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The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China have been subject to many protests and impending boycotts due to the Chinese government's mistreatment of the region of Tibet. It has been oppressing the people of Tibet by forcing them to live under the rule of China. The fate of the Olympic Games is in jeopardy if the problem is not rectified.
The main reason why this is happening is due to the absence of independence for Tibet and a government in exile. China has taken control of Tibet by not treating it as a nation, but as a piece of land they rule.
“I'm very concerned with the international situation and what's happening in Tibet,” said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge.
Tibet wants to be represented in the Olympic Games, as its own country, or at least bring its own flag.
Hollywood actor Richard Gere has been one of driving forces for the planning of the boycott as chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet. He has pressured China to free Tibet, or the boycott will happen.
"Any politician who is pushing for a boycott is committing a serious error," said Mario Vazquez Rana, the president the Association of National Olympic Committees. "For me a total boycott, even a partial boycott, is totally out of the question."
In addition to the boycott, Tibetans have planned to make their own version of the Olympic games in May at their government-in-exile headquarters.
The mistreatment of Tibet already has sparked many protests during the Olympic torch relay en route to Beijing and the Opening Ceremonies. Protesters have been arrested attempting to put out the flame in every checkpoint city it passes through before it hits Beijing on August 8.
Rogge said he was "saddened" by the protests in San Francisco.
"It was not ... the joyous party that we wished it to be," he said.
The pro-Tibetan groups like Students for a Free Tibet have already announced they will protest the Games, and will not budge until Tibet is recognized.
Free speech has almost been eradicated in Tibet which has caused outrage in the eyes of the press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders. They are advocating a boycott over what they call “prisoners of conscience” and basic human rights violations. They are holding out hope that petitions and international peace efforts will hopefully force China to emancipate Tibet.
Journalists from Reporters Without Borders interrupted a speech during an Olympic torch lighting ceremony in March. Three of them breached a group of about 1,000 police officers at the ancient Olympia Stadium in Greece and ran behind Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Games committee, as he made his speech. One of the men tried to take the microphone as another unrolled a black flag showing the Olympic rings as handcuffs. They were eventually taken away by authorities.
"We were saddened by what we saw in London and Paris. We were sad for the athletes and torch bearers. We were sad for the children who watched their heroes and role models being booed," Rogge said. "Athletes in many countries are in disarray and we need to reassure them."
In addition to the way people are reacting to the way Tibet is being treated, Chinese intelligence organizations are also monitoring the activities of foreigners suspected of plotting attacks during the Games. Many non-governmental organizations are disgruntled with domestic Chinese issues, could be planning possible terrorism-related activities, or anti-American demonstrations.
These issues are seriously jeopardizing the Games because of the extent at which the protests and threats are going. Many injuries have resulted even before the Olympics has had its first event. The only way to avoid a boycott would be to move the games to a location everyone, or at least a majority, can agree on and recognize that spot as the host city for the opening and closing ceremonies. Japan could possibly be an option. The stadiums already built in Beijing would still be used for the events.
If the boycott happens, sanctions would have to be taken upon China. One would be to ban the country from hosting the Olympics for a couple of decades. It would show the government's weakness and inability to hold such a significant event.
The Olympic Games are supposed to be a celebration of the world coming together, and with the way it is going right now, the violence in support of Tibet will prevent the Games from proceeding in a safe and smooth manner.