Liu Qi remained composed, but China is rattled by recent protests
Jacques Rogge, chief the International Olympic Committee, hinted for the first time yesterday that continuing violence in Tibet and surrounding provinces might threaten the Beijing Olympics. “We are concerned about what is happening in Tibet, of course” Mr Rogge said, “This is not something which is compatible with the values of the games so we call for a rapid appeasement and we hope the violence will subside.” The words will further worry Beijing as the games inch ever closer.
Protests have continued around the world. In Kathmandu on Monday, Nepalese police broke up at least one demonstration that turned violent arresting at least 450 people. In the India town of Dharamsala, which saw the visit last week by Nancy Pelosi, hundreds held a prayer session and called on the United Nations to help in the continuing turmoil within China. According to Chinese media a policeman was killed in the latest violence to hit Sichuan province. The true picture of what is happening in China is very hard to gauge.
The news from Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan is still filtered by Chinese state media with western journalists banned from the area. Of the few broadcasters that had made the difficult journey to Sichuan, some were arrested and ordered to leave the area. The restrictions to fair reporting prompted the group Reporters Sans Frontières [rsf.org] to make their voices heard at the opening of the Olympic torch lighting ceremony. As Liu Qi, president of the Beijing organising committee, began his two protesters ran forward to disrupt the proceedings. One unfurled a flag displaying the Olympic symbol made up of handcuffs. Both men were dragged away by police. The incident was not mentioned in Chinese media but it became the main item of news on Sky News, the BBC and CNN. According to Reporters Without Borders, three men from the media organisation were charged with “insulting national symbols” under article 361 of the Greek criminal code, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison or a fine.
The protest by RSF was not the only disruption to the Olympic torch ceremony. As one of the torch bearers made their way through the streets pro-Tibetan protesters waved flags and one, covered in fake blood, blocked the route by lying in the street. Both demonstrators were swiftly dragged away by security, but the interruptions are likely to worry organisers as the torch makes it journey around the world. The torch follows a route though 23 cities on five continents taking 34 days to complete its 137,000 km journey. It is a journey that will also take the torch through the troubled region of Tibet. “It’s going to give activists ample time to put their case across while the world‘s spotlight is focussed on China”, said Sky’s correspondent in Beijing. In London, security is expected to be tight as the torch is carried through the streets on 4th April. Beijing is critical of the protests saying they disrupt a “sacred event”.
And it is an event that may not be broadcast Live. Apparently unnerved by recent unrest among Tibetans and fearful of protests in the heart of the capital, China has told broadcast officials it will bar live television shots from the vast Tiananmen Square during the games. A ban on live broadcasts would disrupt the plans of major international networks, who have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to broadcast the games and are counting on live shots from the iconic square. Earlier this week officials with the Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee, or BOCOG, told executives at the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co. [BOB] that the live shots were cancelled. The matter was conveyed by members who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. However it is hoped that pressure from the IOC may help BOCOG change its mind [CNN].
And the list of those speaking out against China, whether for its human rights record or even its smog covered capital, is growing. Earlier this month marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie said he was unlikely to race in the Olympics because he was worried the pollution would exacerbate his asthma. In fact, the Ethiopian confirmed that he would opt for the 10,000m and not the marathon when it became clear that the IOC would not move the race out of the city centre. But it is the crackdown on protestors and rioters in Tibet that has galvanised people. However, while no leader has yet called for a boycott of the Beijing games, some have expressed their concerns. Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he will meet soon with the Dalai Lama, which in turn angered Beijing. Kate Hoey MP, a former sports minister, has called for a boycott of the opening ceremony. And today Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, said he had not yet ruled out the boycotting of the opening ceremony scheduled for 8th August [BBC]. "All options are open and I appeal to the Chinese leaders' sense of responsibility" Mr Sarkozy told reporters on Tuesday. Meanwhile, French TV has said it might boycott coverage of the Games if Beijing censored protests during the event. Last month saw Steven Spielberg withdraw as artistic advisor after pressure from Sudan campaigner Mia Farrow. And now Olympic sponsors are looking at the situation carefully as they themselves become the target of protest groups. For China, its slogan of “One World, One Dream” is slowly becoming “One World, One Nightmare”.
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