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Beijing sets up protest zones
23/07/2008 20:06 - (SA)
Beijing - Beijing will set up specially designated zones for protesters during next month's Olympics, a security official said on Wednesday, in a sign China's authoritarian government may allow some demonstrations during the games.
Areas in at least three public parks near outlying sporting venues have been set aside for use by demonstrators, said Liu Shaowu, director for security for the Beijing Olympic organising committee.
It was not clear how easy access would be to enter the zones. Liu and Beijing police would not say if special permission would be needed.
A human rights campaigner criticised the move as cosmetic, comparing the protest areas to fishbowls, and Beijing has already refused visa requests for known foreign activists.
Modest amount of protest
But the remarks were the first public confirmation that Beijing may tolerate a modest amount of protest at an Olympics that the government hoped would be flawless, boosting its popularity at home and China's image abroad.
"This will allow people to protest without disrupting the Olympics," said Ni Jianping, director of the Shanghai Institute of American Studies, who lobbied Chinese leaders to set up the protest zones.
Worries about terrorist attacks, both from international groups and Muslim separatists from western China, and about protests of any kind have prompted the normally vigilant government to impose one of the broadest security clampdowns in years.
The overall effect is that while Beijing looks cheerful, with colourful Olympic banners and new signs, the city feels tense.
"No fun" Olympics
Beijing residents complain about intrusive identification checks and restrictions on private vehicles. Some have dubbed the games the "no fun" Olympics.
Liu, the security official, said police were trying to strike a balance between the need for safety and the desire for festiveness.
"We truly do want to preserve the festive and joyful atmosphere of the Olympic venues," Liu told a news conference. "At the same time we want to reduce the impact security has on daily life."
Liu also reiterated that Chinese regulations require that all protesters apply and receive permission in advance, though he sidestepped questions about whether that included the special zones. Ni, the Shanghai scholar, said that Chinese protesters may be allowed only in the rather far World Park, not in the other venues.
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