"Beijing Games, games of shame"
14H08, the opening ceremony starts in Beijing. At the same time in Paris, a silent sit-in takes place in front of the Chinese embassy. Hundreds of protesters and sympathizers of the Tibetan cause answered to Reporter without Borders' call.
Until the last minute, the NGO was forbidden to march in front of the Chinese embassy. But at midday, the Paris tribunal lifted the ban. The march began at the famous Paris restaurant Le Fouquet on the Champs-Elysées but had to halt in front of a police blockade. "Beijing Games, Games of shame!", "Sarko traitor", "Hu Jintao, killer" were slogans chanted by the angry protesters.
“Sarkozy is just a postman”
I am very disappointed in the French government. I thought Sarkozy
was sincere and honest, but I don't believe it anymore. Yes, he will bring the Chinese president a list of political dissidents. And what then? Sarkozy is just
a postman. He should just leave the letter in the mail box and go back home! Nothing
will change. 
Sarkozy shouldn't have gone there. I understand that France has to protect its economic interests, but look at Germany; Angela Merkel hasn't gone to Beijing. And I am not convinced their economic relation will be affected.
More people should have participated [the protest was divided in two, one on the Trocadero, the other on the Champs-Elysées], police tried to break the protest with blockades. We hope our message has come through: we demand the liberation of Tibetan prisoners. People should know nothing has changed since the rioting last March. I am surprised that no one has led an inquiry since then.”
“The ceremony is not a respectability test for the Chinese government”
Denis Baupin (Green Party) is a member of Paris' city council. He is speaking out against Sarkozy's change of mind.
I understand how Nicolas Sarkozy can, on one hand, pay homage to Solzhenitsyn's
courage in speaking out against the Soviet Union,
and on the other, sit beside Hu Jintao. Protesters are right to shout ‘Sarko
traitor'. But it's not because Sarkozy is in Beijing for the opening ceremony that the Chinese
government thinks that they have passed a respectability test. I want to make clear
that it it is nothing against the Chinese people, but rather against their government.
I don't want to put the pressure on the athletes, as it is not their role--although some, like Muriel Hurtis and Romain Mesnil, took the courageous step to write an open letter about Tibet to president Hu Jintao.
- France
- deputy mayor of Paris in charge of sustainable development, the environment and climate
Press Review
- Beijing Olympics: Ripples – II
- The Beijing Olympics And Our Non-Performance [column]
- The Beijing Olympics And Our Non-Performance
- Guangzhou reports increased revenues due to Beijing Olympics
- Olympic games to governmental blames
- BEIJING OLYMPICS BOOSTS CHINA'S COLOR TELEVISION SET SALES
- Beijing Olympics boosts China's color TV set sales
- BEIJING 2008 PARALYMPIC TENNIS EVENT
- Redemption runs amok in Beijing Olympics
- Guangzhou Global Telecom Reveals Increased Revenues Due to Beijing Olympics
Comments
Taisez-vous la gauche ! Please stupids, shut up !
Submitted by Chris (not verified) on Tue, 12/08/2008 - 10:44.Reading stuff like that makes me ashamed of being French... To know that once more the left, the green and other little dogs are the only ones present in the press makes me sick.
What do they want ? In which name do they dare give lessons ? have they forgotten in which ideas their parti is rooted ? What they've been cheering for in the past 50 years ? Do they need to be reminded that untill ten years ago they were still supporting communism and denying what happened in the USSR ?
What won't they shut up ? They call to "free" Tibet, but from what ? What can they offer ? It's not their battle, it's not their business, Tibetans didn't ask for their help or if they did, it was in 1951, certainly not 50 years later, now that they have found a rythm and a form of balance.
Why is it that those leftists - ecologists - idealists always want to give lessons when they are not able to do anything ? Not even to respect the principles of our Republic and talk through the institutions and their representant ? They are like spoiled kids making a fuss when their parents don't yield... Being slapped would make them some good.
One would think they had learn by now that you can't be heard when you're so unruly, not disciplined and disorganized. the only thing their "movement" inspire me is more radicalism and a deep sympathy for Right ideas. I totally support our President(and by the way, his name is Sarkozy, so start by using his full name as it's a mark of respect. Think a bit: people don't listen to someone insulting them)
and for the Chinese: you're opening ceremony was awesome ! And I'm eager to get to know your nation for what it really is and not for all the propaganda we get here ;)
Unregistered user
I am a common Chinese,I know
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 09/08/2008 - 08:36.I am a common Chinese,I know my country and our govenment better then you,the so called "fighters for freedom".As a Chinese,I am optimistic and have confidence on our govenment.Those insurrectionists are cheating and they are hated by all the Chinese people.I am so surprised that some people in france are so easily be fooled,Even your president!So open your eyes,please see clearly!
Unregistered user
My friend,one 24 year-old
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 11/08/2008 - 01:57.My friend,one 24 year-old boy who works in lhasa told me,everybody in tibet just wants good and peaceful life,they can have it now,so they are satisfied."you should tell these foreigners,"he said,"if they don't believe it,just come to tibet".so I want to ask these men who shout "free tibet"slogans,what do you want?want to put them into war?you want to grab their calm and peaceful life?actually,most of the tibeteans don't have time to listen to you,because they are busying in working hard and earning money to improve their life standards,just like other chinese people...
Unregistered user
I am sure you are common
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 09/08/2008 - 08:50.I am sure you are common Chinese- common to murdering the humanity with your com-pariot, spreading the LIES about other, Looting others wealth and civilization of others, suppressing the Truth and fact, Killing innocent minorities. Those are your common Chinese. You dont need to preach others of opening their eyes, infact YOU should open your own eyes and feel disgusted to yourself that you and all your commonality Chinese have Tons of BLOODS of all those innocent people from TIBET, to East Turkistan, to Sudan, Burma, North Korea, To Vietman, Falun Gongs etc....in your hands. SHAME ON YOURSELF
TIBET WILL BE FREE FROM EVIL CHINA
Unregistered user
let those rubish to say
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 09/08/2008 - 09:42.let those rubish to say those rubish. what we chinese can do is to be more stronger and stronger. What we are doing is what the westerm powers did one hundred years ago. Free Tibet? From China? India? British? anyway, dream your dream.
Unregistered user
Free Tibet???have any of
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 09/08/2008 - 10:59.Free Tibet???have any of those people seen the things they were told with thier own eyes???Stop being unreasonable, stop being foolish, and please THINK before you do something!!How much do you know? If you haven't been in China, then shut your mouth up and mind your own besiness.You call it freedom, I call it foolish.
Unregistered user
China
Submitted by kim johnston (not verified) on Wed, 27/08/2008 - 03:19.I HAVE been to China. I HAVE seen with my own eyes the Death Vans. I HAVE witnessed the animalistic and savagery in the way they treat their animals. I have witnessed dogs being skinned alive, dogs having limbs cut off for these savages to eat and then left to in a cage until the next time they were hungry.
I have worked with the people in Tibet - I do humanitarian work and I have witnessed the worst kinds of atrocities in China - that would make a normal person cringe but seem normal to the Chinese. This is not a cultural difference - it is a humanitarian flaw within the government that they brainwash into their people. The Tibetan people DO want freedom as they well deserve.
China's shameful recent "show" at the olympics, their cheating and lying, their inability to even have an opening performance with cheating - show a country that has in incesant need to think they are better and more powerful than all others. They are not.
Unregistered user
another common chinese...
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 09/08/2008 - 17:43.anything has two sides... an event, a decision, a government...
the positiveness of chinese people nowadays led by the government is the mainstream and unbeatable...
it's the reason why we r stronger and getting even stronger...
it's another kind of faith and happiness that you guys who only focus on negative side will never understand...
tats also the reason why u r angry and miserable...
can u calm down and feel china?
it's good for you and your life...
u may think tat u r smart to see 'what we don't see'
u know what....i think u r 'smart' but not wise...u need a bigger heart...
anyway... we did what we could to advise you...
Unregistered user