- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Desmond Tutu urges leaders to miss Beijing Olympics opening
- Date: 28th April 2008
- Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (APRIL 27, 2008) (REUTERS) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SPEAKS TO CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "We must just tell the world, look at us, look at us. We are celebrating, we are celebrating. We who are wanting to be the rainbow nation, we are celebrating because you helped us, now thank you -- so please help Tibet, help Zimbabwe." "Let us make China know…hey, hey, hey, hey. China, this is a moral universe, hey. You must now that, you must know it. We must tell them hey, hey, watch out, watch out watch out because there is no way in which wrong will prevail forever. There is no way in which injustice will prevail forever. We must tell all, all, all, all those oppressors…let s whisper into the ear of Mr Mugabe." (CROWD LAUGHS AND APPLAUDS) ARCHBISHOP TUTU TALKS TO PEOPLE AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU SAYING: "Well, at least they've responded to international pressure and we hope that for their own sakes they will be even more responsible and really have negotiations that are meaningful and are intended to move towards the kind of resolution the Dalai Lama has been speaking about. They don't want independence from the People's Republic, they would just want autonomy and we pray that the Chinese will now that it in their best interest to do that." TUTU WITH PEOPLE AT EVENT
- Embargoed: 13th May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: International Relations,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA3GOWX1HSYGN0C2Z5PGAKHEDVF
- Story Text: Archbishop Desmond Tutu urged world leaders on Sunday to stay away from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in August.
Tutu was speaking at a Cape Town ceremony for an alternative "Tibetan" Olympic torch.
"Please help Tibet," he implored the cheering crowds.
"Let us make China know…hey China, this is a moral universe... We must tell them hey, hey, watch out, watch out... watch out because there is no way in which wrong will prevail forever," he said.
South Africa's Nobel Peace laureate lit a "Tibetan" Olympic torch, which was kindled in Delhi on January 30 and will travel to cities on five continents before arriving in May back in Dharamsala, India, where Tibet's parliament-in-exile is based.
Protesters have followed the official Olympic flame as it travelled around the world and highlighted China's human rights record in Tibet ahead of the Games starting on Aug. 8.
He also urged people to speak out against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe has been criticised for failing to release the results of a March 29 presidential election, which the opposition says it won.
"There is no way in which injustice will prevail forever. We must tell all, all, all, all those oppressors…let s whisper into the ear of Mr Mugabe," he said.
Asked about China's announcement of planned talks with aides of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Tutu said he hoped they would be "meaningful negotiations".
"We pray that the Chinese will know that it is in their best interests to do that," he told Reuters. Tutu is a close friend of the Dalai Lama. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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