news.com.au (March 26, 2008 08:40am): China wants army to oversee torch relay in Australia
CHINA wants its army to oversee the Australian leg of the Olympic torch relay to ensure protests do not mar the event. The move, which has been rebuffed by the Australian Federal Police, comes as Beijing reels from an embarrassing relay launch in Athens when human rights activists hijacked the event. <...> "We have explained to the Chinese Embassy that people have a democratic right in Australia to stage demonstrations and people are free to demonstrate when the torch does arrive but we would hope that demonstrations are peaceful and won't disrupt the relay in any way," AOC spokesman Mike Tancred said.
The move, which has been rebuffed by the Australian Federal Police, comes as Beijing reels from an embarrassing relay launch in Athens when human rights activists hijacked the event. <...>
"We have explained to the Chinese Embassy that people have a democratic right in Australia to stage demonstrations and people are free to demonstrate when the torch does arrive but we would hope that demonstrations are peaceful and won't disrupt the relay in any way," AOC spokesman Mike Tancred said.
The Age (April 8, 2008 - 6:43PM): Torch to be guarded by Australians only
In London and Paris, the flame has been surrounded by a team of so-called Chinese "flame attendants" dressed in blue and white tracksuits. But they will be noticeably absent during the only Australian leg of the relay, in Canberra on April 24. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday said there would be no Chinese security forces or services guarding the torch in Australia, but there was uncertainty over whether the tracksuit-clad Beijing Olympic Organising Committee (BOCOG) flame attendants would be present. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Attorney-General Robert McClelland said no Chinese officials would accompany the torch. Asked if the flame attendants would guard the torch on its visit to Canberra, the spokesman told AAP: "They (the Chinese) will have absolutely nothing to do with providing security for the torch". Earlier Tuesday, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope also ruled out a team of flame attendants running with the torch. He said discussions with Chinese officials "only ever involved the possibility or the prospect of two Chinese designated flame attendants". The ACT's chief police officer Michael Phelan suggested there could be "a number of flame attendants" but they would not have a security role. "Security in relation to the torch rests squarely and fairly with ACT Policing and the Australian Federal Police," Mr Phelan said. "We can't have people here trying to exercise police powers and police authority who are not police in this jurisdiction. "I have seen what occurred in London and I can tell you that that type of security arrangement will not be occurring here."
But they will be noticeably absent during the only Australian leg of the relay, in Canberra on April 24.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday said there would be no Chinese security forces or services guarding the torch in Australia, but there was uncertainty over whether the tracksuit-clad Beijing Olympic Organising Committee (BOCOG) flame attendants would be present.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for Attorney-General Robert McClelland said no Chinese officials would accompany the torch.
Asked if the flame attendants would guard the torch on its visit to Canberra, the spokesman told AAP: "They (the Chinese) will have absolutely nothing to do with providing security for the torch".
Earlier Tuesday, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope also ruled out a team of flame attendants running with the torch.
He said discussions with Chinese officials "only ever involved the possibility or the prospect of two Chinese designated flame attendants".
The ACT's chief police officer Michael Phelan suggested there could be "a number of flame attendants" but they would not have a security role.
"Security in relation to the torch rests squarely and fairly with ACT Policing and the Australian Federal Police," Mr Phelan said.
"We can't have people here trying to exercise police powers and police authority who are not police in this jurisdiction. "I have seen what occurred in London and I can tell you that that type of security arrangement will not be occurring here."
"I have seen what occurred in London and I can tell you that that type of security arrangement will not be occurring here."
Then again (though this was before the London and Paris relays):
PM (Wednesday, 26 March , 2008 18:26:00): Chinese army won't be monitoring Aust Olympic torch leg: officials
But on the central question of whether Australian authorities would allow security personnel from other nations to oversee a public event in this country, Greens Senator Bob Brown has his doubts. BOB BROWN: If you'd have asked the same department whether there would be Secret Service agents from China in the Australian Parliament for the visit of President Hu back in 2003 they'd have said no, we know nothing about it, because that was arranged directly with the Speaker and the President of the day. But there we had Secret Service agents from China selecting people who looked Tibetan or Chinese out of the gallery visitors and insisting that they didn't go to the gallery and the Australian authorities were totally compliant. It's absolutely certain that China will be working behind the scenes with the key people who can give them the authority to have at least Secret Service agents involved in protecting their torch relay against Australian citizens who might want to protest when the relay comes to town.
BOB BROWN: If you'd have asked the same department whether there would be Secret Service agents from China in the Australian Parliament for the visit of President Hu back in 2003 they'd have said no, we know nothing about it, because that was arranged directly with the Speaker and the President of the day.
But there we had Secret Service agents from China selecting people who looked Tibetan or Chinese out of the gallery visitors and insisting that they didn't go to the gallery and the Australian authorities were totally compliant.
It's absolutely certain that China will be working behind the scenes with the key people who can give them the authority to have at least Secret Service agents involved in protecting their torch relay against Australian citizens who might want to protest when the relay comes to town.
Kevin Rudd, Australia's prime minister, on Tuesday insisted the Chinese would not provide any help with security, hours after Kevan Gosper, International Olympic Committee deputy president and Australia's senior Olympic official, said Chinese security could support Australian police if there was "really serious trouble" in Canberra on April 24. "The Chinese torch attendants have a practical responsibility in relation to servicing the flame, but have no responsibility in terms of security," Mr Rudd said. "This has been made clear to the Chinese authorities. Under no circumstances, no matter what occurs, will they be called upon to perform a security function." John Coates, head of the Australian Olympic Committee, said the Chinese security members would follow the relay in a bus, although two of its people would travel on the ground with the torch: "The two of them will be involved in the transfers from one relay runner to another but they are not involved in the security."
"The Chinese torch attendants have a practical responsibility in relation to servicing the flame, but have no responsibility in terms of security," Mr Rudd said. "This has been made clear to the Chinese authorities. Under no circumstances, no matter what occurs, will they be called upon to perform a security function."
John Coates, head of the Australian Olympic Committee, said the Chinese security members would follow the relay in a bus, although two of its people would travel on the ground with the torch: "The two of them will be involved in the transfers from one relay runner to another but they are not involved in the security."
Though clearly there are some mixed messages and evidently some wiggle room remains for potential interference by the torch attendants. A language is a dialect with an army and navy.
