{"article":{"id":16590,"heading":"Human rights and all activists addressed...","author":"China Support Network","created":"2002-05-12 05:55:27","modified":"2005-08-15 00:58:17","last_modified":"Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:58:17","article":"

May,\r\n2002<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Dear\r\nFellow Activist,\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The\r\nentire community of human rights activists is being presented with an urgent\r\naction -- with a twist. In addition to its being urgent, we have come into a\r\nsituation which is huge in its dimensions, amazing in its implications, and an\r\nunprecedented opportunity for the human rights community.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It began\r\nwith the leak of secret documents from the Chinese government. Within, we\r\nlearned that Chinese authorities have ordered a human rights crackdown, \"to\r\nbetter welcome the smooth holding of the 2008 Olympic Games in our\r\ncountry.\"<\/span> The\r\norder pushes many buttons that are frankly alarm bells for activists. In the\r\nname of the Olympics, a series of punishments are specified, including arrests\r\nwithout warrants. Singled out for the harshest punishment are practitioners of\r\nthe Falun Gong spiritual movement.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Now,\r\nwhile abusing its people on the one hand, China is abusing the meaning of the\r\nOlympics on the other hand -- and creating linkage between its brand of tyranny\r\nand the Olympic name.<\/span> To\r\nthink about this is to get hot under the collar. The more you read about this,\r\nthe more offensive it gets. As the director of the China Support Network, I\r\nwrote the article, \"Olympic Misbehavior From China,\" about this\r\nmatter, which can be read at kusumi.com.\r\n\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our\r\nessential point is that China should lose the Olympics<\/b><\/i> over this\r\nmatter. To this end, the China Support Network has launched its urgent action --\r\nour campaign to \"take the Olympics back<\/b><\/i>\" from China. We\r\nseek your help and supportive actions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The\r\nactivist community has a unique situation. The revulsion is a no-brainer. This\r\nshould rock the sports world, as well as the human rights community, adding up\r\nto a wider audience.<\/span> Chinese\r\nhuman rights and democracy come back onto the table. Loss of the Olympics for\r\nBeijing would be an enormous (Olympic-sized?) blow, under the gaze of the\r\ninternational community. Here, we can gain actual pressure for human rights in\r\nChina, where repercussions are likely. For activists on China, this is unique.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Please\r\nhelp one and all to mobilize against the hosting of the Olympics in Beijing,\r\nChina, in 2008. China can have a very strong message from the world community,\r\nthat we do not approve of these actions, and that we have higher standards than\r\nthis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Among\r\nactivists, we hope you will pick up and repeat our information. If your\r\norganization would like to be a co-sponsor of our action, e-mail CSN with an\r\nendorsement. We seek targeted pressure for the International Olympic Committee\r\nto remove the 2008 Olympics from Beijing, China. We also seek public expressions\r\nof support. We hope to see your published statement, proclamation, endorsement,\r\neditorial, letter to the editor, or what-have-you. Encourage everyone to sound\r\noff!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For the\r\nfurther information of activists, appended below is the open letter as directed\r\nto the general public.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n

Dear\r\nAmerican,\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For\r\nmyself and for the China Support Network, let me introduce you to our amazing,\r\nurgent, and outrageous situation, which we suddenly face.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We are\r\nsuddenly campaigning for China to lose its host status for the 2008 Olympic\r\ngames. These were scheduled to go to Beijing, and there is a new \"smoking\r\ngun\" outrage which is so large, it requires, calls for, and demands\r\nremoving the Olympic name off of this Chinese abuse.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A\r\nChinese crackdown on human rights is always revolting -- but now, the Communists\r\nwent too far and crossed a line, in naming the Olympics as the pretext and\r\nreason for a crackdown -- in top secret Chinese government orders, with the\r\nOlympics' name on them. The orders came to light this month. Now, there is a\r\ncrackdown campaign to abuse Chinese human rights, in the name of the Olympics.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The\r\nChinese Communists should not be using the Olympic name as an excuse for their\r\nvile practices of gross, flagrant violation of people. It is an absolute misuse\r\nand debasement of the meaning of the Olympics.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chinese\r\npeople, such as practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, should not\r\nsuffer more because of the Olympics. There should be no extra death, torture, or\r\nincarceration because of the Olympics!\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The more\r\nyou read about this, the more offensive it gets. I have written the article,\r\n\"Olympic Misbehavior From China,\" about this matter, and it is\r\ninserted at the end of this letter.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Can we\r\nremove the Olympics from China, and do the right thing? This is an achievable\r\nobjective, and we are appealing for your help.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hosting\r\nthe Olympics is a privilege, not a right. Also, it is important to protect the\r\n\"brand name\" of the Olympics. Any marketing manager would say,\r\n\"get our brand name off of that torture and tyranny.\" We believe, the\r\nInternational Olympic Committee can be brought to see matters the same way.\r\n \r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/b><\/b><\/b><\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p>




<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","contact":"john@kusumi.com","link":"kusumi.com","address":"Cheshire, CT","phone":"203-271-2964","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"An open letter of the China Support Network to all activists and human rights groups","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/2002\/05\/human_righ.html","filesize":"14.6 kibibytes","article_url":"\/news\/2002\/05\/16590.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}