Rights group decries Olympic sponsors

NEW YORK, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Rights activists Tuesday blasted the corporate sponsors of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, alleging they have ignored China's human rights record.

Human Rights Watch said Olympic sponsors have failed to speak out about human rights abuses linked to the Beijing Games.

The group called for the establishment of a permanent body inside the International Olympic Committee to monitor rights abuses at future Games.

The top-level sponsors of the 2008 Summer Games are: Atos Origin, Coca-Cola, General Electric, Manulife, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Lenovo, McDonald's, Omega (Swatch Group), Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.

Human Rights Watch said during the past year it has contacted each of the sponsors to discuss its concerns.

Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the sponsors have unfairly turned a blind eye to reports of abuses in China.

"The Olympic sponsors claim to be good corporate citizens," she said. "But as they enjoy the Games from the comfort of their seats at the Olympic stadium, they should reflect on their failure to speak up for the Chinese citizens who built the stadium and their hotels, clean their hotel rooms, serve their meals or, in the case of Chinese journalists, try to bring them their news."