Tibet, China and Olympics

[Skybird]

Youm may have heared it: in tibet, bitter tensions have broken free over the past days. Independant news sources talk of kill numbers in the three digit range. The chinese military is firing at will, the Chinese media broadcasts pictures of a marauding mob, but is hiding the many, many peaceful demonstrations, in order to give the Dalai Lama, who since many years has given up calls for independance, just asks for autonomy now, a bad name. Since the occupation starts, over one million Tibetans have been killed, murdered, and many more have been tortured. the original population was around 6 million. the Chinese try systematically the destroy the Tibetan culture by Chinese settlement programs, ethnic cleansing, and forcing Tibetans out of their home. this massacre along with the systemtically realised intention of destroying Tibetan culture, qualifies for the the definition of genoicide according to the anti-genocide convention of the UN from 1948 (or was it 52, I'm not sure this moment).

Nevertheless, china was awarded the sports festival of peace, the olympic games. how much greater a farce can be.

It does not matter if the Albanian's success with Kosovo's independance encouraged the Tibetans or not, or if their timing is aiming at the Olympics or not. To me the idea of going to China as an athlete and doing as if nothing is wrong with that place, or even signing declaration of my own government that I will not speak about critical issues in China, is most unacceptable. If I were a pro, there is a very strong chance that I would pass my nation'S sport federation's invitation to go there. If that would mean conflict, or a lifelong ban, so be it. A federation giving me troubles for not complying with the interests of their policy and the interests of place like that, probably would not deserve my service and dedication anyway, so to hell with both. One should know one's own value.

I directly compare the chinese Olympics to the Olympic summer games in berlin, which also degenerated into a propaganda show and a demonstration of the superiority of Nazi-german technology (broadcasting).

I used to say in the past that sports and poltiics should be kept seperate, and therefor no boycotts should take place. But I today ask one question: what oif the other side does not share my sentiment to keep both things different, and link it to causes of politics, and prestigious propaganda nevertheless? Can it be demanded from our athletes to make themselves available to this kind of abuse? and if they want to go there for "selfish" reasons, for having prepared so long and now wanting to show what they can do- is it acceptable to make such desires ranking higher than preventing ourselves from obeying with such propaganda efforts?

We cannot escape it - there is a strong political component in international sports, and in case of the the chinese Olmpics, it is monumental.

I vote for boycotting the Olympics.

And that is not the scandal in the mainl. The real scandal is that China even has been rewareded the Olympic games. It also display of how the power is shifting on the global stage. It is no secret that Cjhina has bought votes for the games from small and poor nations, like you and me buy milk and sweets in the supermarket.

What do you think, what is your stand on the Olympics in China?

So high developed a culture they had. So many treasures of thinking and philosophy to be found in their literature. My own thinking owes so very much to Ch'an buddhism and Lao Tse. Much shadow in their history, yes, but also so much beauty.

And then came Mao.