Rights groups call for boycott of Beijing 2022 games on International Olympic Day
Jun 23, 2021
Munich [Germany], June 23 : A group of campaigners representing Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, Hongkonger and Taiwanese people will hold rallies in over 60 global cities, calling on world leaders, Olympic bodies and sponsors to boycott Beijing 2022 Games.
On International Olympic Day, people from around the world will stand in solidarity to deliver the joint message that China must not be allowed to use Beijing 2022 to 'sport-wash' the genocide against the Uyghur people, and escalating repression in Tibet, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong, and China proper, and the geopolitical bullying of Taiwan.
Dolkun Isa from World Uyghur Congress said: "Olympic Day is supposed to be a day to celebrate diversity, peace, friendship and respect, but China, the next Winter Games hosts, carrying out a genocide against Uyghurs and serious crimes against Tibetans, Mongolians, Hong Kongers and others, there is no room for celebration. Instead, we urge governments, National Olympic Associations, sponsors and athletes to use Olympic Day to commit to not supporting China's heinous human rights abuses and say no to Beijing 2022."
Lhadon Tethong from Tibet Action Institute said there is simply no way the Olympics can go ahead while China is committing genocide. "In the coming months, we plan to drive up the pressure on global governments, National Olympic Committees and Olympic sponsors like NBC to do the right thing and boycott Beijing 2022."
According to a release by World Uyghur Congress, support for a boycott of Beijing 2022 has grown exponentially since activists released a joint letter to governments in September 2020. Parliaments and elected representatives from across the political divide agree that supporting the Beijing 2022 Olympics is tantamount to endorsing China's human rights abuses.
As human rights experts warned, the 2008 Summer Games led to a further crackdown on human rights and took place without any meaningful human rights due diligence.
Contrary to China's commitment to hold a "free and open" Olympic Games in 2008, Beijing continued to clamp down on the international media, and quashed all freedom of expression for Tibetans wishing to voice their opinions about the Games.
