India braces for protests during Olympic torch relay

India braces for protests during Olympic torch relay
By Gavin Rabinowitz, Associated Press Writer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_re_as/olympic_torch;_ylt=Ah6RrPcNlLIquceOlAmL6U5vaA8F Wed Apr 16, 4:20 PM ET

Summary: In New Delhi, India thousands of police are patrolling the streets against anti-China protests. For the Olympic torch relay. This occurred on Thursday in the world’s largest Tibetan exile communities. Surrounding the Chinese Embassy this week 100 Tibetan exiles protested against China holding the Olympics. Even though many were taken away by police they still managed to spray paint the words “No Olympics in China.” The community of 100,000 Tibetan exiles in India have been staging multiple protests almost everyday since the first protests in March. The exiles think that the torch run through India is the perfect chance to make a statement. The Dalai Lama the exiles Buddhist leader does not agree and actually supports China holding the Olympics. Thousands of these Tibetans were heading to New Delhi to spread the word of their protests, and urged Indian athletes to boycott the torch relay and wear “Free Tibet” T-shirts. These protests are peaceful, but some exiles what to take it a step further, their plan is to douse the Olympic flame. In other countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, Argentina, Tanzania, Oman and Pakistan have all been successful runs and trouble-free. Analysts think that with India having good relationships with China at this moment need to make sure that these uprisings don’t jeopardize its relationship with China.

A) This article relates to the AP World History Theme of State-building, expansion and conflict because of the conflict between Tibetan exiles and China. These two nations have been in multiple fights, but with the Olympics soon approaching and the Olympic torch being passed around the many countries India is also getting involved. While India has good relations with China, many Tibetans reside in India and are creating many protests.

B) Torchbearers have been carrying the Beijing Olympic flame from Greece all the way to China. This will take 130 days and the torch will be carried 137,000 km. On Thursday the 11th leg of its global journey begins. 70 torchbearers will cover a distance of just 2.5 kilometers from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. These journeys are occasionally disrupted by protests regarding China's human rights record, and the ongoing unrest in Tibet. The path of the torch had to be changed on several occasions, with the torch being extinguished by the organizers several times during the Paris leg.

C) The point of view in this article is a male named Gavin Rabinowitz who is an Associated Press Writer. His nationality is unknown and he is an outsider, who is not involved in any of the actual events occurring.

D) This article may have a point of view that impacts the information. It is possible that the author does not side with all that the Tibetan exiles are doing when he uses harsh words like “threatened” when talking about the Tibetan protests against the Olympics that occur daily. He may not be siding with them and exaggerating some points about their protests.

E) The point of view that is missing from this article is a torch runner. I think knowing how an actual Olympic torch runner feels battling these protests and if he/she feels that they are threatening and should be stopped. It would also be good to learn what he/she feels about having people disturb the ceremonial run.

F) Personally I understand why these protests are going on, and I think that China does need to improve human rights and free Tibet. I also think the protests are worthwhile, but in the long run I think it will not change the location of this year’s Olympics. To much planning has already occurred and much of the torch running has already been completed. Also I think that it is wrong to attempt to douse the flame since it is ceremonial and that can lead to someone getting injured when the torch runner is just trying to do something important for the Olympics.