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【08.4.18 美国 贡萨格大学】人权问题黯淡了北京奥运
【英文原文】
Rights violations tarnish Beijing Olympics
Chris Sparks
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Opinion
China will be hosting the Beijing Olympics soon and the world is taking notice. The Olympic torch continues its trip around the globe, having been sent on an unprecedented tour of the world to highlight the coming Chinese summer in the sun.
It's bad PR, generally speaking, to crack down on the Dalai Lama's home country while advertising your sponsorship of the world's greatest event of international solidarity and friendly competition.
The Olympics were originally a time when all participants would declare a cease-fire and people could gather for the sacred games in peace. When you're violating human rights, crushing Buddhist monks and polluting to beat the band . . . well, it would seem like something's missing when it comes to the spirit of the Olympics.
And Tibet is not the only victim. The population control policies in China are depriving women of a right to choose and leading to the slaughter of thousands of children - violating standards on both sides of the abortion issue. The official policy regarding religious groups that are not registered under the control of the state is one of ongoing persecution. Catholic bishops disappear overnight and are not heard from for years. The Vatican has engaged in a protracted diplomatic struggle with the Chinese government over the right of the pope to select, or at least approve, the appointment of bishops. The ongoing persecution of the Falun Gong attracts some amount of attention and sympathy in the West, while the travails of the Tibetan Buddhists have been made into an international cause célèbre by the life and travel of the current Dalai Lama.
On the environmental front, China became the largest producer of carbon pollution in the world as of 2006. Internationally renowned athletes have withdrawn from participating in this summer's Olympics for fear of jeopardizing their health and future performance, the air quality is so bad. Of course, the Chinese response exhibited all the pathology of central planning. The problem factories in Beijing will be shut down for a time before the Olympics and remain off-line throughout the Games - shutting down the engine of the Chinese economy. Water will be brought in from the surrounding areas to ensure enough fresh water for the Olympics - threatening the country's agriculture. All this for bella figura.
But China's good face has already been wrecked by the international attention on Tibet, the protests dogging the Olympic torch every step of the way and by their own policies.
In response, another torch is going around the world, hoping to light a fire under China. The Human Rights Torch Relay is coming to Spokane on May 3 at 11 a.m. at Riverfront Park under the clock tower, and they want students to be involved. If any of the above issues occupies a place in your heart, or if you just want to take a stand for human rights and freedom, then come!
For more information, contact Anna Gonzales of Unity House, join the Facebook event and read about China's policies online.
Chris Sparks is a junior at Gonzaga.
【原文链接】
http://media.www.gonzagabulletin.com/media/storage/paper375/news/2008/04/18/Opinion/Rights.Violations.Tarnish.Beijing.Olympics-3333929.shtml
【存档】
【注释】贡萨格大学是美国较为著名的私立大学,成立于1887年,位于华盛顿史波肯市区。中西的未来很大程度上决定在彼此的年轻人手中,因此人们也说要加强青年人之间的交流。那么翻译此文旨在倾听他们的一种声音,有利于我们思考彼此之间存在着哪些误解。原文是今日贡萨格大学在线公告中的一篇文章,作者Chris Sparks是该校低年级的一名学生。 |
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