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The torch for the Beijing Olympics has arrived in Tanzania, with officials expecting far less trouble than its world tour has so far generated.
There was high security as the torch arrived at Dar es Salaam airport on a flight from its last destination, Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires.
Dar es Salaam’s mayor said it was an honour to host the torch.
Thousands of protesters angry over Tibet and China’s human rights record have previously dogged the route.
A Chinese official handed the torch to Dar es Salaam’s mayor Adam Kimbisa at the city’s airport.
Mr Kimbisa said: “It is a great honour and privilege for Tanzania to host this torch. Don’t worry, all preparations are all set.”
Tanzania is the torch’s only African stop.
‘Journey of peace’
Although few protests are expected, the planned 25km (15-mile) torch relay on Sunday has been reduced to 5km in the capital.
Dar es Salaam officials have said they are determined “to follow in the footsteps of Buenos Aires” in reducing trouble.
UN Under Secretary-General, Anna Tibaijuka, a Tanzanian, told AFP news agency: “Tanzanians are peace-loving people and they are eagerly waiting for such a beautiful symbol… which unites people of different religions, different ethnic origin, different political systems, cultures and languages.”
The Chinese embassy in Dar es Salaam said: “We believe that the Olympic torch relay is the journey of peace, friendship and harmony and it should not be subjected to political manoeuvre.”
An onslaught of disparaging e-mail, text and telephone messages has plagued a Tibetan shopkeeper in San Rafael following the Olympic torch run in San Francisco on Wednesday.
Jamyang Nordup, 50, a former monk and owner of Tibetan Culture House, a retail shop at 1223 Fourth St., said he has received hundreds of harassing messages since Tuesday night. None has been a death threat, he said.
The sources are unknown, although Nordup said he suspects the messages are coming from overseas via the Chinese government.
“I feel like the whole thing is a set-up of the government,” he said. “This is not individuals.”
Police are investigating the matter as a harassment complaint, spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said.
“At this point that’s what we’re calling this case and were it to become more involved or escalate, that could change,” she said. “There’s no death threat. It’s more hate mail, what he represents, his country. There’s not been a specific threat.”
Nordup, vice president of the Tibetan Association of Northern California and a member of Team Tibet, an activist group, said he believes he is being targeted because his contact information is available on the groups’ Web sites. He said his Northern California colleagues are receiving similar messages.
“KILL TIBET TERRORIST! TIBET WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF CHINA!! DALAI LAMA GO TO HELL!” read one message via e-mail.
Several text messages read: “Enslave Tibet!” Another said: “Dalai Lama is an a–hole.”
“After watching what jerks you people were to the little girl in the wheelchair in Paris carrying the torch, I have NO longer sympathetic to your cause,” another e-mail read from someone apparently not completely familiar with English.
Nordup, a father of three who lives in the East Bay, said he is not afraid, although he is fearful for those still in Tibet. Still, some things, such as a van parked for hours in front of his house on a cul-de-sac street, make him nervous.
“I believe it is safe in this country, but the stories I’m hearing are scary,” he said.
With his background as a monk, Nordup said he is able to turn the other cheek, as the Dalai Lama has encouraged Tibetans to do.
“It is sad, but we’re handling it OK because of our practice,” he said. “The Dalai Lama is telling us, don’t be mad.
“Everyone has to be treated equally with compassion.”
