Excerpted from CNSNews.com:
As the 2008 Olympics approach, human rights and religious freedom advocates are urging the U.S. government to "exploit the need" China has to host a successful event and step up the pressure on Beijing to improve its record.
"A smooth and successful Olympics is paramount to China," Sharon Hom of Human Rights in China told a statutory panel on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Yet despite the fact that the games are only 18 months away, she said the communist regime's repression has been getting worse.
Hom joined representatives of four major religions and others in testifying before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which advises the executive and legislative branches on efforts to counter religious persecution around the world.
...
Hom advised the panel to use the event, along with China's desire to be a recognized and respected power in world politics, to press for improvement on religious freedom and human rights.
"Exploit this need" for a successful Olympics, she urged the panel, adding that in the lead-up to the Olympics, the struggle will get harder although there would be "windows of opportunity."
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For more information on this issue:
- HRIC Testimony:
The Many Faces of China's Repression: Human Rights, Religious Freedom, and U.S. Diplomacy in China - HRIC Campaign:
Incorporating Responsiblity 2008 (IR2008) - China Rights Forum, No.4 2006:
IR2008 Update - Ready, Set ... Preparing for the Beijing Olympics - China Rights Forum, No.3 2006:
IR2008 Update: Maximizing the Impact of CSR in China - This HRIC backgrounder explores the tensions and tractions affecting the progress of corporate social responsibility in China. - China Rights Forum, No.3 2006:
Who's Who in the Beijing Olympics - An updated chart on who is in a position of influence in the 2008 Games. - China Rights Forum, No.2 2006:
Security in Beijing 2008 and Beyond - China Rights Forum, No.1 2003:
Olympics Sponsorship--a Win-Win Deal - China Rights Forum, No.1 2003:
The Olympics as a Force for Change
