Forum Topic

2012 Olympics in Beijing

Can our local MP's tell me why we are supporting these Games, considering their human rights abuses, not only internally but their violence towards the Tibetans in their own country!I thought in my wisdom, that we invaded Iraq, not only because Saddam had WMD's, but for his appalling human rights record. Are the olympics so important that we can ignore what China stands for? I would be interested to hear what others think!

Andrew Michael John Atkinson ● 6342d13 Comments

Ken"So you'll continue to support the Chinese regime and its economy by buying and using its goods whilst on the other hand decrying it. Why not make a stand and stop buying Chinese goods?"When this gutless incompetent government takes a lead, we the plebs, are in no position to make any significant difference. For me to stop buying their goods, well my reply would be "if only I could afford to as a pensioner, trying to keep warm and nourished is my main concern at the moment, in spite of the government denying us a decent pension (not to be confused with a handout, that we seem to be good at") END OF RANT! 

Account suspended ● 6333d

So you'll continue to support the Chinese regime and its economy by buying and using its goods whilst on the other hand decrying it. Why not make a stand and stop buying Chinese goods?

Ken Collins ● 6333d

Credit where credit is due.  Gordon Brown may have surrounded himself with idjuts but I believe he made a very firm stand against China on human rights yesterday (or was it the day before)

Steve Taylor ● 6337d

I am glad to see that Prince Charles and Gordon Brown are going to meet the Dalai Lama.

David Giles ● 6338d

Well Philip, it really proves that you/we can agree if you really try hard enough. What do you think about my thread on the gurkha soldiers...........agree?

Account suspended ● 6338d

Wow! AMJA and I agree on something.

Philip Walsh ● 6338d

Ken"The Olympics Committee, a byword for integrity and above any suggestions of bribery of course, awarded the games to China. Not the government"But did the government make any protests, their silence indicated to me, and I suspect to others, that they approved. So much for Human Rights!

Account suspended ● 6338d

Ken"Rather than attack the government and its 'keen' lackies what are you doing to withdraw your support for the Chinese regime?"I'm going out there to tell them off and to behave themselves.......or else!

Account suspended ● 6338d

While the west's major industrialists / manufacturers continue to divert all production of goods to China there is no hope of raining in the abuse.Western Governments and its leaders will not complain about the Chinese version of emerging democracy because it’s where they intend to take the rest of us.We no longer have the right to march on parliament and our right to march at all has been severely limited.Our freedom of speech is now subject to many laws restricting what we say and how we say it.ID cards are coming in through the back door whether we like it or not and the Human rights act, there to protect us all from 'a Chinese lifestyle' is under attack. We never discuss its positive attributes only the infrequent abuses due to misinterpretation by minor officials not correctly educated in this law. Which by the way was originally penned by the British in the UN Human Rights act which forms the bases for the EU act which is almost identical in the first 10 sections.My own Industry is as guilty as the rest for having its goods produced in China although some are beginning to regret that decision due to the fact that within weeks of placing orders and handing over tooling, fakes are on the market and probably being produced in the same factory as the legitimate ones.China has an enormous army with millions of soldiers and no respect for human rights. They also have a shortage of females. One day that army will start to move and the west with limited industrial capabilities will be powerless to stop it.Welcome to Euasia and airstrip one, we have the cameras, we are building the runways and we have forgotten what democracy is all about.Perhaps 1984 wont happen till 2084 but it does seem to be sneaking up on us.

Philip Walsh ● 6340d

The news from China and Tibet seems to have become more serious overnight.Well of course the Beijing Olympics are in 2008 and not in 2012 and that will probably make it difficult to organise a boycott at this stage.But it is up to everyone to do what they can.

David Giles ● 6340d

and all along the above posts were probably typed on keyboards made in China, viewed on screens made in China and using modems constructed from parts sourced in China, whilst wearing clothes and trainers made in China. Rather than attack the government and its 'keen' lackies what are you doing to withdraw your support for the Chinese regime?The Olympics Committee, a byword for integrity and above any suggestions of bribery of course, awarded the games to China. Not the government.

Ken Collins ● 6340d

Should read "2008" Olympic games not 2012!

Account suspended ● 6340d

Andrew,Thank you for your comments.Ann and Alan Keen are not well known for their support of human rights as they have consistently voted in favour of every repressive measure proposed by the Blair and Brown Governments including extended detention without trial and ID cards.It would indeed be interesting to know what Ann and Alan Keen's views are on this matter,particularly in view of their closeness to Prime Minister Gordon Brown who has recently returned from China having singularly and shamefully failed to speak out on human rights in China or Tibet during his visit.China has had the most appalling human rights record since at least the establishment of the so-called People's Republic of China on 1st October 1949.The Chinese peoples themselves have suffered as well as the Tibetans.Mao killed more people than Stalin, Hitler,Pol Pot,Castro and Pinochet combined and the  killings continue to this day. China invaded Tibet in October 1950 and has occupied Tibet brutally ever since for 57 years.It is extremely regretable that the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2008 Summer Olympic to China with considering China's abysmal human rights record.In China, censorship of political speech and information is openly and routinely used to protect what the government considers national security interests. In particular, press control is notoriously tight. There are widespread human rights violations including systematic use of lengthy detention without trial, forced confessions, torture, mistreatment of prisoners, restrictions of freedom of speech, assembly, association, religion, the press, and labour rights.China leads the world in capital punishment, accounting for roughly 90% of total executions worldwide in 2004.Human rights issues are one of the factors driving independence movements in Tibet and Xinjiang. Britain, the USA and other democracies are unlikely to boycott the Olympics but individual athletes may.This year- 2008- marks the 60th annversary of the adoption of the Unversal Declaration of Human Rights- a declaration which has been consistently ignored by all Communist regimes including the remaining Communist regimes in China, Cuba and North Korea.We can individually record our protest by refusing to buy products made in China and by refusing to buy goods and services from the sponsors of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

David Giles ● 6341d