London Lights the Torch for Human Rights
November 1st 2007 07:58
By Stephen Jones
Epoch Times UK Staff
Oct 31, 2007
The Human Rights Torch arrives London after travel through 22 European cities in 19 countries. London is the last stop on the European leg before the torch heads to Australia. (Xiaoyan Liu)
LONDON—Seven flaming torches were borne through the streets of London in a solemn statement that the Olympics should not be held in Beijing while human rights are being trampled.
The procession was the 37th leg of the 'Human Rights Torch' on its journey around the world. The event was attended by democracy activists and representatives of persecuted religious groups in China, and supported by politicians and athletes.
The Human Rights Torch Relay was set up by rights groups with the mandate to show that it is against the principles of the Olympic charter for the Games be held in China whilst human rights abuses continue.
Former Olympian turned coach John Bicourt said: "We need to draw worldwide attention to the failure to date by the Chinese authorities to stop the continued and horrendous abuses of human rights in their country by and against their own people.
"As a principal condition and understanding of being awarded the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing the Chinese authorities made a clear and unequivocal commitment to eradicate the human rights abuses throughout their country. Sadly and unacceptably, they've failed to do so.
Former Olympian John Bicourt spoke of the failure by the Chinese authorities to stop human rights abuses in their country. (Xiaoyan Liu )
"The International Olympic Committee who awarded the Games to Beijing must be urged by worldwide opinion to threaten China with the removal of the Games."
China is regarded as one of the world's biggest rights violators and hundreds of thousands of dissidents as well as Tibetans, Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners are detained and routinely tortured in the country's "re-education" camps.
Tens of thousands of prisoners are believed to be executed every year, and the country has recently been criticised for allowing organ harvesting to be carried out on Falun Gong practitioners who have been detained without trial.
The torches were lit just after 3 p.m. in Trafalgar Square last Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly Brian Coleman and Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan-Scott, who recently visited the country to report on the situation in the country's labour camps.
Brian Coleman, Chairman of the London Assembly, addresses the audience while Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan-Scott, listens. (Xiaoyan Liu)
The procession then carved its way through the city to the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place, where protesters stood silently in a candlelit vigil until 8 p.m.
The event was attended by former Olympians as well as politicians, many of whom called for the Games to be boycotted.
Brian Coleman said: "What I'm calling upon is all reasonable, decent British politicians to decline invitations to the Olympics in 2008, unless there are dramatic improvements in China's human rights record.
"I'm particularly calling on whoever wins the London mayoral elections next May not to go to the Olympics to collect the flag.
Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan Scott (C), speaks at a press conference for the Human Rights Torch Relay in London on October 25th 2007, flanked by Lord Hilton (L) and Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly, Brian Coleman (R) (Simon Gross/The Epoch Times)
"I'm not telling sportsmen and women what they should and should not do. But I am saying that decent politicians who actually have a commitment to human rights issues should not go to the Olympics next year whilst there remains one Chinese illegal prisoner or whilst there remains one Chinese citizen in a labour camp, whilst Falun Gong is persecuted."
The relay, which visited Dublin the previous week and was held in Sydney on Saturday, before going to Washington, is organised by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, a body consisting of journalists, lawyers and medical professionals.
The persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual movement originally practised by 100 million Chinese citizens, began in July 1999.
Since then it has grown to become one of the biggest examples of human rights violations in China today.
Supporters of justice and democracy in Burma march in support of the Human Rights Torch relay. (Xiao Qian)
Edward McMillan-Scott told a conference prior to the torch lighting: "I'm convinced that since 1999 when the repression began, over 3,000 Falun Gong practitioners have died under torture. In my view that constitutes genocide.
"So when people describe the Olympic games in 2008 as the 'genocide Olympics' they normally mean, as does Mia Farrow, refer to Darfur. When I say the 'genocide Olympics' I mean genocide inside China against religious groups, especially Falun Gong."
The procession consisted of groups as varied as the Federation for a Democratic China, Free Tibet and Free Burma.
To highlight the demonstration as a global event, members of the procession dressed in traditional garb of countries such as New Zealand, Italy and Scotland.
The torch relay began on August 9th at Syntagma Square, Athens.
Epoch Times UK Staff
Oct 31, 2007
The Human Rights Torch arrives London after travel through 22 European cities in 19 countries. London is the last stop on the European leg before the torch heads to Australia. (Xiaoyan Liu)
LONDON—Seven flaming torches were borne through the streets of London in a solemn statement that the Olympics should not be held in Beijing while human rights are being trampled.
The procession was the 37th leg of the 'Human Rights Torch' on its journey around the world. The event was attended by democracy activists and representatives of persecuted religious groups in China, and supported by politicians and athletes.
The Human Rights Torch Relay was set up by rights groups with the mandate to show that it is against the principles of the Olympic charter for the Games be held in China whilst human rights abuses continue.
Former Olympian turned coach John Bicourt said: "We need to draw worldwide attention to the failure to date by the Chinese authorities to stop the continued and horrendous abuses of human rights in their country by and against their own people.
"As a principal condition and understanding of being awarded the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing the Chinese authorities made a clear and unequivocal commitment to eradicate the human rights abuses throughout their country. Sadly and unacceptably, they've failed to do so.
Former Olympian John Bicourt spoke of the failure by the Chinese authorities to stop human rights abuses in their country. (Xiaoyan Liu )
"The International Olympic Committee who awarded the Games to Beijing must be urged by worldwide opinion to threaten China with the removal of the Games."
China is regarded as one of the world's biggest rights violators and hundreds of thousands of dissidents as well as Tibetans, Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners are detained and routinely tortured in the country's "re-education" camps.
Tens of thousands of prisoners are believed to be executed every year, and the country has recently been criticised for allowing organ harvesting to be carried out on Falun Gong practitioners who have been detained without trial.
The torches were lit just after 3 p.m. in Trafalgar Square last Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly Brian Coleman and Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan-Scott, who recently visited the country to report on the situation in the country's labour camps.
Brian Coleman, Chairman of the London Assembly, addresses the audience while Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan-Scott, listens. (Xiaoyan Liu)
The procession then carved its way through the city to the Chinese Embassy in Portland Place, where protesters stood silently in a candlelit vigil until 8 p.m.
The event was attended by former Olympians as well as politicians, many of whom called for the Games to be boycotted.
Brian Coleman said: "What I'm calling upon is all reasonable, decent British politicians to decline invitations to the Olympics in 2008, unless there are dramatic improvements in China's human rights record.
"I'm particularly calling on whoever wins the London mayoral elections next May not to go to the Olympics to collect the flag.
Vice-President of the European Parliament, Edward McMillan Scott (C), speaks at a press conference for the Human Rights Torch Relay in London on October 25th 2007, flanked by Lord Hilton (L) and Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly, Brian Coleman (R) (Simon Gross/The Epoch Times)
"I'm not telling sportsmen and women what they should and should not do. But I am saying that decent politicians who actually have a commitment to human rights issues should not go to the Olympics next year whilst there remains one Chinese illegal prisoner or whilst there remains one Chinese citizen in a labour camp, whilst Falun Gong is persecuted."
The relay, which visited Dublin the previous week and was held in Sydney on Saturday, before going to Washington, is organised by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, a body consisting of journalists, lawyers and medical professionals.
The persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual movement originally practised by 100 million Chinese citizens, began in July 1999.
Since then it has grown to become one of the biggest examples of human rights violations in China today.
Supporters of justice and democracy in Burma march in support of the Human Rights Torch relay. (Xiao Qian)
Edward McMillan-Scott told a conference prior to the torch lighting: "I'm convinced that since 1999 when the repression began, over 3,000 Falun Gong practitioners have died under torture. In my view that constitutes genocide.
"So when people describe the Olympic games in 2008 as the 'genocide Olympics' they normally mean, as does Mia Farrow, refer to Darfur. When I say the 'genocide Olympics' I mean genocide inside China against religious groups, especially Falun Gong."
The procession consisted of groups as varied as the Federation for a Democratic China, Free Tibet and Free Burma.
To highlight the demonstration as a global event, members of the procession dressed in traditional garb of countries such as New Zealand, Italy and Scotland.
The torch relay began on August 9th at Syntagma Square, Athens.
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