(Clearwisdom.net) The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) announced that it will light the Human Right Torch on August 9, 2007 in Athens, Greece, and relay it around the world to remind people that the Olympics cannot co-exist with crimes against humanity. Canadian media reported that the purpose of the year-long Human Rights Torch Relay is to draw people's attention to the crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against Falun Gong practitioners.
Nieuwsband (Holland) reported on August 9 about the Global Human Rights Torch Relay
The report said, "Initialized by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG) and supported by many organizations and individuals, the Human Rights Torch Relay will officially have its opening ceremony to light the first flame on August 9, 2007 in Athens, Greece. The relay will visit more than 100 cities from 30 countries after the ceremony, calling upon the international community to focus on brutal violations of human rights and the Olympics spirit by China's Communist regime, in order to stop such crimes and not let the 2008 Olympic Games become the 'Bloody Harvest Games.'"
"For years, the Chinese Communist regime has been persecuting people in China, such as Christians, Catholics, Tibetans, and Falun Gong practitioners. The crimes of torture and genocide they have committed against humanity have been condemned worldwide. The 2008 Olympics were offered to Beijing for the regime to improve its crude human rights record. However, instead of stopping its persecutions, the regime has made use of the Olympics to further repress people in China, damaging the Olympic spirit of peace and human dignity. Moreover it also supports crimes outside China, particularly the genocide in Darfur, which has been well exposed by the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and actress Ms. Mia Farrow, who consequently dubbed the 2008 Olympics the 'Genocide Olympics.'"
Eight US Legislators Propose China Olympics Boycott Over Human Rights
Voice of America reported on August 8, 2007 that eight US legislators introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on the Bush administration to consider a boycott of the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing unless China "stops engaging in serious human rights abuses."
"The resolution was sponsored by a top China critic in the House, Dana Rohrabacher, and co-sponsored by, among seven others, ranking Republican lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen."
AFP cited the resolution obtained Tuesday saying, "the Chinese regime regularly denies the right to freedom of conscience, expression, religion, and association," and "that it has held thousands of political prisoners without charge or trial."
"Comparing the 2008 games to the Berlin 1936 Olympics, at the time of the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, the resolution said 'the integrity of the host country is of the utmost importance so as not to stain the participating athletes or the character of the games.'"
CanWest News Reported on August 8, "At the birthplace of the Olympic movement, a former Canadian member of Parliament today will ignite what he hopes will become a global movement to boycott next year's summer Games in Beijing."
The report said, "Calling the 2008 Games the 'Bloody Harvest Olympics,' former Edmonton MP David Kilgour is inviting the media to Athens, Greece, to cover a Global Human Rights Torch Relay. Once lit in Athens, the torch will travel through 100 cities around the world."
The report said, "The year-long relay is designed to draw attention to allegations of crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government against practitioners of Falun Gong."
