Dear friends and colleagues,

The Chinese government has sought to use the media spotlight of the Olympics to effect a dramatic turnaround in its global image. As I watched the opening ceremony, I, like billions around the world was awe-struck by the scale, technology and artistry. It now turns out that some of the spectacular fireworks were electronic simulations and that the fetching little girl who sang to the world’s cameras was, in fact, lip-synching. Minor blemishes in an otherwise faultless façade.  

The spotlight has thrown into sharp relief other cracks in the Chinese monolith. Each protest along the torch relay’s long journey, the undercurrent of resentment at growing disparity, the violence of the security crackdowns against protestors and the campaigns spotlighting China’s complicity in Burma and Sudan have all resulted in greater public attention being paid to China’s human rights record than ever before. Like the earthquake that preceded them, the Olympics could, not only shed light on a highly opaque society, but also provide momentum for growth to China’s nascent civil society.  

I cannot help feeling, however, that the rash of coverage in Western media of China’s crimes and misdemeanours might enjoy greater credibility, especially in Asia, Latin America and Africa, if they acknowledged the longer history and wider scale of similar covert support for repressive, even genocidal, regimes from the ‘democratic’ governments who now seek to criticise Chinese collusion.  

‘You did it first’ cannot and does not justify China’s current blocking or violation of UN resolutions and sanctions. It does, however, dilute the moral authority of those pressing for them and demand that they abide by the standards they seek to set. And challenges other emerging global powers to redefine the paradigms of geo-political power and influence.

With gratitude, faith and solidarity,

Ingrid Srinath,

CIVICUS Secretary General 

To send your comments, suggestions or contributions of articles to e-CIVICUS, e-mail editor@civicus.org.

For previous articles from the Secretary General, see details below: 

. View from civil society: Key political challenges for social justice in Africa

. What now, Mr. Lamy?

. "If CIVICUS didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it"

. Beyond G-8: At the table? On the table? Whose table?

. Beyond G-8: Civil society challenges

. Recalling the Day of the African child

. CIVICUS 2008 World Assembly, a unique opportunity to effect real change

. CIVICUS new Secretary General appointed. 

Back to CIVICUS Home page.