The World Food Program of the U.N. organized a yearly walk on May 13 in several countries around the world to “End Child Hunger by 2015”, a very lofty aim if there ever was one.
A walk was also planned in Beijing, with marchers gathering in the Beijing World Park. But people had to register in advance AND the registration limit was set at 1,000. Well, 30,000 turned up and the police canceled the walk for safety reasons.
What is so frightening about 30,000 people marching? The Beijing Public Security Bureau is still afraid of mass gatherings, because they want to be in the majority. Five policemen for every marcher so everything can be controlled.
Flashback to the Cultural Revolution: one million Red Guards saluting Chairman Mao in Tiananmen Square! Today, the authorities cannot even control a march of 30,000 people! Are they afraid of the power of the masses? Have they forgotten Chairman Mao's words “Follow the mass line”? Why only allow 1,000 people to march to protest the fact that millions of children are still hungry today, at a time when Bush wants to turn grain into petrol so the U.S. will become less dependent on a Middle East he himself set aflame?
The Chinese authorities are kowtowing to the God of Calm. They are afraid to tolerate a little protest.
Out of chaos, order will emerge, but without chaos, there can only be a false impression of calm. When will Beijing see another march of a million?
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