Dharamshala, 31st January: NBC, the broadcaster of the Beijing Winter Olympics, has been encouraged by a group striving to promote democratic freedoms for Tibetans to “go beyond the business” as they also have an ethical responsibility as a protector of freedom, particularly freedom of expression. According to Tibet Press, the International Campaign for Tibet has urged NBC to include coverage of China’s repression in Tibet in their coverage of the games.
“With just weeks to go before the 2022 Winter Olympics, we trust you plan to roll out the usual coverage. But these will be no ordinary Games. The severe oppression, including of freedom of expression, that the Chinese government inflicts on Tibetans and others under its rule demands equal attention,” According to the International Campaign for Tibet’s letter.
The democracy and freedom group noted in the letter that by airing these Olympics, NBC is providing a platform for China’s authoritarian administration to propagate its propaganda. As a result, they are the only ones who can give the victims of Chinese persecution equal time rather than ignoring them for the purpose of profit and their own interests, according to Tibet Press.
According to Tibet Press, an advocacy group has labeled China’s government as one of the world’s most heinous human rights violators in decades.
They also stated that while China vowed to improve the situation of human rights before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it has repressed Tibetans viciously, making Tibet the world’s second least free nation after Syria, according to Freedom House.
China’s oppression of the Uyghurs was designated as genocide by the US government in 2020. In response to China’s violation of international conventions, a number of governments, including the United States, have called for a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics.
After evaluating all of this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that the Chinese government must adhere to internationally recognized ideals of freedom and human rights in order to be eligible for the games, according to Tibet Press.
Over 250 right-wing organizations have condemned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for accepting the formal invitation to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics next month.
The appeal letter slammed the Secretary General’s decision, calling it “extremely inappropriate” and “grossly undermining the UN’s commitment to human rights.” According to Tibet Press, the coalition includes Tibetan, Uyghur, Hong Konger, Chinese, Southern Mongolian, and Taiwanese civil society organizations.
The participation of the Secretary-General, according to the letter, would undermine the UN’s efforts to hold China accountable and would be in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ essential principles. They went on to say that his acceptance of the invitation would provide credibility to China’s disrespect for international human rights rules and would encourage the Chinese authorities’ activities.
Leave a Reply