Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Cambodian king's Olympic attendance

M&G
Apr 22, 2008

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni will attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The king's decision to be present at the event has been announced by China's ambassador to Cambodia, who also thanked the country's government for barring demonstrations against the Games.

There have been widespread demonstrations against the upcoming sporting event, with many objecting to China's human rights record, particularly their violent treatment of protestors campaigning for independence for Tibet.

In January US actress Mia Farrow was barred from protesting at the genocide museum in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh with her group Dream for Darfur, which seeks to highlight China's links to the current bloodshed in Darfur.

Since 2003, tens of thousands of people have been killed in Darfur by the Sudanese military and the government-sponsored militia known as the Janjaweed, and activists have criticised China for its financial support of the Sudanese government.

Other international figures, including Britain's Prince Charles and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have refused to attend the opening ceremony in Beijing in August.

Earlier this month, Norodom, 85, returned to Cambodia after spending three months in Beijing resting and undergoing routine medical checkups for ailments including diabetes and high blood pressure.

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