Wukan, CPC to press: Erase all reports on "democracy village"

Protests of the small Guangdong village against abuse of authority show no signs of stopping. The Department of Propaganda orders the removal of any news reports on the issue. Citizens continue protest against the arrest of their leader. Human Rights activists: "It’s like Nazi Germany."

 

Guangzhou (AsiaNews) - The powerful Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party has ordered all national media to remove news, photos or videos related to the protests of the village of Wukan.

The small fishing village in the southern province of Guangdong has been fighting for days to secure the release of their village chief, hero of the 2011 democracy protests. The central government fears a "legality epidemic" after other villages began to denounce abuses similar to those suffered by the locals.

A private directive of the Department was intercepted and translated by China Digital Times. In the text, the officials wrote: "Regarding the former head of the village of Wukan, Lin Zuluan, remember that he is under investigation and has admitted his faults. So the news sites are strictly forbidden to publish or re-publish news, photos, videos and any other form of communication on mass protests that took place in the place. " The heads of these bodies "have to check any news or editorial related to these facts, firmly punishing those who maliciously spread manipulated information, and report them to their superior".

The decision was made after local authorities said any reports from Wukan were "illegal." The propagandists of Guangdong have accused some Hong Kong media of  "fabricating false news" to foment the protests. The list of "unwelcome" media also includes CNN, the BBC and the Associated Press.

Meanwhile the protests of the local population continue for the release of their village chief. Lin was arrested in recent days and has "confessed" his "crimes" during a videotaped press conference much criticized by residents. A Wukan resident told Radio Free Asia: "It is now very difficult to even get in or out of here, because the authorities have blocked all access. They even stopped the sale of prepaid cards for mobile phones. "

Several human rights activists call for "greater transparency" about the case. Zhuang Lei says: "As citizens we want justice, truth and honesty. Our countrymen have already suffered enough, and we feel much compassion for them. " Hu Jia, one of the flags of the democracy movement in China, adds: "Now the situation is reminiscent of the German national press during the Nazi era. The role of the media has been distorted to the point that everyone should only be spokesmen for the Party".

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