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Olympia 2022 in Beijing: Uyghurs in China - pressure on sponsors grows

2021-01-18T16:55:50.718Z


A year before the Olympic Winter Games in China, supporters of the oppressed Uyghur minority criticize the sponsors involved. According to a report by the Guardian, the accommodation agent Airbnb is the first target.


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The mascots Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon advertise the 2022 Olympics in Harbin

Photo: 

Xiao Liu / Imaginechina via AP

According to a report by the British Guardian, activists in ten countries are targeting the sponsors of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

The reason for this is the internment camps that China maintains for the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region.

More than a million people are said to have already been imprisoned in the western part of the country.

The activists therefore refer to the Olympic Winter Games in China as the »Genocide Games« and write to companies around the world to inform them of the human rights violations.

To increase the pressure on Brian Chesky, the boss of the room platform Airbnb, the supporters created a campaign that shows pictures of stylish accommodations next to camps of persecuted Uyghurs.

This is the second time that Airbnb is in the political line of fire within a few days.

After the storm on the Capitol in Washington, the platform had to admit that it had identified "numerous people" in its network who were allegedly "either connected to known hate groups or otherwise involved in the criminal activities at the Capitol building."

For Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, Airbnb has therefore announced that it will cancel all reservations.

Are there more calls for boycotts?

The debate therefore comes at an inopportune time for the company.

Just recently, the platform proudly announced an extensive partnership with the International Olympic Committee, with hundreds of millions of dollars to be poured into the Olympic events.

According to the will of the Uyghur activists, Airbnb should now use its influence in the interests of the minority, as the Guardian writes - or withdraw completely.

Silence, however, is not an option, the activists are pushing for a meeting with company boss Brian Chesky.

A statement from his company is still pending.

Meanwhile, the pressure on other companies and sports associations participating in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing is likely to continue to grow.

The American China expert Bill Bishop had already predicted that calls for a boycott of the games could increase.

In addition to Airbnb, other international corporations such as Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and the insurance group Allianz also support the Olympic Games.

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Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2021-01-18

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