Nobel Peace Prize awarded to China dissident Liu Xiaobo

[demoleft]

Source: bbc

Jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo has been named the winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize.

The award, announced in Norway's capital Oslo, is certain to anger Beijing, which had earlier warned against the move.

Ahead of the announcement, Norwegian Nobel Committee president Thorbjoern Jagland told local television he knew he would have to defend the choice.
...
Mr Liu, 54, was jailed for 11 years on Christmas Day last year for drafting Charter 08, which called for multiparty democracy and respect for human rights in China.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11499098

---

good.

[oyvind]

1. Excellent choice.

I'm proud to be Norwegian today. :-)

[MissHoneychurch]

2. Good choice

also I admit I am very glad they decided against Helmut Kohl, the former chancellor of Germany.

[pampango]

3. Monsters and Critics: PROFILE: Liu Xiaobo - jailed after calling for democracy in China

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1589960.php/PROFILE-Liu-Xiaobo-jailed-after-calling-for-democracy-in-China

'I believe that my work has been just, and that someday China will be a free and democratic country,' Liu Xiaobo said in a statement issued by supporters shortly after he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for subversion in December.

The former Beijing Normal University literature lecturer lost his job and was detained for nearly two years for defending students who joined the 1989 democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and urging an investigation into the party's brutal military crackdown on the protesters.

Liu became even more publicly outspoken in the run-up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, saying the government had broken its pre-Olympic promises and rejecting the optimism of some Western politicians and analysts who claimed the awarding of the games to China would encourage greater political freedom and improvements in human rights.

Police arrested Liu again at his Beijing home as he was writing an article on Charter '08 in December 2008, two days before the publication of the charter. The charter demands sweeping changes to create a 'free, democratic and constitutional state,' and urges the release of all political prisoners. The original 303 signatories set out their ideals for transforming China into a liberal democracy and lament a lack of 'freedom, equality and human rights' under the Communist Party.

[saigon68]

4. certain to anger Beijing, which had earlier warned against the move.

A Thug Fascist Regime in League with the Bush Criminals

[Socal31]

30. Are you always so US-centric? This has nothing to do

with our country's 8-year mistake.

[Lars77]

5. The Chinese government is already theatening the Norwegian government

saying this will damage the relationship between the two countries.

Norwegian media also reports that BBC and CNN went black in China as the peace prize was announced. The Chinese embassy have gone in complete lockdown. Not even the mailman could get inside. There's an army of reporters outside the gates right now.

[Odin2005]

8. The Chinese are a bunch of petulant whiners.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. the chinese govt.

[Zambero]

11. Lockdown??? It's too late for China

News travels fast these days, even in repressed societies. At this point, the only way for the Chinese gov't to "save face" would be to free Liu Xiaobo. And that would only be a first step. Until China becomes a truly free society, those in charge will continue to be "furious" whenever their abhorent policies are called out by the rest of the world. Kudos to Norway.

[Lars77]

13. To be honest i don't think the Norwegian government wanted this

They are saying it's a good choice, but privately they are probably going nuts. Especially because Norway is going to start trade negotiations with China in a month.

It's important to remember that the Nobel comittee are independent.

[ProgressiveMajority]

23. Chinese Exchange Student Living with my Parents gave a good perspective

He (the exchange student) is 17. He regularly talks with his parents on Skype, and they hadn't heard about Liu before. The media is totally mum about him winning the prize so far.

Most of the issues Liu is pushing for didn't really strike a cord with them - certainly not in the abstract "FREEEDOM" sense. But Democracy, in the sense that regular Chinese people can get rid of the sort of corrupt officials that allowed the school collapse in Sichuan back in 2008, was attractive.

Edit for terrible grammar

[loudsue]

12. Thank you for the update, Lars. As Saigon68 said above,

it's a thug fascist regime in league with the bush crime family.

Why in the hell we have to support a government that ships our jobs over there, and then keep buying their crap and making them unbelievably wealthy, I'll never know. This whole political/economic scene has become totally bizarre.

[Diclotican]

Lars77

Lars77

So, both CNN and BBC got down in China right after the peace price was announsed.. Just an "accident" with a line I guess:sarcasm: Oh yes, this really pissed of the chinese government officials and it wil be a while before anyone could look at BBC and CNN again I thing... This was a really hit in the face from a government that is known to be somewhat tutcy about "iternal affairs".

And the Chinese embasy is in complete lockdown now?. Hm, I guess they are really in a "mood" tonight. As in "what the hell are we doing, we have to get our orders from Bejing before close up again". And as a army of reporters is outside the gates now.. The speculations about what China wil do now is many, it would posible be more produnt, to just let the ambassy be open to public as usual, instead of a total lockdown...

But at least, it really pissed them off, and it is maybe good, as in maybe it is time for China to start some really needed reform, and a slow turning to democracy and more reforms.. It is overdue with some reforms in China, and they are posible better of, if they do them willingly, rather than after a violent outburst of anger from population..

We all know the pictures from Tiamen Square in 1989, pictures who many is still illegal to se, or have knowlegde about in China today

Diclotican

[jefferson_dem]

6. Chinese dissident wins Nobel Peace PrizeBy the CNN Wire Staff

Source: CNN

October 8, 2010 -- Updated 1013 GMT (1813 HKT)

(CNN) -- The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Liu Xiaobo, a leading Chinese dissident who is serving an 11-year prison term, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Friday.

Liu was sentenced in 2009 to 11 years in prison for inciting subversion of state power. He is the co-author of Charter 08, a call for political reform and human rights, and was an adviser to the student protesters at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Liu's wife, Liu Xia, told CNN she could not wait to visit him in prison in northern China and tell him the news. She said Friday she was packing under the surveillance of police officers who have promised to take her to visit her husband the next day.

"I am totally shocked and feel so happy," she said. "I've never dreamed about this. Friends have asked me to prepare for a speech, but I've only prepared one for Xiaobo not winning the prize."

Liu Xia said she regretted her husband couldn't share the moment with her. She said he will feel "surprised and humbled" to find out, but also feel "a greater sense of responsibilities" because of the great honor.

"It's an affirmation of what he has fought for," she said.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/08/nobel.peace.prize.win/

[fasttense]

7. Jailed for 11 years for writing about the need for Democracy.

And this is the country that US Corporate CEOs are sending our manufacturing jobs to. This is the country that the US Chamber of Commerce through the RepubliCON Party is soliciting funds from to defeat US politicians.

What do you think the CEOs and RepubliCONS plan for our country?

[ej510]

18. Of course, because China is slowly becoming a fascist nation and American CEO's want in on the

action. American corporations see potential in the Chinese market with the possibility of 1.3 billion consumers.

[joe black]

9. Bestest U.S. trading partner.

China, way to go America.

[AllyCat]

10. If Beijing warned against awarding this, it must be rightly awarded.

Congratulations Mr Liu and thank you for your service to human beings

[Lars77]

14. Update: Norwegian abassador in Beijing called into meeting with Chinese authorities

The Norwegian ambassador has already been called into a meeting with the Chinese authorities in Beijing. The Chinese ambassador to Norway also met with the Norwegian foreign office immediately to protest.

The Norwegian government just keeps telling them the Nobel Comittee are independent and that the Norwegian government has no influence on any desision they make.


The Chinese don't seem to get it, though.

[loudsue]

17. There's a whole lot about decency that the Chinese gov't doesn't seem to get

What an evil piece of shit. Those several billion citizens need to burn the place down and start over. .... Kinda like what we need to do.

[Beacool]

15. Congratulations to him, well deserved!!!!

Unlike last year's award........

:eyes:

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. +1

:thumbsup:

[Jim__]

16. And the Chinese government arrests his wife.

Our trading partners ...

From MSNBC

BEIJING — The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner's wife Liu Xia was being forced to leave her home in Beijing by plainclothes police officers Friday, she told Reuters during a phone interview shortly after the prize was awarded.

The officers said they wanted to take Liu to the prison in Jinzhou in the northeastern province of Liaoning, where her husband Liu Xiaobo is being held in an apparent effort to prevent foreign reporters from speaking to her, she said.

"They are forcing me to leave Beijing," said Liu as her brothers packed her bags with plainclothes police waiting for her outside.

[Diclotican]

19. demoleft

demoleft

At least one who deserve the prize, that he have been doing for many years, have been given the prize (not that it was not Okay to give it to Obama, but as he himself say it better, I do not deserve the prize, he have not doing anything worth th prize)

And withouth doubt the chinese government got into hight gear when this was known, and was pissed off as the result.. Even that the ambassady in Norway is in lock-down is telling tell-tale about how the chinese government is seeing this as a problem.. A Great problem for them.

And as reported by media, the norwigian ambassador to China have been told to report to chinese autorites, withouth doubt to be given a stern lecture about Chinese sovernegy, and the respect PRC demand that the rest of the world should give them. And that the award to Liu Xiaobo was an offence to all chinese (aka, the Chinese government)

This wil posible really piss of the chinese government for a long time, and make it far more difficult to travel to China for a while. On the other side, it wil give light to really nasty cases in China where peopole who want just some freedom and democracy often are been arrested, and put in mental hospital for as long as chinese authority can put them into a mental hospital. If they are not been just lost into the wastness of chinese itern prison camp system and not seen for a long time.. Many did that, after 1989, and some are not even know where are today..

But news even if the Chinese is trying it best to close down China, would go true the border, and given by hand, to millions oc Chinese, as it is not posible to lock down China complete today. If they do not want to close it down, as they did under Mao that is. And I dobut even the government want to do that..

This was a good new, and I hope mr Liu Xiaobo wil be given the posibility to travel to Norway, to be given the prize personal. Even tho I doubt Chinese government wil willingly give him a taste of freedom... They are posible REALLY pissed of now..

Diclotican

[rucky]

20. The Nobel Prize Commission should award next year's Peace Prize to themselves.

The nomination, in and of itself, is an achievement.

[Vehl]

21. Great News!!!

Liu Xiaobo Definitely deserved the award!

His arrest, and detention underscore the sheer disregard the Chinese regime has for human rights.This award would definitely highlight the plights of the thousands of political Prisoners under the PRC. Especially the ones who call for democratic reforms and Independence for Tibet.

I salute Liu Xiaobo! One day, in the future the Chinese people will look back and remember him as one of the heroes instrumental in winning back their freedoms.:toast:

[marasinghe]

22. excellent. props to the nobel committee for doing the right thing ... for once.

and fuck all fascists - from henry kissinger through the chinese government; as well as their supporters & apologists.

[LeftishBrit]

25. Good! Best wishes to him!

[demoleft]

32. :)

:hi:

[pampango]

26. Wife 'visits jailed Chinese Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11511310

The wife of jailed Nobel prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo has reportedly been allowed to meet her husband.

A US human rights group, Freedom Now, said Liu Xia visited her husband in jail on Sunday. Freedom Now said Mr Liu wept during his wife's visit and dedicated his award to those killed at Tiananmen Square.

"We hope that world leaders will immediately condemn this shameful act by the Chinese government and urge Liu Xia's immediate and unconditional release," said Dr Yang Jianli, who Freedom Now said was a member of a legal team representing Liu Xiaobo.

He was a key figure in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, and in 2009 received an 11-year sentence for "inciting subversion". His latest crime was to be involved in drafting Charter 08 - a document which called for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights in China.

[Pavulon]

27. Hugo Chavez does not approve, stands with China..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/10/chavez-opposes-nobel-deci_n_757426.html

[robcon]

29. Chavez backs China over Nobel for jailed dissident

Shocked. Not.

Is there a totalitarian government that Chavez doesn't support?

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressed solidarity with China's government Sunday over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a jailed Chinese dissident. He suggested the prize should not have gone to Liu Xiaobo, who has drawn praise from Western governments as an advocate of gradual political change without any violent confrontation with Chinese leaders.

"This (Liu) is like Obama, the other peace prize," Chavez said.

The Venezuelan leader criticized last year's award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama, saying the U.S. president didn't deserve the honor because his administration continues to engage in wars.

Speaking in his weekly radio and television program, Chavez scoffed at his Venezuelan political opponents who praised the giving of the peace prize to Liu.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jtMYvggtgYjkInaCrTqcfWK6sihQD9IP2SNG1?docId=D9IP2SNG1

[Socal31]

31. I'm waiting for the 1-2 Chavez apoligists to come in and explain

that this is just a mis-translation.....or something.

[demoleft]

33. some prefer the stinking tang of money and base politics to the smell of life and freedom. and...

...chavez is not different.
we go on repeating this since long, and we're always accused of being anti-socialist, if not rightists.

waiting for chavezians to come and praise his words on this news.
is there anybody out there?

[TexasObserver]

34. China likes to occasionally prove it really hasn't advanced much.

That PRC leaders are psycho about not allowing criticism. It's one reason they're still decades behind the West.