Belgian Olympic athletes have spoken out yesterday in support of Dutch Olympic Swimming champion Pieter van den Hoogenband who called upon the IOC last Wednesday to take a stance for the improvement of the human rights situation in China.
Belgian National newspaper The Morning published a series of interviews with Belgium Olympic athletes, showing their support of van den Hoogenband. A large part of the Belgium athletes that will go to Beijing are supporting Van den Hoogenband his call.
"Bulls eye!" says Olympic running athlete Veerle Dejaehere. "I would be very pleased if he (Jacques Rogge) will take a stance… One of the Olympic ideals is respect, so we should also have respect for Human Rights".
According to Belgium Olympic sailor Sébastien Godefroid there is no other choice. "People who have been there already, have found the human rights not always being respected in an optimal way. I am convinced that the China reserved for the Olympic Games is a totally different country then the China we are not shown. Until now, Rogge has always pointed at China's promises to improve, but the practice doesn't equal the theory … It would be a good thing if Rogge had the courage to make an effort."
Last Tuesday Olympic sprinter Kim Gevaert expressed her discontent with the hosting country of the Olympic Games. "Organising the Games in a country that violates Human Rights, at first sight this cannot be and should not allowed to be."
After Belgian athletes spoke out their support yesterday, Belgium parliament party SpA has expressed their support for athletes their request. The SpA has proposed a resolution in the Brussels capital government to:
- 1. Press the BOIC (Belgiian Olympic International Committee) and IOC to speak out against the violations of human-, social-, and minorities rights in China.
- 2. Request for guarantees, through the BIOC, from the manufactures of Belgian uniforms and the Olympic merchandising, that these are being made with respect for the ILO-norms.
- 3. Encourage the BIOC to sensitise the athletes of the Belgian delegation for the principles and enforcement of the universal human rights.
Pieter van den Hoogenband's call last Wednesday has caused a stir both in and outside The Netherlands. In an interview with Dutch national newspaper Algemeen Dagblad he said:
"I have the idea that my words have struck as a bomb … I didn't expect my request would have such a big impact.
"From the hundreds of text messages and emails I received, it turns out that I have brought up an issue that lives in a wide range of people. Also in foreign countries. This really is not only limited to The Netherlands".
"As an Olympic Champion I have taken my responsibility and said what I think. It is good for everyone to think about what is happening in China."
Following Pieter van den Hoogenband's call, the Dutch parliament announced yesterday that it will hold a hearing later this month, to find out how the Human Rights situation in China can be best influenced.
Growing Protests Against Rights Abuses
China was granted the honor of hosting the Olympics only after the Chinese regime promised to amend its human rights record.
Human rights watchdogs Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have published reports showing that repression in China is actually increasing as the games approach, as the Chinese regime attempts to tightly control Beijing during the Olympics.
Journalists, people of faith including Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, and Tibetan Buddhists, human rights activists, and government critics find themselves banned, jailed, sent to labor camps, tortured and killed as Beijing cracks down on anyone who might not toe the communist line.
Also, low-income homeowners are often forcibly evicted and their property seized so it can be sold to wealthy developers. This has happened with increasing frequency since the start of the Olympic Games building project; the Chinese regime has evicted large numbers of lower-class Beijing residents and demolished to make room for Olympic Stadiums and housing for foreign athletes.
Despite China's efforts to control both its own people and the world's opinion, more and more human rights supporters are calling for Beijing to change its ways. Movie producer Steven Spielberg, actresses Uma Thurman and Mia Farrow, and former Canadian Secretary of State David Kilgour are among many who are speaking out against the Chinese regime's repressive ways.
Additional reporting by Marco 't Hoen