Two Canadians detained over protest in China

Started by Sportsdude, Aug 07 07 10:13

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Sportsdude

Two Canadians were among six protesters detained in China after they unfurled a banner on the Great Wall protesting China's presence in Tibet. [/p] The banner read "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008." The official slogan for the games is "One World, One Dream." [/p] Non-Chinese members of Students for a Free Tibet carried out the act.[/p] The two Canadian detainees are Melanie Raoul and Sam Price, both of Vancouver. They have not been heard from since the arrest, said the group.[/p] "I am concerned, and looking forward to getting some information as are my parents. So, the sooner the better," said Olivia Claire, Price's sister in Vancouver.[/p] Price has done this sort of thing before. He was arrested in China in 2001 during a demonstration that coincided with a Team Canada trade trip.[/p] A Dept. of Foreign Affairs spokesman told The Canadian Press that the federal government is checking to see if Chinese authorities did arrest the pair and to request consular access if they were.[/p] The other four protesters were reportedly from the U.K. and U.S.[/p] To get around Chinese censors, the activists sent live video via cellphone camera of the banner's unfurling back to New York, where it was quickly posted to the Internet. This particular technique was first tried in April on the Chinese side of Mount Everest.[/p] "It's precedent-setting and in a way I hope we're making history not only for Tibetans but for the many, many groups that have been subjugated," said Lhadon Thetong, the group's leader.[/p] To try and reach International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge, she posted a letter to him on her blog, then made a video of her talking about the letter while she stands under the nose of a statue of Mao Tse-Tung, modern China's founder.[/p] She then called the IOC to tell them the video is there for the world to see, makes a video of the call and adds that to the blog. As a result, Lhadon Tethong got a rare informal meeting with an IOC staffer.[/p] She estimates about 20,000 people have checked out her postings from China. While she's been followed by police there, so far they haven't tried to arrest or stop her.[/p] "They can't stop the tide. There are cracks there with the Internet and with email access and even if they try to control, it's up to people like us to pry those open," Lhadon Tethong said.
 
A different protest occurred Monday, but one also aimed at getting the attention of Rogge, who is in China.[/p] Police in Beijing detained members of Reporters Without Borders who staged their own protest, accusing the government of failing to meet promises for greater media freedom. [/p] Wednesday marks exactly one year before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [/p] China views the Olympics as a good opportunity to burnish its image, while activists see it as a good opportunity to bring attention to what they see as the country's shortcomings.[/p] In the case of Tibet, Chinese troops have occupied the country since 1951. China claims Tibet is Chinese territory.[/p]
[/p]In this video image released by Students for a Free Tibet, Canadian Tibet supporters Melanie Raoul, left, and Sam Price hang from ropes beside a protest banner they unfurled on the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu, north of Beijing on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2007. The banner reads: 'One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008.' (AP / Students for a Free Tibet


Melanie Raoul is one of the Canadians detained in China.


Sam Price, seen here in this undated file photo, is the other Canadian detained in China.

Full Story:
[a href="vny!://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070807/china_protest_070807/20070807?hub=TopStories"]vny!://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070807/china_protest_070807/20070807?hub=TopStories[/a]
[hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"]where do I sign up? Commies don't scare me.[/p]
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"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Sportsdude

[a href="vny!://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp5mAMrfvI8"]vny!://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp5mAMrfvI8[/a]

There's the video.

Personally I say all the democratic folks should have a giant huge protest right during the games in Beijing disrupt something. If China does something like brings in the tanks like Tiananmen Square it will be a million times worse then that because everyone will be watching and they'd cancel the olympics.
 
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

lazy Marik

That is actually a very good idea SD. I wonder how the police will react..  

Sportsdude

They'd be forced not to act with violence like '89. Because they can't, not during the olympics it would be way too stupid to supress people when the whole world is watching and is down the street so to speak.

  Then since the police and military can't act, you start having protests in Shanghai, Hong Kong all across the country.

  If the police/military respond forcefully its the begining of the end of Communist China much like the begining of the end for the Soviet Union happened when Hungary had a student uprising and won, until the Soviets had to come in and restore communist rule.

  This isn't '89. China cannot get away with another one of those, its too 'mainstream' so to speak.

  If by 2030 China hasn't rid of the communists I'd be shocked. Yeah they've embraced capitalism but its still dictatorship communism. Give the middle class a decade before they start wanting things. clean food, Clean air, water, a sunny day in Shanghai, workers rights. China's a nuclear bomb waiting to go off its just not ready yet. You've got way too many factors in play.

The party can't fix corruption, that's going to be its downfall. The only way to stop corruption is with an independent judiciary. And the instant the party institutes that, the end of their rule. Its that simple.
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Gopher

You'd think everyone would know by now that peaceful protest is one of the most offensive sins of the present time.
A fool's paradise is better than none.

Sportsdude

yeah so true. Did you hear they might have to postpone events outside due to pollution. They were talking about running the events inside but I don't see how you can do a marathon inside an arena.  
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Gopher

Where there's a will, or a gold medal, or national prestige, there's a way!
A fool's paradise is better than none.

Sportsdude

lol a marathon taking place in an indoor arena.
Either way something is going to go down at these games. The IOC is worried about pollution and I'm thinking of protests.
 
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

stretchedout

When the red dawn happens hopefully we still have our firearms!  
C'mon, the city is sleeping!

wyk

If you think that's bad in China, look at the lengthening list of people detained at the USA-Canada border and denied entry to the USA simply because at some point in their lives they got a mugshot and fingerprints.  This has only been in the past several months.  CTV's "The Verdict" did a whole show on this.

  The USA has now installed an even more sensitive and thorough security check at its borders and people are getting caught in it.   It was said even if the charge that warranted a mugshot and fingerprints were dropped/discharged in court, no matter how long ago it was, the "fingerprint number" is in the system for life unless someone does an in-person request at the police station or RCMP detachment to have the file sealed, purged, whatever.  

49er

A few years ago when I was inside the Forbidden City, a chinese woman pull out a small homemade cardboard sign from under her shirt, as I was about to sign the big support the Olympic 08 sign.  She was immediately jumped by three plain clothes guards/policemen and dragged thru the rough cobblestone plaza to behind one of the buildings at the perimeter.  The third man was kicking and stumping on her all the way as she was being dragged by the other two.  A white visitor lifted his camera to take a picture and before the camera reach his neck another plainclothes stepped infront of him and stopped him.  

  The point I am trying to make is that there are these plainclothes guards everywhere.  If you are visiting Beijing take the time to read the big overhead warning sign while you are in line to get your passport stamped.  Basically it warns you that your rights are left behind as you walk thru the gate.

P.C.

You know 49er......I think that regardless of how noble a person's intentions are,  there is something a tiny bit arrogant about taking up a cause IN another country.    
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Sportsdude

but its human rights abuses. Should we not be concerned about Darfur then?  
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

P.C.

I'M not saying that we shouldn't be concerned.  I'm not even suggesting that I have a better way.  I'm just saying that you have to be aware of the laws of the land of where you are....and also that there may be better avenues to pursue the goal.

  I remember feeling a little pissy at Paul McCartney spreading the word to not visit Canada because of the seal hunts.  As much as I agreed with his plight (to some extent).....I thought he had no business in being the 'spokesperson' for Canadian issues.
Sir Isaac Newton invented the swinging door....for the convenience of his cat.

Sportsdude

Its all about exposing. People do these acts to make the world self aware of the bigger issue. They know they're going to be arrested. They also do this because if a local chinese citizen does the same thing they'll never be heard from again.  
"We can't stop here. This is bat country."