Posts Tagged ‘free tibet’

A Preview Of Tomorrow’s Olympic Torch Relay

The Olympic torch has arrived in Japan, and a few protests have already taken place:

As torch-bearers rolled into Nagano, hundreds of Falun Gong supporters marched with a loud brass band through the city’s streets to condemn China’s leadership, which considers the spiritual movement an “evil cult.”

“Stop the mass murder by the Chinese Communist Party,” read a banner held by marchers in yellow Falun Gong T-shirts, who were closely watched by dozens of police.

Separately, at least two demonstrators unfurled Tibetan flags as the Chinese torch delegation stopped at a highway rest area on its way to Nagano, 180 kilometres (110 miles) north of Tokyo.

Japanese authorities have decided to ban the public from the start, midpoint and end of tomorrow’s relay, citing security concerns. About 3,000 policemen will provide security along the route and a group of about 100 police will run together with the torch bearers. Two Chinese paramilitary guards will accompany the torch as “attendants” and have agreed not to act as security.

Below are a some computer-generated examples of what the relay should look like:

CCTV, a state-controlled Chinese news outlet, reports that 10,000 Chinese will be in Nagano tomorrow to witness the relay. If such numbers are accurate, the torch runners shouldn’t expect much trouble, as the pro-Chinese crowds will likely block and intimidate protesters as their countrymen did in Australia.

Chinese Ultra-Nationalist Website Warns Japan: No Torch Protests

With thousands of Chinese taking to the streets in angry anti-French protests over “unfair” media coverage and the fact that some French people protested the Olympic torch relay, the Yomiuri Shinbun reports that Chinese ultra-nationalist websites are threatening to direct “patriotic” rage against Japan if protests get in the way of Chinese honor at the April 26th Nagano torch relay:

“Reaction [in China to protests in Japan] would be huge in comparison to the reaction against protests in France,” in which Web sites called for a boycott of French products sold at Carrefour stores, an international issue expert said, pointing out that negative feelings toward Japan remain strong in China due to historical issues.

A man in his 30s who runs a Web site that is popular with many Chinese “patriots,” told The Yomiuri Shimbun, “Chinese people won’t forgive [Japan] if the Japanese do the same things as the Americans and Europeans, such as making distorted reports about the Tibet issue.”

Japanese Manufacturer Boycotts Beijing Olympics

As protests are being held around the world over China’s crackdown on Tibetan demonstrators, the Japanese media has reported that a Japanese shot put manufacturer is boycotting the Beijing Olympics:

Summary

• The news report begins with footage of pro-Tibet protests being held in Washington, DC. The protesters are appealing to President Bush and some support a boycott of the Olympics.
• Next we are introduced to Masahisa Tsujitani , a manufacturer of shot puts who has decided to boycott the Beijing Olympics. Tsujitani’s shots have been used in the last three summer Olympic games, and a few of the shot putters who used them won medals.
• Tsujitani is boycotting the Beijing Olympics because he was appalled by the behavior of Chinese soccer fans during the 2004 Asia Cup (this footage is blacked out in the video, since the network cannot include it in internet broadcasts). He says that issues like poisoned dumplings and Tibet did not factor into his decision. Apparently many people have been pleading with Tsujitani to permit the use of his shots at this summer’s Olympic Games, but he has refused.
• The clip ends by showing a course in proper cheering manners being conducted by the Chinese government. Classes of about 400 people are being taught non-rude ways in which they can support their athletes.

Japanese Tourist Describes Situation In Tibet

ATV has aired the following report in which a Japanese tourist describes the disorder he witnessed in Tibet:

The tourist claims he saw crowds of rioters destroying Chinese-owned businesses. When the police crackdown began, he and other foreign tourists were restricted to their hotel rooms. From the hotel window he witnessed Chinese tanks on the streets and groups of heavily-armed soldiers who looked like “American SWAT” team members. As he lay in bed in his hotel room, he heard gunfire all through the night.


Some sources are saying that many protesters have been killed by the Chinese security forces, but the Chinese governor of Tibet has denied such claims:

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Mr Qiangba said that security forces “did not carry or use any lethal weapons”.

“I can tell you as a responsible official that guns were absolutely not fired,” he said.

The Japanese government has responded to the situation by calling on the Chinese authorities and the Tibetan protesters to “exercise self-restraint.”