Chinese communist authorities have recently tightened their supervision of the Internet. A Tibetan writer, Wei Se (Tibetan: Oser or Woeser), had two of her weblogs, also known as blogs, shut down.
According to Boxun.net, two blogs by a well-known Tibetan female writer, Wei Se, located at “Tibetan Culture Blog (www.tibetcul.net)” and “Daqi Blog (www.daqi.com)” were suddenly shut down on July 28. Her two blogs featured poems and prose about Tibetan culture, and also interviews and memoirs posted. She also occasionally posted articles by her husband Wang Lixiong, an independent Chinese writer.
Upon discovering that Wei Se’s Blog was inaccessible, the RFA reporter made a phone call to “Tibetan Culture Blog.” The following is the conversation between the reporter and a duty worker of “Tibetan Culture Blog”:
Tibetan Culture Blog: “Sorry, I just happened to be on duty. I don’t know exactly what happened.”
Reporter: “How long had Wei Se’s blog been on your website?”
Blog: “I am not quite clear yet about this.”
Reporter: “Then, do you know about the writer, Wei Se?”
Blog: “I’m not really sure.”
Reporter: “What could be the reasons for some blogs being shut down?”
Blog: “I have been pretty unclear on these things as I’m just a duty officer.”
The reporter also contacted the “Daqi Blog”. A duty officer responded saying, “I don’t know exactly. You can call our Public Relations Department next Monday [July 31].”
The reporter made a call to Wei Se but didn’t reach her; but later in an e-mail response, Wei Se said that her blogs were shut down by the order of the United Front Work Department of the CCP Central Committee.”
Moli, a writer living in Sweden, commented, “I think shutting down Wei Se’s blogs was the decision made by the United Front Work Department of the CCP Central Committee and was also part of China’s Internet blockade in order to reinforce the Internet monitoring and censorship.”
“Wei Se is the only Tibetan dissident writer who publicly voiced her objections in mainland China. We know that many Han Chinese are dissidents, but most Tibetans have only two options, either going to jail after raising a different voice, or going into exile.”
“There are hundreds of thousands of Tibetans in exile. Wei Se is probably the only person that falls into neither category. I think she has been constantly raising her voice. But now, even this last hope has been put out. I feel indignant about this matter.”
In 2003, Wei Se’s book Notes on Tibet was published; soon afterwards, she lost her job at the Journal of Tibetan Literature, her home and freedom of movement because Chinese authorities consider her writings overly favorable to the Dalai Lama. In recent years, Wei Se has published additional books in Taiwan, including Secrets of Tibet: New Poem and Forbidden Memory: Tibet During the Cultural Revolution.
(Compiled from a Radio Free Asia recording)
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