Kingston Proclaims Human Rights Torch Relay Day

WONG:
Moving onto Canada where the Human Rights Torch was lit for the 115th time on Sunday. After arriving in Toronto on Saturday, it arrived the city of Kingston, Canada. Our Canadian team has more.

[Mark Gerresten, Kingston City Councilor]:
"The City of Kingston proclaims May 18th as Human Rights Torch Relay Day in the City of Kingston."

The event gathered tens of participants and guest speakers to draw attention on China's worsening human rights record. Launched by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, the Human Rights Torch Relay highlights the abuses such as the increasing number of arrest of Falun Gong practitioners in the run-up to the Olympic Games, the crackdown on Tibetans and other abuses by the communist party, such as its involvement in Zimbabwe, North Korea and Sudan.

Randy Hillier, Member of Provincial Parliament, condemned human rights abuses in China and stressed that the Communist Party refuses to allow freedom in order to keep its control.

[Randy Hilier, Member of Provincial Parliament]:
"I learned many years ago that birds of a feather flock together and that if you tolerate dishonesty, you bread liars. If you tolerate theft you create thieves and if you tolerate corruption you deserve tyranny. I do not tolerate the intolerable and I will not flock with the vultures. People are free and must never accept of tolerate the removals of freedoms and rights from others, for the same faith will follow us."

[Randy Hilier, Member of Provincial Parliament]:
"And my wish is only that. That China would respect people's freedom of speech and expression and thought. That they would guarantee and protect freedom of association, a free press."

Rabbi Elkin stressed the importance that native Chinese people take a stand for an improvement of human rights conditions in China.

[Rabbi Daniel Elkin, Kingston Rabbi]:
"In the Bible it says [Hebrew words]. Jewish people have to be especially sensitive to people that are persecuted, to strangers, to people that are vulnerable."

With the Olympics less than three months away, the pressure faced by the communist regime continues to increase. And while protesters say that human rights violations and the Olympics cannot coexist, the question is, will the Olympic spirit be achieved under the communist regime.

Arnaud Camu, NTD, Kingston.

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News & Politics

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