Protectors of the torch and torturers of people
By Laurie Hanna, The Mirror, UK, 12/04/2008-
Annie Yang was preparing dinner when eight men burst into her kitchen and hauled her away in front of her terrified son. It was the last time the single mum would see him for years.
Her captors were secret police officers who had put her under surveillance.
And this week, as Annie watched the chaotic scenes of the Olympic flame relay in London, the sight of men in blue tracksuits flanking the torch sent shivers down her spine.
Those men - members of the elite Flying Dragons - were from the same unit who snatched her that night.
Without a trial or a lawyer, Annie was condemned to a labour camp. For two years she was tortured, beaten and driven to the brink of suicide.
Her story is one that the Chinese government is desperate for you not to hear. Only since fleeing to Britain, can Annie talk openly about the barbaric practices in the city which will host this year’s Olympic Games from August 8.
More...
Annie Yang was preparing dinner when eight men burst into her kitchen and hauled her away in front of her terrified son. It was the last time the single mum would see him for years.
Her captors were secret police officers who had put her under surveillance.
And this week, as Annie watched the chaotic scenes of the Olympic flame relay in London, the sight of men in blue tracksuits flanking the torch sent shivers down her spine.
Those men - members of the elite Flying Dragons - were from the same unit who snatched her that night.
Without a trial or a lawyer, Annie was condemned to a labour camp. For two years she was tortured, beaten and driven to the brink of suicide.
Her story is one that the Chinese government is desperate for you not to hear. Only since fleeing to Britain, can Annie talk openly about the barbaric practices in the city which will host this year’s Olympic Games from August 8.
More...
posted by Rudy @ 2:33 AM
5 Comments:
At April 16, 2008 7:37 PM ,
Clare said...
And let us not forget the Uighurs who live in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Please reference succinct article "The Other Tibet" by Gordon Chang who blogs on
www.commentarymagazine.com
At April 16, 2008 7:55 PM ,
Clare said...
Correction; reference is under 'commentary' on chang website; not 'article'.
Thanks.
At April 17, 2008 1:41 PM ,
Rudy said...
Sorry, no idea what you mean Clare, I can't find it??
At April 19, 2008 8:32 PM ,
Clare said...
The story of these two women caused me to want to understand the Chinese people as a whole. So here's this suffering; Falun Gong members who are citizens of the PRC, Tibetan Buddhists many of whom are unwilling citizens of the PRC, the Ughirs in the AR, and now the Catholics in China. Gordon Chang points out (in his succinct commentary about the Ughirs) the interconnectedness of the Tibetans and Ughirs as they relate to the Han Chinese.
If you would like to read the commentary by Gordon Chang, please go to
www.gordonchang.com
click on commentary
click on "The Other Tibet", March 24
this will take you to commentarymagazine where Gordon Chang blogs
At April 20, 2008 2:11 PM ,
Rudy said...
Hi Clare,
Great, I found the article now.
But in your quest to understand the 'Chinese people as a whole', I probably can't help much...
The dificulty is that in any large country, there are many different ethnic groups, and of course many different opinions on top of that.
I think it is important to realize that the current generation of Chinese has lived through the Kafkian (absurd) situations of the Cultural Revolution and the Gtreat Leap Forward, and basically lived their lives with completely one-sided information because of the advanced censorship technology.
So for me as a westerner, their logic often appears upside-down - as you can see from this blog of course...
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