Somewhat ironically, given that the whole affair is an almighty
publicity stunt, the world's media is reporting that the whereabouts
of the Olympic torch on Everest are shrouded in mystery.
On the one hand, the torch - or one torch - has arrived on Chinese
soil in Hong Kong today, Thursday 1 May, on the other, a second torch
is believed to be 'somewhere on Everest' as a Chinese mountaineering
team prepare to carry it to the highest point on earth.
The second flame is apparently housed in a lantern, which will
allow the Chinese to light a specially designed high alttude torch on
the summit. The Guardian
reports that Chinese
TV says that the Chinese have set up a staging post at 8,300
metres in preparation for a summit bid, but that savage winds high on
the mountain are delaying any attempt over the next few days.
Everest viewed from Base Camp on the Tibetan side -
by Normclimb from the OM
Gallery.
If the CCTV story is to be believed, the flame arrived at the
mountain on Sunday and the special torches designed to cope with the
low oxygen content, reduced pressure and low temperatures toook over
1000 hours to design and test.
Various sources report that western journalists taken to base camp
on the Tibetan side are being kept very much in
the dark with the Chinese apparently keeping the whereabouts of the flame a closely-guarded secret and wanting publicity only when the mountain is successfully climbed.
Meanwhile, with the Tibetan side of the mountain closed to
international climbers, expeditions In Nepal are apparently expected
to be barred from the mountain from today, Thursday. MountEverest.net
says that teams are retreating to base camp or even lower down
the Khumbu Valley.
The BBC
meanwhile reports that Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side is now
closed to all foreigners not intending to climb the mountain as Nepal
submits to Chinese pressure. By doing so, they hope to minimise the
chances of any anti-Chinese protests in the area.
One team they quote suggests that the Chinese may intend to summit
over the next few days though this contradicts the report in the
Guardian.
At any rate, the secrecy surrounding the progress of the Olympic
flame on Everest and the draconian measures surrounding it underlines
the nature of the Chinese regime and its repressive policy towards
Tibet.
If this charade is supposed to promote the illusion of China as a
free and open society, then it's backfired spectacularly.
More information about the Chinese repression in Tibet at
www.freetibet.org
John Bailey
