Olympic Games

At a press conference on the occasion of the Greens/EFA Conference "Olympic rights for human games", Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Co-president of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, today said: 

"The International Olympic Committee would have us believe that sports and politics should be kept separate. Let's not deceive ourselves. Sport was political when the United States decided against sending Jewish athletes to the 1936 Berlin Olympics to placate the Nazis. It was political in 2001 when China paid dictators to vote for the Chinese Olympic bid and it is still political in 2008 when the Olympic marathon will start under the enormous portrait of Chairman Mao in Tiananmen Square. 

The greatest political stage for the Olympics is the opening ceremony, which will seek to glorify China and its system. It is right, therefore, to continue to call heads of states and governments to boycott this ceremony unless substantial and immediate progress is made in terms of human rights in China. 

At the same press conference, Gelsang Kyaltsen, special envoy of the Dalai Lama said: 

"The situation in Tibet continues to be very alarming. The Chinese authorities have sealed off Tibet from the rest of the world and turned it into a huge prison. Tibet must be opened to international observers and media. 

The meeting between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese authorities on 4 May was very welcome. However while the Chinese authorities have shown interest in restoring stability to Tibet and smooth running of the Olympic Games, they have as yet shown no commitment to engage in dialogue beyond these two points.  

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consistently made clear that he seeks Tibetan autonomy and not separation from China, and that he supports China hosting the Olympic Games. We cannot accept Chinese accusations that the Dalai Lama has stirred unrest or is trying to sabotage the Games." 

Robert Menard, Secretary-General of Reports Without Borders, said: 

"Less than 100 days away from the Olympic Games we have made progress: China is on the agenda. We must not shirk our commitment just because the door is half open for dialogue. If political dissidents are not released from prison and if Tibet is not opened to international media and observers, we must maintain our stance in favour of a boycott of the opening ceremony." 

Nancy Li, from the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), said: 

"China's human rights performance is judged on the promises it made when it was awarded the Games. These included press freedom, yet journalists were obliged to leave during demonstrations in Tibet. Innocent people have suffered as a direct result of the Olympic Games, for example those who have been evicted from homes without proper compensation to allow construction of facilities. Some have been tortured just for demonstrating."  

Notes:Information on the "Olympic rights for human games" conference can be found at:

http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/default/dok/231/231556.olympic_rights_for_human_games@de.htm  

Christopher Coakley
Press Officer
The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament
Tel: Brussels +32 2 2841667 / Strasbourg +33 3 88174375
Mobile: +32-485-241622
Fax: 0032 2 2844944
christopher.coakley@europarl.europa.eu