[Minghui net] On the January 22, 2001, issue of Big News (a Chinese electronic magazine http://www.bignews.org), there was a short article: Have the Olympic Games Nothing to Do with Human Rights?

It says, "In most countries in the world, the human rights issue needn't come into play when assessing its suitability as a location to host the Olympic Games. In China, however, it is a different story. Before each important holiday or festival, Chinese citizens staying in cities without proper urban Hukou (Translator's note: Hukou is an official identification card. City dwellers need to have an urban Hukou to gain access to basic civic services such as education, urban employment, etc.. Transient people without Urban Hukou are often expelled from cities on important occasions and sent back to their homes in countryside) will be taken to service centers, relieved of their possessions and then sent to do forced labor as punishment, often accompanied by abuse. It is the usual practice of the Chinese government to execute a batch of death-row criminals before important holiday occasions. If the Olympic Games were to be held in Beijing, severe abuse of basic human rights in China will be a very likely result.

"The Chinese government has made the improvement of Beijing's infrastructure a means whereby to amass wealth. They are collecting money from all over the country to maintain the 'Image' of Beijing. Officials claimed to spend 12 billion dollars to improve the environment of Beijing for the Olympics. Any city in the world willing to host the Olympic Games would raise funds by itself. Why is Beijing required to spend so much on improving its environment? Other cities generally gain profits from hosting Olympic Games. If Beijing were to host the Olympic Games, the construction work would be tremendous, for the fundamental facilities are poor. Wouldn't it be a great burden to the Chinese people and the economy? To spend such a great amount of money on "Image and Infrastructure Construction" is definitely going to damage the welfare of the Chinese people. Officials have been saying that human rights means every citizen having access to such basic necessities as food, clothing and shelter. Can you say that those people-harassing and treasury-draining projects show any concern for human rights? With 12 billion dollars how many children can be brought back to school and unemployed put back to work? In addition, before the Olympic Games how many people lacking Hukou will be taken to service centers again? Dragged from their homes in the city, what human rights would they be left with?"

The article in Great Reference said that as Chinese citizens, we wish China would host the Olympic Games. But we do hope that Beijing could raise the funds by itself or borrow money from people instead of simply expropriating it from them. We believe that human rights should be related to China's ability to host the Olympic Games. And we are firmly against the illegal actions of Chinese government to expel and dismiss its citizens.

The article mentioned that News Commentator He Liangliang in Hong Kong said, "People engaged in environmental protection revealed that the lawns along some major streets in Beijing, such as Changan Street, ought to be withered and yellow in winter. But authorities in Beijing ordered the lawns to be spray-painted green for the visiting Olympic appraisal team. This is ridiculous. It is an underestimation and humiliation of the intelligence of the team. Seeing the color of lawn to be fake, they may start thinking that you are capable of fooling around with everything."

The article presented some exam questions to the Chinese government: What if people practicing Falun Gong were among the visiting athletes?

1. If Beijing hosted the Olympic Games, and there were people practicing Falun Gong among foreign athletes, tourists and journalists, is the Chinese government going to allow them to enter China?

2. If they were allowed to enter China and they wanted to practice Falun Gong, say, in Tiananmen Square, will they be permitted to do so?

3. If they were permitted to do so, what if they were to hold up a banner to show they are Falun Gong practitioners?

Written on Feb 23, 2001