PRC helpfully offers Maori TV programming advice

The PRC has asked Maori Television not to screen a documentary about Rebiya Kadeer, and to replace it with a documentary about the Urumqi riots produced by the Chinese state broadcaster (1).

Even the mild mannered Lincoln Tan seems to think this is going a bit far. You can detect a raised eyebrow in the opening paragraph:

China is to pressure Maori Television to screen its own, government-produced film on riots in a Muslim-majority province instead of an independent documentary on an exiled leader.

Maori TV is to screen 10 Conditions of Love, an Australian film about the struggle of Muslim Uighur people in Xinjiang, the scene of recent ethnic riots, and their figurehead, Rebiya Kadeer.

Beijing, however, has produced its own documentary, Xinjiang Urumqi July 5 Riot: Truth and has asked Maori TV to screen it instead. (1)

I'm quite sure the snappily titled Xinjiang Urumqi July 5 Riot: Truth is entirely factual, balanced and considered. I wouldn't dream of suggesting otherwise. Lefthandpalm would probably get hacked to pieces if I was to do so.

It's a shame that Tan resorts to the slef serving Jimmy He for a quote, though at least now He's status as an interested party is made clear (2).

Again, a big "Well done" to Maori TV for getting hold of 10 Conditions of Love. Stick to your guns, and tell the totalitarians where to go.

1 - "China wants Maori TV to show riot film," by Lincoln Tan, published n the New Zealand Herald, 11th of August, 2009. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10589937)
2 - As described previosuly on lefthandpalm: http://lefthandpalm.blogspot.com/2009/08/maori-tv-to-screen-kaader-doco.html