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China's control of the public dissent during the Beijing Winter Olympics is a testimony to the power and grip of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the country.
With no news of anti-Beijing demonstrations ahead of the Winter Olympics-2022 as compared to 2008 the scenario shows the effectiveness of increasing Chinese control in mainland China, Tibet, Xinjiang and South Mongolia. the 2008-Olympics can be judged from the fact that more than 155 Tibetan youths, monks and nuns have taken to the extreme step of self-immolation. Endless demonstrations at Chinese embassies broke out in 2001 with the proposal for Beijing as the venue for the 2008-Olympics. The protests went on till the last leg of the Olympic torch's run from Athens to Beijing in 2008. However, this time around China has managed to control public dissent in every way possible. Another thing to note is that in 2008 the demonstrations were so widespread and massive that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was compelled to give up the practice of carrying the Olympic Torch through all major capitals on its way to the new venue, reported the Singapore Post. Not so much alike this time as IOC President Thomas Bach "went out of their way to shield Xi and his security apparatus from any international criticism on the human rights record of the Chinese government." In the run-up to the Winter Olympics, there was only one small demonstration by human rights activists from Europe and America during the torch ceremony at Acropolis in Greece on 18th October 2021. All of this has contributed to protecting the Chinese government image and saved the country from any adverse international publicity. Ahead of the 2008 Olympics, more than 125 public demonstrations of Tibetans were held in 54 towns and cities, most of them outside what China calls as 'Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)'. In August, the same year these events had left over a hundred Tibetans shot dead and thousands arrested. (ANI)
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