it was closed within three hours of publication and eventually a total of 48 times.

But while testing the limits of censorship provokes the ire of the authorities, the bloggers admit the real danger would come if the group was to organise and promote their agenda. For some, organisation is a necessary next step, “I think this is just the start of something,� one blogger says. “For democracy we need to struggle and sacrifice�.