Developing Government Fears Disclosure?

Exploring SciDev.net sometimes I can find some consolation, knowing that the inequality and lack of civil freedom we currently suffered is not exclusive in my country:

In a session at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Melbourne, Australia, delegates were told that governments are interfering with science reporting in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

-- Government interference 'impeding science reporting', SciDev.net

This report is actaully an interview with a attendant from Sri Lanka, who further explain that the most interfered scientific reporting is those of public-funded research. In fact public-funded anything is likely to suffer censorship in developing countries, the 'developing' governments generally fearing that the disclosure of their failure may dilute, if not dissolve, their power. So they have to conceal every major or minor blunder by manipulating media, at least the 'official' ones.

However, things have become better in the past few years in China, especially after the crisis of SARS in 2003. Chinese government has realized that safety of their power can be strengthened rather than weakened by honestly disclosing significant information to the public. Confidence from the public is the real power. People may forgive a honest government for its error, but can hardly stay calm if they realize they have been cheated. Public confidence is also crucial in critical periods when the government has to calm the crowd and direct them in order. Official guide malfunctions when the government lost the trust by its people, leading to severe disorder which is what the government really fears.

All governments wish to hold their power as long as possible, while cheating is by no means a long-term strategy because to save a lie you always have to create a bigger one. Honesty is the real wiseness.