Looks like the world is busy dirting up the dirt on
China
'Ethnic minority' children at Olympics ceremony were
fake: report
AFP - 1 hour 15 minutes
ago
BEIJING (AFP) - - Children from China's dominant Han
population were used in a key part of the Olympics opening
ceremony, not youngsters from all 56 ethnic groups as claimed, an
official said in comment published Friday.
The 56 children who carried out the Chinese flag in a moment
meant to showcase national harmony were all from the Han majority,
an official with the dance troupe that they belonged to told the
Asian Wall Street Journal.
"I assume they think the kids were very natural looking and
nice," the paper quoted Yuan Zhifeng, deputy director of Galaxy
Children's Art Troupe, as saying.
The troupe is made up exclusively of children from the Han
ethnic group, which accounts for more than 90 percent of China's
more than 1.3 billion people, according to the paper.
Official Chinese television shows and other performances often
feature the Han Chinese representing minority groups.
However Olympic organisers said directly that the children were
from all 56 official ethnic groups.
"Fifty-six children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around
the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read
the media guide for the opening ceremony distributed on the
night.
The apparent fakery comes at a sensitive time for China over its
ethnic groups, as Buddhist Tibetans and Muslim Uighurs have sought
to use the Olympic spotlight to publicise what some say has been
repression under Chinese rule.
A person who answered the phone at the troupe on Friday would
not answer questions from AFP.
A spokesman for Beijing Olympic organisers was not immediately
available to comment.
