The Beijing Olympics ‘One Dream, One Nightmare’: Protest in London, 8 August 2008
Via a ZimVigil Press release:
Four countries trashed by China are to stage a joint demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in London on Friday 8th August to mark the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing,
Representatives of Burma, Sudan, Tibet and Zimbabwe will lay flowers outside the Embassy in mourning for the deaths of millions of victims of dictators supported by China.
The demonstration will start at 10 am and there will be a media presentation at 11 am when the Zimbabwean, Burmese and Sudanese dictators will be seen bowing down to a figure representing China. The realistic masks used were widely shown at the Europe / Africa summit in Lisbon last December.
The link is that all four countries are victims of China’s use of its veto in the UN Security Council to protect human rights abusers.
The demonstration will culminate at 13.08 when the Tibetan flag will be raised, accompanied by the national anthems of the four countries. We will be joined the Falun Gong who have been protesting in support of freedom outside the Chinese Embassy for many years.
Contacts:
Tibet Society: Philippa Carrick 020 7272 1414
Burma Democratic Concern: Myo Thein, 020 8493 9137, 07877 882 386
Zimbabwe Vigil: Rose Benton, 07970 996 003, 07932 193 467, Dumi Tutani 07950 039 775
Sudan Organisation against Torture: 020 7625 8055
Venue: Outside RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 6AD (opposite Chinese Embassy)
Underground: Regents Park, Great Portland Street, Oxford Circus
August 6th, 2008 12:05
Sokwanele, here’s hoping you will be able to get hold of the picture of the masked figure representing Mugabe bowing down/kneeling before the Chinese figure, and post it on This is Zimbabwe.
August 6th, 2008 17:56
I applaud those organizing the 8th August protest. I would urge that as many people as possible initiate their own personal online campaign, via email, suggesting that friends and family etc don’t watch any of the Olympics on T.V. - Email your friends and family a personal commitment to make your own personal boycott in this way and state clearly your reasons why - eg. China’s ongoing support for Mugabe and his thugs! And I would further suggest anybody participating copy their email also to the Olympic Organizing Committee in China (2008@beijing2008.cn) and the Chinese foreign ministry (info@mfa.gov.cn).
Peoples power can be mobilized online!
August 7th, 2008 09:48
The power of the media is focussed IN China right now, but let’s hope that at least the BBC, Reuters and the Independent Television News will cover what is happening on their doorstep.
I read an article in an economics magazine that states by 2010 China will effectively ‘own’ 60% of the resources of continental Africa. That is devastating as I don’t think the influx of money ever reaches the ordinary people.
In Zimbabwe, it is incomprehensible that the Chinese are now paying more for the copper, but the people are even having their ‘nothings’ taken away. With that statement I mean that the currency has become so devalued that even the zeros are chopped by the ten from the notes. That’s ‘milliards’ or ‘billions’ of devaluation.
Let us hope that enough attention can be focussed on the embassy.
The BBC’s Broadcasting House is at the end of Portland Place/Regent Street. Perhaps a relay of placards might get their attention.
The Peoples of Tibet, Burma, Sudan and Zimbabwe have a common cause for concern - China.
It may not happen soon enough, but there will be a time when these Human Rights atrocities will only be history. This protest could help that day arrive sooner.
If you can, exercise the free rights you enjoy to protect the rights of others.
August 9th, 2008 06:58
How about one for Palestine people as well, and Chechens, and Kashmiris, and Thai Malayians, and Iraqis, and Afghanis where people are actually dying instead of dying for freedom … I think not … no one complained in West when Bosnians were ethnically cleansed.