hummalumma
08-08-2007, 02:12 AM
Perhaps people in their 20's will affect how the rest of the world view China.
China CAN NOT have it both ways... to be economically accepted globally yet continue to commit atrocities to humanity. As a matter of fact, the MOST atrocities by any country.
I pray that these brave souls come home safely to Canada.
I think this is a really good time for the Boys to step up and help get
the media involved by staging a 'FREE TIBET' concert again.
Supporting those who do what we can not do or are willing to do...
is a categorical imperative.
I predict that the next Olympics is going to be politically unstable.
It is THE best time in which to make a point.
===================================
Two Canadians held by China
REUTERS
This video frame grab released by Students for a Free Tibet shows a banner reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" that was unveiled on the Great Wall on the outskirts of Beijing today. Chinese police have detained six protesters, including two Canadians.
The Olympic Games might be a year away but protests have already begun from groups who want the event to change China.
Aug 07, 2007 08:53 PM
Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Two Canadian political activists allegedly arrested in Beijing were veterans of the Free Tibet movement who knew the risks of protesting in China, friends said Tuesday as they anxiously awaited news of their fate.
Sam Price, 32, and Melanie Raoul, 25, were among six protesters who climbed the Great Wall of China Tuesday and unfurled a 42-square-metre banner reading ”One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008.”
Though they’d been in contact with the group behind the protest throughout the climb, they haven’t been heard from since, said a statement from Students for a Free Tibet.
“Tibet advocacy groups assert that China is attempting to use the 2008 Games as a tool to legitimize its illegal occupation of Tibet,” the statement said.
“Chinese authorities removed the activists after two hours; their current whereabouts are unknown.”
The Canadian government has been made aware of the situation and is checking to see whether the pair were in fact arrested, said Bernard Nyugen, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
If they were, immediate access by consular officials will requested, he said.
Friends back in their hometown of Vancouver said they were worried but convinced they’d come home safely.
“It’s hard to know that they’re there and that we haven’t heard from them,” said Christy Yung, her voice breaking in mid-sentence.
“I just know they are OK, we have good people supporting them and a lot of people that care about them.”
New Democrat MP Libby Davies said Price’s mother had phoned her office early Tuesday after not hearing from her son for more than 20 hours.
“It seems very concerning that a Canadian would be arrested for a protest, that’s a democratic right,” said Davies in an interview.
She said her office is adding its voice to the calls that the Canadian government seek immediate action to determine the pair’s whereabouts.
Price has been part of the Students for a Free Tibet movement for about 10 years, Yung said. Both he and Raoul had been through extensive training before heading over to China.
Price, who had been hoping to get into medical school, had been there before, with similar results. He was arrested in 2001 after a demonstration held during a Team Canada trade mission.
“Part of the decision is we want to send people who can expect the worst-case scenario . . . and people who have had experience before,” Yung said. “There is always a risk involved.”
Yung, a member of the Vancouver branch of Students for a Free Tibet, said the group is working on trying to get in touch with the pair.
“They’re great people, they’re devoted, they’re fun,” said Yung. “I know they probably wouldn’t want us to freak about them but I am.”
Raoul had used vacation time from her job as an associate fundraising manager at the Vancouver office for Greenpeace Canada to join the protest in Beijing.
“Hardworker, good fundraiser, she’s passionate about her job,” said Bruce Cox, the executive director for Greenpeace. “She’s non-violent, like us all.”
Raoul’s father, Yvon, told CTV that his daughter had travelled to Tibet and been in touch with the Tibetan people.
“In some ways we are . . . a bit of a special family in the sense that we’ve always been involved socially in some form of activism — peaceful activism,” he said. “Our daughter has picked up from this.”
China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, but many Tibetans say their homeland was essentially an independent state for most of that time.
Chinese Communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951. Tibetans say Beijing is continuing to rule the region with a heavy hand.
Tenzin Yindok, an economics student at Simon Fraser University who knew both Price and Raoul, said as a Tibetan, it meant a great deal to her that people were willing to go so far for the cause.
“It’s an act of courage,” Yindok, 21, said. “I feel very grateful for these bunch of foreigners who have acted on their convictions and taken activism to this extent and done it.”
With the start of the official one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 8,, human rights groups are pushing for greater scrutiny of China’s human rights record.
Protests had already scheduled throughout the Canada for Aug. 8 to call for greater freedom for Tibet and organizer Brandy Leitch said news of the alleged arrests simply underscored the importance of their effort.
“It just inspires all of us to continue,” said Leitch, who worked with the Canadian pair.
“It’s very scary for us to have our friends over there but it’s also very inspirational.”
The other four activists were from the United Kingdom and the United States.
China CAN NOT have it both ways... to be economically accepted globally yet continue to commit atrocities to humanity. As a matter of fact, the MOST atrocities by any country.
I pray that these brave souls come home safely to Canada.
I think this is a really good time for the Boys to step up and help get
the media involved by staging a 'FREE TIBET' concert again.
Supporting those who do what we can not do or are willing to do...
is a categorical imperative.
I predict that the next Olympics is going to be politically unstable.
It is THE best time in which to make a point.
===================================
Two Canadians held by China
REUTERS
This video frame grab released by Students for a Free Tibet shows a banner reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" that was unveiled on the Great Wall on the outskirts of Beijing today. Chinese police have detained six protesters, including two Canadians.
The Olympic Games might be a year away but protests have already begun from groups who want the event to change China.
Aug 07, 2007 08:53 PM
Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Two Canadian political activists allegedly arrested in Beijing were veterans of the Free Tibet movement who knew the risks of protesting in China, friends said Tuesday as they anxiously awaited news of their fate.
Sam Price, 32, and Melanie Raoul, 25, were among six protesters who climbed the Great Wall of China Tuesday and unfurled a 42-square-metre banner reading ”One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008.”
Though they’d been in contact with the group behind the protest throughout the climb, they haven’t been heard from since, said a statement from Students for a Free Tibet.
“Tibet advocacy groups assert that China is attempting to use the 2008 Games as a tool to legitimize its illegal occupation of Tibet,” the statement said.
“Chinese authorities removed the activists after two hours; their current whereabouts are unknown.”
The Canadian government has been made aware of the situation and is checking to see whether the pair were in fact arrested, said Bernard Nyugen, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
If they were, immediate access by consular officials will requested, he said.
Friends back in their hometown of Vancouver said they were worried but convinced they’d come home safely.
“It’s hard to know that they’re there and that we haven’t heard from them,” said Christy Yung, her voice breaking in mid-sentence.
“I just know they are OK, we have good people supporting them and a lot of people that care about them.”
New Democrat MP Libby Davies said Price’s mother had phoned her office early Tuesday after not hearing from her son for more than 20 hours.
“It seems very concerning that a Canadian would be arrested for a protest, that’s a democratic right,” said Davies in an interview.
She said her office is adding its voice to the calls that the Canadian government seek immediate action to determine the pair’s whereabouts.
Price has been part of the Students for a Free Tibet movement for about 10 years, Yung said. Both he and Raoul had been through extensive training before heading over to China.
Price, who had been hoping to get into medical school, had been there before, with similar results. He was arrested in 2001 after a demonstration held during a Team Canada trade mission.
“Part of the decision is we want to send people who can expect the worst-case scenario . . . and people who have had experience before,” Yung said. “There is always a risk involved.”
Yung, a member of the Vancouver branch of Students for a Free Tibet, said the group is working on trying to get in touch with the pair.
“They’re great people, they’re devoted, they’re fun,” said Yung. “I know they probably wouldn’t want us to freak about them but I am.”
Raoul had used vacation time from her job as an associate fundraising manager at the Vancouver office for Greenpeace Canada to join the protest in Beijing.
“Hardworker, good fundraiser, she’s passionate about her job,” said Bruce Cox, the executive director for Greenpeace. “She’s non-violent, like us all.”
Raoul’s father, Yvon, told CTV that his daughter had travelled to Tibet and been in touch with the Tibetan people.
“In some ways we are . . . a bit of a special family in the sense that we’ve always been involved socially in some form of activism — peaceful activism,” he said. “Our daughter has picked up from this.”
China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, but many Tibetans say their homeland was essentially an independent state for most of that time.
Chinese Communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951. Tibetans say Beijing is continuing to rule the region with a heavy hand.
Tenzin Yindok, an economics student at Simon Fraser University who knew both Price and Raoul, said as a Tibetan, it meant a great deal to her that people were willing to go so far for the cause.
“It’s an act of courage,” Yindok, 21, said. “I feel very grateful for these bunch of foreigners who have acted on their convictions and taken activism to this extent and done it.”
With the start of the official one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 8,, human rights groups are pushing for greater scrutiny of China’s human rights record.
Protests had already scheduled throughout the Canada for Aug. 8 to call for greater freedom for Tibet and organizer Brandy Leitch said news of the alleged arrests simply underscored the importance of their effort.
“It just inspires all of us to continue,” said Leitch, who worked with the Canadian pair.
“It’s very scary for us to have our friends over there but it’s also very inspirational.”
The other four activists were from the United Kingdom and the United States.