Activists see Trials as chance to promote individual causes.

Byline: Jill Aho The Register-Guard

Activism is a part of the Eugene spirit, so it should be no surprise that local activists will try to spotlight their causes during the Olympic Track & Field Trials this weekend.

Hundreds of journalists and thousands of spectators will converge on the University of Oregon campus, giving local groups a large potential audience.

Lane County Darfur Coalition will have tents set up outside the UO student union today through Monday to shed light on China's relationship with Sudan, the African country responsible for genocide in its regions of Darfur. China's capital of Beijing will host this year's Summer Olympics.

The tents will depict five genocides in history, including Darfur. Coalition members will also provide blue armbands with the words "China Please," intended to represent a call to China to promote human rights.

Coalition spokeswoman Kailyn Knight said the group wants to spread awareness of the struggle in Darfur and how China, an arms supplier to the Sudanese government and large buyer of Sudanese oil, plays a major role.

The coalition is not advocating a boycott of the Olympics, however, Knight said. "The LCDC supports the athletes," she said. "We're not calling it a protest; we're just calling it a rally."

Knight said UO officials have been helpful in ensuring that activists have a place to speak out.

University spokesman Greg Rikhoff said the UO isn't surprised that activist groups are trying to take advantage of the Trials to spread their message - and sees the UO as an obvious venue. "There's a lot of free speech that goes on every day at the university," he said.

Rikhoff said the university is not interested in trying to censor what groups have to say. "We are certainly not turning folks away that want to come and be heard," he said.

The Lane County Coalition of Students for a Democratic Society will host a rally and march on Sunday to draw attention to alleged violations against local homeless people and to increase awareness of human rights violations in China, member Cody Anderson said.

Anderson said homeless people are facing increased police pressure, in part because of a desire to clean up downtown for the Trials. "We're trying to raise awareness that this is happening in our community," he said.

Eugene police spokeswoman Melinda Kletzok said such accusations are "patently false." Kletzok said police are enforcing city ordinances about sleeping and camping in parks and other public places, just as they always do, but are not otherwise focusing on the homeless.

"We are extremely understaffed and that is not an activity we would have an interest in, let alone have staff to dedicate to," she said.

The Oregon Tibetan community and its allies also plan a peace concert, march and vigil today in support of human rights for Tibetans. China has occupied Tibet since 1951.

"(We're) basically bringing awareness about the Tibetan issue and appealing to all the athletes who don't know what is happening inside Tibet," said Thupten Tserisg, a member of Students of Free Tibet.

The local Tibetan community does not advocate a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, Tserisg said. "We want to wish the best of luck to the U.S. team," Tserisg said.

Eugene 08 organizers said they don't have a problem with activist groups advocating their causes.

"We think the Trials is a great opportunity for groups to get their message out," said Rita Radostitz of Northwest Event Management. "Anytime there's a large gathering of people, people want to get their message out, and that's what the First Amendment is all about."

ACTIVISTS AT THE TRIALS

Lane County Darfur Coalition: Group will host "Camp Darfur" today through Monday at University of Oregon's Erb Memorial Union Amphitheatre from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Northwest musicians, speakers, poets, artists. More information: www.lcdarfurcoalition.org.

Lane County Coalition of Students for a Democratic Society: Group will host rally and march Sunday at Erb Memorial Union beginning at noon. More information: [e-mail].

Oregon Tibetan community: Allies will meet today at EMU West Lawn, with events beginning at 10:30 a.m., peace march at 12:30 p.m. and concert and candlelight peace vigil at 6:30 p.m.