Australia takes a stand for human rights in Tibet

MEDIA RELEASE

8 December 2021

Australia Tibet Council welcomes the announcement today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that Australia will join in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Australia Tibet Council welcomes the announcement today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that the Australian Government will boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and we call on all like-minded governments to do the same or risk endorsing China’s gross human rights abuses.   

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a commitment to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Games in a statement today confirming that no Australian dignitaries or officials will attend the opening or closing ceremonies due to the Chinese government’s ongoing human rights abuses.

This statement of courage and leadership is a testament to the tireless work of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hongkongers, Southern Mongolians, Taiwanese and Chinese people, among others, who have been working tirelessly to urge governments, sponsors, and broadcasters to withdraw support for Beijing 2022. 

Not only does this high profile move show solidarity with impacted communities, who have faced the momentous escalation of repression that followed the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, it also sets an example for other governments to follow. 

This is an important first step in ensuring that the international community stops legitimising the Chinese government’s genocide and crimes against humanity; we continue to urge governments around the world to take further bilateral and multilateral action.

A number of Australian Parliamentarians have spoken out about the need for strong action in the form of a diplomatic boycott of these Winter Olympics in Beijing such as; Senator Kimberly Kitching, Senator James Patterson, Senator Janet Rice, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Rex Patrick and others – showing this action has cross-party support.

“The diplomatic Boycott is an important statement in the struggle for justice for Tibetan people,” says Zoe Bedford of the Australia Tibet Council. “These games have been dubbed the genocide-games because of the millions of Uyghurs imprisoned by the CCP, because of China’s crackdown in Hong Kong, because of China disappearing Chinese citizens like Peng Shuai who speak out against CCP officials, and because of the repression in Tibet – which has been suffering under CCP occupation since 1950.”

“Tibetan people are suffering under occupation and oppression because of the Chinese Government. The Australian Government has now shown that they will not be complicit with China’s ‘sportswashing’ of their human rights record,” says Dr Zoe Bedford – ATC’s Executive Officer.