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Running Out the Clock on Protest Zones and More

by Josh Gerstein
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 at 4:21 AM

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With the Olympics now more than half over, it seems Chinese officials are intent on running out or at least running down the clock on long-standing press questions about "protest zones" as well as queries about why a Tibetan-American journalist was denied a visa to cover the Games.

At a news briefing on Monday, attempts to get information about the number of applications made, granted, and denied for use use of the protest zones, once again struck out. "Sorry, I still have not got any answer but I have conveyed the questions to the relevant authorities," the secretary-general and executive vice president of the Beijing Olympic organizing committee, Wang Wei, said. "This matter is completely that of the city and the government security matter."

Mr. Wang did say he expects an answer soon, but with daily briefings for the press abruptly cancelled, the next scheduled session is Wednesday, just four days before the Olympics close.

The question about the protest zones was first raised at a news conference last Wednesday, in the wake of reports that no actual protests had taken place in the designated areas and that several people seeking to file applications to protest had been arrested. A Beijing Olympic official promised an answer within a day, but no statistics have been forthcoming.

The International Olympic Committee, in its understated way, showed a tad more interest yesterday in getting answers, though to say the sporting body publicly expressed concern would be an exaggeration. "It's true that we do sit here with questions, understandable, being put by various parties including the media, not answered, and from the IOC's perspective we would like to like to see those questions answered very much and we encourage as much transparency as possible on this matter," a spokeswoman for the IOC, Giselle Davies, said.

When a reporter pressed Mr. Wang about a specific applicant who was reportedly arrested and forcibly removed from Beijing after trying to apply to use one of the protest parks, Ge Yifei, the Beijing Olympic official offered no specifics, but launched into a defense of China's legal system. "I think the Olympic Games are all about sport. It is about the Olympic spirit. It is not a political platform," he said. "As far as this issue is concern, it's all due to the lack of understanding of the situation in China. China has its own style of democracy....I think the friends of the media have to be patient, wherever country you go, you have to respect the country's system. You have to respect how the country deals with these issues."

There was also no new information forthcoming Monday on the status of the attempt by a broadcast service funded by the American Government, Radio Free Asia, to send a Tibetan-American, Dhondup Gonsar, to cover the games. Mr. Gonsar was accredited by the U.S. Olympic Committee and cleared for a credential, but the Chinese Foreign Ministry has failed to issue visa clearance for him. The utility of any permission for Mr. Gonsar to cover the Olympics is clearly dwindling, as the Games wind down.

"The approval of visa is something to do with the authority of the hosting country. They also have the right not to disclose the information on this matter," Mr. Wang said defensively.

"Our understand is the case is still pending," Ms. Davies said Monday. She said the IOC would like more information from Chinese officials about the hold up, but none has been offered.

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