Canadian deported from China arrives in B.C.
Updated Thu. Aug. 9 2007 4:09 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...otest_reaction_070809/20070809?hub=TopStories
A Canadian who was detained by Chinese authorities for protesting China's occupation of Tibet arrived home Thursday, and said she would do something similar again.
At Vancouver's airport this morning, Melanie Raoul said she and her fellow protesters were split up for 36 hours while they were interrogated by Chinese authorities.
She said she slept for only 15 minutes at a time and was worried about what would happen, but that her non-violent action has resulted in changes all over the world, including India and the United States.
Raoul was among three Canadian protesters detained after an international group unfurled a huge banner on the Great Wall calling for China to get out of Tibet.
The other Canadian protesters, Lhadon Tethong and Sam Price, are due back later today. All three are from British Columbia and members of Students for a Free Tibet.
T.C. Tethong, Lhadon's father, said earlier today that he's relieved his daughter will arrive home safely. He said he spoke to his daughter Wednesday night and that she will be on a flight from Hong Kong to Toronto on Thursday.
"They took her for questioning, and she said she wasn't mistreated in terms of physical abuse or anything, but the questioning was a little bit intimidating at times," Tethong said of his daughter's 36-hour detention.
Lhadon, Price, Raoul and a number of other activists, were released Wednesday. In addition to the three Canadians, the detainees included protesters from the United States and the United Kingdom.
Price and Raoul, 25, both of Vancouver, were detained Tuesday after they unfurled a 42-square-metre banner on the Great Wall that read "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008."
The official slogan for the games is "One World, One Dream."
Lhadon, a Victoria, B.C. resident and the executive director of the group, was taken into custody on Wednesday. She had been blogging and posting videos of their demonstration.
Lhadon had been in Beijing for the past week, attempting to bring attention to what the group says are China's broken promises to improve human rights leading up to the Games.
Tethong said he was concerned for the safety of his daughter because of their family's Tibetan name.
"A Tibetan name really triggers a lot of difficulties for Chinese authorities, and she did mention that they did allude to that when they were questioning her," he said.
Being a Canadian citizen helped Lhadon's cause, her father said.
Tethong worked with the Dalai Lama for 15 years and has been active in the Free Tibet movement.
When asked if Canada should boycott the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he said a part of him would like to see that.
"But then on the other hand ... the Chinese people I think really are not the real cause of this problem -- it's the government, it's the system."
Tethong said the International Olympic Committee awarded the games to China thinking it would improve the human rights conditions, but he says the situation has worsened.
"There are more violations of the rights of the Chinese right in Beijing -- their houses being demolished and journalists being barred from reporting all this," he said.
"In Tibet it's far worse because Tibet, being under China, especially the minority group, there are special restrictions which many journalists and reporters don't see."
一般某电影团体在播放免费娱乐电影时，总要加一句“正片前还有精彩加映片”。在此次的CTV新闻后，也附送来自某团体的“精彩的”相关新闻。（详细内容见后）
Updated Thu. Aug. 9 2007 4:09 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNe...otest_reaction_070809/20070809?hub=TopStories
A Canadian who was detained by Chinese authorities for protesting China's occupation of Tibet arrived home Thursday, and said she would do something similar again.
At Vancouver's airport this morning, Melanie Raoul said she and her fellow protesters were split up for 36 hours while they were interrogated by Chinese authorities.
She said she slept for only 15 minutes at a time and was worried about what would happen, but that her non-violent action has resulted in changes all over the world, including India and the United States.
Raoul was among three Canadian protesters detained after an international group unfurled a huge banner on the Great Wall calling for China to get out of Tibet.
The other Canadian protesters, Lhadon Tethong and Sam Price, are due back later today. All three are from British Columbia and members of Students for a Free Tibet.
T.C. Tethong, Lhadon's father, said earlier today that he's relieved his daughter will arrive home safely. He said he spoke to his daughter Wednesday night and that she will be on a flight from Hong Kong to Toronto on Thursday.
"They took her for questioning, and she said she wasn't mistreated in terms of physical abuse or anything, but the questioning was a little bit intimidating at times," Tethong said of his daughter's 36-hour detention.
Lhadon, Price, Raoul and a number of other activists, were released Wednesday. In addition to the three Canadians, the detainees included protesters from the United States and the United Kingdom.
Price and Raoul, 25, both of Vancouver, were detained Tuesday after they unfurled a 42-square-metre banner on the Great Wall that read "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008."
The official slogan for the games is "One World, One Dream."
Lhadon, a Victoria, B.C. resident and the executive director of the group, was taken into custody on Wednesday. She had been blogging and posting videos of their demonstration.
Lhadon had been in Beijing for the past week, attempting to bring attention to what the group says are China's broken promises to improve human rights leading up to the Games.
Tethong said he was concerned for the safety of his daughter because of their family's Tibetan name.
"A Tibetan name really triggers a lot of difficulties for Chinese authorities, and she did mention that they did allude to that when they were questioning her," he said.
Being a Canadian citizen helped Lhadon's cause, her father said.
Tethong worked with the Dalai Lama for 15 years and has been active in the Free Tibet movement.
When asked if Canada should boycott the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he said a part of him would like to see that.
"But then on the other hand ... the Chinese people I think really are not the real cause of this problem -- it's the government, it's the system."
Tethong said the International Olympic Committee awarded the games to China thinking it would improve the human rights conditions, but he says the situation has worsened.
"There are more violations of the rights of the Chinese right in Beijing -- their houses being demolished and journalists being barred from reporting all this," he said.
"In Tibet it's far worse because Tibet, being under China, especially the minority group, there are special restrictions which many journalists and reporters don't see."
一般某电影团体在播放免费娱乐电影时，总要加一句“正片前还有精彩加映片”。在此次的CTV新闻后，也附送来自某团体的“精彩的”相关新闻。（详细内容见后）
