Early Wednesday, Beijing time, a spokesman for China’s Olympic Committee issued an ominous threat: “The command centre has given its order for the final assault tomorrow.” He was referring to China’s climbing team that took the Olympic torch to the summit of Mt. Everest early Thursday. But never before has the mountaineering term ‘assault’ been used more appropriately. China’s assault on Mount Everest – sacred Mount Chomolungma to Tibetans – is in fact an assault on Tibet and the Tibetan people, not to mention the Olympic ideals.
Apparently the International Olympic Committee is so afraid that some of the world’s top athletes may, after winning gold, silver, or bronze in their events, take the opportunity to express their views on China’s military occupation of Tibet. As such, the IOC has decided to specifically ban such displays now, in advance of the Games […]
To paraphrase former Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green, Beijing’s “One World, One Dream” slogan means what we thought it means. This picture, taken at a pro-China Olympic rally in Jakarta, makes clear that the choice phrase - approved by the I.O.C. and appearing on billboards worldwide - is meant to evoke the infamous One China […]
Simply incredible artwork and a powerful statement about China’s Olympics. More pics at Wooster Collective.
Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins has a hard-hitting column attacking the I.O.C. and those that would have the global community cease their criticism of the Beijing Olympics under the guise of peace and sports. It’s from last Friday, but it’s definitely worth a read.
Sam Nunn, a former senator who is on the board of […]
Today at the UN Building in Bangkok. a peaceful demonstration against the presence of the Olympic Torch was held.
View more and comment on pictures from bangkok demonstration post or view the entire Bangkok-focused blog: http://notorch.blogspot.com/
Tibetans and supporters protested Coca-Cola’s annual shareholder meeting this morning, calling on the company’s executives to use their influence to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to immediately withdraw Tibet from China’s Olympic torch relay route. Tibetans and human rights activists fear that allowing the Olympic torch to be run through Tibet will heighten tensions leading to an increased crackdown by Chinese authorities.
A good bit of round-up coverage on Phayul.com on the extensive protests and Pro-Tibet rallys in South America. This demonstrates that the Pro-Tibet movement is not limited to Europe and North America, and isn’t simply anti-Chinese racism from the “west”.
Some highlights and photos below:
On April 2, more than 800 Tibetan supporters, wearing white T-shirts with […]
The Associated Press reports:
Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said the committee would consider ending the international leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay because of anti-Chinese protests.
Rogge told The Associated Press he was ”deeply saddened” by violent protests in London and Paris and concerned about the upcoming torch relay in San Francisco, where […]
The Chinese government and the International Olympic Committee are reportedly in crisis talks, after they massively underestimated worldwide ourtage over Beijing’s repressive rule in Tibet. This report is from the Financial Times:
Beijing officials are to hold urgent talks with senior members of the Olympic movement about the torch relay, as concern grows among International Olympic […]
