(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-12 14:11

BEIJING - Is it a human right that "Tibet independence" separatists assaulted a handicapped woman? the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), questioned in a commentary to be published on Saturday.

The Dalai clique claimed they have pursued "freedom" and "human rights" on various occasions. However, what happened during the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay revealed the nature of the "rights", the commentary said.

Jin Jing, a Paralympic fencer, held the torch tightly from her wheelchair while a few mobs tried to snatch it away. She had to bend her body to protect the torch, but the mobs did not stop in their attempt, leaving her bruised and scratched on her chin and right leg.

The "Tibetan independence" separatists said they were advocating "freedom" and "human rights" while protesting against the torch relay. They tried to deprive the freedom of Jin of fulfilling her dream, and attacked her to have their so-called freedom and human rights. "How overbearing and terrible the freedom and human rights are!" the commentary said.

"Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else," the commentary cited the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of France.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations also said "in the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others ...".

The separatists, for their own "rights", have deprived freedoms from and trod on the rights of others from Lhasa to Paris, the commentary pointed out.

"We were saddened by what we saw in London and Paris. We were sad for the athletes and torch bearers. We were sad for the children who watched their heroes and role models being booed," International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said after the torch relay was disrupted in the two European capitals.

"It is utterly inhuman to attack a handicapped girl," remarked an American athlete. A Chinese netizen wrote "it is always seen that mobs commit violence under the cloak of pursuing freedom and human rights".

What happened in Paris just revealed the true face of Tibetan separatists to more people and showed what kind of freedom and rights the Dalai clique want, the commentary concluded.