Compassion: for all who suffer because they are poor

Daily it seems, we in the western hemisphere are bombarded with stories involving corporate corruption, and of political power being abused where governments treat the electorate, or its subjects, like condemned animals in a science laboratory. Although, not quite all of us are yet totally conditioned to believe in the ethics of this condition.

Little has changed in our world over the centuries: although colonial types of invasion continue. These days many of us ignore the news when, for example, NATO countries invade other, less prosperous countries in the manner of colonial conquerors. Or when China suppresses the people of Tibet to expand its own territory.

There are no winners in war except the rich; there are many victims, except amongst the rich.

As for the Olympic legacy, the economically poor Chinese worker conscripted to work on the various Olympic sites life is a continuing burden. Historically the Games were a burden on the poor because of increased taxation imposed by governments' to overcome indebtedness created through undertaking the job of staging a programme of extravagant folly.

But the 2008 Olympics this year are to be held in China, a totalitarian state.

We in foreign countries are able to catch glimpses, of the ugly side of corporate businesses from the west in its blinkered regard for the suffering of the working poor in China, and the renewed subjugation by the Chinese military of the people in Tibet.

Western companies who are exploiting Chinese labour for profit are obviously not concerned about the lack of human rights in the work place, in the fields, or on construction sites, and they are careful not to speak about the oppressive behaviour of the Chinese government against the ordinary people, including the monks in Tibet. 

Their corporate profit from the Olympic Games is in China for a number of years after the event; sadly the west and the east are bound together, totalitarian and democratic, in their joint business of exploiting the poor.

But the voices of protest are getting louder and that of  Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa is now heard:

"The leaders of the free world, for goodness sake, don't attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games until it is quite clear that they [the Chinese] mean business and that they will stop the violence against the Tibetans," Tutu said at a Cape Town ceremony for an alternative "Tibetan" Olympic torch." Source: Mail&Guardian, South Africa

More and more people are everywhere treated like objects by government and corporate programmes, without evidence of consideration of basic rights or dignity as human beings, to say nothing of reasonable wages: or indeed, any wages!

And the poor are continually displaced, although hidden from the view of visiting foreigners, especially from the tourists who will be visiting the Olympic Games.

Out of sight, government authorities enable the destruction of homes and familiar districts to satisfy the long term plan of the Peoples Republic of China. They will build a barrier, a class divide of some kind for the western tourist to admire while behind the barriers the displaced are working in 'slave-like' conditions none of whom dare to object to their treatment for fear of imprisonment or death.

Meanwhile:

"China [the government of:] remains silent.  The removal and relocation of people from Beijing for the Olympics is shrouded in secrecy.
Last year, Western media discovered slaves working in China's mines.  Many were young boys with no rights and miserable living conditions." Source: John E. Carey

While Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"urged world leaders on Sunday to stay away from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in August".

I somehow think trade will prevail and not expressions of concern about the western perception of working and living conditions in China.  Nothing of consequence will be said to 'upset' the Chinese authorities by world leaders about slave labour, human rights, or the people in Tibet.

All the more reason to have compassion, not only for the people who are poor and suffer as a result of the Games being awarded to their country, but also compassion for those who could  help but who pretend that there is no problem that human beings are suffering.