"The people's wishes for, and needs for, democracy and freedom are irresistible." - Wen Jiabao, Chinese Premier in an interview to CNN.
With the beginning of 1980, winds of change started blowing across Peoples' Democratic Republic of China. During the tenure of Mao-Tse-Dong, China was behind the Iron curtain and soon after Com. Mao's demise another leader Deng-Xiaoping was waiting in the wings alongwith some other comrades who were dreaming of changing the dismal economic scene of China - the so-called second generation. 1980s witnessed a fuming 'volcano' erupting spewing out the red hot lava and ashes of protests against the suppression of democratic freedoms which ended in a bloody catastrophe. Year 1989, June 4. Venue - Tian-An-Men Square, I shall come to it later.
Peoples' Democratic Republic of China headed by Deng-XiaoPing, the great leader after Mao-Tse-Dong embarked on initiating major economic reforms - the opening up of economy by handing over large-scale economic freedoms to business, trade and industry attracting large-scale investments by various countries providing incentives to multi-national companies thus paving the for China emerging as a nation of enormous potential. His economic reform is widely known as Socialist Market Economy. De-control and decentralisation of the economy replacing the decades old centralised economy helped it evolve into second largest economy of the world replacing Japan which was till recently occupying the second largest position in the world. The phenomenal growth of economy is appreciated and acclaimed the world over and if things are moving along these lines in the not too distant future, there is every possibility of China overtaking USA, world's largest economy .
The defining example of China's high growth trajectory was displayed before the world with the successful illuminating and scintillating way the 29th Olympics was held in Beijing.
All said and done, one question constantly and also persistently nagging me is whether China is a Communist country as they claim to be. If so why curtailment of individual freedom co-exist with market-friendly economic reform simultaneously. Agree, China is keeping up with changing times unlike its young brother North Korea.
But the locus standi of Peoples' Democratic Republic of China comes into question often when we leaf through its history of human rights violations or human rights record. Unfortunately on the matter of individual liberty and huma rights its records are abysmally low.
The demands for more personal liberties and human rights in fact were raised by a section Chinese people especially the educated youth and with the awareness and enlightenment imbibed by the Chinese who went abroad to take up higher studies and upon completion of academic pursuits not denying the truth that some chose to be abroad for the rest of their life, began to demand more and more democratic freedoms. Bread, butter and freedom of expression alone are equally important and hence freedom together with bread and butter are interdependent.
The word freedom can be interpreted and misinterpreted and therefore a dividing line (Lakshman Rekha) should clearly be drawn - how far one could go ahead and upto what extent.
On taking these truths into account it is a foregone conclusion that the Tian-An-Men Square carnage was uncalled and unwarranted for to say the least and it would remain a dark chapter in the history of China. Tanks rolled over students and dissident youths whose sole demand was restoration of democratic rights and they grouped under one banner and in unison asked for it instead what they got in return was death by firing. Tanks rolled over them ruthlessly and those mind-boggling dark moments are indelibly imprinted in the psyche of Chinese people and the spectators the world over. My mind even words goes numb on recalling a youth braving a rolling tank and run over mercilessly. His and his comrades' courage and conviction even in the face of death will not be forgotten by the mankind.
Scores of protestors were detained, jailed, tortured, sent to labour camps, many 'simply disappeared' for good, many executed by the firing squads sort of Talibanization reminding of medieval times before the very eyes of the public.
Among the thousands who launched peaceful, non-violent, struggle was a young man Liu-Xio-Bao, this year's Nobel Prize for Peace winner who is 54 now. He was detained, arrested, put behind bars, sent to labour camp and then freed, after a while undaunted he went on with his mission, arrested again and now that several times arrested and freed - at present he is imprisoned. On winning the prestigious laurel several nations around the world, several human-rights activists around the world have come out in the open demanding his freedom. Moreover they are rejoicing and celebrating his winning the Nobel for peace.
China, notorious for its human-rights record have come down heavily on Norway for awarding a dissident with Nobel Prize for Peace and has termed the honour 'obscene' and 'blashphemy'. It has threatened Norway with the proposed Trade pact arrived at sometime before.
Liu-Xia-Bao is sentenced 11 year imprisonment and his wife Liu-Xi is visibly elated and has reportedly decided to meet her husband in prison to give him a 'big hug'.
Wide chasm of differences over granting democratic freedoms between President Hu-Jintao and Premier Wen-Jia-Bao was reported last week during a party conference. Wen is very much in favour of loosening controls of individual liberty he is still the worshipper of Hu-Yao-Bang who was summarily sacked by the then leadership and was forced to live in political wilderness for his progressive policies on democratic freedom.
China, if not today at least tomorrow will have to make way for democratic freedoms. History bears testimony to it.
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