An
international coalition of human rights organizations
sent a letter to each member of the International
Olympics Committee (IOC) imploring them not to
award China the 2008 Olympic Games. The groups
state that giving China the 2008 Games would signal
international approval and complicity with the
alleged human rights abuses committed by the Chinese
government.
"The
IOC must do he right thing and vote against
Beijing 2008," said Lhadon Tethong,
Projects Coordinator for Students for a Free
Tibet and spokesperson for the coalition. "Some
members mistakenly believe giving China the
games will further the cause of human rights
and freedom in China and Tibet, but nothing
could be further from the truth."
Tibetans and supporters
from around the world
plan to be in Moscow
next week at the 112th
IOC session where the
host city will chosen--either
Beijing, Istanbul,
Paris, Osaka or Toronto.
John Hocevar, Executive
Director of Students
for a Free Tibet, will
present the letter
to Committee members.
An
excerpt from the
letter reads "It
would be unjust and
irresponsible to give
China the internationally
recognized privilege
of hosting the Olympics
while it occupies Tibet
and flagrantly disregards
human rights. Please
vote against China's
Olympics bid in July."
Some members of the
Tibetan community plan
to go to Moscow and
present to the Committee
hundreds of khatas,
traditional Tibetan
scarves, bearing the
signatures of more
than 5000 Tibetans
who oppose China's
bid.
"We will be in
Moscow to remind the
IOC that basic human
freedoms are a key
part of the Olympic
deal," said Hocevar.
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