20^th March 2008

When China won the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, the world hoped that the PRC would respect the foundation of peace, good will and sportsmanship that the Games were built on. Alas, such expectations were torpedoed last week when authorities cracked down on Tibetan demonstrators marking the 49th anniversary of the 1959 failed uprising that led to the Dalai Lama's exile in India.

The recent tragedy naturally conjured up images of 1989 when hundreds of pro-democracy activists were gunned down in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Following the same formula that was adopted in the aftermath of that massacre, China moved quickly to put forward its own version of events. They claimed that the Tibetan protests were instigated by "anti-China" forces and "separatists," and that only 16 people were killed. Other sources, however, put the death toll over 100.

As practicing Buddhists, most Tibetans do not advocate the use of violence, so the brutal crackdown on people simply asking for more freedom is particularly reproachful. China's response to the rallies showed that Hu Jintao and his cronies acted with little concern about the world's reaction. They followed the mistaken belief that the privilege of hosting the sporting event is tantamount to obtaining license to crush all forms of dissent and make sure domestic harmony reigns supreme by the time the Games begin.

Human-rights groups have been quick to condemn the slaughter in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, saying that Beijing deserves far harsher penalties from the West irrespective of the approaching spectacle. In Taiwan, people and leaders across the political spectrum also strongly condemned Beijing for once more resorting to force against peaceful demonstrators.

ROC President Chen Shui-bian told supporters in Kaohsiung last week that although China's 2005 "Anti-secession Law" was not drafted with Tibet in mind, the authorities still rolled out the tanks to suppress peaceful demonstrations that focused on freedom and human rights.

China's violent tendencies are cause for grave concern in Taiwan. People are worried that the PRC might decide to invoke the law as reason for taking on Taiwan. And with more than 1,000 missiles currently pointed at the island, there is little to suggest that the Communist nation is going to tone down its aggressive posturing.

The Olympics could have been China's chance to convince the rest of the world that China is a peaceful country ruled by civilized leaders. Instead, Beijing has squandered the opportunity, tarnishing the image of the Games in the process.