American "Citizen Journalists" Detained In Beijing

At least eight Americans as well as other Western nationals have been detained by the Chinese government, according to Reuters, for expressing political speech related to Tibet. We Americans take our right to "free speech" as a given, although this right is not a global one.

Acts of journalism -- what we think of as the Fourth Estate -- are vital to a democracy. In this digital age, these acts of journalism are increasingly being performed by bloggers. Marshall Kirkpatrick at ReadWriteWeb provides more details as well as this information: Call the US Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, +1 202 225 5021, to register your concern about the Americans being held by the Chinese government.

The history of China and Tibet is long and complex. In the 14th century Tibet asserted its independence. Fast-forward to 1950, when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet. Skip to 1959, when the Dalai Lama, the titular head of Tibet, escaped to India. Back in Tibet, members of the Dalai Lama's bodyguard were publicly executed by firing squad. On the 49th anniversary of the 1959 uprising (10 March 2008), Tibetans held a peaceful protest, asking for the release of monks and nuns held in prison. The Chinese police responded with tear gas and gunfire.

See Politics and the Olympics (August 2008) ; Lacking Freedom Itself, Beijing Hosts Web Conference (April 2008) ; China Cracks Down on Monks in Lhasa, Tibet and Can There Be A Peaceful Solution In Tibet? (March 2008).