Ways That Are Dark

The Washington Post writes on China’s offer to resume human rights dialog with the United States. The headline says it all: China’s Offer To Resume Rights Talks Is Discounted. On Wednesday, activists from some of the world’s leading human rights organizations testified before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Robin Munro, research director of the China Labour Bulletin, said China’s official record makes a “mockery of promises made” and warned that the crackdown on dissenters might “become the new normal” once the Games are over.

The China Blog also mentions the irony of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi’s remarks that public security officers are more likely to offer a protester a “a cup of tea” than arrest them. The remarks were made on the same day another “a petition organizer was seized in Beijing”.

It seems that lying is also the norm.

Why exactly did Beijing get the Olympics? The International Olympic Committee is unwavering in its public support of Beijing. In light of all the shortcomings and unfulfilled promises, the IOC continues to proclaim that the games are good for China. They still would have you believe that the human rights situation in China is improving.

Follow the news, and it is clear that the Olympics are being used as an excuse to suppress human rights in China more than ever before. The IOC, like the Chinese government, is guilty of practicing double-speak; they know what they say is all lies but they still claim it’s true.

The now famous Chinese dissident, Hu Jia, describes for the world what they can expect to see during the summer games. In an open letter translated by Human Rights Watch, he writes: “You may not know that the flowers, smiles, harmony and prosperity are built on a base of grievances, tears, imprisonment, torture and blood.”

He warns:

Please be aware that the Olympic Games will be held in a country where there are no elections, no freedom of religion, no independent courts, no independent trade unions; where demonstrations and strikes are prohibited; where torture and discrimination are supported by a sophisticated system of secret police; where the government encourages the violation of human rights and dignity, and is not willing to undertake any of its international obligations.

Clearly, this is turning out to be the worst choice of host city in the history of the Olympic games. Not only are there many promises the Chinese are having trouble keeping, such as pollution, traffic, and a real openness; but even the IOC is not standing up for humanity. The IOC is now unequivocally complicit in human rights violations. It’s not the 2008 Olympics people should be boycotting, but all future games until the IOC gets their head on straight.

Read the complete translation of Hu Jia’s letter.

Nick Cohen of The Guardian writes: “Pick any dictatorship at random and chances are you’ll find China lurking in the background.”

The only justification for the Beijing games is that they will allow connoisseurs of the grotesque to inspect this ghoulish hybrid of the worst of capitalism and the worst of socialism close up. … The International Olympic Committee and all the national sports bureaucracies will follow up by instructing athletes not to say a word out of place.

I wonder if, as an accredited journalist,  Nick will be on hand to cover the games in Beijing.

Read the complete article The only winner in Beijing will be tyranny

Recent reports of several countries choosing to train their athletes outside of Beijing because of pollution suggests that China’s promise of a “Green Olympics” won’t be kept. The mounting media interest in the arrest of Hu Jia, and the house arrest of his two month old infant also suggests the human rights situation is worsening too. (How to ruin your Olympic image: suppress your critics is a good primer on that topic.)

Now here is another Olympic promise that is not being kept.  The Financial Times writes about a lawsuit being brought against the organizers of the Beijing Olympics. The slogan for the 2008 Olympic games - “One World, One Dream” -  was chosen after a contest that allowed people from all over the world to suggest a new slogan. According to the article, the organizing committee “originally promised to issue a certificate of recognition to the participant.”

“There was no single winner,” Liu Qi, Beijing Communist party chief and Bocog president, said in 2005. “The slogan embodies the wisdom of hundreds of thousands of people.”

It turns out that may not be exactly true.

Fang Shouwei, a Beijing resident said he came up with the slogan. He is taking the Beijing Organizing Committee to court, claiming he has  evidence that he proposed the English-language phrase chosen. He is suing for the certificate and to have his legal bills paid.

If this turns out to be true, it would be a fairly stupid move. After all, delivering clean air and human rights are gigantic tasks. Recognition comes much easier.
Here is the complete Financial Times article: China Olympics sued for copyright abuse

The People’s Daily is the official voice of China’s communist party. The Guardian newspaper writes about a People’s Daily commentary warning any attempts to use the Olympic games to discredit China are doomed to fail.

Furthermore, the Chinese article says anyone challenging China’s national priorities is “hurting the feelings of 1.3 billion Chinese people.”

Is there any other country on earth that complains about hurt feelings as much as China? How old is China? Hosting the Olympic games means sitting at the adult’s table. It’s time to accept a little scrutiny - from both inside and outside the country. Grow up.

For ages, the funniest joke in China has been whenever you see a foreigner, to mispronounce the word “hello” and fall into peals of laughter. (The mispronunciation varies according to education but is always unintentional.) The joke never tires because white people in China will hear it countless times every day. Regrettably, foreign visitors with darker skin may be used to a more offensive greeting.

The International Herald Tribune article As Olympic Games approach, Chinese are urged to be ‘civilized’ brings up the issue of manners. It’s an old and somewhat irrelevant topic for many Chinese. Irrelevant because while the majority of people know that certain aspects of their behavior are offensive to visitors from other countries, very few people are interested in changing their ways. From the Tribune article:

At every turn I hear cries of “lao wai.”

The words constitute a slightly uncouth slang for foreigner. Literally, they mean “old outsider.”

Quite often, these murmurings are accompanied by a mocking, sing-song uttering of the English greeting “hello.” The tone is unmistakable, and it is not friendly. This is not to say that it is hostile, either, rather it is said in a way that suggests that foreigners are not merely an object of novelty here, which should certainly no longer be the case by now, but also of slight ridicule.

Any foreigner who has spent a few years in China will understand what the author is talking about. While intended as a slight insult and joke at your expense, it amounts to little more than an irritation. The cries of “lao wai” tend to come out as an exclamation of surprise. The “hello” and girlish laughter is always deliberate and meant as ridicule. It may seem to the casual visitor that the locals are being friendly, but it is really a kind of low-class behavior that has led to many foreigners saying “good-bye” to China forever.

As the countdown to Beijing 2008 continues , not a week goes by without some griping about the city’s dismal environment. The Olympics only run from Aug. 8-24, but the organizers are discussing the possibility of postponing events if pollution is bad. From the CNN report Beijing schedule changes possible:

“Extensive use of coal, the city’s geographical location and a growing number of motor vehicles means the pace of improvement in Beijing’s air quality is slow,” said Eric Falt, who heads the U.N. Environment Program’s sports and environment project.

Falt said fine particles of pollution that are harmful to human health were “particularly worrying.”

There is nothing new here. Organizers knew all along that pollution in Beijing is the most horrendous in Olympic history. Can things be expected to change in 10 months?

The Washington Post reports on Beijing’s lack of progress in tackling air pollution in the lead up to next summer’s Olympic Games. The complete article is: Gray Wall Dims Hopes of ‘Green’ Games. What is apparent to the naked eye is the air is filthy and hazardous, but government agencies are being secretive about he scientific information they have gathered on the problem.

Beijing does not regularly measure or evaluate some serious pollutants, including ozone and some types of fine particulate matter that can easily be inhaled deep into the lungs. Meanwhile, they have refused to publicly release figures on the amount of pollutants at any given location, such as the Olympic Village or Tiananmen Square, preferring to stick with a citywide average.

China has promised a “green” Olympics, but its failure to divulge what is actually in the host city’s air has alarmed athletes, surprised environmental experts and raised questions about officials’ commitment to making needed changes.

There are still ten months left before the games begin, and a lot can happen in that time. It seems that many athletes have begun to consider contingency plans if the pollution still poses a risk.

Australian athletes have announced they will arrive in Beijing as late as possible because of concerns that the air quality might hinder their performance. Two weeks ago, two Ethiopian middle-distance running champions announced they would forgo some events because of the “disgusting weather and air pollution.” New Zealand and American athletes say they will wear face masks if necessary. Even Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, warned that some endurance sports might be postponed if the pollution gets too bad.

The big Olympic news yesterday was U.S. President George Bush accepting an invitation to attend the 2008 games in Beijing.

But Sophie Richardson, an Asia expert at Human Rights Watch, an advocacy organization, said Mr. Bush was giving “an enormous propaganda opportunity to an abusive government.” The group has not called for a boycott of the Games, though, on the theory that the Olympics could be used to raise awareness of human rights abuses in China. She called on Mr. Bush to do so.

The above is quoted from The New York Times article Bush, After Talks With China’s Leader, Accepts Invitation to Beijing Olympics

The fine line President Bush has to walk with human rights in China is clear. This week, CNN reports that Beijing has arrested a land rights activist who wrote a letter to the government rejecting the games and demanding more respect for human rights. (Source: Report: China arrests anti-Olympics activist).

Perhaps this is what the President was referring to when he said, “China’s leaders can use the opportunity to show confidence by demonstrating a commitment to greater openness and tolerance.”