Shackles

Reporters Without Frontiers

It's not fresh news that China is:

• a) a dictatorship
• b) there is no freedom of press
• c) there's no freedom of information
• d) there have always been attempts on human rights (if nothing else, the notorious questions with girls orphanages)
• e) also the Dalai Lama is out of Tibet for "some reason", right?

Having all that said, China was awarded the event nonetheless. For nothing else, at least because of the symbolism of the Truce. Athenas and Sparta were constantly at war but all retaliations stopped during the games. Under Hitler's rule nations went with their athletes.

Now Tibet is in uproar. UN won't go there because it's Mighty China. No-one will go there.

But imagine you are a high competition athlete. You may not agree with it. But your goals have been set to "that country". What are you to do? Throw your last 4, 6, 8 years or more of preparation out the window?

It's up to the Government to take diplomatic action. Boycott the ceremonies? Why not? Because of Tibet at least. Everyone saw the Journalists at the Lighting of the Olympic flame but not the Chinese. Maybe they'll see it here.