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Olympic pressure mounting for Beijing
by Michelle Minnoch

Last week, Beijing officially launched their one year countdown to the 2008 Olympics.

In 2001, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced China was getting the games, officials thought it would help to steer China in a certain direction, and issues such as human rights would not dominate the headlines so close to the coveted games.

Well, the IOC need not worry, as human rights is one of many issues facing the communist country and taking the spotlight.

One of the biggest obstacles, as far as the eye can (or can not) see, is the pollution problem. Chinese officials have said that during the games certain factories would shut down or move to another location while the games were underway. With a poor air quality index and people buying cars in droves, it seems as though this Olympic band-aid solution may fray at the edges.

Organizers are planning a tree planting bonanza, and will plant new trees in 70 per cent of Beijing mountainous area. Another 12,000 hectares will be see tree planting, as the goal is to have 43 per cent green coverage in the urban area. Although this can be seen as a great effort, one would have assumed the tree planting would have started in 2001, when the Beijing games were announced.

Meanwhile, the quality of water in China does not currently meet WHO standards and by 2008, Beijing is hoping to treat 2.8 million tonnes of sewage per day.

Regarding the human rights issue, Amnesty International believes that 7,500 to 8,000 people were executed in 2006 for murder and other crimes. China has reviewed this number and has vowed to "kill fewer and kill carefully".

Good to know.

Of course, Freedom of Speech and Expression is something we experience and muzzling the press during such a high profile world event would not make Beijing look like the next place to plan your vacation. After all, according to a report from the Committee to protect Journalists, China imprisons more journalists than any other country.

With posh hotels being constructed as we speak for the event, thousands are being displaced and evacuated from their homes to make space for the international community. It has been estimated that by 2008, over 1.5 million Chinese will have been displaced from their residences. You have to wonder if they have considered what to do when their homelessness rate shoots up.

And when members of the IOC stated last week that some activities may have to be suspended due to the air quality and the effect it would have on the athletes, well the Chinese started seeing...red.

Bring on the games?