Beijing Olympics: Exiled Tibetans organise bike rallies for boycott of Winter Games

Over the last several weeks, a flurry of long-distance bike rallies have taken place, lobbying for and calling for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, due to human rights violations in China, ANI reported. Bike rallies have become increasingly popular in recent years, from touring the Himalayan border states along the Indo-Tibetan frontiers to cross-country motorcycling from Bangalore to Delhi. On December 10, the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) Delhi, began its cross-country bike tour from Bangalore to Delhi in support of the boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 due to human rights violations.

The campaign's main goal, according to the press statement, is to "call upon and appeal to the basic human conscience of all the people and boycott Beijing Olympic 2022 as an expression of solidarity with people in Tibet, Xinjiang, South Mongolia and Hong Kong who are suffering under Chinese repression and oppression."

Sonamling Tibetan Settlement Freedom Support Group also organised a bike rally from Leh to Kardung La Pass along the Indo-Tibetan border, praising Enes Kanter Freedom for his support and advocating for a boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympics. 

Pakistan backs his ally

Moreover, despite the fact that the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Lithuania, and Canada have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Pakistan has backed its all-weather ally, saying the games will be a spectacular and colourful gala for sports enthusiasts all over the world. During a weekly media conference, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar Ahmad voiced Islamabad's trust in China's ambition to hold the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games in protest of China's treatment of Turkic Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities, as well as civil society and human rights activists. Furthermore, New Zealand has also stated that it had already informed Beijing that it would not be sending any officials owing to pandemic travel restrictions but had also expressed its concerns about human rights.

According to a foreign ministry official on Tuesday, France has 'well noted' the US decision to diplomatically boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and would talk with European partners on the next move. China, for its part, has rejected the diplomatic boycott as a useless move that goes against the Olympic spirit but has also threatened retaliation. The Beijing Winter Olympics will take place from February 4 to February 20, 2022.

(With inputs from ANI)

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