The Australian media has a romance with freedom fighters. Perhaps it descended from our worshopping of our folklore heroes such as Ned Kelly.
It explains easily, the fascination with Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer during her recent visit. When it comes to Kadeer versus China, a David and Goliath tussle, the media easily took on the side of David. Of course China is an easy target for criticisms; there are lots of issues that one could find fault with.
However, if only the media would look deeper into Kadeer’s background, especially in relation to her claims that she was no separatist, a claim that the local media seemed to swallow so readily. For China, separatism is a threat akin to treason.
The respected New York Times had no reason to hide her background. It published a photo of her in her Washington office with the flag of East Turkistan Independence movement prominently displayed behind her (NYT, 9 July 2009). (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/world/asia/09kadeer.html?_r=1&scp=10&sq=rebiya%20kadeer&st=cse)
It explains easily, the fascination with Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer during her recent visit. When it comes to Kadeer versus China, a David and Goliath tussle, the media easily took on the side of David. Of course China is an easy target for criticisms; there are lots of issues that one could find fault with.
However, if only the media would look deeper into Kadeer’s background, especially in relation to her claims that she was no separatist, a claim that the local media seemed to swallow so readily. For China, separatism is a threat akin to treason.
The respected New York Times had no reason to hide her background. It published a photo of her in her Washington office with the flag of East Turkistan Independence movement prominently displayed behind her (NYT, 9 July 2009). (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/world/asia/09kadeer.html?_r=1&scp=10&sq=rebiya%20kadeer&st=cse)
It also reported that according to Rohan Gunaratna, an expert on international terrorism, the ETIM is linked to the Al Qaida and had members fighting for them on both sides of the Chinese border. (http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/what-should-china-do-about-the-uighurs/?scp=3&sq=Uighurs&st=cse)
Gunaratna is no stranger to the local Australian media and yet when it comes to comments on Kadeer, they chose to ignore him.
Gunaratna is no stranger to the local Australian media and yet when it comes to comments on Kadeer, they chose to ignore him.
