2008 Olympic Games – An Opportunity To Address Human Rights In China

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Wednesday October 10, 2007 13:23 by Torch Relay cipfgie at gmail dot com www.humanrightstorch.org

This Torch Relay initiative aims to raise awareness of China's deteriorating human rights situation in the run up Olympic Games 2008 being held in Beijing. According to Amnesty International, China has not fulfilled the promise it made when bidding for the Olympics in 2001 to improve the situation of human rights abuse.

PRESS NOTICE – For Immediate Release
CIPFG Dublin, 10 October 2007

2008 OLYMPIC GAMES – AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

The International Global Human Rights Torch Relay has passed through dozens of cities across Europe such as Athens, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Copenhagen, and will be coming to Dublin on 17 October. The Torch Relay Ceremony will be held at the top Grafton Street. Many prominent politicians, including Simon Coveney TD, Senator David Norris, Senator Joe O’Toole, Darragh O’Brien TD will be addressing the event. It is hoped that Minister of State Tony Killeen TD, who has said he will make every attempt to be there on the day, will also speak at the event.

This Torch Relay initiative aims to raise awareness of China's deteriorating human rights situation in the run up Olympic Games 2008 being held in Beijing. According to Amnesty International, China has not fulfilled the promise it made when bidding for the Olympics in 2001 to improve the situation of human rights abuse.

Ms. Patricia McKenna, Spokesperson of CIPFG, said, "If Irish athletes, politicians or dignitaries go to Beijing to participate in or support the Olympic Games 2008 without saying or doing anything about China’s failure to improve the situation with regard human rights, it means we are condoning and giving tacit support to the ongoing violations taking place there. We cannot award governments for abusing the rights of their own people and we must use this opportunity to force change in China."

The Torch Relay event on 17 Oct will start at 1:00PM. There will be speeches by politicians, experts, human rights activists, plus choir singing and band performances. At 3:00PM, torches will be run from top Grafton St to Chinese Embassy in Ballsbridge.

The Classicus Youth Chamber Choir will sing the theme song of the Global Human Rights Torch Relay. Music bands that will be performing will include T Bone Tender and the Fillets, Raggedy Soul, The Harmonic Sound, Skuzzi Port, James Guilmartin, Ro Byrne, Murder of Crowds, Earthquake Hair, Hassle Merchants, Sarah Red McQuillan, Dave Griffin, Enda De Road.

The serial events also include a forum on 16 Oct at Buswells Hotel from 7:00PM and a concert at Eamon Doran’s pub, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 from 8.30PM on 17 October.

The Dublin run of the Global Human Rights Torch Relay is co-organized by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), Human Music and China Human Rights.

Contact: Spokespersons of CIPFG (Ireland)

Ms. Patricia McKenna

Dr. Declan Lyons

Email: cipfgie@gmail.com
Web: www.humanrightstorch.org, www.cipfg.org