Wot the...? I went to the links (despite having just read that there is that there is no internet access to such sites from here)to read about blood flowing in the streets and innocent Tibetans being brutally gunned down and felt like I was living in a parallel universe.

The footage of the peaceful demonstration and ensuing events was shown here. There was, and is, no military presence. There was as much police presence initially as attends peaceful demonstrations I have taken part in in Australia.

The mob which initiated the violence clearly was no part of the demonstration. They erupted suddenly and, as all mobs do, engaged in indiscriminate violence directed towards anyone within their reach. Shops were burned, shopkeepers, lunchtime crowds (including an 8 month old baby) were burned to death, thrown out of windows, beaten. It took time for the police to muster reinforcements during which time the mob terrorized Tibetans, Chinese, Western businesspeople, tourists, backpackers, holidaymakers, and citizens and millions of dollars of damage was caused.

Over 220 police were injured in the confrontation, but all concerned agree they did their job well.

As I noted on another thread, on English-speaking tv here Western residents, backpackers and business people on the scene have been interviewed extensively and all agree the police did their job well. Tibetans and Chinese bystanders and those hospitalised have been interviewed. All agree also that the mob seemed to be organised and was entirely separate from the peaceful protesters.

How does Bartlett et al propose the situation should have been handled? The cops, as cops do everywhere, stepped in to protect the citizens - of all nationalities - who were being terrorised, killed and injured.

In this particular situation China's culpability is in not allowing foreign media in from the start.

We should go to the Olympics any talk of boycotts is just foolish and childish. Andrew brought up the Olympic games held in Berlin in 1936. Well he should remember that a fellow by the name of Jesse Owens spoiling white supremacy ideas.

Scandalous the unbalanced concept speech branding Coca Cola's sponsorship commitment to Sustaining the Environment at the Ancient Olympic during the spiritual and holy flame ritual in Athens yesterday. Since when have the goals to protect the environment ignored the importunate spirit of minority peoples.

“Justice” is the first principal of the 1992 RIO Summit Goals, and the 2005 World Summit Sustainable Environmental Millennium Goals.

Notably these principals were first drawn at Rio in the 1992, at the very moment Chinas Tinnerman Square bloody massacre occurred. A email-message leaked out from China, at the same time of the 1992 UN Declaration was being signed, leaving the entire WORLD Totally Stunned...

“Justice” underwrites Sustainable Ecological Economic and "Environmental" Development and was endorsed by the 2005 World Summit Millennium Goals because "Justice" is a Ecological and Environmental issue, be it through Human Rights, or the World Millennium Goals.

"Justice" is seen as the underlying key when we refer to protecting the entire environment, which includes the "quality of all life" living within the environment.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080324005457&newsLang=en

"The Coca-Cola Company announced that its worldwide presentation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will focus on environmental sustainability and the roles people can play in improving the quality of life in their communities."

This is an entirely fallacious, statement if TRUST and the intentions of the Olympic objectives in their full meaning of purpose is conveniently ignored by the Olympic Committee and throughout nations of the world.

I call for the Sponsors and Athletes of the Olympics to demand a FULL INVESTIGATION into what happened in Tibet. Show some concern for those who DIED and those who are presently being held by the authorities by China and her associated counter-parts.

Until we put some “legitimate” might back into what makes a "champion" I believe no Country in the world will be able to parade itself as a "sporting nation".

Even more serious is the "spin" we will be giving to our children over the "meaning of Climate Change".

We need unity yes, but not at the cost of showing our true courage and reliance.
http://www.miacat.com/
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There is no need to boycott the Olympics. They could, even at this late stage, be relocated to a number of venues around the world. This was suggested in a letter to the Australian some time back - and the suggestion was met with a deafening silence.
It's not an easy solution and would require effort and cooperation but it could be done.
I think the reaction (or lack of reaction) to the letter speaks volumes about our fear of China - and the danger of having a Prime Minister who thinks he understands the Chinese so well that he can persuade them to behave differently towards Australia. In reality it makes our relationship with China much more difficult.
Let's not boycott the Olympics, let's spread them about this time and, in future, send them back to Greece permanently. It would end a great many problems now plaguing the Olympic movement and cost a lot less.

I am heartily fed up with the China bashing. I congratulate the Chinese on their economic prosperity. Wake up the West. China is doing a lot better than you are. Is this the reason for the sudden spate of accusations of human rights violations? Take a look at Western intervention into the Middle-East and elsewhere. China comes nowhere near surpassing the West's record of human rights violations. Let's keep the politics out of sport. Spectators of the games are not interested in the posturing of ill- informed athletes and quasi-intellectual grandstanding.

KOLLONTAI said: "Is this the reason for the sudden spate of accusations of human rights violations? Take a look at Western intervention into the Middle-East and elsewhere. China comes nowhere near surpassing the West's record of human rights violations."

Countries that are involved in Iraq are criticised heavily and daily for it. So too should the Chinese government be criticised for its Gulags ('Laogai'), and its contemptible treatment of Chinese people who practise Falun Gong meditation.

"I am heartily fed up with the China bashing."

Criticism of the brutal CCP regime isn't 'China bashing', any more than critising Bush and his friends about Iraq is 'U.S.A. bashing'.

You can read about the Chinese Communist Party's Laogai camps here: http://www.laogai.org/hdbook/hb_intro.htm

You can read about the Chinese Communist Party's unnecessary and brutal crackdown on peaceful people who do Falun Gong here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Falun_Gong

A Tale of two women, one Tibetan, one Han Chinese.

Chinese newspapers everyday are talking about Tibet.

People in China are all paying attention to what is happening in Tibet. I read one news report about how Tibetan people were helping the Han people when they were threatened by the rioting Tibetans. One old woman helped a Han family whose home had been surrounded and was in danger of being set on fire with them in it. She escorted them to a safe place, then she walked back home in the freezing cold for three hours.

Another Han woman, who has a shop in Lhasa, saw many people on the street coming to break into the shop so she quickly closed it. Just before she shut the door, two Tibetan students ran into her shop asked for help. They were being attacked, even though they were Tibetans. She let the students come in her shop and closed the door. She waited a long time until she thought the people had left before opening the door again to let the students go home. Many of the rioting Tibetans had been hiding outside. They forced their way in and attacked her, her husband and her son. The rioting Tibetans then cut off her ear. She had been very brave to protect the two students who, eventually, were able to get safely home.

When the elderly Tibetan woman were asked why she had helped the Han Chinese, she said that she did not support the rioting and could not hurt another person; that was not the Tibetan way. She also said that the Tibetan people’s standard of living had increased over the years so they were happy living with Han Chinese.

Also a German newspaper said sorry to Chinese Government for incorrectly reporting the news about what was happening in Tibet.

I always wish the world peace. No war.

Xiaosui

http://kaixin.com.au/china-current-affairs/

>>Chinese Communist Party's unnecessary and brutal crackdown on peaceful people who do Falun Gong <<

If you couldn't image how nasty politics will be, then look at the history on Falun Gong.

Initially, Falun Gong was just a Chi Kung and meditation class. Its founder just wanted a bit more money by exaggeration/cheat. After years of international politics meddling, it becomes complicated, highly political international organization. Chinese government's handling on Falun Gong was far from perfect, but following language fashion says all:

"What's wrong with you? STUPID as FALUN GONG ! "

Falun Gong story, Tibet riots and boycott the Olympics all tell the same story.

IT IS GLOBAL POWER STRUGGLE.

You shouldn't be surprised to the comming news such as abuse of human rights in China.
China is a huge country, there are lots of problem in China, Yes it is !

China survived 5000 years natural and social challenge.
Boycott the Beijing Olympics, so what? just a piece of cake! Just over 50 years ago, global power were fighting in battle field, 20 years ago, there was still in cold war. Today, just boycott the Olympics, we should congratulate on our achievement.

After all, USA and USSR both had the experience on boycott on either way. It is not a joke to be a super power you have to cross over all these dirties.

KOLLONTAI are you aware that China is on the verge of bankruptcy? Workers are being "paid" with their own savings. The real Chinese economy is being propped up by the west. If, or perhaps when, China collapses then the rest of the world is likely to be dragged down with it. It will make the sub-prime mortgage disaster in the United States look like good business practice.
There are undoubtedly two sides to the issue of the violence in Tibet but reports which do not come from the Chinese news media tell a very different story from that being told by the official news service. China's so-called economic prosperity is another very different story - and greatly exaggerated.
China does not rule the world but the leaders of it would like to think they hsve more power than they actually have.