Moldova riots: beware of misinformation on Twitter
The media, particularly in the US, have stressed the innovative use of Web-based platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in the build-up to the protests gripping Moldova. However, the Internet is also being used by both camps to spread false rumours and fabricate conspiracy theories. Here is a startling example of possible misinformation on Twitter.
A Web user raised our attention to this photo. It was published on a blog, with the mention “communist conspiracy”, as well as on several Moldovan media.
The image has been used as proof that the communists in power manipulated the demonstrators in order to lure the protest movement into violence. The men on the roof of the building are described as bogus protesters, escorted by a policeman (with a cap). The men are supposedly hoisting a flag of the European Union on top of the Moldovan parliament. According to this theory, the move is a communist ploy to excite the crowd and then blame the opposition for the ensuing riots.
The conspiracy theory is currently spreading on the Net, particularly via Twitter. Web users add their own false information, including the claim that the Romanian flag is being hoisted above that of the EU. This is wrong. The flag in the picture is Moldova’s, even though the two are very similar. The assertion is particularly sensitive given the present context. Indeed, Moldova’s communist president has accused neighbouring Romania of stirring up the riots. Hence, Web users are here implying that the president put the Romanian flags up so that he could then point the finger at Bucharest.
In the end, none of this appears to be correct. One of the leaders of the protest, Oleg Brega, whom we already spoke to yesterday, gave us his view of what really happened. He says the men on the picture are real protesters. The police allegedly allowed them to hoist the EU flag in the hope that this might calm the crowd and quell the riots. This would explain why the policeman with the cap isn’t trying to hide. For Oleg, the photo just shows that, at the time, the authorities had “capitulated”.
If you have any information either supporting or contradicting the theory that the protesters were manipulated please send us your comment.
Comments
Moldova Riots
Submitted by James hamilton (not verified) on Thu, 30/04/2009 - 13:25.This is a great site the article has been very very helpful and i would recommend it, and some good points have been made here, this what blogging should be about.
I was there but I'm not realy an organiser
Submitted by Oleg Brega on Mon, 13/04/2009 - 11:15.Ghenadie, one of my brothers was between organizers of the protests on Monday, but on the next day he was not in the street, because he was accused in organizing illegal demonstrations.
I was here on 7th of April (in front of the Parliament building, one of my colleagues from was in front of the Presidency building), filming for JurnalTV.md, and I saw how two or three protestants were discussing with the police at the entrance, to let them put the EU flag on top. One or two of them tried to enter for this, but they were sent to the back of the building with the blue flag.
My colleague said the same happened at the Presidency.
Also, we both filmed how the Romanian flag was erected in front of the Government building, may be in the morning of the 7th of April.
I don't know who were the persons involved in this operation and why police permitted them to do this, but I know for sure that on top of the building were protestants and police who is protecting the buildings.
Evidence in support of the communist conspiracy theory
Submitted by John Doe (not verified) on Sun, 12/04/2009 - 15:14.It appears that the journalists found evidence that the person who erected the EU and Romanian flags on both buildings (Parliament and Presidency headquarters) is employed by the Moldovan Secret Services. There are currently on the internet 3 videos showing how that person is trying to compromise the demonstrations of two opposition parties during the campaign:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjGAv44Z-WY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fanalizemd%2...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfBJtSpQVlw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fanalizemd%2...
http://www.protv.md/stiri/social/protest-si-antiprotest-in-fata-guvernul...
In one video he pretends, in front of the cameras of a pro-government television (Omega TV), to be a protester at a demonstration organised by PLDM (Partidul Liberal Democrat) and to have received money for his participation. The pro-government televisions circulated the video extensively to claim that the opposition is bribing its suporters. In another video, the same person pretends the same things during a demonstration organised by AMN (Alianta Moldova Noastra). In another video, the person is already taking part in an anti-AMN counter-demonstration.
Yesterday, the Chisinau based ProTV aired a news-item about the alleged provocateur. It is in Romanian and can be seen here: http://www.protv.md/filme/cine-este-tanarul-din-imagine.html#32988
Similar infomation can be found at the following address: http://analizemd.blogspot.com/2009/04/videofoto-dovezi-ce-ar-mai-putea-a...
It would appear that there are more and more information to support the theory of conspiracy.
Best regards.
First victim of the police!!!
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 12/04/2009 - 07:14."A young man of 23 years old died after being cruelly beaten by the police, the deceased family declared!!!
Valeriu Boboc, a young man of 23 years old, died because of the police. The family does not know exactly the cause of death, but believes the young man died after being cruelly beaten by the police because his body is full of bruises. The official police version is that the young man was poisoned with smoke during the protest of April 7.
"Valeriu was arrested Tuesday, but we found out about it only on Friday", said Marcel Boboc, the brother of the victim.
Valeriu Boboc was was married and had a child a year and a half old."
Source: http://unimedia.md/?mod=news&id=10309
correction: "the family of
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 12/04/2009 - 07:15.correction: "the family of the deceased declared"
The France24 observer who
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 11/04/2009 - 21:41.The France24 observer who wrote this should be kicked out of the organization.
So far, I know these facts:
- President Voronin stated that he deliberately allowed protesters to enter the building by withdrawing all security forces; this is enough to support the theory that we witnessed a communist ploy to excite the crowd and then blame the opposition for the ensuing riots
- there were 30,000 protesters last tuesday; now they gather by hundreds or less
- there are images of people beaten and kidnapped in the streets by civilians that one may only assume they belong to special units in the secret police
- Journalists have been kidnapped and kept in custody police without warrant on a regular basis
- western borders are closed and EU Romanian citizens are required visas
- Romanian ambassador was declared persona non grata
- the "evidence" they produced to accuse Romania: consultancy by Romanian political parties for Moldovan political parties; that media in Romania labeled demonstration as "revolution" (if I look at France24 I expect the French ambassador to be expelled as well) and 1 individual with a funny name Jordan was arrested
- there are people in the Romanian embassy who request political asylum
- a student from France who acted as translator for foreign journalists has been severely beaten by police
- there are reports of around 100 missing protesters and the death of some of them; schools are stormed by police in search of dissidents.
What I think: If Voronin accepted the idea that any citizen has a fundamental right to express political opinions and gather to protest in the streets, he would have been the winner. Now, by trying to silence them through brutality, beatings, kidnappings, killings, closing borders and manipulation he will eventually loose.
Are you blind?
Submitted by Ruslan (not verified) on Sat, 11/04/2009 - 07:31.France 24 are blind?! KGB paid you?! Look at the other pictures, watch youtube, watch TV from Romania, and you will see the 3 flags: modovian, romanian, and EU on the building. You will see how police bring pavement stones for "students"! one time they used feces instead of water cannon to irritate the crowd!
Hi Ruslan, I'm totally
Submitted by free_moldova (not verified) on Sat, 11/04/2009 - 21:30.Hi Ruslan,
I'm totally against communists and yes, there are so many photos and movies showing the communists put the flags, and that they instigated to violence.
But you seem to be doing the same mistake as France 24, meaning to accuse or to state something without proof. You don't know why France 24 wrote the article like that, and you certainly don't know that they are payed by KGB (you don't even know that they are on the communists' side - hopefully they aren't). Maybe that was what they thought, maybe they were careless to take Oleg's opinion and present it as their own, and not verify enough additional sources of information (pictures, videos etc). Maybe they were just wrong. You can't know.
I refuse to believe that with all the proofs that followed, with all the videos of people beaten up by the police, and with all the journalists kidnapped, France 24 will not realize that the actions of the communists are beyond any limit. They are capable of anything, and they stop from nothing. They can arrest students while they are holding flowers. They can beet them up to death. They can threaten, they can kidnap journalists and people who work in the parliament. They can lie, and invent anything, as long as it fits their purposes. They were prepared to shoot at students who were protesting peacefully, and holding flowers. This is why many students didn't dare to show up in PMAN anymore, because they got anonymous messages warning them to stay home if they want to live. And the communists WOULD indeed kill students while they are holding flowers. They wouldn't stop from anything. It DID happen in Romanian revolution in '89!
My point is, the last thing we want is to turn EU or the international press against us by careless comments or accusations without proofs. I understand we all want the communists out. But please take the example of the students protesting in PMAN with FLOWERS. We are peaceful, and we don't make unjustified accusations. That is what Voronin does when accusing Romania and the west without any single proof. We need the help of EU. And we need to show the world we are neither violent, nor vandals, nor careless. We just want freedom, democracy, and a better future, without living under terror. We are desperate. EU, we need your help.
Please watch
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Fri, 10/04/2009 - 16:03.Please watch http://unimedia.info/ for more photos and films, showing evidence. Pay attention to that boy that put the flags on BOTH the parliament and presidency. Also there are testimonies of students who were kidnapped and beaten by the police. It's shocking. Journalists were also kidnapped.
Here is a translation of one of the testimonies (unfortunately incomplete, the translator, a student from twitter, didn't understand all words, which are marked by 4 curly brackets):
http://shorttext.com/zyt75k9
A complete version will most probably be available soon. But you can still get the point.
I support all the comments
Submitted by Moldavian (not verified) on Thu, 09/04/2009 - 22:24.I support all the comments posted here. Your article fails to show the reality.You have no evidence and despite this you express YOUR opinion as sure facts. Do you know how is to live in Moldova, where nowadays people are afraid to leave their homes, where students are taken from schools or universities and maltreated and where nobody knows if their relatives will return at home? I am very disappointed with you and your article.
We really do believe in you, but I see that we shouldn't......