With a sole objective to raise their voices against China during 2008 Olympics in Beijing, 24 cyclist of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) kicked off a rally here today.
Rally was flagged off by senior BJP leader and former MP Satya Pal Jain at Punjab University. Greame Moben, a documentary filmmaker from Scotland, is also taking part in this seven-day cycle rally. The cyclists are being supported by 15 crew members.
A total distance of 260 km will be covered by the cyclists in seven days to convey their message of “boycott 2008 Olympics in China”. The organisers are also initiating a signature campaign during the rally to garner support for their mission.
The rally will culminate at Jantar-Mantar in New Delhi. On reaching Delhi, the cyclists will hand over the people’s appeal to the office of the International Olympics Committee.
Tenzin Norsang, president, RTYC Chandigarh, said the fundamental principles of the Olympic charter seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort. The educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principle and to place sport at the service of harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
The games symbolising the victory of humanity as family thrusts a moral responsibility not only on sports fraternity but also upon the entire world , to promote the ideas of the Olympic movement, he said, adding that the lofty ideals that the olympic movement espouses have been dishonoured with IOC’s decision to grant Beijing the distinction to host 2008 Olympic Games.
In spite of the hollow promises of engagements and improvement, China remains a one-party authoritarian state that lacks legitimacy, does not hold national elections, has no independent judiciary, leads the world in execution and aggressively censors news media and Internet.