Liu, Xiaobo is an academician, political and human right activist but in China he is nothing more than a dangerous ‘criminal’ who wants to disrupt whatever China has achieved in the last 30 years i.e. institutional stability, massive economic and social progress.

The world at large and especially the committee awarding Nobel peace prizes in Norway, however, do not agree with China. This year's Nobel peace prize went to the same Liu Xiaobo, but in its wake it has generated unprecedented controversy as the issue concerns a nation that is one sixth of humanity on this planet.

This year’s Nobel peace prize has been given to this ‘jailbird’ who according to international community is ‘prisoner" of conscience’, but for Chinese nothing more than an ordinary criminal who tried to undo society and disrupt China's advancement towards economic recovery and social progress.

Flagrant Disregard to the Principal of Non-intervention

Chinese believe that awarding of Nobel peace prize to a dissident, tried and convicted in a court of law under Chinese law, is nothing but a flagrant intervention in the internal affairs of the country.

In a press release on 8th October, 2010 while conferring the Nobel prize for 2010 on Mr. Liu Xiaobo in Norway the committed acknowledged that ‘Over the past decades, China has achieved economic advances to which history can hardly show any equal. The country now has the world's second largest economy; hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty. Scope for political participation has also broadened.’

However, the question is whether the economic recovery and prosperity can substitute personal freedom and other human rights. Obviously the perceptions of the West and Chinese government are in direct clash with each other. Voicing the concern of pro-democracy forces for enhanced personal freedom and human right the same press release stated:

‘China's new status must entail increased responsibility. China is in breach of several international agreements to which it is a signatory, as well as of its own provisions concerning political rights. Article 35 of China's constitution lays down that "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration". In practice, these freedoms have proved to be distinctly curtailed for China's citizens.’

Liu Earned Nobel Peace Prize for His Opposition to One Party Rule

The core issue at the heart of the problem is professor Liu's diehard opposition to one party rule in China. He has co-authored a pro-democracy petition called the ‘The Charter 08’ which calls for political reforms in China. The charter was released on December 10, 2008 and was initially signed by 302 academics, lawyers and other prominent social activists. It is said that currently it has got more than 12000 signatures.

Chinese population today stands at 1.25 billion and is still rising. The country is progressing fast and its economic recovery in the last 30 years has been unprecedented in the history of nations. Communism in China’s neighbourhood failed and resultantly disintegrated an erstwhile super power, whereas, Chinese socialism has thrived and brought social stability and economic prosperity to its people. It seems to have served its people much better than the West’s Capitalism that has left people to the mercy of unscrupulous capitalist forces of the market.

Friends of China Boycott Nobel Peace Prize Awarding Ceremony

On 10th December 2010, about 18 countries refused to attend the Nobel prize awarding ceremony in Norway. Friends of China understand that West’s onslaught on China is only to counter and neutralize its economic growth in the name of human rights and democracy. It is amoral and senseless. No change can be forced upon China unless China itself is willing to modify its own system of governance.

Meanwhile, West's capitalism will have to live with rising Chinese economic suzerainty. It is amazing that the West can live with autocratic, despotic and downright sleazy monarchies of the world despite known record of their flagrant disregard to human rights and worst kind of exploitation of their people; because it is politically and economically profitable. It, however, can't live with one party system in China that has brought internal peace, economic prosperity and social stability to the country.

Information

Nobel peace prize 2010 has been given to Liu Xiaobo, a 'jailbird' who according to international community is a 'prisoner" of conscience.

First appeared in the Suite101 on Dec 12, 2010