Free Thoughts

In response to the article “Why an Olympia boycott is bad for human rights in China“, which argued that an international boycott of the Games in 2008 would play into the hands of the Chinese governments, ArekExcelsior wrote in his comment that no one should be stopped to use their right to protest against injustice. That is absolutely right!

In fact the Olympia article was not suggesting to ban protests, nor was it trying to convince people to stop their protests. It was merely pointing out that an Olympia boycott might bring the human rights movement in China rather backwards than forward if applied wrong.

This however should stop no person in China or outside China to protest if they wish to do so. Their right to protest and publicly point out injustices is a fundamental right that no state nor any other groups shall ever even compromise it. No athlete can be forced to participate in the Games, and if they personally decide not to participate – it has to be respected.

The argument is rather that such a boycott is not very effective in terms of winning the trust of the majority of the Chinese public against the propaganda they face from the state. Having a wide public support for human rights among the mainland people – in particular the Han Chinese – is more important than external forces, as the Beijing government is more likely to react to internal demands then external ones. Why would that be? Policy interest number one is maintaining the position of the party. In order to do that the public needs to be satisfied with their policy to a sufficient extent. To do so economic growth and a very slight increase of rights is currently seen by the government as satisfying.

To my knowledge, whose sources I do not wish to further qualify, even reformers in the mainland and even very progressive rights activists see the boycott attempt and in particular what from it is presented to them through their means of information as unfair and sided . I suggest everyone to talk to any few mainland Chinese and to get their own impressions, including overseas chinese who do have a different access to media. I am not able to present reliable statistics on public opinion and you may dismiss the point on that basis.

The suffering of Tibetans need our support and our outspoken support of their rights. What they need is support from Beijing. Beijing has the ability to ensure their rights if it whishes to do so. How can they be made wishing that? Force is not always the best way, but often necessary. The way Beijing and China reacts to international pressure is different from they way other countries do. We have no time to loose when improving the rights of Tibetans, Han Chinese or any other groups. Me and many other are not convinced whether a boycott does not rather hamper the opening up process.