China, Censorship and The Olympics

China just doesn't get it. It has clear goals of becoming a major superpower, has introduced market based economic reforms and is now considered to be the fourth largest economy in the world, and yet it still falls pitifully behind in terms of its political and social reforms. Who cares how much money you have in your pocket if you have no freedom, if you continuously fear what you say might land you in jail, if you have little access to information other than what your government deems appropriate. I'd rather be a pauper with freedom, than a rich person with none. The Chinese government would like the world to think they are evolving as a nation, but other than their economy, not a damn thing has changed.

I am still grappling with the question of why China was awarded the honour of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, given the government's continuing penchant for flagrantly violating the rights of its citizens. Sure, back when they were bidding to host the games, 7 years ago, government officials assured news organizations that they would have complete freedom to report the games, as they have during past Olympic Games. Right. Easy to pay lip service when you have no intention of complying. Did anyone truly believe those promises? I guess not because, we come to find out, the International Olympic Committee (although they deny it) secretly brokered a deal which allows China to, yes, block certain sensitive websites, even for foreign journalists, who are already complaining they've encountered blocked access to various sites. So much for promises. Then again, did people expect anything different from a government that has exercised such suffocatingly tight control over its own people, for decades. And as for all their assurances they'd improve their human rights record, as a condition for hosting the games- empty promises.

If tourists think they will have carte blanche over there, think again. It's been confirmed that they too will be subject to censorship, and who knows what else. International hotel chains have been ordered to install software that will monitor the Internet activity of their guests, and there will be punishment for those who do not comply. So not only do they subject the Chinese people to censorship, they are forcing those same restrictions on visitors to their country. How's that for a warm welcome.

What I find most appalling is that they blatantly lied to ensure they would win the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, and that the IOC and the world was stupid enough to believe them.

UPDATE: Due to international pressure, as of 8/1/08, the Chinese government has lifted the ban on some sites, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), although others continue to be banned, including any sites relating to Tibet or The Falun Gong. Some progress, but not enough!

Beijing Olympics 2008

A picture's worth a thousand words.



Hat Tip: Theo Spark

Does China Deserve The Olympics?

I'm still trying to figure out what possessed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to bestow upon China the honour of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. A country that continuously, and flagrantly, violates the rights of its own citizens.

The following statement graces the home page of the IOC :

"The Games have always brought people together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The upcoming Games will feature athletes from all over the world and help promote the Olympic spirit."

Peace? Respect? Moral principles? Shouldn't the host country adhere to some, if not all, of those principles? Though China has evolved, somewhat, by joining the global economic community (and it did so out of necessity) it has not changed a whit, when it comes to the darker issues of human rights abuses. China does not respect its citizens, and it certainly has no concept of universal moral principles. I've written about their execution buses, their forced abortions. And witness what's occurring right now in Tibet, a country they have no legitimate rights to, but have been occupying for ages. First-hand accounts (as reported to Radio free Asia -RFA) chronicle the unwarranted brutality perpetrated by Chinese security forces against Tibetans:

"They tried to pull down the Tibetan flag that had been raised by protestors at the town headquarters building on the 17th, and when the protestors peacefully resisted, the security forces opened fire, killing two protestors. Their names were Kyari and Tsedo. Both were from Tseshul village. Another eight persons, including Yeshe Dorje and Tabke, were seriously wounded and were taken to Serthar county hospital."

“Many Chinese security forces have arrived in the Serkar monastery in the Kham Gapa area to impart re-education programs among the monks. But all the monks refused to participate in the program and instead raised slogans demanding religious freedom and human rights. There are around 500 monks. The Chinese army before leaving the monastery threatened the monks that they were going to come back the next day to deal with them. I have not received any further information after that.”

These are not isolated incidents. I posted, back in September, about the shooting of innocent Tibetan refugee/pilgrims crossing the Nepalese border with Tibet. They were headed, in the snow, to India. Caught on tape by some foreign filmmakers, one emotion-filled witness declared, "They are shooting them like... like dogs". And so they were. 2 people were killed, including a young Tibetan nun.

Since the recent anti-China protests in Tibet, there have been crackdowns on Tibetans in China, as well. One Tibetan writer, Tsering Woeser, and her Chinese husband have both been placed under house arrest. And, apparently, her blogs were blocked (last year) after merely publishing a photo of the Dalai Lama.

And, not surprisingly, there is talk of the banning of live broadcasts of the games, and there have been warnings to tourists about Chinese government monitoring of hotels and other public and private areas. I'm not sure who would want to attend the Olympics, given the current circumstances and China's inability to temper its grievous behaviour; but there will obviously be attendees, and China will continue on its merry way.

Frankly, China does not deserve hosting what, in my mind, represents the spirit of friendly competition and universal brotherhood. At least, until they clean up their act.