In Ancient Greece, a truce (εκεχειρία, which literally means "holding of hands") was announced before and during each of the Olympic festivals, to allow visitors to travel safely to Olympia.
However, today's Olympic games becomemore and more an opportunity to escalate conflicts in order to attract attention. Since last month, riots in Tibet has killed dozens of ordinary people and ruined the life of thousands. Then unprofessional journalism used false photos to agitate boycott. Finally, activists jumped into the relay parade, tried to grab the torch and forced the torch to extinguish. Now all the Free Tibet supporters in Europeand North America can hail their victory, because they achieved their purpose to raise their cause to the spotlight and overshadow the Olympic festival.
No winner, we are all losers! The whole world lost a great chance to enhance communication and friendship. The old scar between Han Chinese and Tibetan is torn out again with more blood, the dialogue between Chinese government and Dalai Lama becomes a more remote possibility, the loosening media control in China may be re-tightened, the misunderstanding between the Westerners and Chinese is deepening, the humiliation and anger of China may fertilize offensive nationalism in a rising superpower. If no miracle appears, our children may remember the 2008 Olympics as the source of numerous long-lasting conflicts.
It is so sad to see this conflict grows more and more beyond control. It has by far exceeded the real Tibet problem. None of the protests really cares about the benefits of Tibetan people, since these protests only lead to more hatred and more oppressive policy in Tibet. They even do not care about Dalai Lama, whose non-violence, non-independence and non-boycott appeals are submerged by frenzy and fanaticism.
However, we believe in miracle. We still have 120 days to go until the opening. If we can promote rational discussion instead of partial agitation, if we can create a friendly at mosphere for dialogues instead of making it more unlikely by hostility, if we can talk more about the real life of Tibet instead of abstract slogans, if we can simply let the Olympic torch spread all over the world and appreciate the moment of peace, we may be remembered by our children as the constructor of a peaceful world.
(source: www.peaceintibet.com) |
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