An open letter of the China Support Network to all activists and human rights groups
May, 2002
Dear Fellow Activist,
The entire community of human rights activists is being presented with an urgent action -- with a twist. In addition to its being urgent, we have come into a situation which is huge in its dimensions, amazing in its implications, and an unprecedented opportunity for the human rights community.
It began with the leak of secret documents from the Chinese government. Within, we learned that Chinese authorities have ordered a human rights crackdown, "to better welcome the smooth holding of the 2008 Olympic Games in our country." The order pushes many buttons that are frankly alarm bells for activists. In the name of the Olympics, a series of punishments are specified, including arrests without warrants. Singled out for the harshest punishment are practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
Now, while abusing its people on the one hand, China is abusing the meaning of the Olympics on the other hand -- and creating linkage between its brand of tyranny and the Olympic name. To think about this is to get hot under the collar. The more you read about this, the more offensive it gets. As the director of the China Support Network, I wrote the article, "Olympic Misbehavior From China," about this matter, which can be read at kusumi.com.
Our essential point is that China should lose the Olympics over this matter. To this end, the China Support Network has launched its urgent action -- our campaign to "take the Olympics back" from China. We seek your help and supportive actions.
The activist community has a unique situation. The revulsion is a no-brainer. This should rock the sports world, as well as the human rights community, adding up to a wider audience. Chinese human rights and democracy come back onto the table. Loss of the Olympics for Beijing would be an enormous (Olympic-sized?) blow, under the gaze of the international community. Here, we can gain actual pressure for human rights in China, where repercussions are likely. For activists on China, this is unique.
Please help one and all to mobilize against the hosting of the Olympics in Beijing, China, in 2008. China can have a very strong message from the world community, that we do not approve of these actions, and that we have higher standards than this.
Among activists, we hope you will pick up and repeat our information. If your organization would like to be a co-sponsor of our action, e-mail CSN with an endorsement. We seek targeted pressure for the International Olympic Committee to remove the 2008 Olympics from Beijing, China. We also seek public expressions of support. We hope to see your published statement, proclamation, endorsement, editorial, letter to the editor, or what-have-you. Encourage everyone to sound off!
For the further information of activists, appended below is the open letter as directed to the general public.
Dear American,
For myself and for the China Support Network, let me introduce you to our amazing, urgent, and outrageous situation, which we suddenly face.
We are suddenly campaigning for China to lose its host status for the 2008 Olympic games. These were scheduled to go to Beijing, and there is a new "smoking gun" outrage which is so large, it requires, calls for, and demands removing the Olympic name off of this Chinese abuse.
A Chinese crackdown on human rights is always revolting -- but now, the Communists went too far and crossed a line, in naming the Olympics as the pretext and reason for a crackdown -- in top secret Chinese government orders, with the Olympics' name on them. The orders came to light this month. Now, there is a crackdown campaign to abuse Chinese human rights, in the name of the Olympics.
The Chinese Communists should not be using the Olympic name as an excuse for their vile practices of gross, flagrant violation of people. It is an absolute misuse and debasement of the meaning of the Olympics.
Chinese people, such as practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, should not suffer more because of the Olympics. There should be no extra death, torture, or incarceration because of the Olympics!
The more you read about this, the more offensive it gets. I have written the article, "Olympic Misbehavior From China," about this matter, and it is inserted at the end of this letter.
Can we remove the Olympics from China, and do the right thing? This is an achievable objective, and we are appealing for your help.
Hosting the Olympics is a privilege, not a right. Also, it is important to protect the "brand name" of the Olympics. Any marketing manager would say, "get our brand name off of that torture and tyranny." We believe, the International Olympic Committee can be brought to see matters the same way.
The alternative brings us to a new question about human rights statistics