India Censors Dalai Lama’s Visit

Sensitivities are at breaking point within the Indian Government concerning current tensions surrounding the border issue with Chinese occupied Tibet. In a somewhat clumsy move, presumably to limit or at best manage, international coverage of the Dalai Lama’s forthcoming visit to Arunachal Pradesh, a ban has effectively been placed upon foreign journalists visiting the region. A move that has caused some resentment within overseas media. Steven Herman, South Asia Bureau Chief of Voice of America News claims the move will backfire on India:  “This controversy has generated more interest in the visit. If they have been trying to keep the coverage low, now they have given the event more publicity,” .

More here: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7016918200

China Pressures Obama To Tell A Lie

As Air Force One is prepared to head off for the cold, polluted skies of Beijing,  according to a report in today’s South China Morning Post the communist Chinese leadership is anxious to secure a public statement from Barak Obama, acknowledging China’s so-called sovereignty over Tibet, during the President’s imminent visit to Beijing.

It’s an interesting wish, as any such gesture made by the US Administration would in reality be a somewhat cosmetic. In terms of real politic the United States, in regarding Tibet as an autonomous region of China, has for some years effectively conceded Chinese sovereignty over Tibet (admitted by China’s response to the 1987 US Congressional Resolution on Tibet, which Beijing claimed contradicted US foreign policy: “The fact [sic] that Tibet is part of China is universally recognized by the world, includuding…the United States” (Source: Tibetan Nation Page 599)

Would it matter if Obama was to publicly assert, what has been acknowledged by the US State Department all this time, namely that the US Administration recognises Chinese sovereignty over Tibet? What exactly is Beijing seeking to achieve from such a statement? More on this later, first though some timeline snapshots of US policy on Tibet. The United States in its relations with Beijing, and in terms of its position on resolving the issue of Tibet, does not consider Tibet a distinct and separate territory, nor assert Tibetans to be a people with a right to self-determination (although in 1960 it did express that view).

Following the Dalai Lama’s 1987 visit to Washington the US, and noting the violent suppression of demonstrations in Lhasa, Congress issued its resolution condemning China’s invasion and occupation of Tibet. An acknowledgement, significantly, not shared by the United States Government which throughout maintained its policy of legitimizing Chinese rule over Tibet. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs, J.Stapleton Roy said:

“…the US Government considers Tibet to be a part of China…Neither the United States, nor any member of the United Nations recognizes, or has ever recognized Tibet as a sovereign state, independent of China” (Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs-October 14 1987).

In 1994 the US State Department more clearly defined official US policy concerning Tibet when it published ‘Relations of the United States With Tibet”:

“Historically the United States has acknowledged Chinese sovereignty over Tibet…we do not recognize Tibet as an independent state..”

This position was reiterated in September 1995 by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs, Kent M Wiedermann who informed a Senate Foreign Relations Committee:

 “The United States considers the Tibet Autonomous Region…as part of the People’s Republic of China..”

Apart from hand wringing platitudes on preserving Tibetan culture and urging negotiations between the Dalai Lama and Beijing, today the US Administration’s policy remains the same:

“The United States recognizes the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan autonomous prefectures and counties in other provinces to be a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).” http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm#tibet

To have the US President confirm Chinese sovereignty over Tibet is a highly prized diplomatic objective of communist China’s regime, not because it would signify a change of US policy on Tibet, but as a crucial affirmation in Beijing’s drive to engineer international support for its presence in Tibet. Since the invasion of Tibet in 1950 China been obsessed with trying to legitimize its occupation, not to be able to do that exposes the cold fact that Tibet was a de facto independent nation at the time of its forcible annexation by China, and historically exercised many powers of a sovereign state.

Yet Beijing has not been entirely successful in convincing the world of its legitimacy in ruling Tibet, despite its colonization and economic ‘development’. In its aim for the complete assimilation of Tibetan culture, and the extinction of a distinct Tibetan national identity. Moreover, although no doubt extracting comfort from foreign governments’ refusal to acknowledge Tibet’s independence, Beijing has long considered criticism of its human rights record in Tibet as yet another challenge to its so-called legitimate control there. Therefore should Barak Obama openly affirm Chinese sovereignty over Tibet it would prove an influential propaganda tool, which may well encourage other heads-of-states to follow suit and issue public statements supporting China’s so-called sovereignty over Tibet.

However, such actions, though pleasing to Beijing, only add a public signature to policies which have long regarded China’s control of Tibet as justified and legitimate. There may be other motivations behind China’s desire to see the US President issue such a statement, that have more to do with undermining support for Tibet within the United States Administration. Furthermore should the United States make such a declaration Beijing would ruthlessly exploit such a development, insisting that as the US President having formally conceded Chinese sovereignty over Tibet, the United States could no longer justify any criticism of what were matters it recognized were the internal affairs of China. In effect the demise of Tibet as an issue of international concern, adding even greater pressure upon an Exiled Tibetan Administration already under siege and desperate to find a negotiated settlement.

Tibetan Magic Hits Boulder

The Tibet Film Series opens at  the University of Colorado at Boulder on November 6 – 14 featuring some incredible works, opening with Milarepa, an amazing film on the early life of  Tibet’s famous wizard and Buddhist teacher. More details mat be found here: http://tibetfilms.weebly.com/

DC Tibetans Honour The Fallen Four

Capital Area Tibetan Youth Association has issued an appeal  requesting the  presence of  Tibetans and supporters,  in the Capital Area to join in Lha Bab Duchen (a prayer ceremony marking Buddha Shakyamuni’s Descent from Divine Realms [Tushita]) and to mark the third Week since the cold-blooded execution by communist China of the ‘Fallen Four’  Tibetan Political Prisoners: Lobsang Gyaltsen, 27, (Lhasa) Loyak, 25, (Tashi Khang Shol Township), (Lhasa) Penkyi, 21, (Sakya County) and an unidentified Tibetan.
  
When:      Monday, November 09, 2009 05:47pm – 07:00pm
 
Where:     Conference/Meeting room International Campaign for Tibet 1825 Jefferson Place NW Washington DC-20036

Chinese Fences Destroying Tibetan Grassland

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Beware Environmentalist At Work!

Tibet's Grasslands Under Siege

Seems responsibility for the preservation of the environmentally vital Tibetan grasslands is in the hands, not of the communist Chinese regime (which has countenanced widespread ecological destruction across Tibet, with once verdant forested areas now resembling a lunar landscape, and financed and sanctioned uranium mining, which has generated considerable radioactive contamination (polluting rivers and lakes) but with the lifestyle of Tibet’s nomads, whose flocks we are asked to believe are dangerously impacting upon the ecologically sensitive grasslands. Sounds almost plausible, until we recall that this claim, which originated from China’s Ministry of Propaganda, masks China’s economic and political objectives. To forcibly remove Tibet’s nomads from areas rich in minerals and fossils fuels, and at the same time erode a central element of Tibetan culture by destroying an ancient tradition and a sustainable way-of-life. The grasslands of Tibet are not being fenced to protect against overgrazing,  but to enforce political control and stake territorial claims and ownership over extremely rich territories, that the communist Chinese regime is keen to exploit, with the same environmental disregard as operates in China itself.

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Such facts however are not recognized by some environmentalists, who appear willing to swallow China’s propaganda, to do so of course ensures lucrative academic opportunities within China. Convinced by such deception some have become enthusiastic advocates of such distortions. Take for example Mark Notaras, an Australian writer for the United Nations University Media Studio and a researcher for the UNU’s Institute for Sustainability and Peace. Mr Notaras’ views appear on a slick looking web site  http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/high-and-dry/   on ecological issues on Tibet’s plateau, all very professional yet troublingly similar in its message to official Chinese propaganda, transferring responsibility for contributing to Tibet’s retreating glaciers to the nomadic lifestyle of Tibetans and their grazing yaks and sheep. He even includes a highly selective and somewhat misleading image of a nomad camp with bare ground and sheep, seeking to confirm the lies of his communist Chinese friends. There are  only 6 million Tibetans in a country larger than India, a percentage of them are urban dwellers, while Tibet’s traditional nomadism has operated sustainably for centuries. The impact upon the environment is negligible, and hardly conforms to the slanted image he has chosen for his website.

Such claims are course not only open to debate, but conceal communist China’s more political and commercial objectives with a cloak of ecological respectibility. Curious how the environmental movement in general appears to soft-peddle on China’s appalling environmental record, in this case avoiding what are in all probability far more influential and significant factors that contribute to glacial melting. China’s odious actions however do not appear to concern Mr.Notaras,  who perhaps considers human rights and the protection of this ancient Tibetan culture, of minor importance in comparison to climatic and environmental  changes?

Japan’s Discrete Support

Hatoyama Sent Private Messge of Support

Japanese Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama, sent a message to Tibet’s political and spiritual leader the Dalai Lama via a number of  Japanese lawmakers stating that he hopes to meet with the Tibetan leader. Hatoyama avoided any direct contact with the Dalai Lama, a move designed to deflect criticism from Beijing, however the message will no doubt generate the usal heated rhetoric from communist China. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Hatoyama met the Dalai Lama in November 2007 and at that time expressed support  ‘‘high autonomy’’ for Tibet.

Tibet Photo Exhibition Locked Down

Today authorities in Bangladesh have locked the gates of a photographic exhibition about Tibetans-in-exile.  At the time of this post a live video stream was available  http://www.drik.tv/IntoExile-Tibet/  The photojournalism event had been organised by Students for a Free Tibet with support from the Drik network. The event had come to the attention of communist China, which no doubt exerted considerablepressutre upon the Bangladeshi government to close the exhbition. Others may wonder if India may have  orchestrated the closure, given the controversy and sensitivity surrounding the forthcoming visit  of the Dalai Lama to nearby Arunachal Pradesh. More information may be found here http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org/content/view/520/2/

Tibetan Children Carry The Flame

 

'Dear President Obama, Stand Up For Tibet'

St.Paul, October 31. The school and the subjects taught were quite different at the Tibetan Cultural School in Minnesota. It was not a Halloween surprise, rather the 140 children aged between 5 yrs to 15 yrs were asked to send a message to the US President Mr. Barack Obama, before his first presidential visit to China.

Tibetan Cultural School in Minnesota was established in 1997 to keep the Tibetan heritage alive in Minnesota. Children here learn to read and write the Tibetan language and are also given lessons in Tibetan history and culture along with traditional dance and music lessons. Classes are held every Saturday.

This morning, after the prayers and assembly, Mr. Wangyal T. Ritzekura explained the importance and relevance of sending the message, he said, “The President will appreciate and acknowledge your message”.

Members of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Minnesota and the language teachers spoke to the children and gave them basic instructions. The children were provided writing papers, crayons and a lot of time to move their imagination around. Over 80 letters were written and almost a 100 colorful drawings expressing their thoughts on the Tibet issue with messages and request to President Obama.

The President of RTYC Minnesota, Jigme Ugen, who spent the morning talking and listening to these children said, “Hopefully President Obama has the opportunity to see these heartrending letters and artworks by these children; each filled with personal grief and emotional appeals. It will positively help the President have bold conversations and make concrete actions to end China’s violent occupation of Tibet”.

RTYC-MN hopes to distribute compiled copies of all these letters and drawing to the community. Here are excerpts from two letters:

Passang Tsering, a 14 year old boy wrote:

 “It has been 50 years. 50 years of torture, murders, and protest in Tibet.  After all this still nothing has changed.  His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has traveled around the globe giving speeches, giving wisdom and knowledge to the world to inform them about what is happening in Tibet.  As our search for freedom is getting closer everyday, we hope that one day we would no longer need to search and that Tibet can be its own country.  We Tibetans would be very grateful if you, President Barack Obama will talk to the Chinese government and hopefully negotiate with them”

Tenzin Sonam, an 11 year boy wrote:

“I want to say that everyday people are dying in Tibet fighting for human rights.  It really upsets me.  It’s been fifty years since we lost our country.  Please can you add this at the meeting with the Chinese President.  I trust you, that you will do the right thing.  I understand that this will be a hard thing to do, but please understand.  Peace is what we are fighting for and there can be peace only when human rights are respected.”

The events were organized by the TAFM, RTWA-MN, SFT-MN and RTYC-MN. Article contributed by:  Sangay Taythi-Images Courtesy of RTYC-MN

Dalai Lama On The Border

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Tibet’s political and spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Saturday he was surprised at communist China’s protest against his planned visit to Arunachal Pradesh (north east area of India claimed by China), suggesting that he supported India on this long running issue. He also criticised communist China’s one-party rule and state-controlled media, while praising India’s “successful” democracy.

“I was surprised” at China’s criticism of the planned visit, he informed reporters when asked about the motive behind his trip. “Because in (19)62, the People’s Liberation Army already reached that area, already occupied… then India sort of pushed them back. The Chinese government unilaterally (made) ceasefire, withdrawal. So what’s the problem?”

“One reason why India is successful in democracy is … that (for) more than 2000 years India (has had) this strong tradition to respect different views,” the Dalai Lama said. While applauding India’s democratic freedoms he also targetted communist China’s one-party state and lack of media freedom.

“People in China (have) no free information, too much sensation. And their own newspaper, media — all their information is one-sided propaganda,” he said. The Dalai Lama called for journalists from the international media to visit China to “find the reality” in the western regions of Tibet and East Turkestan.