Added: Aug 20, 2008
From: NTDTV
Duration: 2:15
ANCHOR: Some Beijing residents are having a hard time attending the Olympic Games in their own city. That's because armed military are standing by to prevent large gatherings near the Olympic stadiums, and Beijing authorities are controlling ticketing. STORY: Beijing resident Li Guaifeng says there has been a military presence throughout Beijing this month. Authorities say it's to ensure safety during the Olympic Games. [Li Guaifeng, Beijing Resident]: (1st quote, female) "Helicopters are flying overhead all day. Big tanks and missiles are all ready. Some of us try to see how the Olympics are going, but we can't even drive near the stadium. All areas are blocked off." Tickets for every event have been sold out. Yet at most events, 20% or more of the seats have remained empty, according to a Washington Post article last week. The article cites many possible reasons, including that the Chinese authorities are trying to prevent large crowds from gathering. [Li Guaifeng, Beijing Resident]: (2nd quote, same female) "People like me are not able to get any tickets. We can only watch the games on TV. If you don't have a ticket, you can't even go near to the stadium. Also, the authorities record the ID numbers of all the ticket buyers, in case anything goes wrong." Beijing resident Ye Guoqiang says many people are under strict surveillance, too. He says the Chinese regime illegally took his home and property, and now they worry that he might make a public appeal—so they won't let him go far from his home. [Ye Guoqiang, Beijing Resident]: (3rd quote, male) "The government treats us like an enemy. We can walk around only under their supervision. There's no way for us to go near the stadium to feel the Olympic atmosphere." Chinese democracy activist Mr. Li says there are more and more people who are discontent with the communist regime. He says the regime's "anti-terrorist" policies during the Games show how afraid the regime is of losing power. [Mr. Li, Democracy Activist]: (4th quote, male) "The Chinese Communist Party is turning the Olympic Games into a political thing. They make everyone worry. It feels like we are in some anti-terrorist movement. Think about it, for a county without human rights and democracy, how can we say that our country is great? How proud can we really be?"
Channel: News
Tags: beijing control military ntd olympic protest
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