In contrast to the media coverage earlier in the year when the People’s Republic of China suffered such an overwhelming public relations disaster in the context of protests from human rights and Tibetan activists against the Olympic torch, very little has been heard of Tibet in the mainstream media of late. All that we’ve seen lately in the Australian press is the solemn warnings from the Australian Olympics Committee that any athletes wearing an innocuous t-shirt with a generic human rights message offered to those interested by the Australia Tibet Council would be immediately sent home. Lest they annoy the Chinese government, and violate the “spirit of the Olympics” presumably. The corporate sponsored Olympiad brooks no petty “mixing” of politics and sport, of course.
All the issues about Tibet are very complex - much more complex than we’re ever going to be told by the media. It’s in recognition of that fact that I’m happy to link to this interview with reknowned Tibetan historian Tsering Shakya on the background to the current situation in Tibet. I won’t attempt to summarise his case. Please read if you’re interested.
The more I’ve seen of the goings-on in China the less I like it. The same goes for the Chinese authorities approach to Tibet. Not good enuff. They need to pick up their game. As do some of the Tibetan protestors. Remember Buddha’s teachings.
I’m all for China using the Olympics to pull in the tourists, build up some national pride. But some of the human & animal rights’ abuses committed by the regime…& corporations…& influential individuals in certain regions are a bloody disgrace. And the sweeping away of centuries old homes, beloved by their owners…& the arresting of Moslems, Tibetans and others on charges that are in all probability bogus…Bushevik style…Putin style…are in all probability lame excuses to eliminate opposition to urban expansion & resource gathering & exploration. ‘Unification’ obsessions are just that…can go too far.
I will watch this BIG CORPORATE SHOW…the Olympics…in the hope that someone…perhaps many athletes & fans…have the courage to give those in China who are promoting rampant greed & committing abuses, the middle finger. Bullies come in all shapes, sizes, gender, colours & nations…China seems unfortunately to have far too many. And even Tibet has a few. Let’s see some spirited resistance to the bullies.
And transformation…leading to more bridge building.
I’m pleased to see many Chinese are now promoting the “clean up the environment” cause…& speaking out against bullying & abuse. And not just SLEEPWALKING to the supermarket.
My condolences to the families who lost children & loved ones in the earthquake & floods. We gave to the China Earthquake Emergency Appeal, SAVE THE CHILDREN AUSTRALIA. A very sad time for the Chinese people. I hope they can see it in their hearts to find a way to help the Tibetans keep their children safe too…& unique.
Enlightening post Kim…and well-timed. I’m tired of the antics of sycophantic, corporate-driven machines like the Australian Olympics Committee.
I wish the athletes a good & brave games. Be the SPIRIT of our times.
N’
Well Olympic authorities are nothing if not consistent. There’s a new documentary that claims Peter Norman was defacto banned from competing again for his low-key support of this moment. Then there’s the Dawn Fraser incident in ‘64. Don’t embarrass the host country.
If Jesse Owens had given Adolf a well-deserved “up yours mo-freak”, he probably would have got the same treatment. Not surprisingly, this salute passed muster.
Cathy Freeman was only allowed to celebrate with the aboriginal flag because it was widely supported by the host country.
The doco is called “Salute”, by the way. I saw a preview screening a few weeks ago (I think it’s out now, though). A very good story, if you can wade through all the religious talk (about how god put them there, it wasn’t their choice, it just had to happen), etc).
In light of dicussions on other threads about the pope, religion and do-gooders, it should be pointed out that Norman was a member of the Salvation Army, and all three of the men were from poor working class backgrounds.
The two black american athletes - Tommy Smith and John Carlos - were sent home from the Games and forbidden from competing ever again. I think Carlos even had trouble holding down a job cleaning cars after this, because of the backlash, and I think Smith’s girlfriend committed suicide.
Norman stayed on at the Mexico Games, but was given a not-so-subtle hint in the lead up to the following Games:
“He qualified for the Munich Games 15 times for the 200 metres and 10 times for the 100 metres,” he said. “It was the only time in history that the Australian committee didn’t take any sprinters to the Olympics.” http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/the-white-guy-becomes-a-hero-on-film/2008/05/07/1210131072250.html
He was even excluded from the Sydney Games, not being given an offical invite, unlike all the other greats of Oz olympic history (Norman still holds the Australian 200m record, won at the ‘68 games).
It’s a very touching doco, and I’d recommend it to everyone (which I usually don’t do with films). It also makes a point of talking about Aboriginal Australia, the Stolen Gen, etc.
As for China, I don’t expect any stunts like Mexico (or Tianenmen, for that matter), but it’s the perfect opportunity to raise a whole series of points, so I expect *something* will happen. Personally, I’d like to see the Uighur struggle given a bit more light too…
And that NLR aricle is quite good. Thanks.
“Very little has been heard of Tibet in the mainstream media of late.”
Tibet is a journalist-free zone. As is Qinghai, Xinjiang etc. Even if a western journalist could get into Tibet, they would be so closely monitored there would be no chance of reporting freely.
Any pro-Tibet stunts pulled at the Olympics will be counter-productive gesture politics for western audiences. Chinese nationalism is at such fever pitch right now it will just harden attitudes and cause even more repression in Tibet.
Norman was amazingly strong and resilient.
BTW Craig, on Cathy Freeman: once she was out on the track draped in the flag, running with it aloft, what were they going to do? Gang tackle her and drag her off the field? Send her away to live with a nice white family?
I expect there’ll be gestures at Beijing. I’m still amazed to recall the Chinese students in 1989, dragging a huge papier mache statue of freedom into the square. With a protest commemorating an earlier event decades before the Communist Party took power.
Thousands of years of history; so many antecedents for whatever cause they take up. Even that gangster boss Mao said: “It is Right to Rebel!”
Have a read of Tsering Shakya in New Left Review 51, May - June 2008