President George Bush toasts the Olympians at a dinner hosted in the East Room of the White House. Bush says thank you to Chairman of the Olympic Committee Peter Ueberroth, the 2008 Olympic Team and Paralympic Team, and joked that the Mayor of Chicago would host the 2016 Olympics. He said that he and Laura would be watching in Beijing and “could not wait to cheer you on.” He proposed a toast “to the Olympic athletes past and present, and to the United States of America.” [entire speech] (3:47)

 

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In a hearing from the House Armed Services Committee, James Shinn, assistant secretary for Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, urged the Chinese government to become more transparent in their governmental and military dealings. Shinn said that the Chinese people know as much as the American public about what is happening in Congress and with U.S. military, but the United States does not have a clear picture of China because they are more opaque in their actions.

Shinn outlined some things that the United States know the Chinese government is doing. The official Chinese budget is 60 billion dollars, possibly twice that, but the United States can’t be sure, the Chinese are executing a comprehensive build up of their military forces, as well as improving the training and recruitment of military personnel and their actions reflect a deliberate attempt to invest in asymmetric warfare, Shinn said. The military balance in the region is shifting to the mainland power of China, which increasingly put U.S. forces in the region at risk, Shinn said. He was also concerned that the increasing capabilities may alter their intent in their actions with other nations.

The Department of Defense and the United States government are continuing their intelligence collection on the Chinese force build up and intent. Shinn also said that the U.S. military are training, equipping and posturing forces in the Pacific, in a way that responds to shifting capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The United States is continuing to work closely with alliance partners in the region and helping them to build their military capabilities, so they won’t be swayed by the growing power of the PLA. Additionally, Shinn said that the U.S. government will engage the Chinese government at a number of levels to learn more about them, as well as signal U.S. resolve which will reduce miscalculation and build communication links in the region.

Speaking about the situation in the Taiwan Straights, Shinn said that the near-term focus for the PLA continues to be on preparing for military contingencies in the Straights and that the region has “materially increased in danger.” He also said that acting in the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. military will be maintaining their commitment to providing weapons systems as may be required to “oppose military coercion from China and the PLA. When asked about the safety and security of American athletes and spectators, Shinn said that the Chinese government hasn’t asked for U.S. military help in securing the Games, but that the Chinese government has made significant steps to make sure the Olympics will be safe for everyone.

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and Law discussed violence in Sudan and the United States’ inability to prosecute those who have committed crimes against humanity when the are in the United States. Dianne Orentlicher, a lawyer from the Open Society Justice Initiative urged the committee to promote legislation that would show strong opposition to crimes against humanity.

Orentlicher said the United States should prosecute those responsible for committing human rights violations, in particular those who currently reside in the United States. According to Orentlicher, those guilty of crimes against humanity can be prosecuted in American courts for torture or visa fraud but crimes against humanity are not currently violations of federal law. She said many Americans are unaware that these crimes are not currently punishable under U.S. law. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) noted that Salvadoran military leaders responsible for killings in El Salvador, including the deaths of four American women, currently live in Miami.

Daoud Hari, a Darfuri refugee who currently lives in Maryland, described his experience as a villager and translator to the committee. In his testimony, Hari asked Congress to pressure the Department of State to allow more Darfuri refugees to gain asylum in the United States. Currently, the United States has granted four other Darfuri refugees residence. Hari also asked the United States to fund the UN World Food Programme’s efforts in the region.

Olympic gold medalist and co-founder of Team Darfur Joey Cheek discussed his organizations call for an Olympic Truce, an effort that would promote peace during the Olympic Games through international reconciliation and dialogue. Cheek said that youth are offended by the actions of the Sudanese government and disturbed that mass killings continue to occur knowingly.

In light China’s decision to allow the Olympic torch to pass through Tibet, Sharon Hom, the executive director of Human Rights in China, says that the International Olympic Committee has an obligation to oversee the actions of a host country. (0:41)

 

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The summer Olympics and human rights in China were discussed at an event held by the National Endowment for Democracy. Panelists discussed a number of topics including China’s reluctance to permit an open media, response to opposition in Tibet, the Sichuan earthquake, and international pressure that calls for a more transparent Chinese government.

According to Sharon Hom, the executive director of Human Rights in China, assurances from Chinese officials that the Olympics would be a catalyst for increased democratization have largely been forgotten. Hom said that defenders of human rights continue to disappear or be jailed throughout China. She also added that the (International Olympic Committee) IOC has an obligation to oversee decisions made by an Olympic’s host country and should not buckle to the desires of the host as the IOC recently did in Athens by permitting the Olympic Torch Relay to pass through Tibet, an action she considers “provocative.” Sophie Richardson, the media director of Human Rights Watch, said that the numbers of dead from the earthquake in Sichuan province and riots in Tibet are still unknown due to the lack of a free press.

Richardson said China not only lacks democracy but also continues to support regimes that find little support worldwide. Richardson believes that governments in Zimbabwe and Myanmar still exist thanks to Chinese support. Richardson continued, saying that involving itself in foreign affairs contradicts China’s policy of noninterference.

Minky Worden, the editor of “China’s Great Leap: The Beijing Games and Olympian Human Rights Challenges” said that Olympic sponsors are unwilling to address human rights violations in China and thus contradict the actions of the Chinese government. She said the Olympic torch’s presence in Tibet is bad publicity for the three sponsors of the relay: Coca Cola, Lenovo, and Samsung. Richardson also said that defenders of human rights in China look outside of their country for support and that President Bush has an obligation to speak against certain Chinese policies.

A passionate news conference to condemn human rights abuses by China only 99 days before they host the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing was held today., The news conference included speeches by prominent senators such as Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), and human rights activists from organizations including SaveDarfur.org and Amnesty International.

The crowd, activists, and each of the speakers was incredibly passionate about protesting the United States’ involvement in the Olympic games. The press conference’s attendees called for President Bush to not attend the opening ceremonies, and described the Chinese as oppressive people, who violate human rights and are the biggest supporters of the genocidal Sudanese government in the world. (more…)

At the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 Hearing, Representative Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), said there are many developments in the present that were of concern. At the top of the list, she said, is the “accelerating spread of the capacity to make nuclear weapons.” She said the threat to the world’s security is obvious, and said the nuclear fuel in a reactor can be used in “dirty bombs.” (more…)