Harsh realities, #1

China blocks activist from jail visits by attorneys:

An open letter signed by 57 people, mostly activists and writers, called Hu’s detention “unacceptable” and demanded that he be released immediately.

The signatories urged the government “to make good use of the opportunity to make the Olympics a truly grand event for the Chinese nation by opening the door of social reconciliation” and proving that it has made efforts to improve human rights.

IMHO, if athletes from most of the participating nations turn up and compete anyway, even if they or their governments make noises about human rights and dissidents’ detentions being unacceptable, the Chinese government will have proved their point — hardly anyone really cares about these activists, and the ones who do don’t have the power to do anything about it.

• 8 Jan 2008

• Thinking