20 years after Tiananmen, China containing dissent online
Found on Network World on Saturday, 30 May 2009
The Internet has brought new hope to reformists in China since the country crushed pro-democracy protests in the capital 20 years ago.
China has stepped up monitoring of dissidents and Internet censorship ahead of June 4, when hundreds were killed in 1989 after Beijing sent soldiers to its central Tiananmen Square to disperse protestors.
This month, a blogger who had been detained for writing about corrupt village elections had charges against him dropped after he continued posting about the poll online, pushing himself into the public eye.
20 years, 50 years or 100 years. It doesn't matter how much time passes. As long as this dictatorship is in charge, the Tiananmen Square Massacre (Yes, massacre. Now block me China) won't be forgotten. Tyranny might be a way to enforce control, but it also makes people remember those who died standing up against it.