While Jacques Rogge's pledge that 'there will be no censorship on the internet', the head of the IOC has desperately wanted to keep censorship, surveillance and political discussions away from the spotlight before the upcoming Olympic Games. However, it is the consistent and ever increasing pressure from the congregation of 25,000 journalists that has caused the authorities to soften their position on internet censorship policies.

No doubt the temporary change is to prevent journalists from writing about the poor 'services' and access in China, rather than concentrating on the Games and 'good old fashioned' competitive sport. Many previously blocked web sites can now be accessed from within China including: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Radio Free Asia and the BBC Chinese language service, are available to foreign journalists covering the games in Beijing. Wikipedia's 'Chinese democracy movement' page however, was still inaccessible,  Some of these pages could also be read yesterday in other parts of China, but access to sites devoted to Falun Gong, Tibet also remained blocked. Chinese dissidents and the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations were also closed until today.

The many journalists may also interview anyone up until October, which is very nice of them. The situation beyond the games is still what needs to be addressed. The Chinese government apparently employs some 30,000 cybercops who monitor the web daily and have been so successful at tracking down 'illegal' material that other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, also known for its excellent position on extending human rights and freedom of the press, have sought to implement its own version of China's Golden Shield.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists 18 of 26 Chinese reporters that are currently in prison worked online. The most famous of which is Shi Tao, from Hunan, who was imprisoned for 10 years for sending an email on the subject of enforced internet restrictions.

Authorities are probably more than a bit nervous before the upcoming opening ceremony. The reports I have read suggest that the level of paranoia is only matched by the increase and levels of patriotism. Walls are being erected around the city to cover unsightly aspects and the homeless are being rounded up and moved on. Out of sight out of mind.

Let's hope that the Games are a big success, but beyond the Games, let's also look for China to fess up to its human rights failings and tear down it's walls, both physical and electronic.

Yeah, Right!