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09 May 2008 - China-Vatican Relations
06 May 2008 - Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ has failed - An Interview
02 May 2008 - Detained TYC activists released
27 April 2008 - China talks aimed at saving Olympics, not Tibet: analysts
22 April 2008 - Japan has change of heart on Tibet protesters
22 April 2008 - Dalai Lama calls for US help to resolve conflict with China
21 April 2008 - Vilified Chinese student defends Tibet protest role
20 April 2008 - South Africans walk the Gandhi march for Tibetans
18 April 2008 - Tibetan NGOs resume March to Tibet
16 April 2008 - Tibetan activists protest outside Chinese Embassy in New Delhi
14 April 2008- JNU breaks its silence over Tibet!
11 April 2008 - Olympic president makes rare criticism of China
07 April 2008 - First Time I Feel Ashamed to be Han, and Lucky to Not Be a Party MemberFascinating audio-visual footage of the Dalai Lama's 1959 escape from Tibet can be seen on BBC News
External news links
Phayul: www.phayul.com
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09 May 2008 - China-Vatican Relations (James Reynolds 9th May 2008)
[BBC] Each commands the loyalty of more than a billion people. Each is governed by a leader chosen in secret by a small group of its senior members. Each lays out a set of moral guidelines that its followers should live by. The Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party have quite a few things in common (apart, of course, from a belief in God...)
Chinese CatholicsBut the two sides have been in conflict for decades. Diplomatic relations were broken off after the Communist Party came to power in 1949 (instead of recognising Beijing, the Vatican is currently one of 23 states that has diplomatic ties with the government in Taiwan - the island that China considers a breakaway province.)
Right now, the China-Vatican argument comes down to this: who gets to pick the church's bishops in China. The Communist Party says it should be China. The Vatican says it should be the Pope. It's an important fight - because there are around 12 million Catholics in China. The argument over control has split the Catholic Church in China into two - there's the official state-run church (bishops picked by Beijing) and the unofficial - or underground - or church whose parishioners are loyal to the Pope.
But things may be changing. Some ultra Sino-Vaticanology for you...
1) In June 2007 the Pope sent a 55-page open letter to Catholics in China - a kind of (lengthy) goodwill greetings card. Benedict XVI stuck to his bottom line - the Church in Rome gets to pick all bishops anywhere in the world. But he reached out to all Catholics in China and suggested that the Vatican was open to negotiations with the Chinese government.
Bishop of Beijing Joseph Li Shan2) In September 2007, a new Bishop of Beijing, Joseph Li Shan, was consecrated. The bishop was chosen by the Chinese government - but Vatican watchers say that the Church in Rome quietly approved of his appointment.
3) And just a few days ago (8 May) the China Philharmonic Orchestra played a concert for Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican (it performed Mozart's "Requiem" and a selection of Chinese folk tunes.) China says the visit was just about music. But you clearly don't allow your national orchestra to play for a leader whose state you don't have ties with unless you've thought it all through beforehand.
At the moment, the Chinese media in Hong Kong (which has more freedom to report, rumour, and guess than the media in mainland China) speculates that all of the above means that the Vatican and Beijing may be about to re-establish diplomatic ties.
But one veteran Rome-watcher has just reminded me that the wheels inside the Vatican move incredibly slowly.
As they do in China as well.
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06 May 2008 - Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ has failed - An Interview
Former member of CIA-funded Tibetan guerrilla force tells DNA
[DNA]HONG KONG: In 1962, Jamyang Norbu dropped out of school to enlist with a Tibetan guerrilla force, funded by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to fight for Tibetan independence from China. That rag-tag army ran out of steam – and funding – when the US mended ties with China in 1972, but more than three decades after he laid down his arms, Norbu is still, well, ’sticking to his guns’. Today, the journalist-theatreperson- novelist-blogger is one of the most passionate and articulate – and controversial - spokespersons for the Tibetan cause. His fierce defence of his independent position has at times led him to criticise Tibetan government-in-exile officials in Dharamsala and, on occasion, even the Dalai Lama.In a telephone interview with DNA from his home in Monteagle, Tennessee, Norbu fleshes out his criticism of the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ on Tibet (which favours ‘genuine autonomy’ for Tibet, not ‘independence’). Excerpts:
Q: Do the talks between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and Chinese officials in Shenzhen on Sunday represent a ‘moral victory’ for Tibetans?
A: I don’t think it’s any kind of victory - moral or otherwise. These are not ‘talks’ in the sense of two parties getting together to discuss a problem and making incremental progress. This is a case of Imperial China berating its subject-nations, saying they’ve been bad boys and should behave better. These ‘talks’ are only an opportunity for China to work themselves out of a likely boycott of the Olympics by world leaders.
Q: If it’s as open-and-shut as that, why did the Dalai Lama send his envoys?
A: That’s what all Tibetans want to know: they feel it’s just a political ploy. For Dharamsala, however, it’s an act of desperation. There’s now a very strong voice among Tibetan people, especially among young people… A lot of them, who are coming out of Tibet into exile, are not so reverent of the Tibetan government-in-exile. They are now saying that the Tibet government’s policy – and the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ approach – is a failure. The Dalai Lama in some ways is desperate. He doesn’t comprehend the nature of modern politics – and I don’t think he has an understanding of totalitarian regimes.
Q: In your view, what is wrong with the ‘Middle Way’ approach?
A: I think it’s a complete failure. I believe in Gandhian non-violence, but I believe that non-violence has, to some extent, be confrontational. It cannot be an excuse for not doing anything. The ‘Middle Way’ approach is more like a begging bowl approach – asking China and world leaders to do something about Tibet. It does not confront China with the wrongs it is doing in Tibet and putting it in the hot seat. China is susceptible to this, because the Chinese brand of tyranny is to take the moral high ground by maintaining that they are on the side of good. It’s completely invalid, and that’s something Tibetans can use to shatter the self-image of the Chinese. The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government don’t understand this.
For instance, the uprising in Tibet since March is a huge lesson for China. For the first time, every Chinese now knows there is a ‘Tibetan issue’; they’ve now seen the Tibetan national flag. It’s a good starting point…
Q: But hasn’t it also whipped up Chinese nationalism and made it harder for any concessions to be made?
A: This ‘nationalism’ is a reaction, but who is it against? Deep down it’s against the Communist Party. The Chinese people don’t have a choice about whom to demonstrate against, but their anger is in a sense born of the shame at how the world views them. In China, a lot of people recognise the tremendous inequities in society. This so-called nationalism can easily turn against the regime.
Q: You once took up arms for Tibetan independence. Is there a risk of the movement returning to radical ways?
A: I’m completely against terrorism. It’s not just counter-productive, it destroys your entire campaign because the same message can be used against you when you’re in power… It spawns a vicious cycle, as in Pakistan.
I’ve been discouraging people against armed insurgency, but I’m not a Gandhian in the absolutist spiritual sense… I favour an approach where even when you use non-violent methods, they must be action-oriented, and to an extent confrontational. There is, of course, a price to pay, but you pay it anyway.
Tibetans realise that China is not going to give them anything; in a way, it’s all or nothing. They also feel that the regime - no matter how impressive - is fairly frail. There’s tremendous nervousness in the regime: if one person says ‘Down with the Communist Party’, it sets the cat among the pigeons. On that level, there’s a huge immaturity in China.
02 May 2008 - Detained TYC activists released
[Phayul]TYC led demonstrations that took the Indian Capital by storm compelling the authorities to deploy over 16,000 armed police officials and riot control personnel leading up to the Olympic torch relay here last month. Number of activists placed under judicial custody in New Delhi run as high as 800. Pro-Tibet and human rights campaigners rallied near the Chinese Embassy, the Le Meridian Hotel where the Olympic torch was guarded after its arrival and broke through the barriers of the venue of the relay at Rajpath just days before the official event.The 33 activists who had stormed the Chinese Embassy March 21 were booked under Section 147/149/186/188/332/353/448/511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Mr. Ravi Nair, Executive Director of South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center had gone on record stating, "Section 511 is quite harsh and could serve them behind bars for more than 7 years if not get them out on bail". However, they were later released on April 24 by the court on condition to attend regular judicial hearings.
Reception function at Majnukatilla. (Photo by Tenzin Sheyden)
A batch of 179 Tibetans were released April 29, another 118 on April 30 and a remaining 140 on May 1. Others arrested by the Indian police were either bailed by family and friends or let off on personal bonds by the police.Meanwhile, the Tibetan Solidarity Committee continues its peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar with its ongoing rotational hunger strike. Fifty volunteers from Dharamsala divided into three groups are expected to sit on a three day each (group) hunger strike till May 9. This will be followed by representatives from other northern regions such as Tashi Jong, Bir, Shimla, Kullu Manali, Paonta and so on. May 10 will also mark two months since the Tibetan unrest and subsequent crackdown in TAR by the Chinese government.
27 April 2008 - China talks aimed at saving Olympics, not Tibet: analysts
[Phayul]As the Dalai Lama reflected Sunday on a surprise Chinese offer to resume talks, experts cautioned that Beijing may be looking more toward salvaging the Olympic Games than meaningful dialogue.The Tibetan spiritual leader recognised as much, saying as he returned this weekend to his exile home in India that while "talk is good," a meeting aimed merely at appeasing international opinion would be "meaningless."
He outlined what he was seeking: "serious discussions about how to reduce Tibetan resentment and a thorough discussion" of the problems in Tibet.
China's talks offer is a sign Beijing feels it must respond to the intense global pressure over its crackdown in the remote Himalayan region after last month's deadly anti-Chinese riots, analysts agree.
But they warn that China is more concerned about avoiding a possible Games boycott and ending the embarrassing pro-Tibet protests that have disrupted the Olympic torch's round-the-world journey toward Beijing.
"The Chinese haven't made any concession," said Brahma Chellaney an analyst at the New Delhi-based Centre for Strategic Studies thinktank.
"Their primary interest is to see the Olympics conclude" successfully.
China has held six rounds of inconclusive talks with special envoys of the Dalai Lama since 2002. Experts do not believe a new round is likely to yield any more gains for Tibetans.
"The Chinese government is not sincere or else something would have come of the six rounds held so far," said Srikanth Kondapalli, associate professor of Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
"The latest offer of talks is nothing new," Kondapalli added.
"What is new is the pressure mounted on China with Tibetan protests, which have unnerved them. The Olympics were supposed to be a coming out party for China in terms of its rise, but now many athletes and leaders are thinking of boycotting the Games."
The Tibet protests broke out in the regional capital Lhasa and appeared to target Han Chinese who have been encouraged to migrate to the region.
Initially taken by surprise, Chinese authorities launched a crackdown that exiled Tibetan leaders say left more than 150 people dead. Beijing says no one died as it restored order but that Tibetan rioters killed 20.
It ignited protests that, notably in London and Paris, severely disrupted the ambitious torch relay for a Games that Beijing had hoped would underline its growing status on the world stage.
"This outcome is a victory of the concerted pressure on the Chinese," said Sukh Deo Muni, senior visiting fellow at the Singapore Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
"They don't want these pressures to spoil their Olympic parade."
The Dalai Lama has been persistent but soft-spoken in his rhetoric, urging dialogue while denouncing violence, pushing for autonomy not independence, and saying he supports Beijing hosting the Olympics.
"They really deserve" the Olympics, the 72-year-old spiritual leader said earlier this month. "In spite of the unfortunate events in Tibet, my position has not changed."
Beijing depicts him as someone bent on independence, sabotaging religious order and fomenting unrest -- charges renewed in weekend newspaper editorials despite the offer of talks.
"The Tibetans have achieved a tactical success in pressuring the Chinese to agree to talks," Kondapalli added, "but there is no way that Tibetans can get autonomy."
Worse, he told AFP, "it's a strategic loss for Tibet, as the divide between Han Chinese and Tibetans will only grow."
Still, the talks offer was broadly welcomed around the world as at least a step forward, and Chellaney, of New Delhi's Centre for Strategic Studies, said it would keep Tibet in the spotlight.
"Everything they have done has boomeranged," he said.
"Who would have thought two months ago that Tibet would be at the centre of international attention?"
He said the outpouring of Tibetan anger had surprised Beijing, and unless there was a genuine reconciliation process, the sensitive issue "will come to haunt" Beijing.
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22 April 2008 - Japan has change of heart on Tibet protesters
[Phayul]Japan says that pro-Tibet activists were free to protest when the Olympic torch arrives this weekend, signalling a change from recent legs where demonstrators have been warded off.
Demonstrators plan a ceremony at a famed Buddhist temple, which backed out of plans to be the starting point for Saturday's relay, to mourn victims of China's recent crackdown in Tibet.
"Protesting doesn't pose any particular problem," Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura told reporters.
But he warned that police would intervene if violence broke out at the relay in Nagano, a central mountain town that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics.
The latest relay legs have been run amid high security following chaotic protest scenes in Western cities, particularly London and Paris.
On the torch's Asia journey, Indonesian police on Tuesday broke up a peaceful rally by pro-Tibet demonstrators in Jakarta. A day earlier, police in Kuala Lumpur said they detained a Japanese family waving Tibetan flags at the relay who had been hit by Chinese nationals with plastic batons.
High-profile protester Robert Menard, head of Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, is planning to come to Japan to hold a rally.
Menard and two others disrupted the flame-lighting ceremony in Greece by unfurling a banner with Olympic rings replaced by handcuffs, setting the stage for demonstrations throughout the torch relay.
Justice Minister Yukio Hatoyama denied reports that Japan was considering barring Menard from entering the country.
"If he had received a criminal sentence, it would be a different story, but as of now there are no grounds to discuss denying him entry," Hatoyama told reporters.
Japan has been trying to repair ties with China, which are uneasy due in part to memories of Japanese aggression. Chinese President Hu Jintao is due to pay a rare visit to Tokyo from May 6.
The Japan Buddhist Federation, the nation's largest Buddhist body, gave a letter to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Tuesday calling for a swift resolution to problems in Tibet, which last month saw the biggest protests in nearly two decades against China's controversial rule.
"We, Japanese Buddhist monks, feel deep sorrow over the serious situation in which clashes in (Tibet capital) Lhasa and its vicinity have caused many casualties," Daijo Toyohara, head of the association, said in the letter.
"I would like you to make efforts to reach a humanitarian resolution as soon as possible through peaceful dialogue without the use of force," he said.
Buddhist monks said Monday that they would hold a ceremony of mourning for Tibetans on Saturday at the seventh-century Zenkoji temple, which backed out of being the starting point for the relay.
"We hope for the peaceful realisation of the Beijing Olympics and that the principle of freedom will spread in the world," said Keishi Wakaomi, a monk involved in the protest.
22 April 2008 - Dalai Lama calls for US help to resolve conflict with China
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[ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 21] The Tibetan people need the involvement of the U.S. government to help resolve recent conflicts between Chinese officials and anti-Beijing protesters in Tibet, the Dalai Lama said Monday.
"At this moment, we need your help," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said as he and Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky addressed reporters briefly before a closed-door meeting at the University of Michigan.
Dobriansky, who serves as special envoy for Tibet, said the meeting with the Dalai Lama provided a "timely opportunity" to discuss the conflict.
"The Bush administration has expressed concern about the situation in Tibet and has urged restraint," she said. "In particular, President Bush has been a steadfast supporter for the need for dialogue between His Holiness and Chinese leaders."
Dobriansky and the Dalai Lama have met more than 10 times since 2001, according to the State Department. They entered the room Monday holding hands, with the Dalai Lama saying, "I brought my longtime friend."
Demonstrators have disrupted legs of the Olympic torch relay in protest of China's treatment of the Dalai Lama's followers. He has denied Chinese claims that he and his followers have used the Olympics to foment unrest.
The Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failed uprising in 1959 in Tibet, arrived in the United States on April 10.
He is scheduled to speak at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., on Tuesday and to return to India on Thursday.
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21 April 2008 - Vilified Chinese student defends Tibet protest role
[Reuters] A Chinese student studying in the United States has defended her role in a protest over Tibet at a U.S. university campus, which has made her and her family the target of a hate campaign in China.
Anti-China protests, triggered by China's crackdown on Tibetan rioters in Lhasa last month, have erupted around the world, interrupting the international torch relay ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.
Grace Wang, from the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao, had tried to mediate in a small demonstration between pro-Tibet and pro-China students at Duke University, where she is an undergraduate.
When she then wrote a letter to the university's Chinese students' association explaining her actions, it opened the floodgates to angry denunciations of her for apparently siding with the Tibetan cause.
Writing in the Washington Post on Sunday, she said that threats against her on Chinese websites and her parents being forced into hiding had been a "frightening and unsettling experience".
"But I'm determined to speak out, even in the face of threats and abuse. If I stay silent, then the same thing will happen to someone else some day," she wrote.
She said that before she went to Duke and met Tibetans also studying there, she had little idea about the life experiences of people from the remote mountainous region.
"I understand why people are so emotional and angry; the events in Tibet have been tragic. But this crucifying of me is unacceptable. I believe that individual Chinese know this.
It's when they fire each other up and act like a mob that things get so dangerous."
Wang said that detailed instructions to her parents' house had appeared on-line, faeces has been emptied on the doorstep, and her high school had revoked her diploma.
"It was ironic: What I had tried so hard to prevent was precisely what had come to pass. And I was the target," Wang wrote. Her only intention was the get the two sides at the protest to talk to each other, she said, adding that she did not support Tibetan independence.
"And I'd learned from my dad early on that disagreement is nothing to be afraid of. Unfortunately, there's a strong Chinese view nowadays that critical thinking and dissidence create problems, so everyone should just keep quiet and maintain harmony."
In a separate report on U.S. government-supported Radio Free Asia, Wang said that a letter supposedly written by her father apologising for her actions was fake.
"I'm sure. They were very clear about that. They also said they knew I would never do anything to betray my country," Wang was quoted as saying.
"They said that they were just lying low, waiting in silence for the coming of spring, as it were, until everyone had calmed down a bit and could take a different view of the matter."
20 April 2008 - South Africans walk the Gandhi march for Tibetans
[PTI]A march organised here on Sunday to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's salt march in India during the British rule saw the South Africans expressing solidarity with the Tibetan cause while stressing on the non-violent means.
Organised by 'Satyagraha', the march had approximately 5000 people walking from the Gandhi settlement, where he once stayed, to the Durban beach-front along with some members of the Tibetan community.
Ela Gandhi, grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi and one of the organisers, said the march aimed to instill the non-violent ways of life that Gandhi had fought for.
We support the cause of Tibet, Myanmar and Zimbabwe in a non-violent manner, Gandhi said at the event.
"Mahatma Gandhi has shown there's another way of dealing with conflict, dealing with differences of opinion through non-violence", she said.
Participants in the 22-kilometre long march, which has been an annual affair here for the past four years, echoed the sentiments of the Tibetan cause while stressing on peaceful means of protest.
"We're joining the march to make people aware there's a problem in Tibet and we'd like to bring peace there. His holiness the Dalai Lama is asking people to create awareness but in a peaceful, non-violent way", a participant in the march said.
"The whole Satyahagraha movement, the way he (Gandhi) accomplished so many things with passive resistance really touched me and I thought I should be part of this as well", another said.
18 April 2008 - Tibetan NGOs resume March to Tibet
[Phayul] 250 marchers are yet again embarking on a journey of a dream and a commitment. As part of the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement the March to Tibet resumed its promise made months ago to return to their homeland via Nainital in Uttranchal State.
The marchers and the organizers gathered at Rajghat in the morning to pray for the well-being of the Tibetans inside Tibet as well as to herald their decision to recommence the march. They chose the Gandhi Samadhi as a symbol of peace and harmony that the place portrays and what they stand for.
"We are very hopeful," said Tsewang Rinzin, President TYC addressing the media at Rajghat. "We are much more determined now because of the patriotism shown by Tibetans inside Tibet and the sacrifices that they have made. They are an inspiration to us."Talking about the struggle of a nation he elaborated that we always have to pay a price to achieve something. "Whatever we do in exile is nothing and now is the real time to show our Solidarity. The Tibetan marchers feel that they have a right to go back to their own country," he emphasized.
"Our campaign has always been peaceful. We feel that we are political refugees and not causing any problem. We are completely peaceful and non-violent," he said. When the marchers go along the streets they do not shout slogans but walk peacefully with portraits of Gandhiji and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. "We hope that the Indian Government will respect that," he added.
The organizers have prepared as much as they could. They have studied and played out all the scenarios and almost all the problems that could come in the way. They are excited to go on with their determination to carry on with the struggle. Their goal is to go back because they have a right to and as refugees in India they feel that Tibetans should be allowed a safe passage back.
President of Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet Ven. Ngawang Woeber reiterating their resolve in the March explained that they would appeal to His Holiness the Dalai Lama if and when He instructs them to discontinue with the March.
The March to Tibet began on the 10th of March from Dharamsala and reached Delhi on April 9 when it was put on a temporary hold due to the mutual consensus of the NGO’s. The first group of 100 Core Marchers were arrested and put under judicial custody within four days of beginning the March. They were detained for 14 days. A second group of Tibetan exiles resumed the March two days after the arrest on 15th March. Both groups of Marchers were reunited in Chandigarh and walked to New Delhi together.
The Marchers will resume their march as early as 5:00am tomorrow. They are confident of reaching the borders in the next two months.
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16 April 2008 - Tibetan activists protest outside Chinese Embassy in New Delhi
[Phayul]Some 60 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress tried to storm the Chinese Embassy in Chankyapuri today. They were there to demonstrate against the Chinese tyranny and the recent clampdown following the March 10 uprising in Tibet. China has since gone on a killing spree and arrested thousands of Tibetans in the region. Tibetan Youth Congress, one of the most active organizations in exile for the Tibetan independence led today's protest against China in the Indian Capital, just 24 hours away from the Olympic torch relay scheduled to be held tomorrow (April 17) beginning from Rajpath to India Gate.The protestors arrived in two buses at the Chinese Embassy where some 500 security personnel and policemen from Delhi as well as neighboring states were deployed. The activists raised anti-China slogans and demanded the restoration of peace in Tibet. Armed with the Tibetan National Flag, the young Tibetan men and women demonstrated against Chinese brutality in their homeland amid heavy security barrier and obstacles. Rallying through the barb wired barricades and police presence the activist raised 'Free Tibet' slogans before being herded by the Indian police. Due to massive safety measures taken by the Indian government in safeguarding the Embassy premises, the protestors were unable to storm its grounds. The demonstration also caused slow movement of traffic through Shantipath for approximately 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Indians for Free Tibet group organized a car rally in support of Tibet and passed through Shantipath with a participation of around seven cars in the Capital.
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14 April 2008- JNU breaks its silence over Tibet!
The latest developments inside Tibet have raked up a number of diverging narratives on what exactly was transpiring on the roof of the world. With China launching scathing attacks against the western media’s credibility to report on Tibet, the uncertainty about the exact turn of events lingered. An intervention was necessary and rightly so, it came – better late than never.
Jawaharlal Nehru University, the premier academic institution in India chose to break its silence over the latest developments in Tibet yesterday. An after dinner talk on "The Crisis in Tibet" brought together more than 200 JNU scholars who eagerly stayed up after dinner to listen to the expert panel of speakers, Prof. Anand Kumar, Dr. Srikanth Kondapalli, Dr. Yeshi Chodon and Dr. B R Deepak, all JNU faculty members and experts in their respective areas of study. The talk went on almost into midnight indicating the academic community’s interest in the Tibet issue.
Dr. Chodon drew attention to the paradoxes of the international political system which, while recognizing Tibetan concerns, sought to apply a modern legalistic yardstick to the political issue of Tibet. Therefore, the Tibet issue came to be reduced to a mere human rights issue when brought up before the United Nations. According to Dr. Chodon, owing to lack of political will and adherence to a state-centric approach, the international community has remained a mute spectator to the cultural destruction of Tibet.
Prof. Kumar succinctly conceptualized the Tibet issue as comprising of four failures – the Chinese model of nation building; the Euro-American family that has no faith in Tibetan struggle for justice; the UN system that is centered around the five permanent Security Council members; and finally, India’s inability to take a stand on Tibet. He further conceptualized the two successes of the Tibet issue – the success of the Tibetan people to keep alive their quest for dignity and justice and the triumph of the global civil society to make small voices big and the invisible, visible. He also pointed out that as long as the Tibet issue is not resolved through dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the India-China boundary dispute would remain.
Dr. Kondapalli literally ‘dissected’ the protests in Tibet and discussed both the Chinese and Tibetan critiques of each other. Without harking on who might be more credible, he drew attention to the consequence of increasing Chinese nationalism; the consequence being an extension of ‘the civil war in China’ between the Hans and the Tibetans to outside China, as was visible in San Francisco. However, he pointed out that the personal attacks on the Dalai Lama by the Chinese leaders ‘vanish the prospects for peace’ and therefore, there was not going to be any substantial progress in the Sino-Tibetan talks post protests. The ultimate sustainability of the Tibetan movement, according to him hinges on the creation of a symbiotic integration between the Tibetan movement inside and outside China.
Dr. Deepak apprised the audience about the complex historical issues surrounding the Tibet issue. He highlighted Chinese concerns about the Dalai Lama’s ‘clout’ inside Tibet as a major reason why in the 1980s, they suggested that he can return to China but reside outside Tibet. According to him, since no Chinese government had historically supported Tibetan independence, autonomy is the only pragmatic option for the Tibetans. Nonetheless, citing territorial and juridical issues, he pointed out that for a speedy resolution to the problem, the Dalai Lama has to offer more concessions.
The question hour session invoked quite a number of questions on whether any lessons could be drawn for India from China’s negotiating style with the Tibetans. Another scholar queried as to what are the outstanding issues hindering China from talking to the Dalai Lama and why is the Taiwan issue used as a precondition for resumption of dialogue. Overall, the meeting reflected upon various concerns of various parties involved in the problem and managed to discuss the Tibet issue in its entirety, ranging from history, independence/autonomy debate, protests in Tibet, international involvement, role of global civil society, and negotiations.
The talk was organized by JNU’s Tibet Forum.
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11 April 2008 - Olympic president makes rare criticism of China
[International Herald Tribune] China faced rare criticism of its human rights record from the head of the International Olympics Committee on Thursday, even as calls for a boycott of the opening ceremony of the games grew louder in Europe and the United States.
The president of the Olympic committee, Jacques Rogge, called on the authorities in Beijing to respect their "moral engagement" to improve human rights in the months leading up to the games and to provide the news media with greater access to the country. He also described the protests that have dogged the international Olympics torch relay as a "crisis" for the organization.
Though Rogge predicted the Games would still be a success, his comments were a sharp departure from previous statements in which he avoided any mention of politics. Beijing quickly rejected his remarks and said they amounted to meddling in its internal affairs.
Meanwhile, pressure increased on world leaders to signal their opposition to China's policies in Tibet and its close relations with the government of Sudan by skipping the opening ceremony of the games. The European Parliament urged leaders of its 27 member nations to consider a boycott of the ceremony unless China opens a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet.
In New York, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations informed China that he would not attend the ceremony, a spokeswoman said. An official in Ban's office said that he had travel commitments in Europe and Latin America and that he was already scheduled to be in China in July, shortly before the games.
China's human rights policies and the Olympics have become a contentious issue in the race for president in the United States, where the three remaining candidates from both parties have called on President George W. Bush, who has plans to attend the Olympics, to skip the opening event.
Click here for the full article
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07 April 2008 - First Time I Feel Ashamed to be Han, and Lucky to Not Be a Party Member
[China Digital Times]The following blog post was signed as written by "a student from the Central University of Nationalities". Translated by CDT:
I’ve wanted to write something for a while in the wake of the latest developments in Tibetan regions. But after seeing press reports by media outlets from home and abroad, I don’t know whom to believe in. I lost my judgment. I tried to start writing, but then couldn’t continue because my feelings are too complex. This afternoon, I talked to a colleague again about this issue and the conversation escalated into a fight. The colleague finally used a very "Chinese Communist" style to stop me from "venting angry words." Faced with irrationality, I zipped my mouth. I’ve worked with a variety of people, but I didn’t imagine that there are people who have been brainwashed so much, and I started to realize this issue isn’t a small matter!
The key is, a lot of Han and some ethnic Tibetans with vested interests have become blind to the blue sky, white clouds, green mountains and water. Amidst the long history and mystical culture of Tibet, their brains are only thinking about how to commercialize these things. They don’t know that many aspects of the Tibetan way of life, religion and custom, culture and values are gradually being dismantled. Neither do they know that the dignity of Tibetans is shedding tears, and many Tibetans are struggling…
Looking at Tibet, I sometimes feel ashamed to be a Han. Since first coming to Tibet in 2006 I often think about these issues: What on earth does Tibet need, how should it develop and who does it need to lead that development? I have no power to resist anything, nor do I have the intention to resist, after all our motherland is slowly making progress and our party is gradually inching toward democracy. As an ethnic university graduate and a Han who now works in the Tibetan region, these topics have surrounded me every day of my working life.
In a civilized world in the 21st Century, when something incredible happens in a certain area but many people around us (including Tibetans) yell out about a crackdown and mass killing, should we seriously reflect on ourselves: Why? I have picked an article by an alumni [of the Central University of Nationalities] below. As a member of the Chinese nation, no matter which ethnicity, we, the future of the country, shall rethink the whole issue!
Click here for the full article
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03 April 2008 - MP Baker calls for Tibet action
[The Argus] Britain has a duty to defend the "peace-loving people" of Tibet, says Lewes MP Norman Baker. He told a Commons debate the Chinese reaction to protests in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa was over the top and unjustifiable. The Tibetan government in exile has said about 140 people were killed in the protests last month, a claim disputed by Beijing.Mr Baker, to applause from the public gallery in Westminster Hall, said of the Chinese government: "They can kill, they can maim, they can torture, they can destroy, they can marginalise but they will never destroy the spirit of the Tibetan people."
The Liberal Democrat MP called on the British Government to put further pressure on Beijing to commit to "real" dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Ministers were urged not to rule out a boycott of the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Beijing. It could be affected by the first serious disruption of its 85,000-mile route. Ambassador Fu Ying is to carry the torch along part of the route from Wembley to Greenwich via central London.Mr Baker said: "For the Chinese ambassador to take up that action on Sunday is really to stoke up the flames quite unnecessarily and will add insult to injury. I hope even at this late stage the ambassador will reconsider." He urged the British Olympic Association to break its vow of silence and not pretend the human rights situation was "a horrible dream"
that would go away.Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said Britain's reaction to the Chinese government crackdown had been fast and firm. The rioting in Lhasa had been "on a scale unseen since 1989". He told MPs: "The current situation of Tibet is a vivid demonstration of many of the human rights concerns which, as a country which aims to uphold international human rights standards across the world, we find most troubling."
03 April 2008 - French Socialists want Tibetan flag on parliament
[Reuters] A senior member of France's opposition Socialists has proposed flying the Tibetan flag from the roof of the National Assembly when the Olympic torch passes through Paris next week. Jean-Marc Ayrault, head of the Socialist parliamentary group, made the formal proposal in a letter to Bernard Accoyer, president of the National Assembly, the lower house of France's parliament. The letter was released to the media on Thursday. "The passage of the flame is a highly symbolic moment, it seems unthinkable that France's national representative body should not express its attachment to the universal values of human rights and its support to victims of the Chinese regime," he said in the letter. There was no immediate response to the proposal from Accoyer.The passage of the Olympic torch through Paris on Monday is expected to attract numerous symbolic protests against China's suppression of protests in the Tibetan capital Lhasa and surrounding regions. The Tibetan flag will also be raised over several town halls in France including in Ayrault's city of Nantes and in Villeurbanne, in southeast France.
28 March 2008 - EU foreign ministers mull Olympic boycott over Tibet crackdown
[AGENCIES] BRDO PRI KRANJU: EU foreign ministers, meeting in Slovenia from Friday, will argue the case for boycotting the Beijing Olympics opening in protest against China's crackdown on Tibet, amid diverging views. Several leaders of eastern European states, who entered the EU after decades under communism, have announced they will not attend the ceremony in the Chinese capital on August 8. Czech President Vaclav Klaus and his Estonian counterpart Toomas Hendrik Ilves along with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have all said they won't be attending. "My evaluation is very clear: the presence of politicians at the inauguration of the Olympics seems inappropriate," Tusk said Thursday.However British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in London that Britain, which will host the 2012 Olympics, would definitely not be boycotting any part of the Beijing games. The Danish and Cypriot foreign ministers, who will attend the two days of EU talks in Brdo Pri Kranju near the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, also said Thursday that they oppose calls for a boycott. "The issue of the Olympic Games should remain out of politics. These are two separate issues." Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said in Nicosia.
Faced with division in the European ranks, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who met with Brown in London on Thursday, said he would ask EU leaders ahead of the games whether they want to boycott the opening ceremony. "At the time of the Olympics, I will be in the presidency of the European Union so I have to sound out and consult my fellow members to see whether or not we should boycott," Sarkozy said. He stated that none of the 27 EU nations had so far called for a joint boycott adding: "According to how the situation is looking at the time, I reserve the right to say whether or not I will attend the opening ceremony."
Slovenia, the EU's current president until France takes over on July 1, agreed to make Tibet a late addition to the agenda of the EU foreign ministers meeting where Kosovo, Russia and the Middle East will also be discussed. While the debate on the Olympics could be lively, the European ministers are generally agreed on the wish that Beijing would open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader-in-exile.
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28 March 2008 - Tibet tensions linger, despite claims
By Calum MacLeod, USA TODAY LHASA, Tibet — From behind bars, the young man fidgeted. His eyes flickered over to a policeman standing nearby as he debated how to answer a very sensitive question. Was the Dalai Lama responsible for the recent riots in Tibet? A visiting group of journalists had posed the question. Now,an ethnic Tibetan driver who was detained for his alleged role in the violence, had to decide whether to parrot the Chinese government's official line that, yes, Tibet's spiritual leader was to blame. "It is hard to say my opinion," [he] said nervously, stalling for time. "He is my religious leader." That minor act of defiance and other scenes throughout Tibet's capital on Thursday, including an emotional protest by monks that made headlines worldwide, undermined the Chinese government's claim that life in Lhasa has returned to normal.A group of roughly 25 foreign journalists, including a reporter from USA TODAY, was allowed into Tibet for a rare, two-day trip under the strict supervision of Chinese government officials. China was eager to show the world that, with just four months to go before the Beijing Olympics, it had ended the unrest without resorting to the massive use of force that has drawn criticism in the past. The crackdown has renewed long-standing concerns over the Communist government's human rights record and treatment of dissidents. President Bush called Chinese President Hu Jintao this week to express concern about Tibet. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has suggested boycotting the Olympic opening ceremony to show the world's displeasure with China's actions. Chinese officials led the visiting journalists on a tightly scripted tour of Lhasa, where paramilitary police in riot gear marched down the street next to newly hung red banners urging national unity, peace and harmony.
No new violence has been reported in several days, and several alleged rioters in custody, including Dang, confessed to reporters they were sorry for their crimes. However, interviews with other residents of Tibet — some of which took place under the supervision of Chinese officials, and others with none present — suggested that tensions linger among the province's residents, and that turmoil could return at any time. Shopkeeper Mahai Jizhe, 38, says she has been living with her two children in Lhasa's city aid center since rioters attacked her shop and home. "I don't dare go back to my shop," she said. "I worry (the attack) may happen again." Residents cited a variety of causes for the riots. Some blamed tensions between native Tibetans and those from China's ethnic majority, the Han, who have moved to Lhasa in massive numbers in the past two years and now dominate the province's urban economy. Others attribute the violence to the pro-independence movement that has intermittently shaken Tibet since Chinese troops invaded more than a half-century ago. The Chinese government says the Dalai Lama, who is in exile in India and prohibited from returning to Tibet, orchestrated the riots to "sabotage" the Olympics.
Tang Qinyan was among those who agreed with the government's interpretation of events. Standing in front of his charred Yishion clothes shop, Tang said, "Relations between ethnic groups are very harmonious." His store is now a flower-filled shrine. Four ethnic Chinese saleswomen and one Tibetan were killed there in an arson attack on March 14, Tang said. The effect on the corpses "was like roast duck."
Many ethnic Chinese say they moved to Tibet — where the culture, religion and language are different from the rest of the country — for economic reasons. Salaries are often higher here, in part because of a lack of skilled labor. About half of ethnic Tibetans are estimated to be illiterate. Zhang Qingjun, a former farmer from central China who moved to Tibet three years ago to drive a taxi, said he can earn about a third more than back home. Nevertheless, the ethnic tensions behind the riots have convinced his wife that they should move back. "I was scared to death," Zhang said. "I saw Tibetans burning cars on the streets, so I drove my taxi straight home, and my wife and I stayed there for two days." Zhang says he has no Tibetan friends, and says the two communities often live separate lives.
Some of the violence also targeted members of the Hui minority, who are ethnically Chinese but distinct because of their Muslim religion. Many of their businesses, and the biggest mosque in Lhasa, were targeted by the rioters. Mahai Jizhe, the shopkeeper who refuses to return home, said her religion made her a target. The rioters "shouted at me, 'What are you Hui and Han doing here in Lhasa? You make money and eat your fill, but you should be making money in your own home!' " Mahai dreams of returning to her home province of Gansu, but after losing eight years of savings in the unrest, she believes that day is more distant than ever.
Some Tibetans admit that ethnic rivalries played a part in their decision to protest. Dang Zhen, the rioter who refused to denounce the Dalai Lama before the journalists, admitted that he kicked in doors of Hui businesses. "I was not paid properly when I once worked for some Hui people, and they gave me urine to drink as water," he said. However, other Tibetans say the ethnic tension has clear roots in religion and politics — a result of the Chinese government's constant vitriolic attacks on the Dalai Lama. The protests began on the 49th anniversary of Tibet's failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. "Tibetan people, and especially the monks, were angry that the Dalai Lama cannot come back to Tibet," said retired farmer Luo Gar. "The Chinese will not let him come back, and I don't dare have even one picture of him in my home." "Violence is bad, but I can understand why people were so angry," said Sina Zhuoma, a shop assistant. The recent immigration of other ethnic groups has made Tibetans feel like foreigners in their own land, she said. "If I enter a shop and speak Tibetan, they shout at me to speak Chinese. I tell them they should learn Tibetan, as they are living in Tibet. "We can get along — I have Han (ethnic Chinese) friends — but there are many Han who make Tibetans angry," Sina said.
Others agreed that the upcoming Olympic Games, and the global spotlight that accompanies them, could embolden more protesters in the months ahead. Deji Zhuogar, principal of Lhasa No.2 Middle School, is trying to make sure that doesn't happen. Several classrooms were gutted by fire after violence spilled over from the nearby Ramoche Temple, where the first violence took place. A week later, the school held a mass rally for teachers and pupils, about 85% of whom are Tibetan. "We told the children the violence was caused by law-breakers and the 'Dalai Clique' " Deji said. "This is China's Olympic Games year, and therefore a very sensitive year." she said. "They want to ruin the Olympic Games."
27 March 2008 - Tibetan monks disrupt tour by journalists
By Charles Hutzler. The Associated Press [EDITOR'S NOTECharles Hutzler, Beijing bureau chief for The Associated Press, was among a group of foreign journalists who were taken on a government-arranged trip to the Tibetan city of Lhasa.]
LHASA: A group of monks disrupted a government-managed tour by foreign reporters to Tibet's capital on Thursday, screaming there was no religious freedom and that the Dalai Lama was not to blame for recent violence there. The outburst by about 30 monks came as the journalists, including an Associated Press reporter, were being shown around the sacred Jokhang Temple by government handlers in Lhasa."Tibet is not free! Tibet is not free!" yelled one young Buddhist monk, who then started crying. They also said their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, had nothing to do with recent anti-government riots by Tibetans in Lhasa, where buildings were torched and looted, and ethnic Han Chinese were attacked.
The government has said the March 14 riots were masterminded by "the Dalai clique," Beijing's term for the Dalai Lama and his supporters. Government handlers shouted for the journalists to leave and tried to pull them away during the protest.
The government had arranged the trip for the reporters to show how calm was Lhasa was after the deadly riots shattered China's plans for a peaceful run-up to the Beijing Summer Olympics.
"They want us to crush the Dalai Lama and that is not right," one monk said during the 15-minute outburst."This had nothing to do with the Dalai Lama," said another. The Chinese government says 22 people died, while Tibetan exiles say the violence plus the harsh crackdown afterward have left nearly 140 people dead.
The outburst by the monks came amid a morning of stage-managed events. Reporters had already been taken to a Tibet medical clinic that had been attacked nearby the Jokhang, and shown a the clothing stores where five girls had been trapped and burned to death.
The monks, who first spoke Tibetan and then switched to Mandarin so the reporters could understand them, said they knew they would probably be arrested for their actions but were willing to accept that.
On Wednesday, the first day of the visit, police presence was visible but not overbearing in the newly built up and heavily Chinese portions of Lhasa, teams of security forces stood in the lanes near the Jokhang.
Two Tibetan teachers drinking in a nearby bar said they were enjoying a first night out after nighttime curfews kept them at home eating mainly tsampa — roasted barley — since the day after the March 14 riot. One reason the curfew was loosened, they said, was the foreign media visit.
An acrid odor hung in the blocks near the old city where rows of burned out buildings stand as evidence of the violence. Many shops were closed, some from a lack of business, others from looting that left their migrant Chinese owners with little to sell. "People are leaving because there's no business," said Jin Zhenman, a South Korean who came to Tibet to study traditional Buddhist painting and now runs a sundries shop.China rarely allows foreign reporters into Tibet under normal circumstances, so the media tour underscores the communist leadership's determination to contain any damage ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August that was supposed to celebrate China as a modern, rising power.
Asked to comment on the reporters' trip, the Dalai Lama — the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetans — called it a "first step." He said he hoped the trip would take place "with complete freedom."
The rioting and four days of protests that preceded it were the worst anti-Chinese demonstrations in Lhasa in nearly two decades and they sparked protests in Tibetan areas across a vast portion of western China.
Chinese state media and officials said Wednesday that more than 660 protesters have surrendered in Lhasa and in Sichuan province, site of at least two violent confrontations between police and Tibetan protesters. The Chinese government has maintained its response was measured and comparable to what any responsible government would do when faced with civil unrest.That message underlined much of the official program put on for the roughly two dozen American, European, Middle Eastern and Asian reporters from the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Financial Times, Japan's Kyodo News Agency, KBS of South Korea, and Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera.
"The situation in Lhasa is returning to normal," Liu Xuan of the Tibetan Information Office told the reporters. The Potala — the Dalai Lama's former palace and a tourist attraction — was reopened Wednesday for the first time since the violence.
But while police in the Tibetan old city checked ID papers at twilight, letting only residents into the narrow alleys, by 10 p.m. Wednesday the area seemed deserted except for the police. Patrols of a dozen police with helmets and shields marched on the streets. Police at checkpoints stopped cars. While they waved the foreign reporters through, a Chinese taxi driver said Tibetan passengers are pulled out and searched.The foreign reporters were frequently monitored, and even followed. The bus ride from the airport seemed purposely slow, taking nearly 90 minutes to travel 40 miles in an apparent effort to soak up time despite pleas from the reporters to speed up. Journalists were monitored most of the time during the first day of their visit but did venture outside without minders for several hours. However, several cars followed the journalists at one point and a cab driver who took journalists around the city was questioned afterward by authorities.
When the motorcade stopped beyond one of three checkpoints seen on the airport roadway, several reporters hurried toward the police chased by government minders. Five uniformed police stopped cars. Officer Cunluobu, who like some Tibetans uses only one name, said the post was set up March 14 — the day of the rioting — and they were checking for "people not wearing seat belts, for violating traffic rules and for having fake licenses."
Aside from the monitoring, a clash of expectations soon emerged between the officials and the foreign reporters. The officials from Beijing and the Tibetan government emphasized the violence of what is known as "the 3-14 beating, smashing, looting and burning incident."
Reporters were shown an extended version of video of the violence that has been replayed on state television. It pointed out that rioters targeted not just Chinese and their businesses but also Chinese Muslims known as Hui. The video stressed the security forces' restraint. "The armed police did not use lethal measures," the narrator said. "Only shields and batons were used." Liu and other officials present declined to answer questions from reporters about the suppression and the causes and events leading up to the protests. They deferred until interviews arranged for Thursday.
But the video and the extent of damage visible on Lhasa's streets showed how Tibetan protesters targeted many of the symbols of Chinese rule. They torched police stations, fire trucks and a Bank of China. The video showed a charred signboard from a Communist Party office. On Qingnian, or Youth, Road — one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, a ceremonial arch was draped with a red banner with the latest party slogan "Build a Harmonious Society." On either side stood burned-out, two-story storefronts.
Shops were closed on the road, but from the windows above or the steel gates over the doors hung traditional white ceremonial scarves — an apparent signal to rioters that the places were Tibetan, not Chinese.
President Bush called China's President Hu Jintao on Wednesday and raised concerns about the crackdown in Tibet. Bush encouraged Hu to engage in "substantive dialogue" with representatives of the Dalai Lama, the White House said. The president also called on China to allow access for journalists and diplomats in Tibet.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday that the United States has requested that U.S. diplomats be allowed to go to Lhasa. But he said that he did not think that China had granted that access.Back to top
26 March 2008 - Sheffield shop vandalised for supporting Tibet
Chinese students break window in protest of Tibetan flag display
[Tibet Society] What price freedom of expression? In an extraordinary echo of the repressive stance taken by the Chinese authorities in Tibet, The Natural Bed Company in Sheffield had its window smashed by Chinese students for displaying a Tibetan flag. The Natural Bed Company, a long term supporter of Tibet, last week displayed a Tibetan flag in its Sheffield showroom window in solidarity with the Tibetan people in Tibet who are currently suffering brutal and continued crackdowns by the police and army that has resulted in the death of over 100 people, with many further casualties.Owner, Peter Bennion said, “On Thursday two Chinese students came to the shop complaining the flag offended them and if we didn’t take it down they would come back the following day to tear it down themselves. They didn’t wait that long; they came back at night and photographed themselves breaking the window”.
The police have been called and hope to identify the students from closed circuit TV. However, this is not an isolated act, as other Chinese students have also been targeting the shop. Peter Bennion continued “We might have liked to think that it was the work of one or two students, but sadly other Chinese students have been coming down the road to photo the broken window and make aggressive gestures. I think they’ve proved the point about their own intolerance. Clearly we can’t afford to have our windows broken but we don’t want to let them intimidate here the way they do in Tibet. We’ve invited the Chinese students’ society at the University to a dialogue but we’ve had no response. It’s sad to think they’re so insecure that they can be so easily offended and so arrogant that they can come to this country and not be able to cherish the freedom of expression that we have. They appear to have come here for a degree but not for education. In Sheffield we welcome students from all over the world but this is bad publicity for Chinese students”.
Philippa Carrick of the Tibet Society added “It is very sad to hear of this kind of behaviour. In a small way, this act exemplifies the difficulties faced in trying to encourage the Chinese government to lay aside their prejudices and open a meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama for a just solution. Closed minds and kneejerk reactions do not further the process of finding common ground to negotiate a fair settlement for the Tibetan people.”
26 March 2008 - MEPs debate the situation in Tibet
MEPs debated the situation in Tibet with some MEPs calling for a possible boycott of at least the opening ceremony of the forthcoming Olympic Games to be held in China this summer while others said that a boycott would be futile. Many MEPs called for freedom for Tibet and underlined the human rights abuses in China and called for maximum restraint. The House also debated the outcome of the last European Council of 13 and 14 March with Slovenian PM Janez Janša.Situation in Tibet - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering
In an introductory statement, European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering told the House "the events in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and in other Chinese cities since 10 March this year are deeply disturbing". He added "We condemn all forms of violence and the disproportionate use of military and police. We condemn the deaths of people who were acting peacefully".
Mr Pöttering went on "We express our solidarity with the Dalai Lama", saying we cannot allow him to be linked to terrorism or demonised. He called on the Beijing authorities "to negotiate with the Dalai Lama and, while respecting the territorial integrity of China, to reach an understanding that respects and guarantees the cultural and religious identity of the Tibetan people".
The Dalai Lama has accepted an invitation to address the EP in December as part of the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. However, in view of the current situation, said the EP President to applause from the House, "I am sure you will agree he is welcome to come to the European Parliament at any time".
Turning to EU-China relations and the Olympic Games, President Pöttering declared "Dialogue and cooperation between the European Union and China are in our mutual interest. China is a great nation, with which we want to cooperate in partnership."
He stressed that "We want the Olympic Games to be a success". "But this will require respect for the cultural and religious identity of the Tibetan people and free and fair reporting before and after the games. It is therefore to be condemned that journalists and correspondents have been expelled from Tibet".
Mr Pöttering then said that while he himself was due to attend the opening ceremony of the games in August, "Every responsible politician must ask the question, whether he can take part in the opening ceremony if the Chinese leadership does not seek dialogue and compromise".
"We wish to contribute to an outcome whereby the world's athletes can meet in fair and free competitions in Beijing. But our values and our self-respect will not allow us to surrender our principles. We in the European Parliament have a special responsibility in this regard."
Council
On behalf of the Council, State Secretary for European Affairs Janez Lenarčič said first of all listed the meetings and talks that have taken place between EU representatives and the Chinese authorities since the violence erupted in Tibet. He then called for both sides to show restraint and try to "establish a constructive dialogue. The Council hoped China would allow independent media to re-enter Tibet soon.
According to the minister, a recent meeting of EU sports ministers voted against a boycott of the Olympic Games, believing instead that the games can help promote human rights.
He concluded by telling MEPs that the Slovenian foreign minister has asked his Chinese counterpart to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama and to release all peaceful protestors.
Commission
Benita Ferrero-Waldner European Commissioner for External Relations said that the debate was timely as EU foreign Ministers were due to discuss this soon. The Commission, she said, was "deeply concerned about the unrest and the violence, violence is never justifiable". Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner called on the Chinese authorities to exercise maximum restraint and not to use force. She also called for independent media access in Tibet and welcomed the announcement from the Chinese of an upcoming media visit on 26-28 March which would include international correspondents. The Commissioner called for substantial dialogue between the Chinese and the Tibetans.
The International Community had always respected the territorial integrity of China. Human rights are a matter of international concern and not solely internal matter, the Commissioner said. People had the right to demonstrate peacefully.
The Olympic Games, the Commissioner said, are not a political event. She called for the event to be carried out in respect of the Olympic spirit which included the freedom of speech and freedom of the media.
Political group speakers
For the EPP-ED József SZÁJER (HU)spoke of the Olympic Games as 'a symbol of peace and understanding' and stated that 'we demand a peaceful dialogue on the reconciliation and autonomy of Tibet.' He welcomed the statement of President Pöttering, pointing out that 'we should use all our means to press the unwilling Chinese authorities to stop violence and respect human and minority rights.' He posed the question: 'how can athletes from the whole world come together and compete in joy and harmony, while at the same time, the State that is hosting the games is killing its own citizens?' Mr Szájer concluded by stating that 'this is not the time for us to boycott the Olympic Games', in particular with just 5 months to go. He did however point out that 'we should be quite unequivocal about the demands that we put forward.'
Pasqualina NAPOLETANO (IT) for the PES began by stating that 'I hope it's going to be useful to raise the voice of the European Parliament' in this respect. She emphasised that the request of the Dalai Lama for an independent commission to go to Tibet should be acted upon to 'shed light' on events there and that a negotiated solution should be found which would respect the existing UN resolutions. With regard to the Dalai Lama in particular, Ms Napoletano pointed out that 'the political role of the Dalai Lama cannot be substituted' and that he is the 'guarantor of balance.' She said that 'if the Chinese really want peace, they must accept [his] role.'
In conclusion, Ms Napoletano stated that the isolation of China will not help the Tibetan cause or human rights in general. She called on the Council to 'shoulder [its] responsibility ..[..].. we do not need a gesture', she said, we need a coherent policy.
Marco PANNELLA (IT) for the ALDE group reminded his colleagues of the Europe which existed 70 years ago - the 'cowardly, anti-liberal Europe' of fatherlands which said they 'weren't going to die for Danzig.' Mr Pannella asked his colleagues to read Spinelli again and to compare that manifesto with the words of the Dalai Lama. He pointed out that 'we in Europe are being cowardly ... we're losing the sand through our fingers.' Speaking of recent statements by Javier Solana, Mr Pannella asked that the EU should act according to 'the realism of the Dalai Lama' - that we 'should not look at things in apocalyptic terms' but should rather adopt a more pragmatic approach.
Cristiana MUSCARDINI (IT) for the UEN group by saying that due to the imminence of the Olympic Games, 'we all entertained hopes that China's development was not just that of an economic and trade power.' She pointed out that China did speak of giving rise to 'a harmonious world'. The reality, Ms Muscardini reminded her colleagues, is very different. The Chinese 'refuse to have a constructive dialogue with the Tibetans.' Ms Muscardini spoke of the necessity to review trade agreements with China in this context and concluded by stating that the Olympic Games can only take place if commitments in the realm of human rights are made.
Daniel COHN-BENDIT (DE), speaking for the Greens/EFA group, said that for the last ten years European leaders had played a role in the "Olympics of indifference", allowing human rights to be trampled on. He recalled the 1936 Olympic Games which were a political act and said that the Beijing Games, being under a dictatorship, would also be a political act. He said the EU "must all together refuse to attend the opening ceremony of the Games".
"40 years ago we had people raising their fists in the air because they were trying to put an end to discrimination against blacks in the US," he said, "In Beijing, we don’t want athletes with blood on their feet" He said he hoped that through ordinary citizens' protest, Tiananmen Square could become the square of freedom. "We insist as Greens that anyone going to Beijing should create chaos by making their point and letting the Chinese know we are aware of what is going on."
Vittorio AGNOLETTO (IT) (GUE/NGL) said that defence of human rights in China does not start or finish with the Olympics. If in international relations, governments had to put respect for human rights first, not only would they have been against China having the Olympic Games, but trade agreements with China would have human rights clauses in them. "As it is," he said, "24 million people in China are employed by western companies, so we are in bed with them and tolerating it for the sake of global trade".
Patrick LOUIS (FR), speaking for the Ind/Dem group was critical of Bernard Kouchner (French Foreign Minister) for constantly referring to 'our Chinese friends' and failing to acknowledge what is actually happening. "Since the Hang dynasty started, the Chinese have always thought they are superior to everyone else in the world, and the Communists are maintaining that". "European leaders will be guilty if they fail to recognise what is happening in Tibet", he said.
Bruno GOLLNISCH (FR) (Non-attached) said that 113 years ago the French Socialist Jean Jaurès had said that capitalism contains within it the seeds of war, as clouds foresee a tempest. "For 60 years," he said, "China has been lording it over Tibet and a lot of European intelligentsia have been taken in", including the left-wing protesters of the 1960s and 70s: None of them stuck up for oppressed Asians, he said.
25 March 2008 - UK Foreign Secretary answers questions on Tibet in parliament
Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con): If he will make a statement on recent events in Tibet.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband): The whole House will be very concerned about the situation in Tibet. An uneasy calm has returned to Lhasa, although unrest has spread to surrounding regions. When my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to Premier Wen on 19 March, my right hon. Friend urged him to respect the human rights of detainees, avoid the use of excessive force, respect freedom of expression and religion in Tibet, and start a political dialogue with the Dalai Lama. I repeated those points to the Chinese Foreign Minister when I spoke to him on Friday. We also call on the protesters to desist from further violence.
Mr. Gray: The whole House will be with the Foreign Secretary in hoping that protesters desist from further violence. However, the fact is that most Free Tibet protesters and the Buddhists that go with them are peaceful protesters. The awfulness has been that they have been repressed in the most violent way by the Chinese and other interests. Will the Foreign Secretary give us his assurance that as the Olympic torch wends its way across Europe and through the UK, the British authorities will allow peaceful protest by the Free Tibet people and that he will use his best initiatives with other countries across the world to ensure that those people are allowed to continue their perfectly legitimate and free protests?
David Miliband: The hon. Gentleman has raised an important point. He is absolutely right that our traditions of free speech and free demonstration must be upheld in respect of all matters—including the passage of the Olympic torch, which should pass with full security but also with full respect for our democratic freedoms.The hon. Gentleman hinted at a further important point. In the last 50 years, the Dalai Lama has made it his business not to argue for independence for Tibet, but to voice calls for moderation and dialogue. The danger is that people give up on that course and turn to more violent courses of action; the hon. Gentleman may have been hinting at that point in the early part of his question. I certainly echo the conclusion of that point, which is that the need for political dialogue has never been greater.
Julie Morgan (Cardiff, North) (Lab): I am sure that my right hon. Friend is aware that many Tibetans in exile in northern India are expressing impatience with the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peaceful protest and to autonomy rather than independence. Does my right hon. Friend not think that that makes it even more important that the Government should put all the support that they can behind the Dalai Lama and behind the work towards a peaceful resolution?
David Miliband: My hon. Friend raises an important point, and it is precisely why the Prime Minister is going to meet the Dalai Lama, who is a respected religious figure. My hon. Friend is right to point to the fact that without dialogue as the basis for expressing frustration, people turn in other directions. I share the sense of urgency that she brings to the issue.
Mr. Ian Taylor (Esher and Walton) (Con): Given that the Chinese Government depend on trade with the EU, what European initiative is likely to take place to try to ensure that the Chinese understand that dealing with the Dalai Lama is crucial not only to their domestic problems in Tibet but to their global position and their increasing respectability in the world before the Olympics?
David Miliband: The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. In respect of both the Olympics and trade, there is an important decision for the world to take: whether it gains, and China gains, from engagement or from isolation. We have made our position clear in respect of the Olympics: engagement is better—and ditto in respect of trade. However, I can assure him that in that context of a commitment to engage in China on an open basis—with maximum openness, actually—the 27 European Foreign Ministers who meet this weekend will discuss how we can ensure that the maximum political voice is given to the need for the sort of dialogue that he believes in.
Mr. Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley) (Lab): Will my right hon. Friend enter into discussions with the Chinese to ensure that non-violent protest may take place, that people who are going to take part in the Olympics will not have to sign any gagging orders, and that we allow freedom of speech in a non-violent way?
David Miliband: To the extent that that question is related to the story about British athletes, there is certainly no question of gagging orders. My hon. Friend also raises a wider point, which is that in our own history and reading of the Chinese situation, giving people expression for human rights and guaranteeing human rights, whether in the courts of law or in respect of freedom of speech, is the way to ensure the stability of a society rather than to promote its instability. That is the basis of our human rights dialogue with the Chinese authorities, which went to Tibet earlier this year, and it is the basis of the human rights cases that I raised with China’s Foreign Minister and Prime Minister when I was there last month.
Mr. John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con): When issuing instructions on the policing for the progress of the Olympic torch in Britain, will the Government take the view that the police should allow placards to appear in any picture of the torch passing—the protestors’ view—or will they take the Chinese view that the event should be policed in such a way that no protest placards and posters will be on display?
David Miliband: If the right hon. Gentleman believes that we control the pictures that people take, he is perhaps giving greater credence than is deserved to stories about the Government’s prowess in controlling the media. Obviously, the operational matters will be taken forward by the policing authorities. I am sure that the spirit of the whole House is summed up in the idea that we want to ensure not only security for the torch and a proper celebration of the Olympic spirit,but that our own history and our own commitments to democratic rights and freedom of protest are properly respected.
Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby) (Con): In today’s London Times, it is reported that the Foreign Secretary was assured by the Chinese Foreign Minister that any Chinese protesting against the Beijing Olympics would be given a cup of tea by the police; we then read that Yang Chunlin was given five years in jail for it. Tibetan protesters have been getting shot. What credence does the Foreign Secretary give to assurances from the Chinese Foreign Minister or Government about their good intentions?
David Miliband: The Chinese Foreign Minister did not assure me about a cup of tea or promise me a cup of tea—he answered a question from, I think, a correspondent from The Times at a press conference that the Minister and I held in Beijing, and I think that his answer was in respect of a slightly different point. The credence that we have to give is that actions are what count; the rights of individuals in China and the actions of the Chinese Government are absolutely key to the responsibilities of great nations like the Chinese. It is important that we continue to set out our own view without fear or favour.
19 March 2008 - Hundreds of Tibetan nomads and farmers protest in Luchu County
[TCHRD]At the time of filing this update, just a moment ago at around 7:00pm (Beijing Standard Time) on 19 March 2008, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received a confirmed information from the site of the demonstration that, more than two hundreds Tibetan nomads and farmers from Ponkor Village, Ma Ngoe Township, Luchu County (Ch: Luqu Xian), Kanlho "TAP" Gansu Province, are staging a peaceful demonstration at the Township Public Primary School compound.Ponkor Village in Luchu County which has around 250 families primarily made of farmers and nomads are staging a peaceful demonstration at the Ma Ngoe Township Public Primary school compound shouting slogans such as "Independence for Tibet", "Long Live the Dalai Lama", Release the Panchen Lama" "Dalai Lama should return to Tibet" and "Tibet belongs to Tibetans". The protesters pulled down the Chinese national flag and hoisted the banned Tibetan national flag in its place. The protesters continue with their demonstration until the Chinese security forces came into the scene and demanded the removal of the banned Tibetan national flag. The Tibetan protesters defied the order to remove the flag for a while but eventually the Chinese security forces overpowered the protestors. More than five truckloads of Chinese security forces were brought into the scene to quell the demonstrators.
At the moment, the demonstration is still going on. Apparently the Chinese security forces are looking for the prime instigator of the protest and those who hoisted the banned Tibetan national flag. The protesters are demanding that unless Chinese security forces abandon the planned arrest of the Tibetans they will continue to stage the protest. The present situation at Ma Ngoe Township is known to be very tense and volatile. There is no reports of arrests or detention of Tibetans when the last report came in. The Centre will continue to monitor the situation as and when more information surface.
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18 March 2008 - "Team Tibet" Withdraws Application for Beijing Olympics to Protest Killings in Tibet
[noc-tibet.org] Lausanne - The National Olympic Committee Tibet withdrew its request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today for a Tibetan team to participate in the Beijing Olympics. The Tibetan athletes demanded that the IOC immediately remove all Olympic Torch Relay stops in Tibet, including Tibetan areas now in Chinese provinces. The relay, which begins in Greece in one week, is set to run through Lhasa and other Tibetan cities, as well as up Mount Everest. It is seen by Tibetans as a blatant attempt by the Chinese government to use the Olympics to stake their claim on Tibet and, given the current protests in Tibet against Chinese rule, can only be seen as a provocation.“We are very saddened by the IOC’s refusal to condemn the killings in Tibet that have been taking place since Friday,” said Dominik Kelsang Erne (table tennis, men’s singles). “ China’s actions are not those of an acceptable Olympic host and we Tibetan athletes have no desire to participate in an Olympics built on bloodshed and suffering. We fully understand the hopes and dreams that all athletes bring to the Olympics, but we hope that athletes from other nations will not forget the Tibetans’ struggle and will show their solidarity when in Beijing.”
Wangpo Tethong, the President of the NOC Tibet said, “We are halting our endeavor to send a Tibetan Team and individual athletes to Beijing 2008. We have shown our preparedness to meet with world youth, including Chinese athletes, in a spirit of reconciliation and friendship. But now in view of the brute force being used by China against our fellow countrymen in Tibet, we cannot in good conscience take part in the Olympic Games in Beijing.”
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18 March 2008 - Nepal Police continue to suppress peaceful Tibetan demonstrators
[Phayul] Kathmandu, March 18 - Nepal Police today arrested 58 Tibetan protestors in front of the UN House at Pulchowk at around 12.30 AM again as Police continue to suppress peaceful demonstrations by Tibetans in Kathmandu for the 8th consecutive day since beginning from the 10th of March to protest against Chinese occupation of Tibet and the recent killing of Tibetans inside Tibet. All the detainees were freed at around 6 PM. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have been observing the demonstrations and visiting the detainees for