[2008.06.21] Limbering up for the games 摩拳擦掌，只为奥运

Beijing Olympics
北京奥运

Limbering up for the games
摩拳擦掌，只为奥运

Jun 19th 2008 | BEIJING
From The Economist print edition
2008年6月19日 北京
《经济学人》印刷版

The security forces rehearse their exercise routine
安全部队进行日常演练

PETS, prostitutes and prospective political protesters should consider themselves forewarned. The Chinese authorities, doggedly determined to ensure asafe environment for the Beijing Olympics in August, and to avoid surprises or embarrassments, have them in their sights.
饲养宠物者,性工作者,和政治抗议图谋者,切勿轻举妄动.为了保全八月奥运的万事平安,规避一切风险和事端,政府已经将你们纳入视线,严密关注.

No one dismisses the security concerns. With the ever-present threat of terrorism and a number of foreign leaders, among them George Bush, expected to attend the games’ opening ceremony, China has no choice but to take security seriously. But the clampdown now under way suggests the government isjust as concerned about preventing anything-from political demonstrations to unsightly beggars-that reflects poorly on it, however slightly. The risk isthat heavy-handed precautions will take the fun out of what is supposed, afterall, to be a sporting event.
安全上的忧虑无可厚非：恐怖主义阴魂不散，而此届奥运开幕式将是外国贵宾云集，美国总统布什亦名列其中。情势所逼，中国只能严抓安保。但如今黑云压城的阵仗也表明，政府对于任何不和谐因素都是欲除之而后快，不管是政治示威还是有碍观瞻的乞丐。但如此草木皆兵很可能使得本应兴味盎然的体育赛事变得索然无味。

Some new restrictions seem reasonable. For three months, for example,fireworks will be banned. Lorries entering Beijing have been coming under closer inspection. So has the mail. Police raids have been stepped up at night-spots,beauty salons and karaoke parlours, which often serve as fronts for prostitution. The press has reported that officials are especially worried about an influx of foreign prostitutes hoping to cash in on the Olympic boom,and that they have launched a campaign to prevent it.
有些限制措施似乎有其道理。比如，三个月之内禁售焰火，进京大货车将进行严格检查，寄往北京的邮件也要进行同样的严格检查。警方屡次袭查夜总会、美发厅及卡拉OK厅等烟花流连之所.据报道称，令政府尤为头疼的是那些突然涌现的欲发奥运之财的外国流莺。针对此，官方已采取了打击的措施。

But other measures smack of overkill. Beggars and disabled people have been ordered, and in some cases forced, off the streets. Those from outside Beijing have been threatened with detention unless they go home until the games are over. In your correspondent’s own neighbourhood, residents have been told they may walk their dogs only at certain, strictly limited, times of day-and the dogs must carry their papers at all times.
但另一些措施则有伤及无辜之嫌。路边的乞讨者及残疾乞讨者被禁止，有时甚至被强行遣散。某些外地乞讨者被要求返乡，奥运结束之前不得进京，否则将被羁押。本文笔者小区的居民得到通知，只有在严格限定的很短的时段内才能遛狗，而且狗证必须随身携带。

Documents are posing problems for people, too. In one especially damaging consequence of the crackdown, Chinahas tightened visa procedures for foreign visitors of all sorts. Businessmen used to speedy visas are now suffering delays and refusals. Chambers of commerce from Europe, North America, Australiaand India are complaining bitterly about trips aborted and business lost.
证件也给人们平添许多烦恼。最近一系列限制措施所引发的恶果之一就是中国对所有境外人士加强了入境限制。那些已适应了快速签证的生意人如今正忍受签证延宕甚至被拒的痛苦。对于因此造成的行程取消以及交易损失，欧洲、北美、澳洲以及印度等地的商务部纷纷大诉其苦。

Long-time foreign residents are faring no better. Visa renewals are no longer routine. Applicants may be told to undertake costly travel and submit their paperwork at Chinese embassies in their home countries. Others are simply told not to bother and to plan instead on being elsewhere.
对于长期定居中国的外籍人士，境况也同样糟糕。签证续签不再如以往般轻而易举。申请人可能被告知需花高昂旅费返回原籍，向当地中国使馆提交书面申请。有些干脆就被告知无需申请，索性迁居他处。

Authorities have also served notice that Olympic visitors will themselves be carefully watched. A helpful “legal guide” tells foreign athletes,officials, reporters and spectators how to behave. In addition to shunning narcotics, weapons and counterfeit currency, they should abjure “subversive activities” or the “display of religious, political or racial banners”. Of course China does not normally allow those things anyway and, having staked so much prestige on the games, is in no mood to loosen up now. Recent events have only hardened attitudes. After deadly riots in Tibetin March, China’s global Olympic-torch relay attracted boisterous protests around the world against a wide range of Chinese human-rights practices. Authorities are keen toprevent any such outbursts on their home turf.
奥运访问者也得到官方通告，他们也将受到严格限制。一本”法律指南”列出了外国运动员、官员、记者以及观众所要遵守的行为规范。除去禁止携带麻醉药品、武器和伪钞外，他们也严禁”从事破坏性活动”或”展示宗教、政治及种族主义条幅”。当然，这些东西在中国本来就是禁忌之物。如今，奥运当前，兹事体大，政府的限制自然不会在此时放松，反倒可能因近来的事件而变本加厉。西藏三月的流血冲突之后，针对中国人权的广泛议题，本届奥运火炬在全球范围内的传递在各地都招致抗议。政府绝不会允许此类事件在国内重演。

They will probably fail, if only because of the huge number of visitors and the determination of some to make a statement. But ponderous attempts to keep control may dampen the Olympic mood. An ungracious host may give visitorsone more reason to protest.
然而,届时宾客云集,一旦有人执意表达不同政见,上述的种种努力将可能徒劳无功.而且,这种纷繁强制的行政干预很可能破坏了奥运盛事自身的良好氛围.疏于待客之道的主人,只能徒增宾客的不满.

译者：houyhnhnm    http://www.ecocn.org/forum/viewthread.php?tid=12239&extra=page%3D1