Cost of defending rights very high
Wang Shuai, a resident of Lingbao county in Henan province, lost his job and failed to get a new one after being detained for reporting illegal land requisitions on the Internet. He was compelled to say that he would not report such incidents again. This reflects the great challenges citizens face in trying to protect their rights, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. Excerpts:
Several media outlets have chosen Wang Shuai, a native of Henan province, as the runner-up for the "Person of the Year" award.
But that is hardly any consolation, for Wang lost his job after being detained for eight days for reporting illegal land requisitions on the Net. He was even forced to declare that he would never report such incidents.
The incident took place in March. But till now, Wang is without a job despite holding a bachelor's degree in optometry, having rich experience in his field and performing the duty of a responsible citizen.
Wang's case shows why many online "whistle blowers" choose to hide their real identities: They fear that they could be detained or arrested. It indeed is risky for a person to expose the misdeeds of local authorities.
Wang has been fortunate to receive the support of the media. But many people trying to defend their and other people's civil rights may not be so.
(China Daily 12/31/2009 page9)
