Sir, It is impossible to separate sport from politics since China will use, and already has used, the 2008 Olympics to further its image as a welcoming, efficient, harmonious country.

To allow the Olympics to go ahead without reference to the continuing behaviour of the host country might allow the athletes to do their job, but will also allow China to manipulate this into its political propaganda. To believe otherwise is to display a staggering lack of awareness of China and of communism’s use of the media.

Matthew Hunt
Oxted, Surrey

Sir, If we still have human rights in Britain, and are protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, can we have an assurance from the Home Secretary that the police officers seen punching and kicking an ITN reporter to the ground at the Olympic torch shambles will be dismissed from the force? Or does the Home Secretary wish to confirm that British Citizens no longer have such rights?

Ian McNicholas
Ebbw Vale

Sir, The Olympics would never have been held in apartheid-era South Africa. So why China? Think about the true horrors of Tibet. Perhaps a million innocent Tibetans murdered. Its people denied basic rights for almost 60 years. They now face being overwhelmed by Chinese immigrants and their culture and religion destroyed. Think about the peaceful Chinese members of Falun Gong — beaten, imprisoned and tortured for simply meditating. Think about the hundreds of Chinese missiles that are now pointed at Taiwan.

Mike Lankuts
Gilmore, Australian Capital Territory

Sir, Why is such an effort being made to reinstate the Dalai Lama as a leader with whom the Chinese should have to deal? Though genial and likable by all appearances, he gained his position by being considered as the reincarnation of a former equally non-democratically chosen leader — and one who represented a system whereby the population was kept in feudal poverty while an elite class of monks lived off the donations of the people, obtained by a promise of merit in heaven and the opposite if the donations do not come in?

I suspect that behind the smokescreen, the Tibetans might be better off under Chinese rule.

Glen Whittaker
Brighton

Sir, By whose authority were Chinese “security men” left free to grapple with protesters on London’s streets? The protesters’ aim was to extinguish the flame symbolically and not to harm the carrier. This disgraceful spectacle, where the protest was democratically justified, sets a very disturbing precedent.

Jack Cameron Bond
London WC1

Sir, While recognising some of the media coverage of the Olympic torch progress through London (report, April 7), we find the overall impression misleading. We were in Trafalgar Square before, during and after the arrival of the torch and, while there were a few very minor scuffles, which were diffused by the police sensitively and well, our impression was of two differing points of view expressed peacefully.

It is a pity that a picture of young people from both points of view, standing side by side on the perimeter of the fountain, peacefully waving flags and chanting was not given coverage as this would have sent a very strong message to China about democracy. At St Paul’s we, and the crowd, were very disappointed that with no communication from the police or any organisers, the torch remained hidden from view inside a bus. This was also the case at Stratford. Surely some provision could have been made for the torch to have been displayed on an open-top bus which could have been kept secure.

This was a real missed opportunity to show the world how things can be done.

Roger & Karen Swaffield
Newbury, Berks

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