Picking a Chinese Nobel winner
Word is that among those in the running for the next Nobel peace prize, which will be announced in Oslo Friday, are two Chinese dissidents.
So the question is: Will this help the cause of human rights or hurt the cause?
According to this Bloomberg story, Oslo’s International Peace Research Institute says the top candidates for the 2008 Peace Prize include dissidents Hu Jia, 35, and Gao Zhisheng, a 44-year-old lawyer. Both are in detention.
Hu is perhaps better known. His causes over the years have ranged from AIDS activism to environmentalism. Most recently, he came to Gao’s defense once Gao was put under detention.
The story suggests that the Norwegian Nobel Committee may have not wanted to antagonize China in recent years by awarding the Prize to a dissident. But since the Summer Olympics didn’t bring an across-the-board improvement, then some on the committee feel the time is ripe.
The story quotes one Norwegian, Njaal Hoestmaelingen, of Norwegian Center for Human Rights, wondering if selection of a Chinese dissident might be counterproductive.
``The Chinese reaction may be to make such work far more difficult, and make it more difficult for Norway and other Western countries to collaborate with China on promoting human rights there,'' Hoestmaelingen said.
It’s an interesting debate that has many permutations. In some cases, publicizing the case of a dissident can ensure that his or her life is protected. Beijing pays attention to international pressure. On the other hand, Chinese officials can see it as a stick in the eye. They can shut off access, take out reprisals on unrelated parties, etc.
On a separate topic, who can come up with the best caption for this photo below of a health inspector in Chengdu last week checking on milk quality at a collection center?
Here's a caption for the picture:
Wait a minute! That's not melamine is it? Sorry. False alarm. It's just a cockroach.
Posted by: Easling | October 07, 2008 at 07:18 AM
I was giving my finger puppet a little taste of this milk. The next thing you know, he's dropped to the bottom like a stone.
Posted by: PaZhuLian | October 07, 2008 at 09:59 AM
a slightly less negative try:
China Stepping Up its Food Safety Inspection -- I will not sign-off on this pail unless my finger pal says so.
Posted by: PaZhuLian | October 07, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Chinese voodoo
Posted by: jfrancis | October 07, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Inspector Gives Chinese Milk The Finger (Test)....
Posted by: Randy | October 07, 2008 at 12:14 PM
'If my Spit doesn't sink, this milk won't pass'
Posted by: dan | October 07, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Getting back to Nobel Laureates: Paulson, Bernanke, Greenspan, Fuld, for Banking? Am proposing new for MEDAL-FOR-INTERNATIONAL-BANKING, since it may be MARGINALLY MORE IMPORTANT than human-rights-in-China!
Posted by: BEMIS | October 07, 2008 at 07:17 PM
My magic finger works just fine as a hi-tech instrument.
Posted by: LC | October 07, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Around and Around His Finger Goes So That Melamine In Lab Tests No Longer Shows!
Posted by: Randy | October 08, 2008 at 03:50 AM
Do you see it? Yes, right there under my finger! I told you all along this contaminated milk was not our doing! Yes, yes.. it is plain as day... These melamine plastic milk containers are stamped "Made in USA".
Posted by: Randy | October 08, 2008 at 03:57 AM
Hmmm.. this looks strangely familiar and it is warm to the touch... are you sure it isn't breast milk?
Posted by: Randy | October 08, 2008 at 04:08 AM
Ok. One last try:
Sichuan Officials Ensuring the Quality of it's New Export --- Panda Milk
Posted by: PaZhuLian | October 08, 2008 at 09:55 AM