08.04.2007
China's Un-Kept Promises
To The International Olympic Committee
The Olympic Charter states in part: _
"The goal of the Olympics is to place sports everywhere at the service of a harmonious development of man, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with preservation of human dignity. To this effect, the Olympic Movement engages, alone or in cooperation with other organizations and within the limits of its means, in actions to promote peace" (Olympic Charter, article 3);
And "Safeguarding the dignity of the individual is a fundamental requirement of the Olympics" (IOC Code of Ethics, "A. Dignity;" part 1) What dignities has the Chinese Government accorded the people of China with violations against the innocent still continuing after being awarded the Olympics?
In regard to these Charter provisions, the IOC media office has sent letters to those who raise concerns about human rights violations in China which state: "We have carefully thought about what kind of role the IOC - an organisation created to bring the benefits of sport to society - can play in more diverse matters. Our belief is that we must focus our work within the scope of our remit – which is to guide and assist the Games organisers to host successful Olympic Games. Within this framework of bringing sports and Olympic values to China, we are hopeful that benefits to the wider social landscape will follow in post-Games years. The IOC is committed to bringing the Olympic Movement to China for the first time in history because we believe that examples set by the Olympic ideals have - and will continue to have - many positive benefits for China and the world."
The Charter would suggest a more direct and forthright approach. Both past and present Olympic athletes, coaches and officials who have been made aware of and shown information regarding human rights transgressions in China are deeply concerned with China's un-kept promises. Today, stringent human rights violations happening daily in China are being ignored.
As Olympians become informed of these inhumanities in China, how will the IOC and world governments respond?
Would the athletes, coaches and officials as a whole want to compete in a country that imposes such cruel persecution upon her people?
We further deplore the blind support which the Communist regime of China is providing to other similarly despotic dictator regimes around the world, in Burma, in Zimbabwe, in Sudan, in Iran etc.
Amnesty International, Human Rights in China and Human Rights Watch have noted increasingly deteriorating human rights conditions in China. We are confident that the IOC would not have awarded the Games to Beijing had they then known of the human rights abuses happening in China.
Please, consider _
How will the Olympic Games benefit China's citizenry, and the world’s citizens at large, if the IOC doesn't speak out against China's anti human rights behaviour_ human rights breaches of its own, as well as its support for all other human rights abusive regimes around the world?
We urge you to please take effective action by calling on the Chinese authorities to bring an end to the ongoing oppression on billions of its own innocent citizens, and also to stop its unrepented support to its dictator compatriots around the world. And we hope that the 2008 Games will embody the principles of the Olympic Charter.
Your Comments here_
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