An Example of Journalistic Articles Written for the Free Tibet Campaign (2000)
Journalistic Articles for Free Tibet Campaign
i) Dalai Lama Brother in China
At the instigation of the Chinese, the brother of the Dalai Lama travelled to Beijing to hold talks with Chinese consular officials early in October 2000. Gyalo Thondup, a former Tibetan envoy, returned to Dharamsala bearing a message from the Chinese side, to which the Dalai Lama responded by suggesting a Tibetan delegation visit China for further talks. There has not yet been a reply to this.
Official negotiations between China and the Government-in-exile had broken down in 1993, although there were still unofficial channels of communication open until November 1998. After President Clinton met Chinese President Jiang Zemin in China in 1998 informal talks were briefly re-established, however shortly afterwards all contact was severed. The Chinese Government has recently preferred to ignore the Dalai Lama, purporting that after his death Tibetan nationalism would dissolve.
Following this recent exchange of communication there are no indications that there is any change of policy or ideas on either the Chinese Government's, or the Dalai Lama's part. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said that "channels for contact and dialogue" with the Tibetan leader were open, however any talks were on condition that he accepted long-standing Chinese principles. "The Dalai Lama must truly give up advocating Tibetan independence, stop activities aimed at splitting China and openly declare that Tibet is an inalienable part of Chinese territory." (News 24ZA South Africa)
The Dalai Lama puts no conditions on talking with the authorities in Beijing. His stance has always been that dialogue and communication is the only way forward; he is ready to step into the debating arena any time anywhere. His main policy is centred around the idea of non-violence (ahimsa) and calling on the Chinese government to grant Tibet meaningful autonomy rather than independence. This he calls the "middle way" policy. Tibet would become a genuinely autonomous region run by self-government and democratic principles. China would maintain responsibility for Tibet's foreign policy, keeping a restricted number of military installations in Tibet for defence purposes.
"Everybody knows I'm not seeking independence. My commitment to the middle way is not changed. The Chinese government need not have any suspicion of that. It is very, very essential whether we make progress or not, that we meet face to face. I think one of the main obstacles is ignorance and wrong impressions."
Chinese officials consistently condemn the Dalai Lama calling him devious, insincere and representing feudal forces. They still see him as a great threat to the country of China as a whole. The Tibet communist party leader, Raidi was quoted in the People's Daily as saying, "The Dalai Lama engages in activities aimed at splitting the country under the pretext of religion. His cheating and hypocrisy actually go against the doctrine of Buddhism." Under these conditions of mud-slinging and name-calling, successful dialogue is a minefield. However, hope of meaningful discussion has not faded and the Dalai Lama wishes to keep things low-key. Giving no further details of the messages sent between himself and the Chinese government he said it was "early days."
ii) Millennium Peace Summit
The Millennium Peace Summit was held in New York on August 28th – 31st this year, chiefly sponsored by the United Nations. One thousand spiritual and religious leaders from across the world were invited to attend.
However, after pressure from the Chinese Government the 1989 Nobel Peace laureate and Tibetan Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, was left off the invitation list. A request was later issued for him to speak at the closing address of the conference to be held at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel.
Outrage at the decision and support for the Dalai Lama was expressed in many quarters with the Parliament of World religions, one of the world's major interfaith organisation, strongly condemning the snub. Fellow Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to express his concern, revealing that although he was unable to attend the summit he would have withdrawn in protest due to the “disgraceful decision” to omit the Dalai Lama from the proceedings. He further commented that the Dalai Lama's exclusion "totally undermines the integrity of the United Nations and the credibility of the summit."
Elsewhere students in America demonstrated outside the United nations on each day of the summit, gaining the support of many religious leaders who acknowledged the protest, showing their solidarity by wearing simple paper buttons with a photocopied picture of the Dalai Lama.
The timing and nature of the late invitation to the convention led the Dalai Lama to decline, saying that he would not want to inconvenience any individual or organisation within the Summit. Instead he named a group of eight Tibetan religious leaders to attend in place of him. The delegation was led by the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, head of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Drikung Kyabgon is a senior Tibetan Buddhist leader who grew up in Tibet and escaped to India in 1975. The other delegation members were from the four Tibetan Buddhist traditions, including two Tibetan women Buddhist leaders, as well as from the traditional Tibetan Bon religion. They participated in the entire summit including in the dialogues on how the different religious faiths and leaders can work together to foster peace and mutual understanding
Part of the Dalai Lama's message conveyed by the representatives read, "the different faiths need to develop mutual respect and understanding of each others belief and values. There can be no peace as long as there is grinding poverty, social injustice, inequality, oppression, environmental degradation, and as long as the weak and small continue to be trodden by the mighty and powerful."
Chinese religious leaders withdrew angrily, strongly condemning the reading and objecting to the presence of the Tibetan Buddhist leader's representative delegation. Among the Chinese religious leaders leaving the assembly hall included Jamyang Losang Jigme Tubdain Qoigyi Nyima, a well-known living Buddha of Tibetan Buddhism.
On the last day of the conference, religious leaders began signing a declaration committing themselves to global peace, declaring all religions equal and recognising equality between women and men. The document entitled, ‘Commitment to Global Peace,’ condemns all violence committed in the name of religion. It commits delegates to taking an active role in reducing war and poverty and making environmental protection a priority.
iii) Qinghai - Tibet Railway Report
Construction of the Qinghai to Tibet railway line has now begun. Inauguration ceremonies were held respectively at Golmud in Qinghai Province the railway's starting point, and in Lhasa, Tibet, where it will terminate. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji attended the formalities in Golmud, saying “the Qinghai-Tibet railway, which runs through the ‘roof of the world’, is an unprecedented project in the history of humankind.” The two sites of the opening ceremony were attended by tens of thousands of Han Chinese, Tibetan and other ethnic people. President Jaing Zemin sent a congratulatory letter to mark the beginning of work. Construction will initially focus on laying roads for construction vehicles, erecting offices, hospitals and dormitories and moving building materials into place.
Chinese authorities have acknowledged there are many unique problems facing the labourers, such as laying tracks on frozen soil which could melt and cause metal to bend in warmer times; oxygen shortages and low air pressure due to high altitude. Four fifths of the line will be at a height of 4,000 meters above sea level or more. Conservationists also warn of the impact such a project would have on the local environment. It would be important to avoid wild animal migration routes in nature reserves along the route. In an interview with a Western environmentalist who travelled extensively in Amdo, Tibet Information Network reports that the greatest threat to the environment posed by the railway is the potential for increased natural resource extraction. Minerals and ore will be more easily mined and transported with the railway in place.
Construction of the 1,118 km railway is an important part of the Beijing government';s campaign to develop the western regions of China, encouraging population migration of Han Chinese migrants to settle in Tibetan regions. Tibet Information Network said that a recent visitor to the area reported that “there is great concern and fear about the number of Chinese who will come into the city.” The culture and religion of the people of Tibet are viewed by the Chinese authorities as “backward” and “superstitious”, so although Beijing maintains the railway will pose no threat to people's religious beliefs, the certain influx of Chinese people and modern concepts into the area is sure to have an effect.
The building of a railway linking Tibet with central China was initially proposed by Mao Zedong and other senior Chinese leaders back in the 1950's, remaining a dream of the leadership ever since. It will be the first railway in Tibet, and is one of the top four priorities for the next Five Year Plan period (2001-5) along with the Three Gorges Damn project, the transmission of electricity across China, and PetroChina's gas pipeline. Reports indicate that the current urban population of Lhasa is already at least 70% Chinese, and the building of a railway line will dramatically increase this percentage. Tibetan farmers across the region may be required to move away from their land and settlements in order to make way for the new development. In particular a railway bridge will be built across the river near the Neu township area, entailing significant reclamation of land from the river's seasonal flood plain.
Written by senior freelance copywriter Jackie Griffiths for Freelance Copy UK