More Thoughts on IOC President Rogge’s Place in History

First off, Lhadon’s blog is historic. I don’t know how long she can keep it up before getting detained, but it’s empowering to see a Tibetan speaking freely about her ancestral land from the belly of the beast that devoured it.

Just as I was about to post something I wrote on Lhadon’s blog to this site concerning the Tethong vs. Rogge stand-off, I read Lhasa Rising’s very thought-provoking analysis of the situation. Many of my comments are redundant, but I will reiterate them here anyway.

Personally, I will be surprised if Jacques Rogge misses this opportunity to meet with Lhadon like a civilized person and listen to her concerns about the Olympics. I’m sure he realizes that his denial of her request will be perceived by the outside world as a tacit approval of China’s human rights record.

It’s so sad, because in 2001 the IOC promised the world that giving the Olympic Games to Beijing would guarantee an improvement in human rights to international standards. One would think that Mr. Rogge would relish the opportunity to meet with Lhadon and prove the success of the IOC’s own claims. If he can’t seem to “find the time,” then it seems as though he’s trying to hide something. Perhaps he’s trying to hide his own shame.

Or perhaps he’s not ashamed, and truly believes that he’s doing the right thing. If so, then it should be easy for him to provide evidence to that fact. I’m sure he’s too smart to think that the world will simply not notice that he’s turned his back on one of the ethnic minority groups that is being represented by the 2008 Games. The IOC has repeatedly admonished NGOs about “politicizing” the Olympic Games, but clearly his refusal to even meet with a Tibetan is the clearest indication of who has chosen to make the Games political. How long will Mr. Rogge stand back and deny any culpability for what is taking place in China throughout these Games.

I wonder if Mr. Rogge would have responded the same way if an ethnic minority in Germany had requested a meeting to discuss brutal treatment by the Nazis prior to the 1936 Berlin Games? Surely, he wouldn’t want to tell a Jew not to politicize the Games? As Germany paraded around with pomp and bravado, showing the world its military and economic might, would Rogge have clapped along and cheered?

There is an account by Esther Wenzel of the 1936 Berlin Games that sounds eerily familiar:

“In the summer of 1936, Berlin, Germany, was the “sparkling jewel” of the European continent. The city was of course ready to entertain the world for the XI Olympiad. Bright red banners with black swastikas, flags of 52 competing nations, greenery, and flowers decorated the public buildings and the streets.

The main focus for visitors who came from all parts of the world was Unter Den Linden. This was the beautiful boulevard going through the center of the city all the way to the Bradenberg Gate. The tourists and visitors came to see and applaud the finest athletes in the world.

At the same time, there were uniformed troops marching here and there in the streets. Often officers strolled into hotels or business places. Museums and public buildings would often remain closed so that the visitors could watch a parade of young boys and girls in uniform.

This ominous undercurrent was sensed but ignored in all the festivities. It was a unique moment in history. No other Olympic Games, before, or since, ever took place under such circumstances.”

… Until Now!

I am sure that Mr. Rogge does not want his tenure as IOC President to be remembered as a period of genocide and hypocrisy. I would think that the IOC would want to be proud in this moment of glory — the one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics — not hiding in shame. If they have truly made the human rights situation in China better by giving them the Games then they should be honored to meet with us and present us with evidence to this effect. After all, we weren’t the ones that insisted that the Games will be good for China, they were. Now is the time for them to show us all their great victory for the Chinese people, not turn their backs and scamper into elevators and fancy banquet halls while a Tibetan waits patiently for an unreturned phone call.

Will Mr. Rogge be able to ignore the fact that just last week in Lithang, Tibet hundreds of people were rounded up and arrested for peacefully speaking publicly about their desire to see the Dalai Lama return to Tibet? Or, will Mr. Rogge ignore the 14 hunger strikers in Delhi who are currently on Day 29 of a hunger strike until death, and ask that the IOC produce conclusive evidence that the human rights situation inside Tibet is acceptable? After all, this is what the IOC itself promised to do! But would Mr. Rogge rather see people die than simply show the world even a modicum of evidence that they are trying to achieve their stated goal?

Surely, Mr. Jacques Rogge is not the kind of man who would let this happen on his watch. Surely he is not a political tool, or a coward.

But if not, then what is he?

Mr. Rogge, what kind of man are you?