EU Weighs Olympic Boycott Over Tibet

As protesters in Tibet plead for religious freedom and other human rights from Chinese authorities, China insists that the Dalai Lama is the troublemaker, trying to disrupt plans for the August Beijing Olympics. But that claim has not convinced Europe, whose leaders call for restraint and point out that the Dalai Lama did not call for an Olympics boycott, reports Robert Marquand for the Christian Science Monitor. Assessing the conflict in Tibet from afar, European leaders make no promises about attending the international games. The question for Europe “is how to balance appreciation for the progress China has made with concern about the heavy handed tactics of an unelected government that has long eschewed any dialogue with those disagreeing with it,” writes Marquand. Economic progress in China is largely due to increased foreign trade, including that with European partners. Activists present the Olympics as a symbol of the world’s acceptance of Chinese practices. Meanwhile, supporters of Tibet independence regard international interest, including the Dalai Lama’s meetings with world leaders and other honors, as an endorsement of their cause. Activists in the West, protesters in Tibet and the Chinese government may agree on one point: Europe cannot easily socialize with a country while hurling accusations about human-rights violations. – YaleGlobal