| Kill Olympics Boycott (2/08) | | Print | |
| Written by Sanyee Yuan | |
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Journalists covering controversial issues are harassed and detained.
The government censors numerous Web sites. Lawyers are jailed for
attempting to defend personal freedoms. Religious groups are severely
oppressed.
The government denies healthcare and education to migrant workers outside of urban areas. These human rights violations are just a few of the crimes against humanity accused of China, the host country for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics. From the Students for a Free Tibet group to Reporters Without Borders to actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow, many activists are campaigning to boycott the Olympics to bring global attention to these human rights abuses. Although their intentions are good, the message they are championing goes against the positive spirit of the Olympics, which brings diverse groups together to put aside differences for a grand showcase of human accomplishment. Activists should instead use the event to foster positive interactions between countries in order to pressure China to reform its practices. Director Steven Spielberg has the right idea. In a letter to the President of China, he asked the Chinese government to use its influence in helping to end the suffering in Darfur and also acknowledged that the 2008 Olympics is “an event meant to unify nations and people, as well as to promote respect for universal moral principles.” Other activists are taking a different approach. Alison Reynolds, the director of the British-based Free Tibet Campaign, said in a press release for the Students for a Free Tibet Web site, “As long as the Chinese Government occupies Tibet, it does not deserve the honor of hosting a prestigious international event.” Reynolds and other Free Tibet activists are planning mass protests in Beijing before and after the Olympics in hopes of bringing attention to the plight of Tibet’s political prisoners and citizens, whom China has forbidden from practicing their own traditions and religion, and even from leaving the region if they wish to. Another group, Reporters Without Borders, has brought to light important issues concerning violations of free speech in China, including how the government blocks access to news Web sites and detains journalists. However, the group remains opposed to holding the Olympics in Beijing instead of seizing the opportunity to show the world, at a time when all its eyes are on China, these most flagrant violations, generating pressure to compel the Chinese government to change its ways. Approximately 10,500 athletes have been training non-stop, dreaming of bringing honor to their home countries. Over 20,000 accredited media networks are preparing to broadcast the event to viewers around the world. The Olympic games thus represent a powerful opportunity to publicize China’s harmful practices on a global scale. |
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to listen.
