May Pang's Asian Media Internet News

In Oslo, Nobel committee president Thorbjoern Jagland stated Liu Xiaobo is, “the foremost symbol of the wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China”.

Upon the announcement, Liu’s wife and several Western nations have called for his release from prison.

China believes that this award was a violation of Nobel principals and that it can damage their relationship with Norway.

For those who don’t know who Liu Xiaobo is, Liu was a key leader in the 1989 Tienanmen Square protests. Just last year, Liu had received an 11-year prison sentence for “inciting subversion” after drafting Charter 08 which called for multi-party democracy and respect for human rights in China.

The Nobel Fountation praised Liu for his “long and non-violent struggle” for better human rights in China.

Several Western countries have requested that Liu be released from prison to receive his award but China refuses to let down. The award itself is controversial but it will only work if China breaks down from the pressure.

Although this may be great news for Westerners and Liu’s family, some of the citizens of China have a different opinion. Some people believe that this prize just shows the West’s dislike of the people and culture of China. Some people in China have just never heard of him since his name has been blocked from the media and others believe that if China were to follow Liu’s beliefs, China would become weak and unstable.

What are your opinions on Liu Xiaobo winning the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize?

Source: BBC News

On Tuesday, August 18, one of Korea’s most-celebrated former presidents, Kim Dae-Jung, or DJ as he was known in the media, passed away from complications with pneumonia. He was 85.

Kim Dae-jung had a career of firsts. In 1998, he became the first opposition party candidate to be elected as president in about 50 years of modern history of South Korea. He was the first Korean to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. He helped guide South Korea through the IMF financial crisis.

But he was most known for his involvement in the democracy movement in Korea before his presidency, during the military dictatorship. He was once kidnapped and sentenced to death for his belief in democracy, then later pardoned. As a sign of forgiveness, he later went on to pardon the former president who condemned him to die, when he received his own death sentence.

Kim was also known for his desire to create a better relationship between North and South Korea through his “Sunshine Policy“, for which he won his Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, after he held the first-ever summit with North Korea.

Because of these efforts throughout Kim’s life, even NK leader Kim Jong-il has sent his condolences to Kim Dae-jung’s family and intends to send a delegation to the South to pay respects to the late former president, along with a funeral wreath.

“Though he passed away to our regret, the feats he performed to achieve national reconciliation and realize the desire for reunification will remain long with the nation,” Kim Jong-Il was quoted by media as saying.

The current Lee Myung-bak administration has decided to hold a state funeral for the former head-of-state, an uncommon move since a president has never had a state funeral in South Korea. The funeral will be held on Sunday at 2 pm after a six-day mourning period.

The late president’s body is currently lying in state in the National Assembly where a giant altar has been built for mourners to pay their respects.

It’s about time! Former US President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea to speak with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il. On March 17th, two US journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee were arrested by North Korea on the China-North Korea border for participating in “hostile acts.”

During their meeting, it was reported that Clinton apologized on behalf of the women, gave President Obama’s gratitude and also a couple of questions aimed at Kim Jong Il’s health. Clinton was able to take a picture with the ailing Kim Jong Il whose frailty has begun to show due to his previous stroke, chronic diabetes, and heart disease.

Daniel Sneider, associate director of research at Stanford University’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center said Clinton “didn’t go to negotiate this, he went to reap the fruits of the negotiation.”

Well those fruits of the negotiation paid off. It’s a relief to see those ladies free. 12 years of hard labor would’ve killed them. I’m sure we’re all happy for them, their friends, and their families.

Corazon Cojuanco Aquino, Former President of the Philippines, died yesterday morning the Makati Medical Center in Makati, Philippines. She was 76 years old. Aquino was diagnosed with colon cancer in March 2008; however, she continued making her public appearances as well as being a regular Catholic at weekend mass. She was admitted to the hospital in Late June.

“Our mother peacefully passed away at 3:18 AM of cardio-respiratory arrest,” her son, Senator Benigno Aquino III, told the reporters in Manila.

Aquino was a world renowned advocate of democracy, peace, and women’s empowerment. After being inducted as the 11th President of the Philippines, she was also the first female to hold the title as President in the Philippines as well as Asia.

She wasn’t born into politics, in face she called herself a ‘self-proclaimed housewife.’ She was married to Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., who in the 80′s was a leading political figure in the opposition against the rule of Ferdinand Marcos. After hearing of her husband’s assassination in August 1983, Aquino, even with lack of experience in politics, took liberty and finishing what her husband has started: unifying force of the opposition of Marcos. Marcos was declared winner of fraudulent election, however he was offered by United States President Ronald Regan to give up the Presidency and come to Hawaii as an exile. Aquino was then installed as President in 1986 by the People Power Revolution. She was also proclaimed as one of the few who had made fair decisions in giving what the country needed.

Condolences go out to the Aquino and Cojuanco families.

source: wikipedia