BANGALORE, India—Citizens in the world's largest democracy marched through downtown Bangalore on January 29 with a powerful message for their neighbour: Persecution is not in the Olympic spirit—if China does not stop violating human rights, India should rethink going to Beijing.
Olympian Satya Narayan, a member of the Karnataka State Olympic Committee, carried the Human Rights Torch to kick off the Indian leg of this 150-city, 37-country campaign for human rights in China.
"Freedom is first, then only gold (medals) or money," stated Narayan, who was recently in Beijing for an official pre-Olympic visit.
Reflecting on this trip, the former Olympic runner said that he did not sense the Olympic spirit of international friendship there.
Instead, he felt that China is only interested in money and to "show that they are big in the world..."
A fellow former Olympian, M.K. Asha commented on the lack of liberties for Chinese citizens, saying that even if Chinese athletes won medals, "they do not have the freedom to celebrate their victory."
The Bangalore event started with a rally at St. Joseph's University College, followed by a march through Bangalore, and ended with a candlelight vigil on the steps of Bangalore Town Hall.
The goal of Global Relay is to bring this freedom to all groups and individuals suffering persecution under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including Tibetans, Christians, Uighur Muslums, democracy seekers and especially Falun Gong practitioners; the persecution of Falun Gong is the widest and most severe instance of human rights abuses in China today.
Human Rights Torch Relay
Of particular concern to the international community is the evidence that the Chinese state has been killing Falun Gong prisoners of conscience, held without charges or trial, to sell their organs for profit.
"What's happening in China is frightening. It's something like Nazi death camps," said Ashok Mathews Philip, Executive Director of the South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), one of main sponsors of the event.
Dr. Ambrose Pinto, Principal of St. Joseph's, which hosted the rally, pointed out the global implication of allowing the summer games to be staged in China. "By offering the Olympics to China, China's violation of rights has been legitimized."
Bringing the issue closer to home, Doctor Poornima Raina from the India Falun Dafa Association, told the crowd that India has a special responsibility to uphold human rights given the country's Gandhian pedigree.
"The very character of our country as a democratic nation with high value for Human Dignity has been shaped by the Indian Freedom Struggle steered by the principles of non-violence of our great Mahatma Gandhi."
She added that the "Gandhian principles adhere to Truth, Compassion and Tolerance," the basic principles of Falun Gong. Hence, their struggle is a common one.
Father Adolf Washington, President of the Indian Catholic Press Association and co-convenor of the rally, also spoke about universal principles.
"Whether it is China or Falun Dafa practitioners or just about anybody or any country in the world, we are here this evening, as individuals and organisations, gathered to take this march for human rights, to tell the world that we share a common concern and uphold very dearly, the cause of human rights."
The historic run and march through Bangalore's downtown core was joined by hundreds of college and lower school students, Christian civil society, various human rights organizations, health care professionals and the 100-member strong Divine Land Marching Band, from Taiwan.
Other organizations which added their voice to the global protest include the Manipal Health Systems, Openspace, Paraspara Trust and the Indian Social Institute.
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