Jakarta Torch Relay TOTAL DISASTER, More Embarrassment for China and IOC

Jakarta has brought more shame on China as the Beijing Olympics of Shame's Torch Relay yet again is met with protests, and little public interest. To protect the shamed torch, Jakarta police had beefed up security, including high pressure water jets, and moved the torch to a closed, secured by invite only location...the event was POORLY ATTENDED.

Rally precedes Olympic torch run in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Torch bearers ran laps with the Olympic flame in front of an invitation-only crowd Tuesday after Indonesia barred the public from witnessing the relay at a stadium amid pressure from China.

Police arrested several demonstrators rallying outside the gates and seized Tibetan flags and banners in a further stain to a global run that Beijing had hoped would drum up support for the August Games.

Criticism of China's human rights record has turned this year's event into one of the most contentious in recent history. Protests against the government's deadly crackdown on rioters in Tibet has dogged stops in Greece, Paris, London and San Francisco.

Many countries across Asia responded by sharply modifying routes and boosting security, with water cannons and 3,000 police officers deployed in the Indonesian capital Tuesday. A handful of torch bearers — most recently in Australia and South Korea — have also announced plans to boycott the relay.

The staged event in Jakarta was not televised live, apparently because no station was prepared to pay for the rights.

Protests begin in Indonesia ahead of Olympic torch run E-mail Save Print

By Zakki Hakim, Associated Press Writer JAKARTA, Indonesia — Police briefly detained at least eight people and seized flags from pro-Tibet activists Tuesday during a rowdy demonstration against the Olympic torch relay in Indonesia. Water cannons and 3,000 officers were deployed around the main sports stadium in the bustling capital, Jakarta, where the parade was held before a small, invitation-only crowd, said deputy police chief Herri Wibowo. Jakarta's governor started the relay, becoming the first of 80 torchbearers to follow a route that circled the stadium five times instead of running through the streets of Jakarta as originally planned. The Chinese Embassy had insisted the Jakarta relay be shortened and open only to 5,000 invited guests, many of them local school children. The only other country to make the event invite-only so far was Pakistan, which cited security fears. "I am excited to witness history," said Andrea Putri, 15. "This kind of thing does not happen every day."

Jiang Xiaoyu Calls For Tibetan Statehood In Jakarta

In wished for news, Jiang Xiaoyu executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), walks out of the cabin with the lantern which holds the Olympic flame at the airport in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, April 22, 2008 and calls on China to GRANT TIBET THEIR FREEDOM. Jiang Yu upon hearing the news peed herself and has gone into seclusion at a nondisclosed location. Nationalist Netizens took to the Internet in droves calling Jian Xiaoyu a traitor to China. Nepal Army troops have been given the order to shoot Jiang Xiaoyu on site. Jacques Rogge of the IOC applauded the announcement, exclaiming the news might be just enough to bring Coke back on board as a sponsor.

More Torch Relay Shame For China This Week and Other Olympic News

This week could be a devastating week for an already shamed and disgraced China and their government. News of the governments planned Political Education Program (torture and abuse) is only going to fan already out of control anger at China and its Olympic Torch. To make matters worse, the Flame of Shame is slated to travel through two serious hot spots this week in Jakarta and Canberra Australia...expect potential serious trouble in both spots, including a full out assault on the torch to simply kill the beast as it were. As it is, the route in Jakarta has been greatly shortened, Beijing pressuring Jakarta to shorten the route in the hopes a shorter route will allow security to better protect the torch...don't be so sure. Below are some important factoids and news links on the Beijing Olympics as they slide into the disaster zone. By the way...a note to China and it's marketing arm. The rest of the world really does not like your mascots, nor the cutsy 12 year old child memorbilia being created as souverniers for the games. A perfect example of this is the HORRID 100 day song now out for public disgrace.

Important Factoid found in Asia News source that people foolishing planning on attending the Olympics should be aware of-Meanwhile, to add to the drama, the Chinese authorities said today they have uncovered a plot to kidnap athletes and foreign journalists during the Games. The Ministry of Public Security said 35 people have been arrested. It claimed that the banned Uygher organization the East Turkestan Islamic Movement was behind the alleged plot.

Olympic Torch Jakarta

Guide Note: The Olympic Torch Relay is scheduled to pass through Jakarta on April 22, 2008. The event was originally planned to follow a 10 mile course through the center of the city, but the route has been shortened following security concerns and pressure from China. There have been anti-Chinese riots in Jakarta as recently as 1998. Officials are also concerned that the event may attract Tibetan Independence activists, whose Protests created a major impediment to the progress of the relay in Paris and San Francisco. Notice here, that is it CHINA that has shortened the torch route...that is a matter of GREAT SHAME for the Chinese people, proof that they cannot protect the flame from a few hundred protesters, let along protect China from the world. So much for their supposed military might.

Fast Facts:

1. Scheduled for April 22, 2008
   
2. Originally planned to follow a 10 mile course
   
3. Route will now follow a path in and around the city's main stadium
   
4. Shortened over security concerns
   
5. Ant-Chinese riots broke out in Jakarta in 1998

• Also try: Olympic Torch Relay Olympic Torch Protest

Olympic Torch Jakarta News

• Google News: Olympic Torch Jakarta
  
• Antara News (Indonesia): Asian Governments Brace for Firebrand Olympic Torch Relay (April 17, 2008)
  
  
  
  • "Indonesia, a country which has a recent history of anti-Chinese riots (the latest of which trashed Jakarta's Chinatown in 1998), has agreed to significantly shorten its leg of the Olympic torch run following a request by Beijing over security concerns."
  
  
• Agence France-Presse: Olympic Torch Heads to Asia, Bringing Security Headache (April 15, 2008)
  
• Xinhua News: Olympic Torch Relay Cannot Be Used for Political Propaganda (April 11, 2008)
  
  
  
  • "Indonesian National Sport Committee chairperson Rita Subowo said on Friday that the international Olympic Torch Relay cannot be used for disseminating political propaganda, as it was against the Olympic Charter."
  
  
• The Jakarta Post: Indonesia to Shorten Olympic Torch Route After Chinese Pressure (April 10, 2008)
  
• Xinhua News: Over 1,500 Policemen to Oversee Olympic Torch Relay in Indonesia (April 9 2008)

Australians urging protesters not to target Olympic torch relay

The Associated Press , Canberra Tue, 03/25/2008 6:05 PM Sports The Australian government is pissing in the wind. Canberra could be the straw that breaks the camel's back as Pro-Tibetan protesters clash with the Nationalistic Pride of the Ex Pat community in Australia...I always say, if you love China so much, buy yourself a airplane ticket and head back to your oppressive Motherland.

Australia's senior Olympic official is urging political demonstrators not to target the Beijing Games amid global moves to bolster scurity for the torch relay following protests in Ancient Olympia.

A protester evaded tight security, ran behind Beijing Olympic chief Liu Qi, and held up a black banner showing the Olympic rings as handcuffs at the traditional lighting of the flame in Greece on Monday.

In other statements against China's human rights policies and crackdown in Tibet, three men advocating press freedom evaded massive security and ran onto the field at the ceremony in Ancient Olympia before they were seized by police.

And a Tibetan woman covered in fake blood briefly blocked the path of the torch relay.

"I think the Olympic Games are a cause and an agent for good, not a panacea for ills," former International Olympic Committee vice president Kevan Gosper, vice chairman of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the Beijing Games, said.

Protests are expected to coincide with the torch's arrival in the Australian capital on April 24.

"We will use the focus on Canberra and the torch to highlight the current situation in Tibet and to call for the torch not to go ... through Tibet and up Mount Everest," Australia Tibet Council executive officer Paul Bourke told the Australian Associated Press.

Bourke said protesters would travel from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for the protest action.

"Tibet is virtually under a state of undeclared martial law and we don't believe it's appropriate to be taking the torch through Tibet at that time."

The Australian Capital Territory's chief minister John Stanhope is proposing high security when the flame is in Canberra during its 130-day journey to the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies in Beijing.