A group of pro-Tibetan British and American protestors in Beijing today:
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Beijing 2008: Bombs, Earthquakes, Typhoons, Smog, Protests and a bit of sport too......
The 2008 Olympics were always destined for controversy.
The location, a capital of a nation with a brutal communist past that has metamorphosed into a capitalist based superpower without apparent need for apologies or political freedom, raises concerns amongst many.
However, something I have become increasingly aware of over the last few months is these concerns are far from universal. Many are happy to let bygones (the deaths of 70 million to name one bygone) be bygones. Firstly the present generation of Chinese are immensely proud of hosting the Games and I guess this is something that is not wrong in itself. Secondly the International Olympic Committee and their allies want the Games to succeed and anything that threatens that are nothing but "inconvenient truths". Thirdly the cocktail of apathy and ignorance that seems to stupefy most of us, most of the time is not to be under-estimated. While some know that "bad things happened in China", some do not and many more do not want to be troubled by such thoughts anyway. Let not the deaths of tens of millions in the last 60 years get in the way of a good sporting event today !
While bushy haired Serbs get carted off to the Hague to face "justice" over a civil war in where horrors were committed by all sides, no Chinese will ever face the same "justice" (however that is defined) for the misdeeds inflicted on the Citizens of the People's Republic of China. China is just too rich, powerful and sensitive to bother with Debating Society notions of human rights abuses, torture and the rest.
So the Olympics are going ahead. Yet the voices of freedom will not be completely silenced. The earth itself seems to be protesting with an earthquake in Sichuan yesterday and typhoons in Hong Kong and Macau today. The smog of Beijing has returned for now until the chemical marvels of cloud seeding kick in again. Today protests reached Beijing. Two crazy but brave Brits and two crazy but brave Americans unfurled a "Free Tibet" banner outside the Birds Nest stadium. A far more nasty and sinister protest is surfacing in the wild west of China with Muslim Turkic brutally murdering 16 policemen.
The Olympics should on balance however "pass off" ok. There are 100,000 soldiers said to be on stand by in Beijing with anti-aircraft weaponry protecting all the key sites. Sometime in the next few weeks some sport will happen too, some medals will be won and some pleasure shared.
Let not all of us, whether watching or not, forget all that has gone before and all that is still to come in this vast and fascinating country of China.
The location, a capital of a nation with a brutal communist past that has metamorphosed into a capitalist based superpower without apparent need for apologies or political freedom, raises concerns amongst many.
However, something I have become increasingly aware of over the last few months is these concerns are far from universal. Many are happy to let bygones (the deaths of 70 million to name one bygone) be bygones. Firstly the present generation of Chinese are immensely proud of hosting the Games and I guess this is something that is not wrong in itself. Secondly the International Olympic Committee and their allies want the Games to succeed and anything that threatens that are nothing but "inconvenient truths". Thirdly the cocktail of apathy and ignorance that seems to stupefy most of us, most of the time is not to be under-estimated. While some know that "bad things happened in China", some do not and many more do not want to be troubled by such thoughts anyway. Let not the deaths of tens of millions in the last 60 years get in the way of a good sporting event today !
While bushy haired Serbs get carted off to the Hague to face "justice" over a civil war in where horrors were committed by all sides, no Chinese will ever face the same "justice" (however that is defined) for the misdeeds inflicted on the Citizens of the People's Republic of China. China is just too rich, powerful and sensitive to bother with Debating Society notions of human rights abuses, torture and the rest.
So the Olympics are going ahead. Yet the voices of freedom will not be completely silenced. The earth itself seems to be protesting with an earthquake in Sichuan yesterday and typhoons in Hong Kong and Macau today. The smog of Beijing has returned for now until the chemical marvels of cloud seeding kick in again. Today protests reached Beijing. Two crazy but brave Brits and two crazy but brave Americans unfurled a "Free Tibet" banner outside the Birds Nest stadium. A far more nasty and sinister protest is surfacing in the wild west of China with Muslim Turkic brutally murdering 16 policemen.
The Olympics should on balance however "pass off" ok. There are 100,000 soldiers said to be on stand by in Beijing with anti-aircraft weaponry protecting all the key sites. Sometime in the next few weeks some sport will happen too, some medals will be won and some pleasure shared.
Let not all of us, whether watching or not, forget all that has gone before and all that is still to come in this vast and fascinating country of China.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
"Emergency plan for sudden events of mentally ill people during the Olympics"
I have been reluctant to make any serious analogy between the Berlin 1936 Olympics and the games to be held in Beijing this year. It is true that both are controversial events and it is also true that the modern torch relay does have its origins in the Berlin games.
Aside from that however, the passing of 72 years, the difference between two continents and the difference between Nazism and Communism seem to make it a rather limited comparison that needlessly creates offence without sheding much light on the contemporary issues.
However, when I see articles such as this, I begin to wonder. Maybe all totalitarian regimes have more similarities than differences. Certainly the desire to hide and manage groups that might cause embarrasment to the image of a smiling, cheering games is something that would have happened in 1936.
Am I right in finding this article very disturbing ?
The following text is from the official site of the Public Health Bureau of Changshu city (China) government :
"On February 26, Director Ding Yihua of the Mental Illness Prevention Leadership Group of Suzhou city and his team came to our town for research and investigation with a special theme: How to monitor and manage mentally ill people during the Olympics.
With the 2008 Olympics approaching, it is critical to strengthen the monitoring and management of mentally ill people, to prevent and reduce accidents and incidents by them, in order to protect social stability and people’s lives and the wealth of Changshu city. It is a challenging task to monitor and manage the mentally ill. In order to better construct a “harmonious society” and lay down a solid foundation for the security and protection work during the 2008 Olympics, the City Center for Mental Illness has prepared an “emergency plan for sudden events of mentally ill people during the Olympics,” to match the “Security Protection Requirements During the Olympics” and “Constructing harmonious society”
During the investigation and research meeting, Director Zhang Xiangxin of the Number 3 City Hospital gave a report on the daily work of monitoring and managing mental patients of Changshu city and how to handle sudden events. The meeting prepared a list of serious mental patients who will possibly make trouble during the Olympics, especially those patients or former patients who have a record of extreme violence, damaging the city’s image, inflicting pain on themselves or others, repetitively petitioning, seriously disturbing the work of Party and Government agencies, damaging public property and interfering with traffic safety. They must be under intensified monitoring and management, in order to ensure security during the Olympics."
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2008/04/how-to-manage-mental-patients-during-olympics/
Maybe something is lost in translation but it seems sinister enough to me.
Aside from that however, the passing of 72 years, the difference between two continents and the difference between Nazism and Communism seem to make it a rather limited comparison that needlessly creates offence without sheding much light on the contemporary issues.
However, when I see articles such as this, I begin to wonder. Maybe all totalitarian regimes have more similarities than differences. Certainly the desire to hide and manage groups that might cause embarrasment to the image of a smiling, cheering games is something that would have happened in 1936.
Am I right in finding this article very disturbing ?
The following text is from the official site of the Public Health Bureau of Changshu city (China) government :
"On February 26, Director Ding Yihua of the Mental Illness Prevention Leadership Group of Suzhou city and his team came to our town for research and investigation with a special theme: How to monitor and manage mentally ill people during the Olympics.
With the 2008 Olympics approaching, it is critical to strengthen the monitoring and management of mentally ill people, to prevent and reduce accidents and incidents by them, in order to protect social stability and people’s lives and the wealth of Changshu city. It is a challenging task to monitor and manage the mentally ill. In order to better construct a “harmonious society” and lay down a solid foundation for the security and protection work during the 2008 Olympics, the City Center for Mental Illness has prepared an “emergency plan for sudden events of mentally ill people during the Olympics,” to match the “Security Protection Requirements During the Olympics” and “Constructing harmonious society”
During the investigation and research meeting, Director Zhang Xiangxin of the Number 3 City Hospital gave a report on the daily work of monitoring and managing mental patients of Changshu city and how to handle sudden events. The meeting prepared a list of serious mental patients who will possibly make trouble during the Olympics, especially those patients or former patients who have a record of extreme violence, damaging the city’s image, inflicting pain on themselves or others, repetitively petitioning, seriously disturbing the work of Party and Government agencies, damaging public property and interfering with traffic safety. They must be under intensified monitoring and management, in order to ensure security during the Olympics."
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2008/04/how-to-manage-mental-patients-during-olympics/
Maybe something is lost in translation but it seems sinister enough to me.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
London set to welcome "Flame of Shame" and China works on clearing the route further along its journey
The headline from today's "Times" should give anyone considering cheering the flame along the streets of London tomorrow, pause for thought:
From The Times
April 5, 2008
"Exclusive: Chinese police kill eight after opening fire on monks and Tibet protesters
'They cried long live the Dalai Lama – then the firing started"
It is certain some people will turn out to cheer. The friends and families of those selected to carry the torch accross London are obvious "supporters". Shoppers and tourists passing by will take photographs. However there seems no mass urge to welcome this torch. It is certainly not in the popular imagination here.
Then of course there will be the protestors, rallying from around Britain and beyond. The Police have promised a robust approach to anyone who disrupts the flame's journey. They even have Chinese interpreters working with them to identify posters or banners that are insulting in Mandarin. One wonders if people will get arrested for holding an "insulting" anti-Chinese Government poster written in Mandarin when last year it seemed more or less fine for extreme islamists to walk through London with posters saying "Behead those who insult Islam", "Massacre the Unbelievers" etc. No hint of double standards by the Metropolitan Police here !
One imagines a few Tibetan student groups (largely peaceful Buddhists), intellectuals and others concerned about human rights in China will be an easy crowd for 2,000 police to deal with compared to Islamists who are quite prepared to cheer those who attempt to blow up passenger planes.
However overall the hope has to be that in London town, free speech is still allowed to some extent so the protestors will get their opportunity to be heard. If protestors can be seen and heard in Istanbul, Turkey surely this should be permitted in London ?
Samsung, the Korean electronics giant, put out several full page adverts in London papers yesterday promoting their sponsorship of the flame and encouraging people to watch "history in the making" in London. No sign of them backing down but then I read about a corruption probe at the highest levels of the company so I imagine worrying about sponsoring a tainted flame is lower down their list of priorities at the moment.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow in London. For anyone looking at this page for information on the London protests, you are best looking at the Free Tibet page.
Will I be protesting ? I am not really the street protest type ! (although I did recently make it to the Chinese Embassy one Monday evening). However I guess I will either be "boycotting" or if I can make it away from home commitments (a trip to Heathow Terminal 5 (!) with my Mother-in-Law and looking after our ever more mobile 9 month old son being the main ones this weekend) for a little bit, I will go to "boo" it at Canary Wharf or the Dome on its final leg.
On the one hand I realise this is rather futile but on the other this is all about symbolism. The flame really doesn't matter a hoot with its pseudo pagan lighting in Greece. All it does say is this flame has travelled around the world before reaching the Olympics in China. In some way this can be interpretted as the world giving support to the Beijing Olympics and by association the Chinese Government. The fact it will be travelling through suppressed Tibet is more significant. If protestors in London and elsewhere open a few more eyes to the dreadful abuses in Tibet and indeed across China for those who want to speak their mind, then not all will have been in vain.
I hope London proves it is still a City of free speech and gives the flame a rowdy but peaceful arrival. Part of me would like to see someone pour a bucket of water over it from an upper storey of a building as it passes by. However that probably won't happen. I think London will probably settle for a mixture of cheers, boos, slogans and apathy !
Never mind, it is off to Paris next- a City that really knows how to protest !
From The Times
April 5, 2008
"Exclusive: Chinese police kill eight after opening fire on monks and Tibet protesters
'They cried long live the Dalai Lama – then the firing started"
It is certain some people will turn out to cheer. The friends and families of those selected to carry the torch accross London are obvious "supporters". Shoppers and tourists passing by will take photographs. However there seems no mass urge to welcome this torch. It is certainly not in the popular imagination here.
Then of course there will be the protestors, rallying from around Britain and beyond. The Police have promised a robust approach to anyone who disrupts the flame's journey. They even have Chinese interpreters working with them to identify posters or banners that are insulting in Mandarin. One wonders if people will get arrested for holding an "insulting" anti-Chinese Government poster written in Mandarin when last year it seemed more or less fine for extreme islamists to walk through London with posters saying "Behead those who insult Islam", "Massacre the Unbelievers" etc. No hint of double standards by the Metropolitan Police here !
One imagines a few Tibetan student groups (largely peaceful Buddhists), intellectuals and others concerned about human rights in China will be an easy crowd for 2,000 police to deal with compared to Islamists who are quite prepared to cheer those who attempt to blow up passenger planes.
However overall the hope has to be that in London town, free speech is still allowed to some extent so the protestors will get their opportunity to be heard. If protestors can be seen and heard in Istanbul, Turkey surely this should be permitted in London ?
Samsung, the Korean electronics giant, put out several full page adverts in London papers yesterday promoting their sponsorship of the flame and encouraging people to watch "history in the making" in London. No sign of them backing down but then I read about a corruption probe at the highest levels of the company so I imagine worrying about sponsoring a tainted flame is lower down their list of priorities at the moment.
It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow in London. For anyone looking at this page for information on the London protests, you are best looking at the Free Tibet page.
Will I be protesting ? I am not really the street protest type ! (although I did recently make it to the Chinese Embassy one Monday evening). However I guess I will either be "boycotting" or if I can make it away from home commitments (a trip to Heathow Terminal 5 (!) with my Mother-in-Law and looking after our ever more mobile 9 month old son being the main ones this weekend) for a little bit, I will go to "boo" it at Canary Wharf or the Dome on its final leg.
On the one hand I realise this is rather futile but on the other this is all about symbolism. The flame really doesn't matter a hoot with its pseudo pagan lighting in Greece. All it does say is this flame has travelled around the world before reaching the Olympics in China. In some way this can be interpretted as the world giving support to the Beijing Olympics and by association the Chinese Government. The fact it will be travelling through suppressed Tibet is more significant. If protestors in London and elsewhere open a few more eyes to the dreadful abuses in Tibet and indeed across China for those who want to speak their mind, then not all will have been in vain.
I hope London proves it is still a City of free speech and gives the flame a rowdy but peaceful arrival. Part of me would like to see someone pour a bucket of water over it from an upper storey of a building as it passes by. However that probably won't happen. I think London will probably settle for a mixture of cheers, boos, slogans and apathy !
Never mind, it is off to Paris next- a City that really knows how to protest !
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
No Torch in Tibet
Please click on this link (No Torch in Tibet) and pass it on to spread the word against the Olympic torch going through Tibet- an area so oppressed by the Chinese Government.
This was highlighted to me in the Beijing Wide Open blog which is maintained by a Canadian Tibetan who has travelled to the Chinese Capital ahead of the Olympics. It is well worth a read.
Lastly on this subject, Channel 4 Dispatches last night broadcast a fascinating and disturbing programme about life in Tibet for ordinary Tibetans under Chinese rule. If online video emerges I will post here. In the meantime the description will be of interest to all those who follow this subject.
This was highlighted to me in the Beijing Wide Open blog which is maintained by a Canadian Tibetan who has travelled to the Chinese Capital ahead of the Olympics. It is well worth a read.
Lastly on this subject, Channel 4 Dispatches last night broadcast a fascinating and disturbing programme about life in Tibet for ordinary Tibetans under Chinese rule. If online video emerges I will post here. In the meantime the description will be of interest to all those who follow this subject.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tibet-China Links and Information
Over the last two weeks I have been covering the issue of Tibet and its oppressive rule by China quite extensively on this blog.
The lack of human rights in China in a year that the will see the Olympic Games used as an opportunity to showcase a modern China is something I feel strongly about.
However I do not pretend to be able to do the subject justice and I also do not plan to turn my blog into a single issue forum. While I plan to cover Tibet and China issues on an ongoing basis, for any readers more interested in this issue, I list below a few links to sites that are focused solely on this subject.
The links relate to people and groups from a variety of backgrounds and view points. While I may not agree with all views expressed on those sites I can recommend them as interesting and informative sites on the Tibetan issue.
Beijing wide open Lhadon Tethong, a Canadian Tibetan activist reports on developments in the run up to the Olympics from the heart of Beijing.
"China has invited the world to visit in August 2008. Exactly one year out, I've traveled to the heart of the nation that has brutally occupied my homeland for over 50 years. Follow this blog, as I share what I see, feel, and experience... leaving Beijing wide open. "
The lack of human rights in China in a year that the will see the Olympic Games used as an opportunity to showcase a modern China is something I feel strongly about.
However I do not pretend to be able to do the subject justice and I also do not plan to turn my blog into a single issue forum. While I plan to cover Tibet and China issues on an ongoing basis, for any readers more interested in this issue, I list below a few links to sites that are focused solely on this subject.
The links relate to people and groups from a variety of backgrounds and view points. While I may not agree with all views expressed on those sites I can recommend them as interesting and informative sites on the Tibetan issue.
Beijing wide open Lhadon Tethong, a Canadian Tibetan activist reports on developments in the run up to the Olympics from the heart of Beijing.
"China has invited the world to visit in August 2008. Exactly one year out, I've traveled to the heart of the nation that has brutally occupied my homeland for over 50 years. Follow this blog, as I share what I see, feel, and experience... leaving Beijing wide open. "
Students for a free Tibet New York based international group campaigning for a free Tibet. Their website is regularly updated with news from Tibet.
The Tibetan People's Uprising Movement Daily news from a march in India to the Tibetan border
"Tibetans living in exile in India have launched a March to Tibet as part of the Tibetan People's Uprising Movement. This historic Movement aims to revive the spirit of the Tibetan national uprising of 1959, and by engaging in nonviolent direct action, bring about an end to China's illegal occupation of Tibet"
Tibetan Uprising - photos from the march in India
Free Tibet- UK based organisation Organises a number of London based protests including a protest scheduled to coincide with the arrival of the Olympic flame in the capital on April 6th (next Sunday)
Friday, March 28, 2008
In (partial) praise of Konnie Huq
When I saw this story in today's Telegraph I was pleasantly surprised. (Konnie Huq may boycott Olympic torch relay)
To the unitiated, Konnie Huq is a television presentor who started out presenting the BBC children's show Blue Peter.
She has since moved onto other things including presenting various programmes on the forthcoming London mayoral election. Despite courting controversey by appearing alongside the existing Mayor on a platform, she is generally developing into a succesful and well known presentor. No doubt her glamourous looks are no hindrance in this area.
I was therefore disappointed when I heard she was to be one of the celebrity carriers of the Olympic flame when it arrives in London next week on route to Beijing.
My reservations over the Olympics due to the situation in Tibet and elsewhere in China have been covered extensively on other posts and I don't intend to repeat them all here. Suffice to say a high profile, glamorous TV presentor from a minority background is just the sort of person anyone would want to present the Olympics in a positive acceptable light.
Another high profile carrier of the torch is veteran newsreader Sir Trevor MacDonald. Both Sir Trevor and Konnie Huq are examples of successful Britons from minority backgrounds. That they should become foot soldiers in the lead up to a showcase Olympics hosted by the Chinese regime who routinely oppresses its own minorities with deadly force where required, is to say the least unfortunate. Coincidentally Sir Trevor was reading the news only last night and covered the story of the Tibetan monks managing to communicate with a Government controlled tour of Tibet by international journalists. So he cannot claim ignorance of the situation.
I am glad that Konnie Huq is having cause for thought. However later news stories have suggested that while she condemns the Chinese for their actions in Tibet she may go ahead anyway despite her reservations.
"My participation does not in any way indicate support for the harsh and oppressive manner in which the Chinese regime continues to treat the people of Tibet." Konnie Huq (click for BBC version)
In this situation actions do speak louder than words hence I changed the title of this post with a provisional "partial". It is good that more people are speaking out but difficult decisions may have to be made by people on the extent they want to be a part of these Olympics. That is a decision to be made by Prime Ministers, Presidents, athletes as well as the millions who will watch the Games on TV.
The words of Miss. Huq at least give cause for hope that these Olympics will not be fully "business as usual" in a China that denies freedom to its citizens.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Start of the worldwide Olympic flame protest ?
This was the scene at Olympia, Greece, this morning where a pro-Tibet protestor made it within feet of the Chinese Olympic president. The brief scene was apparently shown live on Chinese TV until the camera quickly cut away.
Friday, March 21, 2008
North Korea speaks up in favour of Beijing Olympics
If there was any doubt before, that should give cause for thought that something must be wrong- when Pyongyang has to come to your diplomatic aid.
However it is really true according to the International Herald Tribune. The North Korean Foreign Ministry spoke out and "strongly denounces the unsavory elements" seeking Tibetan independence.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/asia/AS-GEN-NKorea-China-Tibet.php
However it is really true according to the International Herald Tribune. The North Korean Foreign Ministry spoke out and "strongly denounces the unsavory elements" seeking Tibetan independence.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/20/asia/AS-GEN-NKorea-China-Tibet.php
April 6th 2008: The Flame of Shame comes to London
It seems the events of Tibet are cutting little ice with the Olympic organisers so far.
The world tour of the Olympic flame comes to London on April 6th. The Times is today reporting that massive policing plans are underway to protect it.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3593993.ece It is strange that a flame in a torch may turn into a symbol of the struggle between Tibet and the People's Republic of China.
London, of course, is significant in all this as it is the next venue for the Olympics in 2012 so there is an element of handover and continuity in all this.
So far celebrities such as former Blue Peter presenter Connie Huq are set to help carry the flame. Miss. Huq has hosted debates during the London mayoral race so one would hope that she is no air head looking for 15 minutes of fame. Of course I realise there are two sides to any argument and maybe she sincerely see the Olympics being held in Beijing as a good thing.
I must admit that until the recent events in Tibet started to unfold I had not really given it much thought either way. On a visit to Hong Kong last year I heard people speak positively about the Games. The main concern was how athletes would cope with the dreadful summer smog that plagues Beijing. The equestrian events are set to be held in Hong Kong so there was some pride in this.
Hong Kong is the only bit of China I have properly visited and is unique in allowing freedom (within reason !) under the "one country, two systems" system. The Former Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind in yesterday's Times proposed an extension of this to Tibet as a way of resolving the crisis. That may have its merits but it seems unlikely that the Chinese Communist Party would agree.
Meanwhile, back in London on April 6th, the carrying of the flame around the city may turn into a battle between those who want to showcase a "normal" advanced China as it emerges into superpower status and those who want to remind the world that it still has a number of areas it needs to reform, such as the routine resort to deadly force to put down opposition to the Communist Party regime in areas such as Tibet.
This being London, rather than say Paris, it is difficult to see this turning into too major event. Londoners, even immigrants, tend to go in for "scuffles" more than hurling cobblestones like their French cousins. However in a London sense, there may be trouble.
Here for information, is the route currently scheduled on April 6th:
Wembley 10.30 International dancers on stage at Arena Square, outside Wembley Stadium
Ladbroke Grove 11.00 Mini-carnival with entertainers in carnival masquerade costumes performing to Soca music
Notting Hill Gate 11.20 Carnival del Pueblo Latino carnival band
Oxford Street 12.00 Open-top bus carrying celebrity torchbearer
British Museum 12.20 A fanfare with Greek trumpets in the Great Court
Chinatown 12.30 Costumed dragons and lions perform under Chinese decorations and lanterns on Gerrard Street
Piccadilly Circus 12.40 Convoy passes
Trafalgar Square 12.50 Dance spectacular in front of Nelson’s column, to the accompaniment of a brass fanfare
Southbank Centre 13.30 Spectacular welcome for the torch along the front terraces of the Royal Festival Hall with a choir of 600, Kathak, poetry, circus, hip-hop and beatboxing
Somerset House 14.15 Aletta Collins-choreographed dance accompanied by music from the Bollywood Brass Band
St Paul's Cathedral 14.30 Band of the Scots Guards will welcome the flame with fanfares and music from the cathedral steps
Potter's Fields/More London 15.00 Rhythms of the City and live drumming sessions
Whitechapel Road 15.30 Kinetika perform storytelling, costumes and dance
Stratford 16.00 World-themed carnival with 300 school children, 50 spectacular carnival costumes and nine music floats. An aerial performance will take place at Theatre Square
Canary Wharf 17.00 Carnival themed entertainment including acrobats, jugglers, stilt-walkers, street theatre, music shows, dance performances, face painters, children’s workshops and treasure hunts
North Greenwich 18.00 Grand finale — a free, ticketed event will be a fusion of East meets West, the contemporary and traditional, in a display of Chinese ribbon dancers, an electro-acoustic music act, gymnasts, pyro displays and a performance from the Sugababes.
The world tour of the Olympic flame comes to London on April 6th. The Times is today reporting that massive policing plans are underway to protect it.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3593993.ece It is strange that a flame in a torch may turn into a symbol of the struggle between Tibet and the People's Republic of China.
London, of course, is significant in all this as it is the next venue for the Olympics in 2012 so there is an element of handover and continuity in all this.
So far celebrities such as former Blue Peter presenter Connie Huq are set to help carry the flame. Miss. Huq has hosted debates during the London mayoral race so one would hope that she is no air head looking for 15 minutes of fame. Of course I realise there are two sides to any argument and maybe she sincerely see the Olympics being held in Beijing as a good thing.
I must admit that until the recent events in Tibet started to unfold I had not really given it much thought either way. On a visit to Hong Kong last year I heard people speak positively about the Games. The main concern was how athletes would cope with the dreadful summer smog that plagues Beijing. The equestrian events are set to be held in Hong Kong so there was some pride in this.
Hong Kong is the only bit of China I have properly visited and is unique in allowing freedom (within reason !) under the "one country, two systems" system. The Former Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind in yesterday's Times proposed an extension of this to Tibet as a way of resolving the crisis. That may have its merits but it seems unlikely that the Chinese Communist Party would agree.
Meanwhile, back in London on April 6th, the carrying of the flame around the city may turn into a battle between those who want to showcase a "normal" advanced China as it emerges into superpower status and those who want to remind the world that it still has a number of areas it needs to reform, such as the routine resort to deadly force to put down opposition to the Communist Party regime in areas such as Tibet.
This being London, rather than say Paris, it is difficult to see this turning into too major event. Londoners, even immigrants, tend to go in for "scuffles" more than hurling cobblestones like their French cousins. However in a London sense, there may be trouble.
Here for information, is the route currently scheduled on April 6th:
Wembley 10.30 International dancers on stage at Arena Square, outside Wembley Stadium
Ladbroke Grove 11.00 Mini-carnival with entertainers in carnival masquerade costumes performing to Soca music
Notting Hill Gate 11.20 Carnival del Pueblo Latino carnival band
Oxford Street 12.00 Open-top bus carrying celebrity torchbearer
British Museum 12.20 A fanfare with Greek trumpets in the Great Court
Chinatown 12.30 Costumed dragons and lions perform under Chinese decorations and lanterns on Gerrard Street
Piccadilly Circus 12.40 Convoy passes
Trafalgar Square 12.50 Dance spectacular in front of Nelson’s column, to the accompaniment of a brass fanfare
Southbank Centre 13.30 Spectacular welcome for the torch along the front terraces of the Royal Festival Hall with a choir of 600, Kathak, poetry, circus, hip-hop and beatboxing
Somerset House 14.15 Aletta Collins-choreographed dance accompanied by music from the Bollywood Brass Band
St Paul's Cathedral 14.30 Band of the Scots Guards will welcome the flame with fanfares and music from the cathedral steps
Potter's Fields/More London 15.00 Rhythms of the City and live drumming sessions
Whitechapel Road 15.30 Kinetika perform storytelling, costumes and dance
Stratford 16.00 World-themed carnival with 300 school children, 50 spectacular carnival costumes and nine music floats. An aerial performance will take place at Theatre Square
Canary Wharf 17.00 Carnival themed entertainment including acrobats, jugglers, stilt-walkers, street theatre, music shows, dance performances, face painters, children’s workshops and treasure hunts
North Greenwich 18.00 Grand finale — a free, ticketed event will be a fusion of East meets West, the contemporary and traditional, in a display of Chinese ribbon dancers, an electro-acoustic music act, gymnasts, pyro displays and a performance from the Sugababes.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Why the "great powers" are subdued on Tibet
Despite a strong grass roots movement across the world against the Chinese repression in Tibet, (see link for a spontaneous protest at the British Museum yesterday http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7303158.stm) it is noticeable that not one great power has come out strongly against the Chinese actions to date.
Noises have been made about "concern", calls for restraint (on both sides) have been made but that has been about it. Horrific pictures of Tibetan dead are available online but the same establishment media who were all too happy to carry the pictures of Abu Graib are reluctant to carry these pictures of misdoings by China against its own citizens in "peacetime".
No one is seriously anticipating an Olympic boycott, at least at this stage.
Today some progress was made as Gordon Brown responding to a question from David Cameron at PMQs stated he would meet the Dalai Lama on his visit to London in May. This followed a No. 10 e-petition that was signed by over 9,000 people- high in relation to a foreign policy petition on the No.10 website.
However the reason why no one really wants to rock the boat comes downs to the world economy. With the credit crunch in full swing, banks being propped up on both sides of the Atlantic, world food prices soaring ( rice hit a 36 year high today), the last thing that is needed is to seriously alienate a country of 1.3 billion people that is a relatively rare point of economic growth.
It is easy to pick holes in this rationale but it prevails for now. The fact the Chinese boom may be overheating and Chinese inflation is soaring is one fly in the oitment of those who claim all is rosy in China.
The fact that China remains broadly a dictatorship who is quite prepared to use deadly force against its own dissidents (see above) is somehow irrelevant in this too.
Another way to look at it would be if 2008 is really going to be such a bad year we might as well get all the bad news out of the way with. A boycott of the Olympics might upset the current Chinese regime but if encouraged real change surely this is a prize worth going for. Ironically if the Chinese economy faltered in the short term as a result, commodity prices might fall for the rest of the world.
The other option for the Beijing Olympics is that enough protestors get into the opening ceremony to disrupt it. A bit of booing could give the PRC its own "Ceausescu moment" to deal with.
Meanwhile the comfortable onlookers seem prepared to leave the Tibetans to carry on suffering for now. Of course they are concerned but their concern only goes so far......
Noises have been made about "concern", calls for restraint (on both sides) have been made but that has been about it. Horrific pictures of Tibetan dead are available online but the same establishment media who were all too happy to carry the pictures of Abu Graib are reluctant to carry these pictures of misdoings by China against its own citizens in "peacetime".
No one is seriously anticipating an Olympic boycott, at least at this stage.
Today some progress was made as Gordon Brown responding to a question from David Cameron at PMQs stated he would meet the Dalai Lama on his visit to London in May. This followed a No. 10 e-petition that was signed by over 9,000 people- high in relation to a foreign policy petition on the No.10 website.
However the reason why no one really wants to rock the boat comes downs to the world economy. With the credit crunch in full swing, banks being propped up on both sides of the Atlantic, world food prices soaring ( rice hit a 36 year high today), the last thing that is needed is to seriously alienate a country of 1.3 billion people that is a relatively rare point of economic growth.
It is easy to pick holes in this rationale but it prevails for now. The fact the Chinese boom may be overheating and Chinese inflation is soaring is one fly in the oitment of those who claim all is rosy in China.
The fact that China remains broadly a dictatorship who is quite prepared to use deadly force against its own dissidents (see above) is somehow irrelevant in this too.
Another way to look at it would be if 2008 is really going to be such a bad year we might as well get all the bad news out of the way with. A boycott of the Olympics might upset the current Chinese regime but if encouraged real change surely this is a prize worth going for. Ironically if the Chinese economy faltered in the short term as a result, commodity prices might fall for the rest of the world.
The other option for the Beijing Olympics is that enough protestors get into the opening ceremony to disrupt it. A bit of booing could give the PRC its own "Ceausescu moment" to deal with.
Meanwhile the comfortable onlookers seem prepared to leave the Tibetans to carry on suffering for now. Of course they are concerned but their concern only goes so far......
Beijing Olympics
Above is a Peter Brookes Cartoon from today's Times giving a new interpretation on the carrying of the Olympic flame.
China seems to be adopting the classic tactic of the dictatorship- cover up anything, deny all press access and then nothing can be proved. Unfortunately for the hosts of the Olympics technology has moved on a bit and a total cover up is now largely impossible.
The attached link below is presented by the Free Tibet Campaign as evidence of Chinese attrocities in the form of a recent violent crackdown on Tibetans. Clearly from these pictures deadly force has been used.
The link comes with a big health warning that it is hugely graphic and potentially very distressing. Do not click on it unless you are prepared to see pictures of shooting victims.
http://www.freetibet.org/press/kirtiphotos.html (PLEASE DO NOT CLICK IF WITH ANYONE OF A SENSITIVE DISPOSITION)
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Lhasa
A short interesting BBC piece on the rebellion in Tibet and the censorship the story receives in China.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Olympic Shames
With smoke rising over the Tibetan capital Lhasa today (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/14/tibet.unrest/index.html ), there seems no better example of the the so-called "world community's" hypocrisy in its approach to China.
While there is still a need to "get real", as Hillary Clinton would say, about how to handle an emerging superpower this should not include the need to give up all principles.
While trade may be one thing, particularly at a time of hovering recession, to go along with the Olympics in Beijing regardless of what China does to its own citizens seems quite another.
For those with historical awareness, you will already know that the PRC (People's Republic of China) has already won the gold medal in one area- genocide. While the horrors of Nazi Germany probably amount to a numerical bronze in the killing totals, and Stalin's USSR can claim a bloody silver, the PRC with a claim to have killed 70 million of its people undoubtedly deserves a genocide gold.
This may be a rather unpleasant way of putting it but the facts themselves are far more unpleasant.Nowhere else in the world the Olympics be held or at least get such enthusiastic participation in the face of so many known abuses. If the UK invaded Ireland and was suppressing monks in Dublin it is difficult to imagine any countries coming to an Olympics in London. Equally if the US decided to annex a part of Canada and suppressed the people there with force, it is unlikely anyone would show up for an Olympics in New York. It is certain, to use a real example, that regardless of all the various claims and rights and wrongs that an Olympics would not get held anywhere in the middle east right now.
Yet because China is China and a superpower the whole world wants to go to a glorious celebration of modern China this August. India, to its shame, even suppresses peaceful demonstrations on its own territory to avoid "embarrassing the Chinese". Even Greece, the home of the Olympics sought to shoo away Tibetan protestors near Mount Olympia as if they were a simple nuisance.
I am not supporting a complete embargo on China. Not least, because for all its faults, China is making progress. I have visited the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau and met a friendly and welcoming people. Although the past is grisly there is some hope for the future.
However the cultural commendation that seems to come with the Olympics still seems wrong for China especially when you think of its ongoing treatment of Tibet. I doubt teams will pull out of the Olympics in any numbers. The urge for nations to get medals and recognition by competing is too strong, the meaningless platitude of keeping politics out of sport will be spouted, the wilful and happy ignorance of the masses who watch the games from their sofas will not care about armed suppression in remote corners of the world. Perhaps most importantly of all those who will make much money from the Olympics whether in merchandising, broadcasting, travel or elsewhere will have loud voices ensuring that the show is kept on the road.This is all a shame because to me the Olympics is all rather meaningless when set against teargas and bullets. the bodies hurriedly zipped into body bags for a quiet cremation or the knock on the door in the middle of the night from the security forces.
In a sense if the Olympics go ahead unchallenged and the ignorant millions eat hot dogs while watching the games on TV it will prove the uncomfortable reality that in some respects terrorism works. In his book "Why Terrorism Works" Alan Dershowitz charts the obscure beginnings of the Arab-Israeli conflict that is centre stage today. The conclusion he reaches is that a conflict over such a small area of land only reached the international consciousness to such an extent due to the early terrorist actions. This gained news coverage and, no less importantly, a response that allowed the conflict to escalate.
Lesser examples of such tactics include Northern Ireland and Spain. Superficially no less significant disputes such as those who claim Welsh independence or the areas that France gained from Germany after WW II are hardly taken seriously as no one is prepared to commit (significant) violent acts in the cause of those disputes. The assumption is that a dispute is only significant or a wrong only grievous if those effected commit violence.
As Tibetans are Buddhist and under the Dalai Lama almost inherently non-violent, this dispute with China is largely over looked by the mass media in a way that would not happen if they blew up airliners or set off bombs at railway stations in international capitals.
China is clearly a complex entity and is now a very significant part of the world economy. To that end talk of sanctions, trade embargoes are just not realistic. They could also be counterproductive and end the reform that has brought China this far. Therefore some carrot is necessary. However the Olympics is too big a carrot and without any stick will they ever take seriously the abuses that have occurred in Tibet and other areas.
There is a lot of fantasy associated with the Olympics in that it in some way it represents a tradition from Ancient Greece. This may be so but overlooks a 1600 year gap until 1896. There is talk about "Olympic spirit" but this overlooks the realties of showcasing dictatorships (Berlin 1936), mass terrorism (Munich 1972) or ongoing drug abuse and big money making.In reality the Olympics is a complex international event with many agendas shrouded in a slightly sentimental blanket of "sport for everyone". While this can be harmless diversion for many, when it is exploited for all its PR opportunities by hosts who are reluctant to reform fully, surely there is little point in taking part ?
Not to have the Olympics this year may be a shame but the shame of endorsing a regime such as the PRC with its violent suppressions in Tibet is a shame far greater.
While there is still a need to "get real", as Hillary Clinton would say, about how to handle an emerging superpower this should not include the need to give up all principles.
While trade may be one thing, particularly at a time of hovering recession, to go along with the Olympics in Beijing regardless of what China does to its own citizens seems quite another.
For those with historical awareness, you will already know that the PRC (People's Republic of China) has already won the gold medal in one area- genocide. While the horrors of Nazi Germany probably amount to a numerical bronze in the killing totals, and Stalin's USSR can claim a bloody silver, the PRC with a claim to have killed 70 million of its people undoubtedly deserves a genocide gold.
This may be a rather unpleasant way of putting it but the facts themselves are far more unpleasant.Nowhere else in the world the Olympics be held or at least get such enthusiastic participation in the face of so many known abuses. If the UK invaded Ireland and was suppressing monks in Dublin it is difficult to imagine any countries coming to an Olympics in London. Equally if the US decided to annex a part of Canada and suppressed the people there with force, it is unlikely anyone would show up for an Olympics in New York. It is certain, to use a real example, that regardless of all the various claims and rights and wrongs that an Olympics would not get held anywhere in the middle east right now.
Yet because China is China and a superpower the whole world wants to go to a glorious celebration of modern China this August. India, to its shame, even suppresses peaceful demonstrations on its own territory to avoid "embarrassing the Chinese". Even Greece, the home of the Olympics sought to shoo away Tibetan protestors near Mount Olympia as if they were a simple nuisance.
I am not supporting a complete embargo on China. Not least, because for all its faults, China is making progress. I have visited the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau and met a friendly and welcoming people. Although the past is grisly there is some hope for the future.
However the cultural commendation that seems to come with the Olympics still seems wrong for China especially when you think of its ongoing treatment of Tibet. I doubt teams will pull out of the Olympics in any numbers. The urge for nations to get medals and recognition by competing is too strong, the meaningless platitude of keeping politics out of sport will be spouted, the wilful and happy ignorance of the masses who watch the games from their sofas will not care about armed suppression in remote corners of the world. Perhaps most importantly of all those who will make much money from the Olympics whether in merchandising, broadcasting, travel or elsewhere will have loud voices ensuring that the show is kept on the road.This is all a shame because to me the Olympics is all rather meaningless when set against teargas and bullets. the bodies hurriedly zipped into body bags for a quiet cremation or the knock on the door in the middle of the night from the security forces.
In a sense if the Olympics go ahead unchallenged and the ignorant millions eat hot dogs while watching the games on TV it will prove the uncomfortable reality that in some respects terrorism works. In his book "Why Terrorism Works" Alan Dershowitz charts the obscure beginnings of the Arab-Israeli conflict that is centre stage today. The conclusion he reaches is that a conflict over such a small area of land only reached the international consciousness to such an extent due to the early terrorist actions. This gained news coverage and, no less importantly, a response that allowed the conflict to escalate.
Lesser examples of such tactics include Northern Ireland and Spain. Superficially no less significant disputes such as those who claim Welsh independence or the areas that France gained from Germany after WW II are hardly taken seriously as no one is prepared to commit (significant) violent acts in the cause of those disputes. The assumption is that a dispute is only significant or a wrong only grievous if those effected commit violence.
As Tibetans are Buddhist and under the Dalai Lama almost inherently non-violent, this dispute with China is largely over looked by the mass media in a way that would not happen if they blew up airliners or set off bombs at railway stations in international capitals.
China is clearly a complex entity and is now a very significant part of the world economy. To that end talk of sanctions, trade embargoes are just not realistic. They could also be counterproductive and end the reform that has brought China this far. Therefore some carrot is necessary. However the Olympics is too big a carrot and without any stick will they ever take seriously the abuses that have occurred in Tibet and other areas.
There is a lot of fantasy associated with the Olympics in that it in some way it represents a tradition from Ancient Greece. This may be so but overlooks a 1600 year gap until 1896. There is talk about "Olympic spirit" but this overlooks the realties of showcasing dictatorships (Berlin 1936), mass terrorism (Munich 1972) or ongoing drug abuse and big money making.In reality the Olympics is a complex international event with many agendas shrouded in a slightly sentimental blanket of "sport for everyone". While this can be harmless diversion for many, when it is exploited for all its PR opportunities by hosts who are reluctant to reform fully, surely there is little point in taking part ?
Not to have the Olympics this year may be a shame but the shame of endorsing a regime such as the PRC with its violent suppressions in Tibet is a shame far greater.
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