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Does China Deserve The Olympics?
Made Popular Mar 28 2008
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.
Jayaprashanth
jayprashanth.blogspo..
Mar 28 2008
bangalore,
India
Ofcourse, China doesn’t deserve to host the Olympic’s because of it’s gross violations of human rights and it’s absolute apathy towards freedom of thought and expression. But, now that the Olympics committee conveniently gave China the right to host olympic’s even after fully knowing China’s dirty history, All we can do now is hope that there will be a mass pullout from the Olympic’s by all the countries.
Comment Link
(Global Perspectives)
That would be great, Jayprashanth, but unfortunately, it will never happen.
I think France has talked about a partial boycott of the lighting of the torch, but that’s about it.
I think France has talked about a partial boycott of the lighting of the torch, but that’s about it.
(Global Perspectives)
Even Belgium has not ruled out an Olympic boycott. The numbers are low now but could get bigger in the coming weeks and then, hopefully China gets what it deserves. You never know what the future has in store for Tibet!!!
(Global Perspectives)
That’s good news.. for a boycott to truly have impact, though, it needs to be global. Will keep my fingers crossed that others come on board.
And hopefully, the fallout of all of this criticism will have a positive affect on Tibet.
And hopefully, the fallout of all of this criticism will have a positive affect on Tibet.
(Global Perspectives)
Maybe someone from Tibet can come up and win something. Maybe an athlete from some country like France who wins a gold will drape himself in the Tibet flag along with his own national flag. Maybe someone will speak out from the Olympic village about Chinese rule. You never know. China might not represent the Olympic Spirit, but so didn’t Hitler in 36. That did not go down all that bad.
I understand your emotions, but sport follows a different path. Maybe you will see another Jesse Owens and Dhyan Chand challenge autocratic rule. Sportsmen win their wars on the turf and then send a message, but do not back down. Think of this as an opportunity for world media and world bureaucrats to get a look in to Chinese atrocities without having to deal with the Chinese force. If one athlete can dare to stand up for Tibet in open on the top step wearing gold, maybe the world will change. At that point, China cannot resort to force as it would be under world media. I hope this happens... I know it is a long shot, but still...
I understand your emotions, but sport follows a different path. Maybe you will see another Jesse Owens and Dhyan Chand challenge autocratic rule. Sportsmen win their wars on the turf and then send a message, but do not back down. Think of this as an opportunity for world media and world bureaucrats to get a look in to Chinese atrocities without having to deal with the Chinese force. If one athlete can dare to stand up for Tibet in open on the top step wearing gold, maybe the world will change. At that point, China cannot resort to force as it would be under world media. I hope this happens... I know it is a long shot, but still...
(Global Perspectives)
@attitude
Mate, what you say is very much possible and is one very wonderful idea. The Olympic games is one ultra huge platform by which atheletes can stand up and protest against China’s oppression in Tibet and garner great sympathy for the Tibetan cause and who know’s even persuade China to give Tibet it’s Independence. Great point mate, i bow to you!!!
Mate, what you say is very much possible and is one very wonderful idea. The Olympic games is one ultra huge platform by which atheletes can stand up and protest against China’s oppression in Tibet and garner great sympathy for the Tibetan cause and who know’s even persuade China to give Tibet it’s Independence. Great point mate, i bow to you!!!
(Global Perspectives)
Who is asking such baseless question? Where were those people when China was bidding for the Olympics and when it won the bid to host Olympics. Criticising China is good because human life is in danger, boycotting major sports event would change nothing. keep the sports away from politics.
(Global Perspectives)
I do agree with human right champions that innocent people are being killed in Darfur, China’s dictatorship in Tibet, and increasing population level in Beijing air... BUT I am definitely not in favor of co-relating all these issues with the Olympic Games that is to be staged in China. Criticising China when it is preparing to host the mega event of Olympic is unnecessary and made out of complete prejudice.
If Nobel prize winner intellectuals and Hollywood star and part time social servants like Spielberg are dying to do something for the rights of innocent lives being damaged in Darfur and Tibet, they do it on a political ground. Using the medium of support for political cause is dangerous because sports bring nations together and they shouldn’t go against the nature of sports.
China actually deserves to host Olympics more than any other country including US too.
If Nobel prize winner intellectuals and Hollywood star and part time social servants like Spielberg are dying to do something for the rights of innocent lives being damaged in Darfur and Tibet, they do it on a political ground. Using the medium of support for political cause is dangerous because sports bring nations together and they shouldn’t go against the nature of sports.
China actually deserves to host Olympics more than any other country including US too.
(Global Perspectives)
I just wanna say here for those who thinks China doesn’t deserve Olympics is highly misguided by politicians of western world. where are the other international groups and communities to create enough pressure on China to change its policy or to convince other countries to boycott Olympics?
(Global Perspectives)
Think about the athletes who wait for this sports event to make their dreams true. We should keep politics out of the Olympics for the sake of those athletes. They work so hard and supporters of Olympic boycott theory should not ruin their dreams due to political reasons. The Olympics are about sports only.
(Global Perspectives)
@ Pratyush,Pippo
Fine, agreed let the atheletes and the countries of the world not boycott the olympics. But why shouldn’t they highlight such burning issues like Tibet and Darfur to a wider audience so that the Tibetand get a voice? Don’t rockstars like Bono participate in concerts to highlight such causes? And why just sports, music also brings people together. So will it be correct to say that we shouldn’t have music concerts to aid and create global awareness about Darfur or Iraq or even the global warming issue? Why should we let the Tibetans suffer the Chinese oppression without a voice just to hold the Olympic games? And are the Olympic games more important than the suffering of the million of helpless people?
Fine, agreed let the atheletes and the countries of the world not boycott the olympics. But why shouldn’t they highlight such burning issues like Tibet and Darfur to a wider audience so that the Tibetand get a voice? Don’t rockstars like Bono participate in concerts to highlight such causes? And why just sports, music also brings people together. So will it be correct to say that we shouldn’t have music concerts to aid and create global awareness about Darfur or Iraq or even the global warming issue? Why should we let the Tibetans suffer the Chinese oppression without a voice just to hold the Olympic games? And are the Olympic games more important than the suffering of the million of helpless people?
(Global Perspectives)
Calling to boycott Olympics is bad. Other countries should respect China's policy of not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. China is sleeping giant and it’s economy is performing much better in comparison with several developed countries. Who talks about the population and smog in Beijing should disclose what they have done to stop global warming. 300 million Chinese people are still living in poverty and the country boosting its economic growth to change the lives of people living below poverty line. Don't disturb China, it won't be good for the world.
(Global Perspectives)
A correction in the first sentence of my comment- ”increasing ’pollution’ level in Beijing air...”
(Global Perspectives)
Just like the thousands of atheletes work so hard to participate in the Olympics, millions of people around the world suffer every single day under autocratic barbaric regime’s. Don’t they need our support? So, what is so wrong in using the Olympics to get the message across and highlighting peoples’ suffering. By the way, even countries suffering oppression also participate in the Olympics and they have a right to express themselves, be it the Olympics or for that matter anywhere other event of global magnitude.
(Global Perspectives)
When the World Cup of Cricket was held in Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe was co-host nation) No one from Hollywood came forward to say anything, Nobel prize winners were sleeping at that time. What happened to them all of a sudden. Did the USSR leave Afghanistan when several countries boycotted the Olympics in 1980?
(Global Perspectives)
@Jayprasanth, Jajo
Ok, let the human right champions stage the protest to boycott China Olympics and we will see what happened finally to the people on Sudan and Tibet...just as it happened in Afghanistan in 1980..
Ok, let the human right champions stage the protest to boycott China Olympics and we will see what happened finally to the people on Sudan and Tibet...just as it happened in Afghanistan in 1980..
(Global Perspectives)
@pratyush
Fine, boycott not too happening.
But how about atheletes highlighting issues and forcing the Chinese government to sit down and talk and be accountable for it’s lapses???
Is that too much to ask for?
Killing innocent people just cannot and should not go unchallenged.
Fine, boycott not too happening.
But how about atheletes highlighting issues and forcing the Chinese government to sit down and talk and be accountable for it’s lapses???
Is that too much to ask for?
Killing innocent people just cannot and should not go unchallenged.
(Global Perspectives)
All in one line - Keep political, social and environmental issues away from sports because sports is the sole medium that bring nations of all continent together peacefully at single platform.’
(Global Perspectives)
Add this to that statement-All nation’s coming together for the Olympics in a Country that cares a damn for not only it’s own people but also oppresses other countries including Tibet and India. The country where the Olympic’s will be held might not even hesitate to brutally shoot down anyone who opposes it’s policies. But still we will have sporting events and ”COME TOGETHER” and play games. Pun very intended.
(Global Perspectives)
You are free to name a single country in the world, which can host Olympics, that is ideal and never did wrong to anyone in the past...
(Global Perspectives)
Hmmm..so, you think Tibet can host Olympics :-)
(Global Perspectives)
Mate, it’s not about whether Tibet can host the Olympics or not. It is about Tibet being a country that hasn’t wronged other countries and hasn’t oppressed other countries. Sorry if you couldn’t catch the purport of that reply. Get the Pun? Now, everybody knows the kind ofinfrastructure a country needs to host an olympics. Infrastructure alone in not required to host an Olympics. There is something called accountability and humane principles.
(Global Perspectives)
I repeat the comment here - ’You are free to name a single country in the world, which can host Olympics, that is ideal and never did wrong to anyone in the past...
And you answered Tibet..thats why I couldn’t catch the purport of that reply, I still didn’t..
And you answered Tibet..thats why I couldn’t catch the purport of that reply, I still didn’t..
(Global Perspectives)
Maybe New Zealand. I had to really think a bit to come up with that and i know i might look very dumb if someone around here come up with something to counter me on that. But having said that, now please don’t tell me that they had a couple of squabble’s here and there, so they become bad countries. What China is like, is something no country should try and emulate. And i won’t go too much into narrating the Chinese government’s various misdeeds.
(Global Perspectives)
And if you still feel that the Chinese should host the Olympics, okie let them but even now i stand by my statement of denouncing China’s barbaric acts not only now, but even in the not so distant past and by arguing for China, you are just trying o justify the Chinese government’s horrific mistake’s. And there are a number of other countries that are more eligible than China(on the human rights and civility) front which can host the Olympics.
(Global Perspectives)
Target other sport events too for the same cause where China involves...You can target US, UK for killing innocent lives in Iraq, Pakistan for killing innocent people in India and India also for killing Kashmiris (as Pakistan says because we easily believe what other says to China)..target each sport events involving these countries.
One day you kill the word - SPORTS.
One day you kill the word - SPORTS.
(Global Perspectives)
I really fail to understand why you are trying to shield China Pratyush Bhai. Ofcourse i do write agianst the U.S against their atrocities in Iraq. But the difference between the US and China is the US atleast has public opinion and a democracy to which the US president is accountable to but that is not the case in ”communist” China. Furthermore, when you ask why the Olympics. Here is why. The fact remains that China, instead of shutting up and lying low atleast during this sensitive period, again tried to massacre Tibetans in the Tibetans own land earlier this month. And this is precisely what, that is causing all this hue and cry. So the Chinese government itself incited this situation. And to your line about me killing sports. I love sports but i strongly belive that human lives are more important than ”sports” because sports afterall are just games and the olympics too is one game, but on a much, much bigger scale with some very high stakes and honour. But in the end is not too different from the games you and i played when we were kid. It is a game afterall. And lives are more important than mere games.
(Global Perspectives)
I really fail to understand why you are trying to shield China, Pratyush Bhai. Ofcourse i do write against the U.S, against their atrocities in Iraq. But the difference between the US and China is that the US atleast has public opinion and a democracy to which the US president is accountable to but that is not the case in ”communist” China. Furthermore, when you ask why the Olympics. Here is why. The fact remains that China, instead of shutting up and lying low atleast during this sensitive period, again tried to massacre Tibetans in the Tibetans’ own land earlier this month. And this is precisely what, that is causing all this hue and cry. So, the Chinese government itself incited this situation. And to your line about me killing sports. I love sports but i strongly believe that human lives are more important than ”sports” because sports after-all are just games and the olympics too is one game, but on a much, much bigger scale with some very high stakes and honour. But in the end is not too different from the games you and i played when we were kids. It is a game afterall. And lives are more important than mere games.
(Global Perspectives)
Thanks to everyone for their comments. You make some good points, Attitude. Hopefully some of those athletes will make a statement.
I still hold to my belief that China does not deserve to host the Olympics and I think I my reasons are pretty clear.
No, most countries in the world are not above reproach, however those nations which oppress their people, which take away their basic human rights... countries whose people live in fear, which subjugate women, they do NOT deserve to be rewarded in that way. Yes, it would be nice to separate sports from politics... it would also be nice to separate religion from politics... in a perfect world, but we do not live in a perfect world.
Bullies need to know they can’t bully.
I still hold to my belief that China does not deserve to host the Olympics and I think I my reasons are pretty clear.
No, most countries in the world are not above reproach, however those nations which oppress their people, which take away their basic human rights... countries whose people live in fear, which subjugate women, they do NOT deserve to be rewarded in that way. Yes, it would be nice to separate sports from politics... it would also be nice to separate religion from politics... in a perfect world, but we do not live in a perfect world.
Bullies need to know they can’t bully.
(Global Perspectives)
It is a privilege for China to host the Olympics. This is a door for Beijing to open its country to the world. Who knows after the Olympics, more negotiations and bilateral talks can be addressed and its officials will take a time out to review its existing policies and problems.
This is a transition for China to create a more harmonious relationship around the globe. China is a superpower nation and can contribute to the world’s progress if it will be given a chance.
This is a transition for China to create a more harmonious relationship around the globe. China is a superpower nation and can contribute to the world’s progress if it will be given a chance.
(Global Perspectives)
I hope you are right,Maynard, however I wouldn’t hold my breath.
They have to want to change.. and so far i see no willingness to do that. Leopards do not change their spots.
They have to want to change.. and so far i see no willingness to do that. Leopards do not change their spots.
(Global Perspectives)
If I found out something a couple of weeks back, then that is that Pratyush has great enth for sports. I still like you idea and totally agree with the fact that we need to keep sports away from other nonsense. But on this one though, I’m not suggesting to link sports with politics, but let human strife be magnified o the grandest stage of them all. Boycott is rubbish and it should never happen as i already mentioned that sportsmen don’t work that way. But what wrong does it do when an Olympic champion campaigns for the cause of humanity.
We all remember Owens a lot more fondly than most others who won more medals at a single Olympics as he chose to stand up for what was right. We respect Ali more than most other fighters not just for his skills, but for how he stood up against a white America years ago. As far as your question of ’Why only Olympics?’. You know the answer... Media Attention. A country that has done no wrong and can host Olympics, you ask- Switzerland. I always read they were neutral... Kidding.
Hope the games go on well and the focus is back on the athletes once it all starts. Sports is not about politics, but human emotions are a integral part of it. I just said that I hope one of those athletes who wins a gold celebrates with a flag of Tibet in that moment of joy. That should be quite a picture. I bet it will hit the headlines. Till then... Don’t hate the player and don’t hate the games too.
We all remember Owens a lot more fondly than most others who won more medals at a single Olympics as he chose to stand up for what was right. We respect Ali more than most other fighters not just for his skills, but for how he stood up against a white America years ago. As far as your question of ’Why only Olympics?’. You know the answer... Media Attention. A country that has done no wrong and can host Olympics, you ask- Switzerland. I always read they were neutral... Kidding.
Hope the games go on well and the focus is back on the athletes once it all starts. Sports is not about politics, but human emotions are a integral part of it. I just said that I hope one of those athletes who wins a gold celebrates with a flag of Tibet in that moment of joy. That should be quite a picture. I bet it will hit the headlines. Till then... Don’t hate the player and don’t hate the games too.