China Using Olympics as 'Pretext' for Crackdown: Amnesty

[Hissyspit]

Source: AFP

China using Olympics as 'pretext' for crackdown: Amnesty

by Polly Hui
Tue Jul 29, 12:03 AM ET
HONG KONG (AFP) - China is using the Beijing Olympics as a pretext to pursue -- and in some cases tighten -- a crackdown on human rights, notably ridding the capital of "undesirables," Amnesty International charged Monday. Reporting 11 days ahead of the August 8 opening ceremony, the rights group said that despite some minor reforms, authorities had stepped up repression of activists and lawyers to present a picture of stability and harmony.

Amnesty urged the International Olympic Committee and political leaders to do far more to challenge China, warning of even more repressive measures once the spotlight on the Games has faded away.

"Unless the authorities make a swift change of direction, the legacy of the Beijing Olympics will not be positive for human rights in China," it warned. "In fact, the crackdown on human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers has intensified because Beijing is hosting the Olympics."

Amnesty's report, citing specific cases, said activists who had tied their cause to the Games had been singled out for the pre-Olympics "clean-up," while many others were being detained, imprisoned or placed under house arrest. "Authorities have used the Olympic Games as a pretext to continue and in some respects, intensify existing policies and practices that have led to serious and widespread violations of human rights," the report added.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080729/wl_afp/oly2008chinaamnestyrights_080729040320

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[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. Is this a common phenomenon?

Closer to home, Detroit has recently hosted an all-star baseball game and a super-bowl football game. Both times, the city (allegedly) rounded up homeless people (undesirables) and detained them until the event was over. Then put them back on the street. Out of sight ...

The comparison ends there. I'm sure Detroit has kinder, gentler jails.

Any other cities do human "housecleaning" for media events?

[Stuckinthebush]

2. What a terrible place for the Olympics

Human rights abuses on top of terrible environmental conditions. I heard an NPR story this morning about how the smog will affect athletes.

What were selection members thinking when they chose Beijing?

[blackspade]

3. Money

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Lovely

But you are probably right.

[David__77]

5. The Olympics are an international forum.

China has one-fifth of the world's population and is providing the majority of global economic growth currently. It is the pride of all Chinese that their homeland is hosting the Olympics. Just 60 years ago, the country lay in ruins, starving, with low life expectancy and mass illiteracy. Today, people live better and longer in China than ever before. There's simply no comparison.

[Stuckinthebush]

6. There are a lot of better venues for sports

The terrible environmental conditions are enough to knock it out of contention.

[subsuelo]

13. The support for genocide in Sudan is what should knock it out of contention n/t

[blue52power]

7. Yet very little freedoms

No freedom of speech, political affiliation, or religious practice.

They block much of the internet as is being experienced by international journalist right now. They cant access their specific media links to post stories.

Economically it is much better off in cumulative stats but most are still peasants outside of the urban areas where the jobs for skilled workers are. If you are skilled, you are relatively rich middle class, otherwise you are exploited for factory work to produce cheap goods. The worst of captitalism.

[David__77]

8. Progress is made every year.

Per capita GDP is expanding year by year and the number of people in poverty is declining at a steady rate. Taxes are being increased on those with the ability to pay, while taxes on the poor are being radically scaled back. Compared with the large majority of the leaders of the developing countries, China's leadership is relatively progressive in terms of public policy. There is much progress to be made, that said.

[blue52power]

9. "China's leadership is relatively progressive in terms of public policy"

What is progressive about restricting speech, political affiliations and religious practice.

The Communist Party leadership are a bunch of goons who oppress their people.

Progress in cumulative stats as you state the GDP, sure. Because they have embraced a cold capitalist system to further communist goals of repression and authoritarian control.

Is it better? Sure.

[David__77]

10. I did not say that.

But I would much prefer a system in which religion is restricted to the private sphere to a system in which the public sphere is subject to religion. I would prefer a system in which fascism is banned and fascists are imprisoned to one in which a backward electorate democratically vote to subject everyone to fascism, as happened in Germany in 1933. So, in that sense, I suppose I don't place all emphasis on "democracy at all costs."

[blue52power]

11. You said exactly that in your prior post

"China's leadership is relatively progressive in terms of public policy"

Your words.

[David__77]

12. What I did not say.

I didn't say that the things you enumerated were "relatively progressive." I was speaking in terms of public policy in general. Even if I were to agree with your characterization of things like speech, etc., which I'm not sure I do, this is not what I was referring to.

[Dorian Gray]

14. Isn't

placing restrictions on religion in the public sphere a symptom of fascism?