The arrest of artist Ai Mei Mei last week has again sparked much controversy in the diplomatic sphere with the usual western countries calling for his release. In addition, Melamine-tainted-milk activist Zhao Lianhai who was released on medical grounds couple months ago has spoken out for the first time. Zhao who spoke out in support of Ai Mei Mei has now officially turned him into a dissident. Once campaigning for compensation for children affected by tainted milk formulas, and was not even deemed a threat to national security, has now made himself a campaigner for human rights solely due to the actions of the government.
In this respect, the actions of the government have prompted people who were ordinary citizens to become an enemy of the state. Through the use of unlawful detentions and abductions, the government merely creates an environment of lawlessness and further disdain towards itself. It can be said that if the security bureau through its actions creates more instability among the population and creates more and more self –created dissidents, then wouldn’t that make them the real enemy of the state?
