Poetic Olympics

Reno Calleja discusses the story of the arrival in Malta of the Poetic Olympic Torch and the publication of the Maltese version of a poem by Shi Tao:

On April 26th, Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee spoke to the Financial Times about the controversy surrounding China's human rights record. This is what he had to say. 'You don't obtain anything in China with a loud voice. Respectful, quiet but firm discussion is the way to get things done...Rogge reminded the Western countries who are bashing China on its human rights record, that most of these countries, granted independence to their colonies only 4O years ago.' It took us (the western countries) 2OO years to evolve from the French Revolution. China started only in 1949". Rogge told the Financial Times.

I believe that Kevin Saliba and Antoine Cassar who translated the poem by Shi Tao, are two enlightened persons. I also believe that they, together with writer of that excellent comment, know their history well.

However just in case they have forgotten it would be illuminating, I suppose, to recall what happened in Tlatelolco, on October 2, 1968, ten days before the opening of the Olympic Games in Mexico City. On that dark day hundreds of unarmed students, women and children were gunned down by machine guns and rifles. The brutal police and soldiers just passed over the dead bodies and proceeded to chase the innocent demonstrators to continue with their systematic slaughter..

However in l968, when was very active in the journalistic field in Malta, I do not recall any demonstrations against the Mexican regime when the Olympic Torch traveled from one country to the other. I do not recall one single protest sentence of protest or dissent in the speech made by the Olympic Committee President. I do not recall that the U.S. President or any other European leader boycotted the games...