Interview with Amnesty International

Amnesty International is one of the world’s leading NGO’s, dedicated to fighting against human rights abuses around the globe. This week I spoke to one of their activists, Niall Couper, about the Pro-Tibetan protests throughout the relay and the impact of the Olympics on the development of human rights in China. Here’s what he had to say…

Question: When China was awarded the Olympics in 2001, its committee claimed that the event would help the development of human rights – has it done this?

Answer: “When the games were awarded, there were statements from the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee and they were very pro the idea that it would help the development…”

Q: “Is this relay an appropriate occasion for protest against China’s human rights violations?”

A: “I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for people to protest…”

Q: Many people say politics and sports shouldn’t mix, and that the spirit of the games shouldn’t be overshadowed by the political context. How do you feel about this line of argument?

A: “For me it’s a bit ridiculous really, because – what are sportsmen? They’re ordinary individuals like ourselves, and for that very reason should be aloud to speak out and speak about issues that conern them…”

Chinese Protest Western Media Bias

This weekend, Chinese citizens living abroad protested against Western media-bias in cities around the globe. Yesterday’s global day of protest, organised by Chinese officials, saw emigrants gather in dozens of cities to condemn the media’s sympathy towards the Free-Tibet Movement and its negative portrayal of China. Protests were held in Paris, London, Berlin, Vienna, New York and many cities throughout China. Activists claimed that media outlets such as the BBC and CNN had presented only one side of the story in their coverage, and feared that biased reporting would stimulate ill-feeling and prejudice towards China.

The BBC’s failure to report these protests yesterday underlined the arguments of the demonstrators. Journalists at the BBC could hardly have missed the group of over 1,000 Chinese students gathered in front of the Beeb’s Manchester offices to voice their anger. While bosses did issue a statement denying their allegations and claiming that BBC coverage had been fair, there was no mention of these protests on the channel’s evening news programmes. As Chinese journalist Lee Siu Hin has pointed out, the network’s lack of coverage doesn’t bode well for it.

Altered Relays Stifle Protests but Also Olympic Spirit

The latest legs of the torch relay through Argentina, Tanzania, Oman, Pakistan and India faced few disruptions. The implementation of increased security presence and scaled down routes prevented further scuffles. In Islamabad, Pakistan, the torch never left a sports stadium. In Delhi, India, no exact times for the relay were given, roads were closed off, and office-workers were told not to look out their windows.

Western correspondents in these countries have described the atmosphere as “hostile”, claiming that the mutilated relays left no-one entirely satisfied and the Olympic spirit rather tarnished. Despite still facing criticism from the West, Chinese officials will be relieved that tensions have died down with just under half the international destinations of the relay remaining.

Nevertheless, the big Western media organisations are still taking a fervent interest in the matter. The likes of CNN and BBC have come under sharp criticism from Chinese audiences around the world for what they call biased reporting. A group of Chinese media watchdogs have even started Anti-CNN, a site on which inaccuracies in Western media reports are spotted and pointed out. Under increasing pressure, CNN has attempted to convey the Chinese perspective on the issue: