Chinese Angry With U.S. Choice Of Olympic Flag Bearer

Joseph “Lopez” Lomong is a United States Olympic 1,500-meter runner, and was the choice for the United States as the flag bearer at the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony. This is being reported in the Chinese news as a political conspiracy to deliberately embarrass the Chinese Communists.

No, really.

Chinese officials felt instead the flag of the United States should have been carried by past United States Olympians, naming the likes of Carl Lewis and Edwin Moses. Lopez Lomong’s prominent place at the Opening Ceremonies is a public relations disaster for China. They worked hard to keep their relations with the Sudan government and current Genocide out of the public eye, particularly during the Olympics, when all eyes are watching.

Once we bumped into the news regarding China’s opinion regarding the flag bearer chosen for the United States, we went on a hunt for more claims of the same, in an effort to confirm the opinion before writing this article.  It was not a United States domain where we bumped into it, it was Taiwan’s, that we had translated to English. China is well known for it’s censorship of the Internet; however by searching through China’s domains and translating the .cn domain with various articles to English, this proved fruitful.

We also discovered that while much is unable to be read on the Internet by the Chinese, for example the Human rights violations in Tibet, the Chinese do print news on paper thatmay be otherwise banned from the Internet. Such as… the Human rights violations in Tibet.  When riots broke out in London protesting what Chinese officials call “segregation and assimilation” in Tibet, that was front page news in China. On paper.

Interesting.

We further observed that when the Chinese citizens are left to chat amongst themselves on the Internet, news still spreads. People still communicate. Not always in their native language, and not always without characters such as a dot “  .  “  subtly placed within the spelling of various ”trigger” words that would attract suspicion.

Just sayin’.

Disclosure: this blog is hosted on wordpress.com. China has included this blog host among many of the sites that “cannot” be accessed from China.

LOPEZ LOMONG

First, a bit on the background of the flag bearer for the United States, 23 year-old Joseph “Lopez” Lomong. (Chinese translation, Luo Meng) Trust me when I say- this really is the short version!

Lopez Lomong is one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” one of more than 20,000 children who was taken from his family while living in Sudan as a 6 year-old son of a farmer in the village of Boya in the midst of a civil war.

On a Sunday morning while Lopez Lomong was at church with his parents, the Janjaweed, the government militia from the north, came and took all of the children, including 6 year-old Lopez, by force.

“When the Janjaweed stormed the church, they did not simply kill everybody,” Lopez Lomong reflects today. “They only took the children. And even then they did not kill us right away.”

What was their agenda? he is asked.

“They wanted to demoralize the people,” says Lopez. “They wanted to kill the future.”

He remained there with the militia for three weeks, receiving water twice a day and little else. He escaped along with a few older boys who observed a hole in a fence.

The boys made it into Kenya, where Lopez was placed into a refugee camp. Lopez Lomong would remain at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya for the next 10 years.

In 2000, as a refugee in Kenya, Lopez walked five miles to find a television and watched the Olympics. He saw Michael Johnson win gold for the United States. “I said, I’d like to run like that guy,” stated Lopez. He also said that he wanted to run for Michael Johnson’s country.

School at Kakuma Refugee Camp consisted of any place where one could sit and draw alphabet symbols in the sand with one’s finger. Lopez got the chance of a lifetime, his education. This saved him.

“They told us that the U.S.A. wants to give 3,500 ‘Lost Boys’ homes,” Lopez Lomong reflects. “They said if you want to come to America, write an essay explaining why.”

For two nights Lopez Lomong and many of his friends worked on their essays. “I remember it felt like taking a test,” he says. “I just sat down, the whole of my mind emptied onto the paper. I wrote some of it in Swahili, I wasn’t even aware of it.”

One month later the Joint Volunteer Agency (JVA) summoned Lopez Lomong. His essay had been chosen. “How do you make sense of that?” Lopez wonders. “There are members of parliament in my country who cannot get into the United States. And now Lopez Lomong is going?”

Robert and Barbara Rogers welcomed 16 year-old Lopez Lomong into their home in Tully, New York, U.S.A. about 20 miles north of Syracuse, in 2001. Since Lopez Lomong, Robert and Barbara have since taken in five more Sudanese boys. It is currently estimated about 4000 of these “Lost Boys of Sudan” have found refuge in the United States.

Photo credit: Jennifer Meyers
Lopez Lomong’s foster family at their home on Otisco Lake. Barbara Rogers is seated in the front. In the second row from left to right are Ohure Sam, Obang Okor, Robert Rogers and Omot Okor. Peter Anthony(left) and Dominic Luka(right) are in the second row.

LOPEZ LOMONG THE TRACK STAR, IN THE UNITED STATES

Robert and Barbara Rogers’ new son Joseph “Lopez” Lomong could run.

Lopez could run for long distances, and he could run fast.

In late summer Lopez Lomong asked his new parents if he could go for a 30-kilometer run.

In the United States, the “customary system” for measuring length is based on the inch, foot, yard, and mile, as opposed to the metric system.

So dad Robert Rogers called his friend, Tully High School track coach Jim Paccia and asked Jim a question.

“How far is 30 kilometers?” Robert Rogers asked.

“I’ll be right down.” Jim Paccia replied.

(30 kilometers = 18.6411358 miles)

Jim Paccia tried to keep things simple for Lopez in the beginning, or so he thought. A golf-cart served as the lead vehicle over a 5-mile course. “Okay, Lopez,” Jim Paccia said, “this is all you need to do. Go in the front. Don’t let anyone beat you.”

Lopez misunderstood his coach. He not only ran in front of everyone else, he ran in front of the golf cart. “I passed the golf cart…twice.” Lopez laughs. “The driver had his foot pressed down on the pedal. I did not realize!”

Pause here a moment if you would and watch this five minute video.

You’ll be glad you did.

It’s titled “An American Home: Fostering Lopez Lomong”. An interview with Robert and Barbara Rogers, Lopez Lomong’s foster family.

In high school, Lopez Lomong pursued his love of running. Among his high school accomplishments, Lopez:

Earned nine varsity letters for Tully High School in both cross country and track and field

Was named captain three consecutive years

Holds school records in cross country

Was a three-time state champion in track and field

Earned individual New York state crown honors in the men’s mile

Holds the section three indoor mile record at 4:10.12

Led both the 4×400 and 4×800-meter relays to state titles

Awarded the prestigious Competitive Sprite Award

Lopez went on to college, and kept on running.

He would then go on to qualify on July 4, 2008 to represent the United States in the men’s 1,500 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

LOPEZ LOMONG, SUDAN, AND CHINA

The 1,500-meter track runner, Sudan born Lopez Lomong, lead the United States Olympic team at Opening Ceremonies as their flag bearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics only 13 months after becoming a U.S. citizen.

In Lopez Lomong’s own words:

“The American flag means everything in my life - everything that describes me, coming from another country and going through all of the stages that I have to become a U.S. citizen,” Lomong said. “This is another amazing step for me in celebrating being an American. Seeing my fellow Americans coming behind me (in the Opening Ceremony) and supporting me will be a great honor - the highest honor. It’s just a happy day. I don’t even have the words to describe how happy I am.”

According to the Chinese, a political conspiracy to deliberately embarrass the Chinese Communists.

China has been taken to task repeatedly for humanitarian violations in the Darfur region of Lopez Lomong’s home country, Sudan. Lopez along with many, many Olympic athletes have signed on as part of a group called Team Darfur that seeks increased recognition of what has become over 2.5 million homeless and several hundred thousand murdered citizens in Sudan.

Despite news blackouts mounted by UN officials in Khartoum, we know from confidential reports from the ground in Darfur, Sudan and humanitarian officials as well, that significant malnutrition is evident. Khartoum refuses to escort UN World Food Program convoys in sufficient numbers, therefore WFP remains unable to provide full rations to individuals weakened by more than five years of conflict. There is a lack of potable water, lack of access to medical care, and a continuing climate of violence and impunity against the citizens of Darfur.

The current crisis in Darfur, Sudan, the size of Texas or France, began in 2003. After decades of neglect, drought, oppression and small-scale conflicts in Darfur, two rebel groups mounted a challenge to Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir. These groups represent agrarian farmers who are mostly non-Arab black African Muslims from a number of different tribes.

President al-Bashir’s response has been brutal. In seeking to defeat the rebel movements, the Government of Sudan increased arms and support to local tribal and other militias, which have come to be known as the Janjaweed. Their members are composed mostly of Arab black African Muslims. They have wiped out entire villages, destroyed food and water supplies, and systematically murdered, tortured, and raped hundreds of thousands of Darfurians. These attacks occur with the direct support of the Government of Sudan’s armed forces.

As the crisis continues today, the intentional displacement of millions of people has contributed to a major refugee crisis that now is spilling over to its neighbors, Chad and the Central African Republic. Violence continues today not only against Darfur’s civilians, but towards humanitarian workers as well. Over 70 humanitarian workers pulled out after gunmen attacked their compounds in December 2006 and raped at least one international humanitarian worker.

China has economic, political, and military ties to the Sudanese government, and is providing the arms sales and military cooperation for Sudan. The Chinese government is allowing the murder and harassment of the innocent citizens and humanitarian workers of Darfur, promoting the Genocide in Sudan. Chinese Military trucks and 90% of the small arms and ammunition Sudan has received has been from China; small arms being the weapons of choice to threaten and kill the citizens of Darfur, Sudan.

In return, Sudan provides China with Oil. In 2006, 91% of Sudan’s oil and petroleum products were exported to China.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor’s recent decision to seek genocide charges against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir puts countries on notice that genocide is indeed occurring in Darfur. Countries that deliver arms to the Sudanese government and provide other forms of support risk legal liability for failure to prevent genocide and are at serious risk of being found complicit in genocide themselves. China must suspend their arms transfers to Sudan immediately in order to comply with the Genocide Convention.

TEAM DARFUR, THE OLYMPICS, AND CHINA

Team Darfur is the global athlete group with members all over the world trying to raise awareness of the conflict in Darfur and draw attention to the plight of the children in the Darfur region of Sudan. Team Darfur never advocated a boycott of the Beijing, China Olympics, yet members of Team Darfur saw their visas revoked by China officials, making them unable to travel to the Olympics.

Chinese officials revoked co-founder of Team Darfur Joey Cheek’s visa on Tuesday, August 5, 2008, preventing him from attending the 2008 Beijing Games. The Chinese government official who contacted Joey Cheek less than 24 hours before Joey’s scheduled departure for the Olympics in Beijing simply stated that he was “not required to give a reason” for revoking Joey’s visa.

Joey Cheek is a United States citizen who won gold in speed skating for the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He had donated his $40,000 bonus to “Right to Play“. Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children in more than 20 countries affected by war, poverty, and disease throughout Africa,  Asia and the Middle East. Recognizing his philanthropy, the United States made him its flag-bearer at the 2006 Olympic Turin closing ceremony.

Team Darfur decathlete Chris Boyles’ visa also was revoked, on Monday, August 4, 2008. Other visas revoked by Chinese officials have been Team Darfur’s other co-founder, Brad Greiner and Kendra Zanotto, a United States bronze medalist in synchronized swimming at the Athens Games.

LOPEZ LOMONG AND THE PARADE OF NATIONS

Lopez Lomong also is a member of Team Darfur. Lopez Lomong, the 1,500-meter track runner from Sudan lead the United States Olympic team as it’s flag bearer on the 8/08/08 opening of the Beijing Olympics.

During the Parade of Nations at the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, athletes from each country participating in the Olympics paraded in the arena, preceded by their flag. The flag was borne by a sportsperson from that country chosen either by the National Olympic Committee or by the athletes themselves to represent their country. It is considered a great honor to bear the country’s flag in the Parade of Nations. America’s athletes chose not a medal favorite nor a famous name but rather the slight, 145-pound runner Lopez Lomong, one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” who is a member of Team Darfur, to carry the colors of the United States.

Lopez Lomong’s prominent place at the Opening Ceremonies is a public relations disaster for China, which has worked hard to ensure that its relationship with Sudan is not in the news headlines during the Olympic Games. According to the Chinese, Lopez was chosen just to piss them off. Despite his many achievements, China felt Lopez should not have carried the American flag, a prior Olympian should have. Yet, Abubaker Kaki Khamis, a Sudanese runner who specializes in the 800 metres, carried the flag for Sudan. A member of the Messiria ethnic minority, this is Abubaker Kaki Khamis’ first Olympics as well.

There is a deeper aspect to the story of Lopez Lomong, Sudanese Lost Boy and flag-bearer for the US Olympic team. When he stands up for the people of Darfur he is standing up for his former enemies, bringing hope and reconciliation to the people of Sudan.

Darfurians have been used by the Government of Sudan against Southern Sudanese, but the forgiving attitude of Southerners like Lopez Lomong is blurring the lines of division between Sudanese Muslims in the North, and the largely non-Muslim population in Southern Sudan.

By standing up for Darfur, Lopez Lopong is forever changing the mindset of Darfurians, and other Sudanese Northerners, revealing that Southern Sudanese and Darfurians should not be enemies.

President Bush is the first U.S. president to attend an Olympics on foreign soil. He stood as the United States athletes entered the stadium, waving to the athletes.

Lopez Lomong waved back, wearing his huge smile. 

 China chose its most intimidating, yet engaging figure, 7-foot-6 310lb basketball star Yao Ming to carry it’s flag (again), whose size was even more pronounced by securing the tiny figure of the brave, small child named Lin Hao, who survived a recent earthquake, as a partner to walk by his side.

The United States chose a 145-pound runner named Lopez Lomong, one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan”, who represents hope, peace, forgiveness and reconciliation. Lopez Lomong is Sudanese. Lopez Lomong is an American.

China feels this choice in flag bearer by the United States was a political conspiracy to deliberately embarrass the Chinese Communists.

So be it.

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