Hey China: Torch this Relay

It is a good week for grassroots activists the world over. For the first time leading up to the Beijing Olympics, Jacques Rogge came out of his coma and reversed his policy of silent diplomacy confronting Wen Jiabao with the promises China made to the IOC before it was awarded the Olympic franchise. Rogge publicly asked China to respect two of its moral engagements: to improve its abysmal record on human rights and allow accredited foreign journalists to move freely in China and Tibet to report without constraints.

Meanwhile, it looks like there will be a lot of empty seats at the opening ceremonies. In foreign capitals around the globe diplomats and heads-of-state are canceling their plans to attend. This week the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution calling upon European leaders to consider the "option of non-attendance." (Diplo-speak for "Don't go".) UN general Ban Ki-moon announced that "scheduling issues" would prevent him from attending. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of England Gordon Brown, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel all realized they too have something more important to do. French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he may boycott and, although it is unlikely President George Bush will shun the Games entirely, he has not agreed to attend the opening ceremony.

No wonder Rogge announced that the Olympics have plunged into crisis, the athletes are in "disarray," and the Olympic torch relay has not been the "joyous party that we wished it would be."

Why the diplomatic turnaround? Because throughout the free world, the Olympic torch cannot be carried a single block without meeting massive protests. Even the official torch companions -- those innocuous looking members of the Chinese special police, suited up in blue track suits and jaunty caps, running along side the torch -- can't keep protestors at bay.

While we are a long way from having any meaningful impact on Chinese policy one thing is clear: the protests this week have impacted the tenor of the conversation between the IOC and the Chinese government about this summer's Games, and helped persuade many foreign leaders to stay home. This is no small accomplishment. To the naysayers who said the demonstrations would be futile -- stay tuned to see what happens when word gets out Olympic athletes could be disqualified if they have a Tibetan flag in their rooms.

Comments

[Alternoid]

Some years ago I met with four labor ministers from various areas of China at a dinner party here in the States. I was invited partly because they had attended an exhibition I curated, and partly because the hostess knew I was deeply concerned about Tibet. One of them talked with me at some length about Tibet and sympathized with my point about just talking to the Dalai Lama; he actually said he agreed. Another smiled politely, said he appreciated my interest and obvious education about the issues, and invited me to visit China (including, he pointedly said, Lhasa). Two of the ministers were staunch Communist toe-the-party-liners and wouldn't speak to me in English, though they understood perfectly what I said. The State Department interpreter who accompanied these men was, I think, somewhat appalled by my bald criticisms (I also covered the Three Gorges Dam), but it showed me that clearly there is much more sympathy at high levels of the Chinese government than the raw parroting of the Beijing spokepersons would indicate. I can only hope that these kinds of people will be able to influence a change for the better at some point.

[emerywood]

What do the Tibetans want is not entirely clear. Do they want freedom and democracy or just freedom to worship their God/King ? What the demonstrators want China to do is clear.
We know the Dalai Lama is a Nobel peace prize winner but few know he is an appointed
God-King of Tibet since a child. Tibet is a very religous country. He is a religious leader, like Muqtada Al Sadr of Iraq, not a democratically elected leader or freedom fighter as such. Do we want to re-install his status as a King-God there to govern Tibet ? Did he promise freedom and democracy for his people and election every four years ?
We want freedom and democracy in Tibet, how about all the other 10 or more ethnic groups in China ?
Should they all fight for freedom and democracy and split the country apart ?
Why not ? Some would say. Heck, it is not our problem ! We just enjoy fanning the flame.

[shanghaislim]

Well said.

People around the world somehow think that the Tibetan people and their monks are the prefect idea of harmony and religion. They are monks after all.......the look like Ghandi so they must be good and peaceful loving peoples?

Yet Tibet is not a democracy and has a brutal history of its own against its own people. But that is not the politically correct position to take. Only an anti-China sinophobia makes the western world seem appeased?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Many good comments below.

Short, sweet, and admittedly naive:

If we're not ready to boycott China, and exert true economic pressure on them, despite the nobility of the cause we are indeed just blowing smoke and irritating a sleeping giant.

[ailbhe]

There is nothing wrong with reporting on China, in fact it would be a wonderful change if the media could bother reporting actual news for once. That is not happening here.

Humiliating the Chinese people who have sweated blood for the last few years preparing for the Olympics and who are hugely excited about welcoming the world into their country is creating huge anger in China. The government is using these protests as an opportunity to encourage anti western, nationalist sentiment.

This will encourage the population to stand together with their government. China is not going to bow to self important, hypocrital moral posturing from narcissistic Westerners, on the contrary, they will show you that they have your balls, so get over yourself.

Change only comes from within, the protests will achieve the opposite of their intent.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

You Chinese government lackeys make the funniest trolls of all ;-)

Your logic is very twisted and makes an assumption that people in America actually care what the Chinese populace thinks. Since they're virtual slaves to the totalitarians you are endorsing, their opinion is extremely inconsequential. It's sad to see you still mixing insults with disinformation as if it mattered.

[shanghaislim]

Your ignorance is only highlighted by your inability to grasp the real issues as stated by the post ailbhe.

Your immaturity shows as anyone who does not tow your ridiculous idea of truth is automatically a Chinese government lackey and troll.

I will bet you learned everything about China from a newspaper, TV program and magazine?

Try researching the issue and you will find you are sadly mistaken. (Brainwashed)

[EspritDeVoltaire]

No as a matter of fact Sonny you're wrong. I'm undoubtedly better read than you peons who lick the boots of your superiors.

My family was friends was General Claire Chennault who wanted to nuke the Red Chinese Army during the Korean War. It's a shame he didn't succeed. Then the poor Chinese peasants would never have had to suffer through Mao, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. In addition to which the Tibetans would still be free today rather than enslaved to the Chinese cockroaches who lord it over them.

[Angelaaaa]

The main problem is the inexperience of both the Chinese government and people with the concept of a free press. China has never had such a thing and there is an inability to accept the media saying anything uncomfortable or confronting. I doubt whether anyone even conceived of the possibility of this kind of backlash, particularly as China has become accustomed to enjoying pretty good press for some years, considering its appalling human rights record - or was the good news not actual news either?

Regardless of what the rest of the world expressed, the Chinese government would have used the Olympics as a huge propaganda tool. If there are protests, then they will foster anti-Western sentiment. If there aren't, then the rest of the world must condone their actions.

As for Westerners, well, narcissists don't care enough about anyone else to go to the trouble of putting themselves out. And, from what I have seen a fairly large proportion of protestors are in fact Tibetan expats - despite the self-serving comments of Jacques Rogge.

Change does indeed come from within but sometimes we have to see ourselves as others see us to even begin to understand why it should happen at all. Being able to critically examine ourselves, both personally and nationally, is part of growing up.

[drumbeat]

Given the size of the protests it can't be all Tibetan expats - it is a small country and there just aren't that many of them in exile - sure they may be organizing many of the protests, but they aren't the only ones who are demonstrating.

[oldpotsmuggler]

How rarely we get evidence this graphic of the power of modern communications. Likely the Chinese leaders are stunned at how badly they are being made to look, how broadly the image is being disseminated, and how quickly their Olympic good will is being trashed. They are learning by the second that if they want to look favorable under the constant glare of infinite attention they are going to have to act favorably. Some funky PR campaign is just not going to get the job done the way things like this used to be able to be manipulated to play out.

Their ongoing repression of Tibet is nothing compared to what they did to their own in Tiannamen Square, but the pictures, stories, etc. cannot now be managed as before so the damage is magniified.
Small comments made by candidate Obama hint at his having some understanding of how this new force might be able to be used for aiding mankind and it really is only this unceratinty that makes him worthy of the office he is seeking. If he's just bluffing in this then we are likely to experience a major disappointment when he takes the helm of our nation in November.

[drumbeat]

Obama has the strongest position of the candidates with respect to the Olympics. By taking a wait and see attitude the US can keep pressure on the Chinese, calling for a boycott now would simply be playing all the cards in our hand prematurely. And if this gets China to talk to the Dalai Lama - that is a pretty big deal. it sends a strong message to those in still in Tibet and outside of Tibet in exile. Bush too is taking a sensible approach - not pulling out of the games entirely but leaving it as a possibility / threat against the Chinese govt.