Dissident May Join Niemans

Chinese writer and dissident Liu Binyan will come to Harvard in the fall if he accepts a longstanding invitation from the Nieman Foundation to join its year-long program for journalists.

Liu is one of the most prominent journalists in the People's Republic of China, but in January he was ousted from the Communist Party and his writing was banned.

Curator of the Nieman Foundation Howard Simons said yesterday that Liu was invited to become a Nieman Fellow about two years ago, but that he was busy at the time.

"I haven't heard from Liu yet, but I have heard from others that he will be able to accept our offer to come [next year]," Simons said. Liu told The Washington Post this month that he intended to accept Harvard's offer. Liu is in China and could not be reached for comment.

Liu uses a technique called reportage, or fictionalized reporting. Liu "analyzes basic social conditions that [allow] corruption to grow," author Perry Link wrote in 1982.

While the final permission for him to leave the People's Republic of China has not yet been granted, Liu is again being allowed to write. Harvard experts on China said they expect the Chinese government will allow him to come.

"It is my understanding that there is a good chance that Liu Binyan can come here," said Professor of Government Roderick MacFarquhar, who studies China.

In the fall of 1982, Liu was given permission to accept a long-standing invitation from the University of lowa to come to the United States, even though his previous requests had been denied repeatedly.

Simons said that Liu would join the NiemanFoundation in September, like all other NiemanFellows. As a fellow, he would be affiliated withone of the undergraduate houses and would interactwith undergraduates in other ways, Simons said.

Although most foreign journalists who come toHarvard pay their own way, the Nieman Foundationwould give Liu a grant to come study at Harvard,Simons said.

Liu has been described as a symbol of moralintegrity for China's university students becausehe is honest and fearless in exposing corruptionand opression. As a result he was accused ofbetraying the Communist Party, MacFarquhar said.

MacFarquhar described Liu as "an earnest youngcommunist who wanted to make the system workbetter." His writings include "People orMonsters?" an article in which Liu wrote, "TheCommunist Party regulated everything but would notregulate the Communist Party."

Liu is not an anti-communist dissident whowants to leave the country, MacFarquhar said. "Iadmire him for trying to put the country in theright direction. We are very keen on having himhere at Harvard," he said