On December 26, 2007, Xinhua News Agency published an article titled “An Investigation of Fake Think Tanks in the United States.” The article listed four U.S. think tanks, calling them “non-governmental organizations funded by the government,” employing “soft daggers” through “financing, supporting, planning subversive tactics, etc. against the targeted nations.” The following is part three of the translation of the entire article. [1]
Freedom House: Veteran Subversion Experts
Freedom House is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in about 12 countries. Freedom House is well known for its annual survey of global political rights and civil liberties in various countries. Freedom House was founded in 1941 and is a veteran “subversion expert" in the United States.
Although it claims to be an "independent think-tank," three-quarters of Freedom House’s funding comes from the government. During the Cold War era, it supported some political dissidents from the Soviet Union and Poland. Now its tentacles have reached the corners of the CIS and Eastern Europe. Further, it has established footholds in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America.
Freedom House is governed by its Board of Trustees that is composed of former senior government officials, business and labor leaders, writers and journalists. Former CIA Director Woosley was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Current members of the Board include former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz, former President of the World Bank.
Freedom House often publishes reports critical of other countries, causing great dissatisfaction in the international community. Western scholars also think that these reports apply the standards of the United States and are full of prejudice.
The more important task of the organization is to promote human rights and freedom in some countries with the goal of subverting the governments. At present, the organization’s focus is Korea and Africa. According to British Financial Times reports, the organization is funded by the United States State Department and is one of several organizations engaged in “secret activities" in Iran.
Freedom House is unequivocal when it comes to its mission of subversion of foreign governments. The organization in a so-called research report said, "subverting foreign government is a catalyst for broad and non-violent civil opposition, specifically boycott of goods, mass protests, blockades, strikes and disobedience, thereby eroding the legitimacy and authoritarian regime and their supporters, including military loyalty."
Chomsky, a liberal professor from Massachusetts Institute of Technology pointed out back in 1988 that Freedom House, the CIA, Radio Free Europe, and other government agencies act in unison for a long time as propaganda machines for the United States Government and international right-wing forces.
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Classical Cases
In 2005, riots broke out in Kyrgyzstan. A political base that President Akayev spent 15 painstaking years building, was totally destroyed within a month. According to the American media, Freedom House played an important role in it.
My Important News is a newspaper by the opposition in Kyrgyzstan. During the political turbulence, the newspaper accepted at least $70,000 in grants from the United States Government. The newspaper was produced in a printing shop in Freedom House’s office in Kyrgyzstan. Akayev ordered the turn-off of the power to Freedom House’s branch. The next day, the United States embassy in Kyrgyzstan sent two emergency generators to Freedom House’s branch. The generators were clearly marked "Property of the United States Government."
On the eve of parliamentary election in Kyrgyzstan, "My Important News" contained a photo showing Akayev’s "mansion" under construction. This move immediately evoked strong reaction throughout Kyrgyzstan. People were so dissatisfied with the Akayev government. At that time, opposition leaders funded by Freedom House distributed the newspaper, free of charge, in truckloads.
Endnotes:
[1] Xinhua News Agency, December 26, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/globe/2007-12/26/content_7315955.htm