Xiaowu / Media is not reliable: Comment on “the strongest nail house”(Part II)

Written by Xiaowu

Part I... ...

There is another point noteworthy. The Xinhua Net (a media mouthpiece of the central government) followed the local media to massively cover this story. This not normal. ...

This demonstrates a common sense that the the local governments did not respond to this incident in the same way as the central government. The money from land auction went to the pocket of the local government. The central government didn't have much and plays the role of onlooker who is happy to see how the local government turned this incident into a scandal. When the local government became ugly under the spotlight of media, the central government would come out to say a few words in high profile and solve the problem. Then the local government and the victim would be like a defendant and the central government would become an arbiter. The arbiter's power would shift from the local government to the central government in a cleverly way. However, the local government is not stupid and has the machine of dictatorship and the excuse of “public interest”. If it has determination, it could solve it immediately.

After the Xinhua Net followed up this story for three days, the local government could not tolerate any more. The local government publicly stated that it would not satisfy the unreasonable demand. And some “legal authorities” further talked about the priority of public interest to private interest. The response of the local government was immediate. Media realized that their influence was not as effective as they imagined... ...

The media who committed in civil rights previously changed their tone and no longer published the photo of the woman owner shouting and holding the Constitution for civil rights. They covered the views of the “legal authorities” and government officials. Everything has changed. Just a few days, the problem was solved and the bulldozer came in. The human right heroine, who insisted on owning this house, obstinately clinging to the house, holding the Constitution, still cares about her own life. The couple left the house in a hurry. “Problem has been solved satisfactorily”. The farce ended.

Xiaowu / Media is not reliable: Comment on “the strongest nail house”(Part I)

Written by Xiaowu

... ... The incident of “the strongest nail house” was not a recent event. The couple have hung on for three years. The photo is circulated for a long time. Why did it suddenly attract so many people's attention and become an incident? The reason is not hard to imagine. After the introduction of the Property Law, those petty “intellectuals” and liberals working in media thought that it's time to test the government's sincerity on implementing this law. People with normal intelligence could predict the result that nobody could gain anything in these “typical” cases. But the media did not care about it. They did not care about the death of any victim or any bad result. The only thing they cared about is the increasing revenue from advertising. They did not care about the death or life of the victims. You're the victim crying and seeking our help, aren't you? We are helping you! You have to take full responsibility for any consequence. No matter whether it's good or bad, you could not blame it on media's conscious. No matter what result, in order to have the justice done, one needs this kind of courage. Otherwise he/she would not be qualified as liberals.

... ...

Without other supporting forces, how could a person have hung on for three years? The government has many ways of solving this problem. If the government really wanted to do it forcefully, there would be no reason for not doing it. Even though there was a person inside the house, why was the government afraid of driving bulldozer to break into it? So I have argued that what really happened is not the same as the audience watched or read from the media. It is not about a tough resident fighting against government's violence and power. It is not an incident of human rights or protecting civil rights. It is definitely not an evidence to show that “wind may come in, rain may come in, but the king may not... ...” is true in China. There is a logic widely known operating. The local government did not take away this house immediately because some stronger forces working behind. From the TV news report, the woman of the office of demolition was not as arrogant and aggressive as the victim. There are some reasons for it. Imagining the victim as a heroine of human rights is only a wishful thinking of ordinary people. ... ...

To be continued

Photo from Zuola

A Final Settlement?

The nail house was finally demolished after the couple of Yang Wu and Wu Ping settled down with developer by accepting the offer of resettlement to a house in inner city. As Zhou Shuguang said, it is a happy ending. Wow! What a "Harmonious Society" promoted by Hu Jingtao and Wen Jiabao. But is it a happy ending for other urban residents suffering dramatic urban renewal aand forced eviction?

The demand of Yang and Wu is so natural and reasonable. Why did it take so much time, so much effort and nationwide media attention to get their reasonable rights?

Photo from Zola

China Bloggers: Let's go to Chongqing!

I really want to write something about Zhou Shuguang, a blogger from Hunan.

From QianTu's WeBlog, I learnt about Zhou's blog. Zhou seems to be an ordinary blogger who works very hard in his blog. He has a strong motivation. As he said, he stopped writing blog for a few days and travelled from Loudi city to Chongqing quietly. He wanted to cover the story of Wu Ping and Yang Wu, "The Strongest Nail Household in China". He also took a lot of pictures.

His reports give us a strong feeling about that place. He wrote down most what he saw. He met a lot of evictees all over the country, from Shanghai, Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Xian, etc. The wanted media to cover their stories. In the Jiulongbo district, there are also a lot of media workers and foreigners. All people suffering demoliton and relocation came to this place, like a "Festival of Eviction".

Zhou's writing is not very professional. But he emphasizes the process. He compares different versions from different people. He is very reflexive. He argues that Wu Ping and Yang Wu should not be called "nail house". This is stigmatization by government. He suggests "Household of Fighting for Civil Rights" (Weiquan Hu)

It is so exciting and lively. Zhou's each entry could attract hundreds of comments. There are also many people around the "nail house". Yet I am afraid that this scene (or movement?) on internet or in reality would be repressed by government. But Li Datong (former editor of "Bingdian" of China Youth Daily) is right. The more the government controlled the news, the more difficulties in controlling it has. I hope this media and social spectacle could last longer.

Zhou is an honest guy. He told readers that he did it not only for social justice. He wants to be famous. I like his honesty. He is not like some Hong Kong so-called "professional journalists". They become TV stars but still hide their lust for fame and money by pretending to be professional. Our citizen reporter Zhou Shuguang honestly loves fame and justice as well.

I've just came across one more blogger who covers the story in Chongqing. His/her name is hidecloud. He clarifies some misconception of the nail household. For example, this couple is not greedy at all. What they need is their legal right.

Photo from Zhou Shuguang

Demolition and Relocation

The photo of a Chongqing's "nail household" (釘子戶, a person or a family who refuses to move out during urban demolition and relocation) has circulated on internet for a while. I'm sure many people are stunned by this urban spectacle unique to contemporary China.

I feels neither optimistic nor pessimistic about the Property Law (Wuquan fa, 物權法). While some old leftists are worried about the public ownership as the foundation of socialist system challenged by this law, I suggest them show more care about the ordinary people's private property destroyed by the collusion of government and big capital. Many district governments of Chinese cities continue to demolish people's home in the name of "public interest". With or without this law, this brutal process will continue. All in all this is not simply a legal issue.

Now this "Chongqing nail household" turnes into a standstill. Hu Guo guessed that the high-ranking officials would settle down this issue in private. Now the developer is not able to remove him violently because he is under the spotlight of media. But the government would not support him publicly because this nail household might set an example for residents in the future.

Today Wang Xiaofeng made the association of urban demolition and relocation with sina blog. Some famous bloggers, such as Shu kewen, are "relocated" to sina without their consent. Sina wants to use these celebrities to promote its internet services. Wang asked: Could we sue Sina with the newly enacted Property Law?


Photo: Down in the Blue