The Chinese government has removed the University of Calgary from its list of accredited institutions. School officials think this move is connected to the university hosting the Dalai Lama last fall and awarding him an honorary degree. Though the Dalai Lama did not go to the campus. The university said they're concerned about what impact this will have on Chinese students that are currently working towards a degree, as well as those that have already obtained their degree. A spokeswoman for the university said, "Our biggest concern is we don't want to disadvantage current or prospective students or our alumni." The university currently has about 600 students from mainland China and Hong Kong. The Chinese government has not given the university an explanation for why they have removed their accreditation. A spokeswoman for the Chinese consulate in Calgary would not respond to questions about why the government removed the university's name from their list of accredited schools. Though she said that the University of Calgary "should know [why]."(Full Story)
Human Rights Watch has reported that Libya is censoring the internet. They have blocked several foreign-based sites reporting on Libya, opposition websites, and YouTube, among others. It's believed that the government started blocking sites on January 24th. Internet users were initially told this was a result of technical problems. Human Rights Watch said, "Libya can stick its head in the sand and try to block the free flow of electronic information to its citizens, but the good news is we all know they'll fail. Whether in China or Saudi Arabia or Libya, citizens will always find ways to exchange knowledge and information, with or without their government's consent. " A step-by-step guide on how to access the blocked YouTube site in Libya has already emerged on Facebook in Libya. Moreover, a Facebook group called "We Want YouTube Back in Libya" has been set up and already has 2,000 fans. (Full Story)
Hopefully the next step for the Libyan government won't be to ban Facebook.
Switzerland has offered asylum to two ethnic Uighur Chinese inmates from Guantanamo Bay. Switzerland said they made this decision for humanitarian reasons. These Uighurs cannot be repatriated to China because there is a risk that they would be mistreated and persecuted there. These two Uighurs, as well as 20 others, were captured in Afghanistan, and held at Guantanamo Bay. However, after an investigation, they have been described as not posing a risk, and Obama has ordered their release. The U.S. has found homes in various different countries for these Uighurs. China says that all Guantanamo Uighurs are terrorists, and should be returned to China to 'face justice'. In response to Switzerland's decision, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said, "The position of Switzerland will surely undermine China-Switzerland relations." (Full Story)
I think China just has one form for press releases...
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