Athens – A peaceful protest by six Tibetan activists, representing the worldwide movement for Tibet, was halted today at the Olympic Sports Complex by police officers. The activists displayed their own version of the Olympic flag which shows five bullet holes replacing the Olympic rings and carries the slogan ‘China plays games with human rights’ as Athens today passes on the Olympic flag to Beijing, the hosts of the 2008 Games. The group were marching towards the main stadium, singing the Tibetan national anthem, to deliver their flags to IOC officials but were stopped by a group of fifteen police officers who roughly removed both their flags. The activists, wearing traditional Tibetan dress, also carried T-shirts bearing their logo which were also seized by police. The police officers then searched the bags of the activists who were sitting down in silent protest whilst waiting for representatives of the IOC. Press releases and copies of the International Tibet Support Network (ITSN) human rights report on Tibet found in the bags were also confiscated.
Wangpo Tethong, one of the six Tibetan activists and chair of the ITSN Olympic Committee “2008-Free Tibet” stated, ‘Although we are disappointed at the treatment we have been given here in Athens, what is even more disturbing is the prospect of how Beijing will deal with dissent in 2008. Tonight it is important to gauge the reaction of the audience at the closing ceremony as we have appealed to audience members not to applaud China’s presentation and instead to turn their backs.’
‘The current regime in China is mistaken if it believes it can use the Olympic Games for its own propaganda purposes’ said Tenzin D. Sewo, a spokesperson for ITSN. Mr. Sewo stated, ‘We are here today to serve notice to the Chinese government that we will use every opportunity until 2008 to protest against the illegal occupation of Tibet. It is our contention that there should be no Olympic Games in China as long as Tibet is occupied and human rights are suppressed.’
Since the IOC’s 2001 decision to give Beijing the 2008 Games, the organisation has only paid lip service to human rights concerns. Indeed, the IOC has refused to withdraw its controversial proviso to all host cities to prevent political demonstrations or meetings from taking place in the immediate run-up to the Games. Moreover, the IOC has in the past spurned the offer to collaborate on building up recommendations for improvement in human rights in the same way it has made improvements in the environment contingent to host the Games. The ITSN has produced annual reports since 2001 documenting the human rights situation in Tibet and China and the need for the IOC to take proactive action. This year’s report was delivered to the IOC’s Executive Committee on August 5 in Athens in advance of the IOC’s 116th Session. However, the IOC has not yet clarified whether it has passed on the reports to the rest of the Committee.
Tethong continued, ‘It is hypocritical and typical of the ruthlessness of the present Beijing regime that it believes that it can create an image of free and cheerful Games in a country that brutally suppresses the right of the Tibetan people to determine their own future. I call upon all Tibetans, our supporters and friends in China to use every opportunity in the next four years to raise our voices for the freedom of Tibet, the people of East Turkestan and for the advocates of a free and democratic China.’
Notes
1. The ITSN is a coalition of over 150 groups from Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa.
2. The ITSN has met with IOC officials twice, including once with the IOC President Jacques Rogge in October 2002. At that meeting the IOC President refused to allow access to the Beijing Host City Contract which he had claimed, in a BBC Hard Talk Interview in April 2002, had human rights provisions.
3. The IOC’s Executive Director, Francois Carrard stated at the July 13, 2001 Beijing winning press conference that the IOC had taken a ‘bet’ that human rights would improve as a result of the IOC awarding Beijing the 2008 Olympic Games.
