Chemical factory - RFA Unplugged

British Prime Minister David Cameron has continued to follow the China, Burma, North Korea et al play book when it comes to dealing with criticism and dissent. Censorship, bizarre trials followed by draconian sentencing and threats to freedom of speech have become the norm in the wake of rioting set off by police killing a man in questionable circumstances.

American humorist and social commentator Will Rogers once said: “It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute.”

It took longer than a life time to build up, starting with the Magna Carta nearly 800 years ago, but not much more than a minute over the past week for Britain to lose any moral authority it may have once had. It can no longer seriously pressure repressive regimes into embracing freedom of speech, open access to information, democracy and even the basics of the rule of law after its own swift U-turn on those elementary building blocks of civilization.

Yesterday a UK court in Cheshire sentenced two men in their early 20′s, with no previous convictions, to 4 years jail for inciting a riot in by putting up a Facebook posting calling for people to turn out and run rampant in the streets, that the riot did not take place was seemingly irrelevant.

Britain’s court system appears to have lost its independence and be taking its cues from the politicians, handing out grossly inappropriate sentences for people even on the periphery of last weeks rioting.

There is no indication if these men in court were serious in their postings, though there is no doubt they must be dumb as a box of rocks, but if everyone who had publicly made an idiotic suggestion was put behind bars there would be some very big prisons.

This is but one example of the heavy handed sentences given out all in the name of deterrence.

And it all plays into the hands of regimes who reject what they see as “western” notions of free speech and access to information.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and his government are doing irreparable harm not only to the nation’s moral standing but also to that of activists, non governmental organizations and responsible journalists based in the UK. From now on they will all be tarred with the same brush of double standards when they promote democracy or basic human rights such as free speech.

Chinese censors blocked mobile services and internet access to reports about dangers at a chemical plant in the north-east city of Dailin on Saturday at the same time the official Xinhua news agency endorsed British Prime Minister, David Cameron’s, suggestion that some people be banned from social media sites in the UK.

This is one of the most insidious and dangerous threats to online freedom we have seen for some time.

Cameron also suggested social media sites needed to take more responsibility for policing what people post.

Cameron’s comments follow on from a widespread violent protests that shook Britain recently. They were intially sparked by the police shooting of a man whom they claimed they were investigating for illegally selling guns.

Initially police said they were fired on and killed the man in return fire. That is now disputed and it appears he never fired a shot.

Cameron’s comments were obviously aimed at soothing an angry electorate who blame the rioting initially on police actions and then the escalation of the rioting on police inaction. Others claim Cameron’s right leaning government’s recent cuts in social spending contributed to the tinder box atmosphere among the0 many disaffected youth who took part.

It is a dangerous and short sighted game to blame social media and propose restricting online access for what are clearly political purposes. Britain has had similar rioting before and it was managed without the benefit of mobile devices or the internet.

Britain must encourage and promote the free flow of information not emulate China and try and control what it’s citizens have access to.

This current situation hightlights the fagility of freedom of speech and open dialogue. If a country like the UK suddenly abandons those principles and emulates China then what moral force does it have to call for democratic reforms there or in any other country.

China says it restricted information access to stop large protests for public order reasons on the weekend. People were protesting at the dangers of chemical contamination from a just closed factory. Many of those protesting in the UK would say they were reacting to an extrajudicial killing and policies that were denying them basic social services such as education, health care and housing.

In neither case can any public disorder be laid at the feet of the mechanisms of information sharing instead China should have done a better job cleaning up potential chemical hazard and Britain again needs to look at the way it conducts its policing and the needs of its most vulnerable.

Angry crowds can be dangerous but the best way to avoid them is to take away the cause of the anger not leave them in ignorance which is in itself a breeding ground for rumor, misinformation and panic.