Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis: Defending China's Olympic dream, one beat-up protester at a time

Monday, April 28, 2008

Defending China's Olympic dream, one beat-up protester at a time

A Chinese student kicked a South Korean protester yesterday in Olympic Park in Seoul. South Korean demonstrators focused on human rights for North Koreans who are hiding in China. (CHOI WON-SUK/AFP/Getty Images)

Yeah - this whole thing is boding really well...
SEOUL - Thousands of young Chinese who assembled to defend their country's troubled Olympic torch relay pushed through police lines yesterday, some of them hurling rocks, bottled water, and plastic and steel pipes at protesters who were demanding better treatment for North Korean refugees in China.

Two North Korean defectors living in South Korea poured paint thinner on themselves and tried to set themselves on fire to protest what they condemned as Beijing's inhumane crackdown on North Korean refugees, but the police stopped them, according to witnesses and officials.

The South Korean police and Chinese students also overpowered at least two other protesters who tried to impede the run along a 15-mile route through Seoul. The route was kept secret until the last minute and was guarded by more than 8,300 police officers.

I know and I empathize with the argument that these athletes have poured time, energy, hard work and money into their training. But I think that every Olympic athlete has got to ask him/herself: How will I feel if another Tiananmen Square Massacre happens during the games? How will I feel if nothing happens on that scale, but I still witness Chinese police/military using force on protesters?

I also thought the whole idea that Chinese students were helping to quash the protests in Korea to be both ironic and tragic.

What a difference 19 years makes.

There's also a story in the ADN today about Tibetan exiles living in Anchorage. I will always regret not taking the time to go see the Dalai Lama when he visited here several years ago.

8 Comments:

Blogger Chris said...

Its nice for once to see a media report that mentions the violence being employed by supporters of Beijing. Most of the coverage over here in Australia has been condemning pro-Tibet protesters for 'marring the relay with violence.' This, despite the fact that the majority of the footage they show tends to be of people with Tibetan flags getting the crap beaten out of them, not the other way around.

4/28/2008 6:59 PM  
Blogger CelticDiva said...

Yeah, it's amazing how those protesters keep beating themselves up, isn't it?

4/28/2008 11:39 PM  
Blogger Chris said...

Oh, btw, hi! And Elune misses you. Blame Epe for pointing me at you >.>

4/29/2008 12:55 AM  
Blogger CelticDiva said...

Yay, my girl Epe!!!! I'm glad she did!

4/29/2008 8:17 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I'm mentioned on your blog! I feel so popular :D I'm glad to see your blogging's still going strong, people seem to be getting more courage to post comments these days. Still miss you :(

<3 epe

5/06/2008 3:26 AM  
Blogger Chris said...

Well, technically you're mentioned in the comments, not the blog proper >=)

<3 =D

5/06/2008 7:01 AM  
Blogger CelticDiva said...

I miss you to, Epe. We're going to have to figure out chat times on Vent, dear!

Are you eating Saltines in the morning? :D

5/06/2008 8:28 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hehe no, just chocolate chip cookies >.> This week is chocolate mousse craving week! It's a good week :D

Come back and play with us :(

5/07/2008 3:44 AM  

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