Christian Group Calls On IOC to Cancel Beijing Games Following Arrest of 2 Priests
It’s important for Tibet supporters to remember that China’s tyrannical ban on religious speech and practice extends far beyond their restrictions on Buddhism and the Falun Gong, but to Christianity as well. Two Catholic priests were recently arrested for unknown reasons, following the detention of a prominent Bishop this past November. The Cardinal Kung Foundation called on the International Olympic Committee to consider canceling the 2008 Beijing Games because of China’s continued lack of respect for religious freedom and human rights.
With the arrest of two more priests in China this month, the Cardinal Kung Foundation is calling on the Olympic Committee to consider canceling the next summer Olympic Games, which are scheduled to take place in China, in 2008.
Fr. Guo, 39, was sent to Xushui County detention center; Fr. Lu, 44, was sent to an undisclosed location. The Kung Foundation said it does not know why the two priests were arrested.
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In response to this series of continuous arrests, the Cardinal Kung Foundation wrote a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao, appealing that he “bring modern China into an era of true religious freedom.� The letter was signed by the foundation’s president, Joseph Kung.
“A country without religious freedom is never peaceful and constructive,” reads the letter, which also challenged the president to realize “the importance of changing the world’s perception of China’s human rights policy for the better.”
The foundation asked that all current religious prisoners be released and that all religious prisoners, “both living and dead, be officially and posthumously exonerated of so called crimes.�
Kung said releasing the prisoners would “also prove that China is honoring the spirit of the Olympic Games that [it] will have the honor of hosting in 2008.”
Kung said Hu has never replied to his letter.
Kung recommended that the Olympic Committee should “take note of these arrests and decide whether or not China’s continuous persecutions of innocent religious believers is in conformity with the spirit of the Olympic Games.â€?
He said the Olympic Committee should “consider canceling the games in China in 2008 in order to preserve its good name and spirit� of the Olympics.
(Hat tip to Tom from BizzyBlog)
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New E-Mail address for member SFT. (Old e-mail address: ken74@inbox.lv )
I added this blog to MY Yahoo! and there is no title showing for the blog itself. Articles show and the links are fine, but no title. After changing to the narrower format, there is no problem. The longer format may be a problem with Yahoo! itself. If not, maybe this is something you should look into. Thanks! Ken.