Group protests rights abuse in China

Dozens of local activists held a mock Olympic torch relay parade outside the Chinese consulate in Makati City yesterday, protesting against what they called political repression in China.

Carrying placards saying “No to Political Harassment,”    the protesters marched behind a man in running gear and holding a symbol of an Olympic torch, but were blocked by a group of anti-riot police officers outside the consulate building.

“We hope that the Chinese government will really address issues of internet censorship, arrest of peaceful protesters, as well as summary execution,” Aurora Parong, a leader of the Amnesty International chapter in the Philippines, told reporters.

“We would like to appeal to the Chinese government to choose human rights as a legacy of the Beijing Olympics.”

Yesterday’s protest action was staged 100 days before the opening of the Beijing Olympics in August as AI members around the world also gathered to remind the Chinese government of the commitment they made during the bidding process for the Olympics that the human rights situation in China would improve.

Some legs of the Olympics torch relay have been marred by protests in Athens, Paris, San Francisco and Nagano in Japan.

Thousands of Australians joined a pro-Beijing rally to drown out anti-China protests while pro-China supporters clashed with some South Korean protesters in Seoul.

In Hong Kong, authorities have barred would-be Olympic torch parade protesters as several groups, including “Free Tibet” activists, are aiming to protest as the torch passes through the territory on Friday.   – Michael Punongbayan