Senator Andrew Bartlett
Monday, June 13, 2005
 
Update: Chen comments withdrawn

My previous item expressing concern at some threatening comments about Chen Yonglin on a website run by Chinese students in Australia has led to the site being shut down by the site's administrator. He explains his action in the comments section of the previous entry.

I saw this development whilst checking my site on a computer as I was waiting at the airport tonight. I was on my way down to Canberra for the final seven days of Senate sittings before the Prime Minister gets control of the Senate.

I discussed this issue with one of my perceptive staff, who deals regularly with multicultural issues. She reminded me that the threatening postings I drew attention to are not dissimilar to plenty of other abusive stuff you get on the Net - just false bravado as I suggested in the title of my previous post. Nationalism and uncritical patriotism can tend to bring out these sorts of aggressive and strident comments and there are plenty of examples of Australian blogs and websites with abusive and threatening stuff on them towards others - especially if the person was seen as being 'anti-Australian' in some way. (I won't link to any of them because I don't intend to increase the traffic to their sites)

I've been called a traitor many times just for supporting the rights of refugees, let alone for when I criticised our Government in committing us to war I believe was wrong. I've also had very threatening emails (usually from people calling themselves Christians) when I've spoken in support of the rights of gays and lesbians. Whilst it is never pleasant, it is part of the price you pay for freedom of speech (although I would argue it is an abuse of that right).

The difference with this case that may make some feel it is more than just over-aggressive nationalistic internet bravado is that it could be perceived to have a powerful Government behind it that has a record of acting on that intimidation in unpleasant ways. If I get stuff from Australians mouthing off in a threatening way, I usually just think they're idiots and ignore it. If it's seriously bad, I refer it to the Federal Police and then ignore it unless I hear something back from them (which I never have).

However, if a Chinese dissident sees stuff from someone mouthing off in a threatening way, they could perceive it having the Chinese Government tacitly behind it. I'm not suggesting that the Chinese student website is a pawn of their Government, but there is no doubt the Chinese Government has committed many serious breaches of human rights (far in excess of Australia's less than perfect record) and that uncomfortable knowledge would undoubtedly increase the fear of someone who feels they are a target when they see open threats like the ones I described.

In any case, the website administrator has apologised and withdrawn the material and I feel it is appropriate in this forum to accept that at face value.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Monday, June 13, 2005 Permalink
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