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September 06, 2004

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China breaking promise shock

The Guardian's China reporter has recounted China not living up to its promise:

It felt as though China had broken its Olympic promises on day one. In securing the bid for Beijing to host the 2008 games, the city's representatives pledged that the world media would enjoy full freedom to report all aspects of China.
Yet less than 24 hours after the Olympic flag was handed to Beijing's mayor last Sunday, there I was - the Guardian's China correspondent - detained and harassed for covering a peaceful demonstration that challenged the government's position on Tibet.

My press pass was confiscated, and I was led away for questioning, accused of conducting an "illegal interview". My colleague - Sami Sillanpaa, a Finnish journalist - had the memory card of his camera seized, erased and made permanently unusable.

He goes on to hope that China will improve its attitude to the media, both foreign and domestic, as the Olympics approach. Superficially that might even happen. However in the meantime I suggest Mr. Watts takes a reality pill. Mock outrage and provocations will not help his cause. The Athens Olympics proved that years of adverse publicity count for naught once the Olympics start. And I am happy to wager right now that the number of stories on China's human rights conditions will be a tiny fraction in those two weeks. The Olympics market themselves as a time to forget the realities of the world for a small space of time.

In the interim hopefully the Guardian will address their nievete. They may even wake up to reality in time for the 2008 Beijing Games.

 posted by Simon on 09.06.04 at 12:32 PM in the




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