Australian Leader Challenges Human Rights Abuse In Tibet
Rudd challenges China’s human rights abuses, defends right to protest against Olympic Torch relay!
It’s been a big day for Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd!
After creating history by becoming the first western leader to make a speech to the Chinese in Mandarin, Rudd upset his hosts by repeating the comments he made in Washington last week about human rights abuses in Tibet.
This prompted an unprecedented response from two government officials, one of whom claimed that Tibet enjoyed democracy, and wonderful human rights protection.
As if in contrast to the official Chinese interpretation of what democracy means, Rudd went on to state that Australians had the right to turn their backs on the Olympic torch relay in protest if they wished.
He explained that Australia was a free democracy, and its people were free to express their opinion.
Mr Rudd isn’t my favorite politician, but he has won my admiration for sticking to his ideals.
The lead up to the Olympics has seen a lot of disruption with the Torch relay, following protests in London and Paris, with more expected in San Francisco when the torch arrives there.
While politics should have no place in sport, one wonders if an Olympic boycott would be justified in this instance.
After all, China is using sport to justify its policies, and to show itself in a good light.
As Rudd says, the economic transformation of China has been remarkable, and unprecedented in human history.
Coming at the cost of the lives, and freedom of its citizens though is much too high a price to pay!
Join The Human Rights Torch Relay
The question for the free world is this:
Can the Olympics and crimes against humanity coexist in China?