HOW EASILY WE LOSE A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE

This photo is of Jokhang Square in Lhasa just 3 days ago. The harmless looking policeman shown here were, it appears from what tourists report, a publicity exercise as opposed to the real hard men in the background who arrested a number of Sera monks. This link is to a blog of someone who was there:-
http://steve.ulrike.stivi.be/english/list.php?LijstNr=2&Item=55

This is a personal blog, and I am well aware that my views will upset some people. Fortunately, we live in a free society, and I would like to think that free speech is alive and well too – not so sure about that!
It’s almost impossible to know where to turn or who to turn to when the subject of human rights abuse is discussed. Without wishing to lessen the importance of the case, there is much coverage at the moment of Mehdi Kazemi – the young gay Iranian who’s deportation from The Netherlands to the U.K. is imminent.
If only his was the only case; but human rights must be kept in perspective, and no one case should be allowed to detract long term from the bigger picture. There are many people fighting his case, including me, and i have no desire to lessen the impoertance of what they are doing; but we musr never develop tunnel vision when it comes to human rights.
Without lessening the importance of other issues, I have been thinking about Tibet, and the prevailing acquiescence amongst the international community. Bjork spoke out during her concert, and I admire her for doing so.
Yet the international community, (especially large conglomerates who sponsor and profit from the Olympics), have little regard for a small country that China chose to occupy, and occupy without valid legal grounds.
China hopes that the staging of the Olympics will signal its emergence as a world power. This may well happen, and they will not be the first world power to scorn human rights – history is littered with nations that have made a mockery of the subject, and there is no reason the 21st century should be any different. China, in my opinion, is a far larger abuser of human rights than Cuba. And yet, the “West” snuggles up to China as its bed mate purely for financial reasons, while treating Cuba as a pariah, (the USA especially).
I am no babe in the woods, and know that business and profit make the world go round; but surely it is not asking too much that any company, no matter how big and powerful, has certain ethical principles? How long have companies such as Nestle and Maxwell House used the poor growers? The situation there has changed somewhat, and I like to think it is as a result of international public pressure.
One company I admire and applaud is the British Co-Op group. They started buying direct from the coffee and cocoa growers before it became fashionable – before it was “good business practice” to do so.
I will write more on Tibet soon. Having a scientist’s mind, I like to make sure of my facts first.
See ya