Overseas Chinese in the Philippines, Cambodia, Greece, Uruguay, Hungary, Senegal and other countries have issued statements or made speeches condemning the disturbance of the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

The Association of All Filipino-Chinese Societies and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines issued separate statements on Friday strongly condemning the "despicable acts" by some "Tibet separatists" attempting to sabotage the Beijing Olympics.

The Association's statement said some "Tibet separatists" and anti-China elements, who tried to disturb the Olympic torch relay through acts of violence under the disguise of "peaceful demonstrations", not only violated laws and brought disgrace on the Olympic ideals, but also hurt the feelings of the peace loving peoples all over the world, particularly those of the entire Chinese people including the Tibetan compatriots, and of overseas Chinese.

The chamber said in its statement that the Dalai clique has masterminded the criminal acts of violence in Lhasa and provoked incidents in a number of countries in a bid to disturb the Olympic torch relay, in their vain attempt to sabotage the Beijing Olympics and split China.

Yang Hao, general manager of The Commercial News newspaper in Cambodia, said in a commentary Friday that "The Olympic torch is sacred and inviolable". The disturbance of the Olympic torch has been condemned by the overwhelming majority of people in the world, he said.

Li Dale, head of the General Chamber of Commerce of Overseas Chinese in Greece, said that any attempt to disrupt and sabotage the torch relay is not only a blasphemy against the Olympic spirit but also a provocation to the civilization of mankind.

"Their attempts are doomed to failure," Li said.

It was "disgraceful" for a handful of "Tibet separatists" and their followers to attempt to sabotage the torch relay, said Yan Changguan, a construction engineer in Uruguay.

"The sacred flame bears the spirits of peace, friendship and progress, and it's immoral to disrupt the torch relay," he said.

The chairman of the General Association of the Organizations of the Overseas Chinese in Hungary, Liu Wenjian, said the Olympic torch symbolizes world peace and that overseas Chinese heartily welcome the torch relay.

Wang Shaomei, chairwoman of the Overseas Chinese Women's Association in Hungary, said, "The torch relay will go on and be carried out successfully despite sabotage by the Dalai clique."

Some overseas Chinese in Senegal told reporters that they firmly support the Beijing Olympic Games and the torch relay. It is "disgraceful" to grab the torch and sabotage the relay, they said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2008)