Australians Tear Down China's Firewall

Back

CHEN: And the media and Internet censorship in China is commonly known as the "Golden Shield." So this week in Australia yellow walls that were built as symbolic icons are being torn down by web advocates. Our own NTD Sheridan Harvey has the story. STORY: In the final ten days before the Beijing Games begin Amnesty International is helping people to hear about and take action against the censorship blockade. They've made a platform and symbolic walls all over Australia's capital cities. They are calling on volunteers to help tear down a target of 20,000 bricks in 90 days. The action of removing each brick is aimed at the Internet companies like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, they say assist the Chinese Communist Regime in covering up human rights violations. On the first day of the two-day event over 13 hundred people signed to take action against suppression of Internet and media in China. So why are so many people here doing this? [Sophie Peer, China Campaign, Amnesty Australia]: "The idea of free speech, the idea of being told what you can and can't say is just so foreign to Australians, that someone would monitor your email and tell you what you can write about or not write about. So we've had a fantastic response from the Australian public saying "well no" you can't censor and censoring is wrong and people everywhere should have the right to freedom of expression. So we've been really thrilled with the response." Here it's called a celebration of expression. Many people in the audience heard from those who are denied a voice in China. Among them were the Tibetan Council, Falun Gong and the Uighur people, some of whom are even tortured for their using their voice. "Now we know from our own research and contacts in China, there's over 63 thousand cases where Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured for their beliefs. One audience member reflects ont how she feels, having the freedom to witness an event like this. [Fiona Bachmann, Audience]: "Lucky!... in some respects but also just like its so wrong that should it be more open everywhere." Free media was the focus from the International Federation of Journalists. To Sam Grunhard the pressure around NTDTV's own satellite shutdown is no shock. [Sam Grunhard, International Federation of Journalists]: "It wouldn't be surprising, we are well aware that the government bring all sorts of pressure to bear and in the new world of the new China that pressure can often be business pressure as much as it can be inter-governmental pressure. It wouldn't be in any way surprising to learn that that kind of pressure had been applied to have the signal cut." Through today's event and after seeing this 20 meter-long firewall, many more people here in Australia have become aware of what's happening with the censorship in China. Sheridan Harvey, NTD, Sydney.

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: August 2, 2008 at 4:35 am
Author: NTDTV

Length: 0:02:42
Rating: 4.33
Views: 406

Tags: ntd ntdtv news china australians firewall pressure tear down chinaâ australia internet international harvey sheridan own

Video Thumbnail #1:




Video Thumbnail #2:




Video Thumbnail #3:

Video Url:


Embed Code:

Video Comments: