The Washington Post recently published a story on a Party whistle-blower, Huang Jingao, who posted a letter on the Internet accusing fellow politicians of "crooked land deals," accusations which triggered an outcry from China's citizens against all the corruption. To stifle this, the propaganda department erased all Web posts and the journalist who publicized the letter was arrested. Huang started receiving death threats, his credibility was defamed (sleeping around with women and taking bribes), and he was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly accepting bribes.
Doesn't this make you wonder what is truly going on? Why the cover up? Why the two-faced media? The citizens are responding to something real. Corruption is happening.
How to root out corruption?
- Journalistic integrity and independence from political forces;
- Coupled this with government transparency to show what officials are doing and how money is (mis-)used.
What about the officials?
- Checks and balances: do they exist?
- Elections: How do officials get into office? With only one political party there are no real election and no real representation, right?
Such changes sound like democracy... a dangerous idea to the Communist ears.
Arrg, I never thought of myself as so political. But governments are in place to enforce morality and justice, which I care about.
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