Everest 2008: Support your Climbers, Not Your Politics–An Adventurist Editorial
April 28, 2008
Charles Haviland and his BBC News Crew have been kicked off the Nepali side of Mt. Everest. Today the BBC News Organization is reporting that all journalists have been banned from base camp. If climbers are seen talking to reporters, they will be banned as well.
China, who is preparing for their historical Olympic Torch Summit attempt from the Tibetan side of Mt. Everest, has recently made plans to allow reporters in to the North Base Camp.
So why ban reporters from the South?
Over the course of the last week an American climber was sent packing from Mt. Everest after unfurling a Tibetan Flag and waving it between Camps 1 and 2. Nepal Military personnel spotted the climber and quickly apprehended him and made a search of his tent, where the flag was found. William Brant Holland, the climber in question, has stated that this was not a political move, but rather just an opportunity for a few photos.
Recently, the Everest news site ExplorersWeb made a very public request from climbers on Mt. Everest this season.
From ExWeb:
“The “Climbers Without Borders” Everest 2008
hotline allows climbers, their relatives and friends to report
anonymously from the mountain. Pls call (1) 206-666-2407 (from a sat
phone pls dial 001-206-666-2407). State your name and message (your
name will be withheld).Climbers and explorers wishing to stage a protest for Tibet are
offered to either fly a Tibetan flag or write “Free Tibet” on any
feature in their surrounding (such as in the snow, on rocks, in the
sand etc) and send the image marked with name, date and location to
team@explorersweb.com for publishing.
With William Brant Holland’s recent expulsion from Mt. Everest, it looks like some climbers are willing to risk their climb, their complete expedition’s permit on Mt. Everest, and upwards of $50,000 to make a political statement against a regime, it deems, has done nothing to quell human rights issues raised against it.
An Anonymous tip to The Adventurist earlier in the year suggested that climbers who had ties to ExplorersWeb were being given unusually strong background checks. It was noted that if your name was mentioned on ExWeb, or you had a casual relationship to the site, that Nepal’s climbing authorities would be questioning your intentions before signing any permits for Mt. Everest.
With the recent actions of William Brant Holland, as well as ExWeb’s call for public protest in the region, that a crackdown on communications was inevitable. In recent days, Nepal, as well as Chinese authorities have been visiting Everest’s south base camp and underlying villages, making sure that all is in order before China gives their Northern team the final go ahead for the summit.
All communications equipment, which includes cameras, cell phones, laptops, and satelite phones, have been locked down by liaison officers in base camp. The few messages that are sprinkling through the system go through a rigorous series of editing and censoring before making it out of base camp, and then only through the commnications systems set up by Nepal’s climbing authorities.
Why Allow Reporters on the North?
China sees the Olympic Torch as a coming out party to the world. They want to be seen as a great nation, a notion that has plagued them in recent years due to a host of issues–one being their thoughts on human rights.
As long as they are able to control the media, which runs prevelent in China, they think they can mask what the world sees and thinks. China has set up a rigorous set of rules for media now making their way in to Everest base camp. The reporters’ focus must be on the Olympic Torch and not the political or social undertones that have recently run rampant throughout the press.
China can allow reporters in to base camp as long as the reporters only print what China wants it to print. Any failings in this effort result in a ban of information.
The BBC, recently banned from Nepal’s side for coverage on events, is currently able to report what was actually taking place–even suggesting that Chinese military was heading to the region in Nepal. Their reports follow them leaving the area, which may be the only way news is going to come. The real news.
Nepal contines to suggest that any and all protests and political statements against the ‘friendly country of China’ will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. A week ago reports circulated that Nepal had suggested Deadly force could be used as a last measure to quell protests. They now deny this action.
The threats and intimidation, by both Nepal and China, are meant to stop politically motivated protests before they happen. These actions speak volumns as to China’s own human rights issues. This is how they deal with political uprisings in their own country, and have now offered Nepal in excess of $120 million in hard loans to enforce the same restrictions from the South. Both sides disagree to this claim, yet three days before permits were issued, the money exchanged hands.
Both sides have suggested a date of May 10th before normal climbing can resume from the south of Mt. Everest. If China does not make the summit by the 10th, refuting earlier reports that the restrictions in Nepal would be lifted either way, we now have this statement from the BBC, as well:
The ban is due to be lifted by 10 May at the latest - but what if the flame had not reached the summit by then?
“Another order will come from above,” said Mr Dhakal.
Mr. Dhakal is the spokesperson from Nepal’s Home Ministry. The same spokesperson that I referred to in an earlier report as issuing the ‘use of deadly force’ statement which he later attributed to rumors and false reports. Hard to do when you have stated the same thing to a dozen different news agencies, as I pointed out in my previous article–with the proof.
In 2008, China owns Mt. Everest. They are free to control both sides of the mountain, they are free to establish rules they deem fit when they want, their military is on both sides of the peak enforcing strict communications bans, as well as enforcing laws from both China and Nepal. Any human rights issues or use of deadly force that comes up during their summit of the Olympic Torch will be dealt with in a swift and jarring manner.
Climbers on the mountain have to deal with all of this information. Many are upset with the rules, but politics are not the reason they are there. Mt. Everest is. These guys want to climb and climb uninterrupted. With China’s crackdown on commnications and air traffic in and out of the region, these climbers’ lives could very well be endangered.
ExplorersWeb, who has called on climbers to protest using a special hotline, could in fact, be jeopardizing these climbers as well. One act has come, less than a week after the notice was placed. It was dealt with by the expulsion of the American climber who now has no possible chance for his seven summits attempt. He had Everest and Vinson to go. It is stated that he will be banned for years to come from Mt. Everest. One dream down.
Lives Are At Stake
Mt. Everest has a 4% death rate for anyone that attempts the summit in any given year. This year, most climbers had to resolve to move from the North of Everest to the South due to China’s rule over the area. The South side has the most dangerous single area on Mt. Everest, the Khumbu Icefalls. The crowds, already mentioned from climbers such as David Tait, have many people on edge. Not only are they going to have to deal with the politics and the threats of saying the wrong thing, but now they also have to deal with heavy traffic as they make their mad rush come May 10th, if things stay on schedule.
These men and women have worked, some for years, in anticipation of this moment. They have spent thousands of dollars with each expedition. One screw up and it could be over. Many understood the risk before arriving in Kathmandu. Many did not know that risk would be compounded by political events not under their control. There job will be tough enough. Let them climb.
The few that will try to make this a political statement for personal gain and attention-and there will be a few–should not be given that opportunity in the press. If you care about the people you report on, do not try to influence them by asking for a publicity stunt to show their political support. Lives are at stake. Traffic from the resulting articles means nothing when measured against the life of a human–
All of us already know that China is wrong in how they are dealing with the situations. If protests and the like have done little more than to draw up more anger, at this point, change will not come. One person on Mt. Everest will not Free Tibet or make more people notice. If people truly care about the people of tibet, then help save them, not make matters worse.
I am sure I will be getting some backlash out of this article, so before closing, let me be perfectly clear. I do not support China. I am a strong believer in the freedoms of religion, press, and speech. I also understand that in order for change to occur, people need to be made aware. Awareness comes through knowledge, not through endangerment. Political speaches and protests have their place, but when lives are at stake, other than the one protesting, it becomes something greater. It becomes it’s own crime against the humanity it is trying to protect. You want a protest? Grab your own sword and shield and head to the hills, do not rely on others as a means for your own political motivations. Support your climbers. not your politics.
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From The Adventurist Vault:
Written by Jason A. Hendricks · Filed Under Uncategorized |
Brant kicks ass
i dont care what you say about him, he’s the man . speak on my brother the c-gov. is as dirty as the air they breath!