As millions around the world watched the spectacle of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies on July 8, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Chinese consulate in Calgary to demonstrate China’s occupation of Tibet.
“The message we’re trying to send out today is that we’re here to support the Tibetans who are dying for their freedom,” says Dekyi Dorjee, a member of Students for a Free Tibet. “We’re here to be the voice for the voiceless.”
Dorjee says while politics and the Olympics should be kept separate, China politicized the event when it bid for the games in 2001. She argues China bid for the Games under the auspice that human rights would improve in the country by 2008. The communist regime’s human rights record in Tibet has been questionable since the 1950 invasion. A failed uprising in 1959 saw a reported 89,000 Tibetans killed.
This year’s protests of the occupation were plagued by violent riots, Chinese military crackdowns, media blackouts and accusations by the Chinese government of political interference by Tibet’s spiritual leader in exile, the Dalai Lama.
The communist government also restricted foreign media and tourists from entering the country and attempted to control information being released on the Internet, including shutting down YouTube. Prior to the Games, Olympic and Chinese government officials promised open access to the Internet for media during the Beijing Games.
However, Dorjee argues the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has failed to live up to its own charter. “Jacques Rogge (IOC president) said if China failed to live up to its human rights promises, we will stand up and we will make them accountable. That has not been done.”
In late July, IOC press chief Kevan Gosper told Reuters the IOC had cut a deal with China to block sensitive websites from media during the Games. Some of the sensitive websites included Amnesty International and ones pertaining to the spiritual group Falun Gong. China considers the Falun Gong a fake religion and has banned its practise and arrested thousands of its followers.
A march from Calgary’s Olympic Plaza to the Chinese consulate is planned for Saturday, August 23 at 1 p.m. to show support for Tibet.
