A letter campaign is in full swing to protest the interference from the Chinese Consulates in the activities of NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular world-tour. If there is a Spectacular playing in your area, please send a letter of protest to the closest Consulate near you. Look here for a list of World Consulates and here for a list of Spectacular cities (click on -select a city- for the complete listing). Many thanks for the much needed support.
Dear Consul-General:
I was shocked to learn that NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular was cancelled in South Korea just days before the show was scheduled to appear due to pressure exerted on Korean officials from the Chinese Communist Party.
So far NTDTV Spectacular world tour has sold out everywhere it went with raving reviews. It is sad that the Communist regime has chosen not only to convince the world that it is glorious and that its crimes against humanity should be forgotten, but through calculated tactics it has gone as far as meddling with the Spectacular with the aim of damaging NTDTV. The fact that some of the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime were re-enacted in the Spectacular is nothing unusual in the free world; interpretative dance is a feature of all great symphonies, operas and ballets.
There have been reports of public and private threats damaging the promotion of the Spectacular and jeopardizing their sponsors in different cities where the show is scheduled to appear. In Canada, for instance, the Consulate issued a strong statement asking people and dignitaries not to support the show in any way, shape or form. The statement is said also "to have warned officials from any country [from] participating in the event." This warning is meant to discourage government officials from attending the Spectacular in Canada (and elsewhere) or from sending New Years greetings to it.
The Multiculturalism Minister said that “this government of Canada isn't going to censor any Canadian citizen from exercising their charter rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and religion, regardless of what any foreigner may say.”
There will soon be a NTDTV Spectacular playing in your area. I hereby urge you not to engage in any tactics to interfere with the NTDTV’s Spectacular in any way. It is not in a foreign Consulate’s mandate to interfere with citizens’ activities in a host country. The consulate should accept and respect the freedom of expression that is part and parcel of life in the free world.
Note: NTDTV is highly respected and has a fine reputation in the West. It describes itself as an international, independent and non-profit Chinese language television station. The station employs over 60 reporters in more than 50 cities around the world and is currently available in North America, Australia, Asia and Europe, reaching over 200 million viewers worldwide. As you are well aware, NTDTV has been banned from broadcasting in China because it carries uncensored news from the free world. It’s not surprising as China also prohibits CNN, BBC, etc from broadcasting on their airwaves. NTDTV claims to be the first TV station that broke the story of the SARS epidemic. It is also dedicated to bridging the gap between the East and the West.
Reference:
CTV Televisions: Another spat between China and Canada Copyright 2007 CTV Televisions, Inc.All Rights Reserved CTV Television, Inc. SHOW: CTV NEWS 23:00:00 ET
January 20, 2007 Saturday LENGTH: 335 words HEADLINE: Another spat between China and Canada ANCHORS: SANDIE RINALDO BODY:
SANDIE RINALDO: There's another spat brewing between China and Canada. The Chinese government is outraged by a stage show that it calls propaganda for the Falun Gong spiritual movement which Beijing has banned. But Ottawa is standing firm, and a show is going on in Toronto this weekend after a controversial debut in the nation's capital. CTV's Roger Smith reports.
ROGER SMITH (Reporter): It's billed as a Chinese new year spectacular, a celebration of traditional culture. But the modern political message has outraged the Chinese government.
HUANG HUIKANG (Diplomat): It is political propaganda.
SMITH: The show is organized by a Chinese language TV network and a newspaper that oppose the communist regime and support Falun Gong, a movement that China has outlawed as an evil cult. This dance portrays a Falun Gong practitioner being murdered by police. Defenders say it's just art reflecting reality.
LUCY ZHOU (Falun Gong Practitioner): In reality there is a large group of Falun Gong and they're persecuted, and I saw the show. It was represented so beautifully.
SMITH: Beijing, though, gives it two thumbs down, demanding that Ottawa lower the curtain.
HUIKANG: Not allow Falun Gong to use Canadian territory to engage in anti-Chinese activities.
SMITH: But the official programme includes a greeting from Stephen Harper, and his government insists the show is none of China's business.
JASON KENNEY (Multiculturalism Minister): This government of Canada isn't going to censor any Canadian citizen from exercising their charter rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and religion, regardless of what any foreigner may say.
SMITH: The controversy is no big surprise. With its depiction of persecution, the show has run on international stages for four years. And for just as long, the Chinese have been protesting. Chinese pressure did force the cancellation in South Korea, but the show goes on elsewhere. Not just in Toronto, but also in several European capitals next month. Roger Smith, CTV News, Ottawa.
LOAD-DATE: January 22, 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment