Posted on 08/09/2007 12:11:21 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
US legislators propose China Olympics boycott over rights
by P. Parameswaran Wed Aug 8, 3:55 AM ET
US legislators introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for a boycott of the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing unless China "stops engaging in serious human rights abuses," Congressional aides said.
Backed initially by eight lawmakers from President George W. Bush's Republican party, the resolution also calls on Beijing to "stop supporting serious human rights abuses by the governments" of Sudan, Myanmar and North Korea, the aides said Tuesday.
The resolution, a copy of which was made available to AFP, is expected to be debated by the House foreign affairs committee when lawmakers return from recess in early September.
Comparing the 2008 games to the Berlin 1936 Olympics, which occurred at the time of the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, the resolution said "the integrity of the host country is of the utmost importance so as not to stain the participating athletes or the character of the games."
It said "the Chinese regime regularly denies the right to freedom of conscience, expression, religion, and association," and that it has held thousands of political prisoners without charge or trial.
The resolution was sponsored by a top China critic in the House, Dana Rohrabacher, and co-sponsored by, among seven others, ranking Republican lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
It is expected to receive support from lawmakers from the Democratic party, which has also been pushing for rights reforms in China.
News on the resolution came on the eve of China's bid to mark on Wednesday the one-year countdown to the Beijing Games, which start on August 8, 2008.
China is planning a huge party on Wednesday on Tiananmen Square, where the military crushed democracy protests in 1989, killing hundreds if not thousands of people.
"The test of whether the Olympics change China will come over human rights and responsible foreign policy, particularly in Africa," said Victor Cha, a former White House Asia adviser in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Wednesday.
"The question is: Will the 2008 Games be like the 1936 Games in Berlin, where the goal was to validate a flawed domestic system before the world?
"Or, in the coming year, will we see whether Beijing is ready to mark the Games as a watershed for China's constructive role in the community of nations?" Cha wrote.
Rights group Amnesty International on Tuesday challenged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to live up to a reported pledge to act against China over human rights concerns.
After Beijing won the right to host the games in 2001, IOC chief Jacques Rogge had warned the Chinese government of action if it failed to enhance security and improve the human rights situation, Amnesty said.
"IOC, you have a duty and responsibility to act now," said T. Kumar, Amnesty's Asia-Pacific advocacy director, at a Washington forum, citing Rogge's pledge which he said was made in April 2002.
Kumar said the Chinese government itself promised to "enhance social conditions, including education, health and human rights" when it bid to host the Olympics.
"The IOC and the Chinese government are on trial today for the promises they gave," he said.
Rogge, in comments emailed to AFP in Beijing, said it was not within the Olympic movement's power to pressure China.
Kumar also challenged the United States, as a traditional champion of human rights, to explain its policy on the human rights record of Olympic host nations.
"It is time for the US to come clean on the Olympics and human rights," he said.
Ping!
one word : Tibet
Another word: Darfur.
If there is a real “war for oil” anywhere in the world, it’s that one.
Boycotting the Olympics?! That worked so well for Jimmy Carter...
That was probably the least defining aspect of him.
Isn’t he still eligible for a second term?
*shudder*
Shhh! I wouldn't put it beyond the Dims to dig up that old Bolshevik and put him on the ticket.
From forced abortions to persecution of Christians, not to mention Falun Gong, Tibet, etc.
The “Peoples Republic of China” has a glorious record of bashing heads in and jailing people for what they believe and for merely wanting to have a child.\
Too many put economics way ahead of decency in dealing with China but to oppose China now is to be Winston Churchill in the 21st Century.
The economic growth of China is also military growth and that will lead to war sooner or later.
The only justice is that the “economic boom” will one day if war doesn’t intervene mean a labor shortage because of the “one-child” policy.
And yes the aborting of little girls preferred under the “one-child” policy will cause all those Chinese men to go crazy over the lack of “female companionship.”
A month after the 2008 Games wrap up, China will invade Taiwan.
That sounds about right. Everyone agrees they won’t do it until the Olympics are over. Still, Chinese doesn’t have the airplanes and hardware and general military muscle to take Taiwan, unless Taiwan surrenders needlessly. Hopefully the U.S. military would come to Taiwan’s aid. It’s when, not if. It would be the first huge military clash in a while. The people were fight today don’t have a chance against us, not militarily. U.S. military doctrine today is that if you don’t possess at least a 4-to-1 advantage, don’t fight.
“one word : Tibet”
Two words: Lost Cause
It will never happen.
Personally, I’m a fan of having the olympics in Beijing. It’s going to put China under the microscope.
tell that to Tibetans
Think of it like this: tell the Chicoms to clean up their fish, duck, rice products as well as toys from Toys R’US plus give us some civil rights proof and then , then threaten a boycott of the Oly. The Chicoms are banking on lots of Western dough to keep their infrastructure up to date and keep us on the edge on the balance of trade issue and investments in the USA plus attacking our money. China is now a huge threat. The USA must take steps in any way we can to keep our citizens safe from defective products.
While the opening coverage of the 2008 Olympics should congratulate the people of Beijing for the wonderful improvements they have made to their city, and trumpet some of the great social and economic strides that have been made by the Chinese government; the international media should not become trapped in an echo chamber of Chinese propaganda.
Protests are inevitable. At the first sign of violence against peaceful protesters, the international media should prioritize the human rights issue above the sporting event. The international media needs to send a message to the Chinese government: it will be held to a higher standard during the games and there will be no parades while serious human rights violations are occurring. If the international media holds this line, the Chinese government will have no choice but to learn how to deal with dissent in a peaceful manner or else sacrifice the tens of billions they invested to polish their image to an Olympic legacy that will be remembered as a season of protests and crackdowns.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.