c h apt e r Ill

Internationalization of Tibet Issue: Reaching Parlianzents through Peoples' Power

Chapter Ill

Internationalization of the Tibet Issue: Reaching Parliaments through

Peoples' Power

From 1987, internationalization of the Tibet issue became the chief strategy of the

Tibetan government-in-exile and Tibet support group movement supported by two

pillars of peaceful conflict resolution: dialogue and nonviolence. While peace

initiatives were conceived and introduced by the Dalai Lama to serve as a flexible

ground for a dialogue with Beijing the nonviolent protests inside Tibet, apart from

attracting the world public opinion and gaining their sympathy, provided a tangible

proof of the serious problem in Tibet. Having both dialogue and nonviolence as basis

for the Tibetan freedom movement, the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Tibet

Support Groups began internaLionalizing the Tibet issue with the hope that international

pressure would compel China to come down for a negotiated r,;litical settlement of the

Tibet issue. Pressure was exerted on China by making Tibet an issue in the

intemational govemments through introducing on the agenda of various parliaments,

and passing resolutions and bills in favour of Tibet cause. This legislative effort, that is,

taking Tibet issue into government forums, particularly legislative branches and effect

changes in govemment positions worldwide was the core of the broader strategy of

Intemationalization of Tibet issue was primarily aim~d at creating awareness of Tibet

among the international public, policy makers, government, institutions and mass

media. The Dalai Lama during his travels appealed to the countries to come forward to

47

suppor1 th•: Tibet cause. The Tibetan government-in-exile, through its vanous

depar1nicnts and foreign rm:;s10ns disseminated first-hand infonnation about the

p.olitical, human rights and environmental conditions in Tibet to the world community.

Similarly, the Tibet Support Groups ami individual supporters created awareness at the

grassroots level and mobilized support for the Tib~t cause. Thus, the Tibetan freedom

movement's endeavour to internationalize the Tibet issue can be classified into three

groups: ony, the Dalai Lama's efforts; two, the activities of Tibetan government-in-

exile; and three, the actions of Tibet support group movement. This chapter analyses

the activities and operations of these three groups that intematiomlized the Tibet issue.

A. The Dalai Lama's Efforts to Internationalize the Tibet Issue

The Dalai Lama has become one of the foremost leaders of the world striving to uphold

human dignity, democratic val11cs, and universal love. His philosophy, the basis of not

only of his understanding and engagement with the Tibeta!l. ~ uestion but also with

global issues, has attracted people from all walks of life and from all nationalities.1

The

Dalai Lama's middle way approach to the Tibetan question was appreciated by the

international community and supported by the Tibetans as a constructive and forward

looking proposal f(x the solutio.n of the Tibet issue. 2 The Dalai Lama firmly believes

1 A.A. Shiro:nany, The Political Philosophy of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: Selected Speeches and Writings (New Delhi: Tibetan People's Parliatuentary Research Centre, 1998), o. v. 2 According to Sa~phcl, the Dalai Lama's middle way is not a proposal, rather a method of conducting a struggle for freedom and justice. Dalai Lama's middle WllY of approach has four elements: one, a willingness to compromise in the attainment of one's goals; two, a willingness to engage in dialogue and discussion of issues; three, a willingness to base one's struggle on nonviolence; and four, a willingness to wage one's S(ruggle from a position of moral authority. This approach is a complete philosophy and has a universal relevance. It could be a method of political struggle that can be replicated on any part of the world where people sufferc injustice, oppression and ethnic disintesrati 11. Sec Thubten Samphcl, "Middle Way Approach of His Holiness the Dalc~i Lam:t: Its Genesis and its Larger International Relevance.'' a Paper presented at the Conference, Sino-Tihctan Dialogue Finding Common Ground,

4X

lhat a solution to the Tibet issue could come only through the efforts of the

international community. Hence. during his travels, the Dalai Lam a has been carrying

on his campaign to create awareness among the countries visited by him portraying the

unfmtunate situation in which the Tibetans have been placed. In his speeches the Dalai

Lama continues to call upon the governments and nations to address the Tibetan

political question in a spirit of reconciliation and healing.3 The media and th~ press

always accompanied him and publicized his visits and created awareness to the just

cause of Tibet.

J. Dalai Lamrz 's international travels and appeal for support

From 1987, the Dalai Lama had started travelling more by making trips openly political

to mobilize support from the international community to the Tibet cause.4

So far he has

traveled to more than 152 countries including the Uniterl States, Canada, Western

Europe, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Mongolia, Greece, Japan, Thailand,

Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, Costa Rica, Mexico, ·.:1e Vatican, China and

Australia. Between 1987-1997, the decade of internationalization in Tibetan exile

history, the Dalai Lama visited 138 co1Jntries(See Table 3.1). Whereas the previous

decade, that is, I c, 76-1%0, he traveled to only 40 countries. And before that, that is the

the period of 'internationalization of Tibet issue' the Dalai Lama paid the highes,

number of visits to the United States and Germany. He visited these countries nearly 15

Organized by The Tibetan Community in Europe and The Alliance for a Democratic China, 11-12 October 1997. l.ondon. ·1 >hiromany. n. I, p. vi. ·I Sec, A. Torn Cirun kid. the -\faking of Modem J'iln·t (New York: M. E. Shatvc, 19% ). pp. 230-231.

49

Table 3.1 Comparison of Dalai Lama's Foreign Visits, From I959 to I997

Countrie~ VisitLd Before 1976 1976-86 1987-97 Total ~-ntina I I

Australia 1 2 3 ;\ ustria I 3 4 8 Belgium I l 2 4 Brazil 2 2 Bulgaria 1 I Canada 1 2 3 China I 1 1 3 Costa Rica I I Czechoslovakia I 1 Czech Republic· I I

Denmark I I 3 5

Estonia I I

Finland I 1 France 2 12 14

Gabon I I

Germany I 4 15 20

Gn.:ece I I I -- r---:.-·-··

4 Hungary 3 Indonesia I I 2

Ireland I I I 3 Israel I 1 Italy I 5 7 13 Japan I 4 2 7

Kazakhstan I I

Latvia I I

Liechtenstein I I

Lithuania I I

Malaysia 1 I

Mexico 2 2

Mongolia 2 3 5

Nepal 1 I

Netherlands 1 2 3 6 New Zealand 2 2

Nicaragua 1 I Norway I I 5 7 Poland I l Ru~sia(USSR) 3 6 9

T mc,aporc 1 I Snuth ;\ frica 1 I

---;-:--:- ·- ----- ----- _4 ______ -----------Spa1n I s ---

.)wed en I 1 5 7 -Swit7f'rbnr1 ) 'i 9 J(j

Taiwan I I Thailand I 2 I 4 Trinidad&Tobaco 1 I Turkey 1 I UK 1 3 8 12 USA 4 15 19 Venezuela I I

--TOTAL IS 40 138 193

--

Source: The /lis !lolincss the 14th Dalai Lama o/Tihct. Dedicated :o Iii-; llolim:ss the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of the 60th anni1-crsary of I! is_ enthronement and the 50th annil'l'rsary of I lis assu111ing political power. Dharamsaln, Dccemhcr 2000.

50

times. He visited France I 2 times. In the previous decade he vi:;ited hoth United States

and Gennany just four times and France twice. Thus his travels after 1987 increased

almost 200% then the previous decades. And these international tours of the Dalai

Lama were truely a turning point in the internationalization of tLe Tibet issue.

During his trips, the Lama had reached out and touched the must active political fabric

of western polity. Most importantly he had extensive contacts with the members of

parliaments and was invited as guest speaker to many parliaments. He addressed the

Parliaments in Europe, Great Britain, Gennany, France, Denmark, Lithuania and a

number of other countries making appeals to the world community to come forward to

protect the Tibetan culture and guarantee the basic human rights of Tibetans. The Dalai

Lama also used such platfonns to propose new peace initiatives with China to resolve

the Tibet issues. He hoped that the international support to his proposals would

persuade the Chinese authorities to some to tl1e negotiating table for a peaceful and

equitable solution to the Tibet issue. At his landmark address to the US Congressional

Human Rights Caucus in 1987 the Dalai Lama proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan that

fanned the basis of his later initiatives to bring about a dialogue with Beijing. In an

address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on 15 June 1988, the Dalai

Lama elaborated on this Five-Point Peace Plan and proposed the creation of a self-

his following addresses to the Western government forums, the Dalai Lama reiterated

his peace initiatives and sought their support for a dialogue with the Chinese: 25 April

1990, the Political i\ffairs CoJillllittee of the European Parliament: 18 April 1991,

United States Congress at the Capital Rotunda; 1 October I 991, Parliament of the

51

newly independem Republic of Lithuania; 19 June 1995, the Foreign Affairs

Committee of the German Parliament (Bundestag) in Bonn; and 23 October 1996, the

European Parliament. Dalai Lama's selection of venues to reveal his position and

introduce his peace initiatives was the significant factor of thes(' talks. Even though the

Chinese could disregard his proposals, they could not ignore the important platfonns

and the publicity afforded to him in the US and Europe. 5

During these trav~Js the Dalai Lama spoke on peace, nonviolence, compassion, human

rights, environmental problems, nuclear proliferation and so on. He discussed the

political situation in Tihet _and_his_political attitudes and solution with the press anrl_

policy makers. He had met with Presidents, Prime Ministers and crowned mlers of

major nations and discussed with them about the Tibet issue. Th~re wa~ a day when the

Dalai Lama was denied visa to enter the United States. Now he had met with President

Bill Clinton four times in 1993, 97, 98 and 2000. He had also met his predecessor

President George Bush in 1991. From 1987 he has been meeting the Presidents and

Prime Ministers of the following countries: United Kingdom, Poland, Australia, New

Zealand, Norway, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Costa Rica, Mexico,

Czechoslovakia, BeiC!tus, Ireland, Nicaragua, Lithuania, Argentina, Austiia, South

Africa, and many more. The Dalai Lama also met the Secretary General of the United

Commissioner for H um«n Rights and presents the Tibetan situation to the office. These

contacts and_ the personal friendship of the Dalai Lama, especially with government

5 Tsering Shakya. lhe Dragon in the Land (~(Snows: A 1/is!Ol:V of" Modem Tibet Since 1947 (London:

Pimlico, 1999), p. 2.

52

leaders, proved instrumental m the rapid rise of the awareness of Tibet issue and

support to the Tibet cause.

During his travels the Dalai Lama had visited many Buddhist centres~ He also attended

inter-faith services participated by thousand of people of various faiths. He had held

dialogues with the heads of different religions. He had met with the late Pope Paul VI

at the Vatican in 1973, and with His Holiness Pope John Paul II in 1980, 1982, 1986

and 1988. In 1981, the Dalai Lama talked with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr.

Robert Runcie, and with other leaders of the Anglican Church in London. During his

______ _tmy_~l_s_ abmad,_ tb~ D<lLai Lama bas spoken stron_gl)r for b~tter u_ncl~rstanding_<Lru:i_:r~~p~~t

among the different faiths of the world. In his teachings, the Lama conveys his message

of peace, nonviolence, forgiveness and compassion, in a series of wide ranging

discussions on matters affecting the Tibetan people and the inkmational community.

He also talks about the interdependence of nations around the world. His philosophy is

founded on the concepts of individual, collective and universal responsibility and

respect for ail sentinent beings.

Since his first visit to the west in the early 1970s, the Dalai Lama's reputation as a

scholar and man of peace has grown steadily. He lectured on such subjects as

'c;:pJflpc;:c;:npc:c: ::~net c:nri::~l rnnc:r.iPnrP' ::~net 'nnivPrc:::~l rP<:nnnc:ihilitv' tn tPn<: nf thnn<:::lnetc:: .. -a---------··---------- ____ ._ _______ ----- -~---. ----- ---r----------,.; -- --·-- ~- .................. -........ .....

of students. He addressed students at Yale University ·on 9 October 1991 and Oxford

University on 2 December 1991. There were many Universities interested in sponsoring

events for him: Harvard Uaiversity, Stanford University, the Wailua University, the

University of Contemplative arts in Hawaii, the American Museum of Natural History

m New York and others. In recent years a number of western universities and

institutions have conferred Peace A wards and honorary Doctorate Degrees upon the

Dalai Lama in recognition of his distinguished writings in Buddhist philosophy and of

his distinguished leadership in the service of freedom and peace. The Dalai Latna was - -

. given honorary 'Doctorate Award' from 16 Universities: University of Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil; University of Paris, France; Kamataka University, India; Hebrew University,

Israel; and Columbia University, Brandeis University, Emory University, Colorado

University in the United States.

2. A wards presented to the DalaLLama inaeasedthe_aw..areness on Tibet issue~

From 1959 to 1999 the Dalai Lama has received over 57 awards, pnzes, honorary

doctorates, etc., in recognition of his message of peace, nonviolence, inter-religious

understanding, universal responsibility and compassion.6 Dr, AlL~rt Crum, Chairman of

Human Behaviour Foundation, which conferred Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian

Award on the Dalai Lama in 1987 said, " ... as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's status as a

statesman increased, his supporters throughout the world sought to undertake a strategy

whereby his accomplishments could be highlighted."7 Therefore, the international

community presented numerous awards to the Dalai Lama primarily to support the

1' Sec "List of Major Awards & Honorary Confcnnents Received by His Holiness the Dalai Lama," in His llolines., the 14th Dalai Lama of 1/het, Dedicated to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of the 60th ;mniversary of II is enthronement and the 50th anniversary ofi-Jis assuming political power. Compiled by: The Department of lnfonnation and International Relations. Published by: The Committee for the OOth Enthronement Anniversary Ce!ebration and the 50th Anniversary of His · llolincss the 14th Dalui Lama Assuming State Responsibility, Dharamsala, December 2000. 7 "The 1989 Nobel Pe;:ce Prize: Background, Acknowledgement and Thanks," in Tihetan Review(New Delhi), vol. XXI, no. 4, April 1990, p. 16.

values upheld by him and his attempts to bringing peace to the Tibetan situation

through nqnviolent means~

The Nobel Committee in October 1989 awarded the Peace Prize to the Dalai Lama in

recognition of his legitimate claims and condemnation of the Chinese regime. The

· committee wanted to,

" ... emphasize the fact that the Dalai Lama in his struggle for the liberation

of. Tibet consistently has opposed the use of violence. He has instead

advocated peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in

order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people. The

Dalai Lama has developed his philosophy of peace from a great reverence

for all things living and upon the concept of universal responsibility

embracing all mankind as well as nature. In the opinion of the Committee

the Dalai Lama has come forward with constructive and forward-looking

proposals for the solution of international conflicts, human rights issues,

and global environmental problems."

The significance of awarding Nobel Peace Prize goes well beyond rewarding

individuals who have dedicated themselves to past efforts at findir1g a peaceful solution

to the conflict. Its significance lies in affinning their importance in future efforts to

negotiate an end to the conflict.x The Dalai Lama political influence had increased

dramatically after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Dalai Lama emerged as

a new symbol of human rights and freedom in the world. Between 1987-1997 he wa..;

given 14 awards, namely: Deopold Lucas Award; Raoul Wallenberg Congressional

Human Rights Av-.)ard; Recognition of Perseverance of Times of Adversity,- Le Prixa De

x .Michael L. Sal Ia. "Creating the 'Ripe Moment' in the East Timorc Conflict," in .Joumal o{ Peace Research( London), voL 34. no. 4, 1999, pp. 449.

55

Lamemboire; Distinguished Peace Leadership Alvard '91; S':iromani Award 1991;

Advancing Human Libr>rty Award; Peace and Unity Award; United Earth Prize, Wheel

of L(fe Award; international Valiantfor Freedom Award; World Security Annual Peace

Award; Franklin D. Roosevelt Freedom Medal; and, Paulos AJar Gregarious Award.

Undoubtedly, these awards presented to the Dalai Lama on the one hand increased his

· popularity, and on the other contributed to a greater international visibility to the Tibet

ISSUe.

3. Dalai Lama's March 10 Statements and growing Tibetan fighting .\pirit

10 March 1959, the day the unarmed citizens of Lhasa confronted the Chinese

government forces, is remembered as Tibetan National Uprising Day. Each year in

Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama delivers a statement to his people on this anniversary.

Through these statements the Lama inspires and mobilizes the Tibetans livil'g both

inside and outside Tibet and the international community over the Tibet issue. In these

statements the Dalai Lama often spoke about the reasons for choosing the nonviolent

path for Tibetan struggle. He also discussed his vision for a democratic Tibet and his

role in fostering such a democratic system in the Tibetan community in exile. He firmly

believed that it is the Tibetan people who must decide the Tibetan question. The Dalai

Lama's statemen's brir1.:.. out the events that influenced the Tibetan movement: the

destruction of Tibetan culture; the suffering of Tibetan people; the violation of the

fundamental rights of Tibetans; Tibetans courageous protests; and intemational support

and solidarity to the Tibetans.9

9 Sl. I .. 11romany. n. , p. VIII.

The I 0 ·March statements.-bear testimony to the Dalai Lama's profound thoughts and

P.hilosophy addressed to his countrymen in an understandable manner that appeals to

their conscience. Through these statements, the Dalai Lama encourages the Tibetan

community everywhere to hold on to their optimism and faith to achieve their j'-lst goal

_despite being thousands of miles away from their homeland. 10 The Dalai Lama

statement's have united and motivated the Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet to

continue their struggle to gain freedom. Undoubtedly, it has increased their

detennination to fight against the increasing violations of human rights and tyranny

inside Tibet through nonviolent resistance. 11 The Tibetan communities' confidence in

Dalai Lama's two pillars of Tibetan freedom movement- dia1ogue and nonviolence

earned the respect, appreciation and support of the international community.

Dalai Lama's writing on various theological subjects and his public espousal of the

philosophyi of compassion had led to wider respect for his scholarship and general

views on human affairs in the West. 12 His writings are the primary sources that indicate

his religious and political philosophy, understanding and engagement of the Tibetan

question, and ideas on global issues. So far he has authored nearly 50 books on a wide

variety of topics including meditation, environment, ecology, Tibetan polity, and so on.

The Dalai Lama frequently appeared to the press in Dharamsala and during his travels

abroad, and, presented the current situ:~.tion in Tibet and the future options for Tibetans.

He is one of the most popular and sought after personalities by the global media and is

10 ibid, p. xvi. 11 ibid, p. xviii. 12

Dongdong Tian, I11e Tibet Issue in Sino-American Relations: United States Policy Making Since Rapprochmellf, Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Submitted to The Faculty of the Gi"aduate School of Arts and Sciences, Brandeis University, May 1995, p. 65.

57

known for his frank and forthright response to the questions put by the media. His first

ever press conference in Dharamsala in the aftermath of the October I 987 Lhasa

protests was attended by 6 7 journalists representing most of the newspapers, radio and

television networks in the world. 13 So far he had been interviewed by The Associated

Press, Das Parliament, The Economic Times (New Delhi), The Independent, The

Pioneer (New Delhi), The New York Times (New York), Newsweek, Tibetan Bulletin,

Tibetan Review( New Delhi), The Times of India ( New Delhi), Trento Gioeni and The

Wall Street Journal.

B. The Role of Tibetan Government-in-Exile in Internationalizing the Tibet Issue

On 29 April 1959 the Dalai Lama reestablished the Tibetan government-in-exile as the

Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Mussoorie, North India. The · exile

government was moved to Dharamsala on 30 April 1960 and is today recognised as the

legitimate government and true representative of the Tibetan people. Today it leads the

political campaign for Tibet's freedom. CT A is the continuation of the government of

independent Tibet. which is recognized by Tibetans, both inside and outside Tibet as

their sole and legitimate government. The CTA, which has a twin task of rehabilitating

Tibetan refugees and restoring the freedom of Tibet, is also being increasingly

recognized as the legitimate government and true representative of the Tibetan people

by parliaments world over. 14 In the following paragraphs an attempt has been made to

" "Option for Future Open: Dalai Lama," TilJctan review, vol. XX !I, no. I I, November I 9117, p. I 0. 14

His Holiness the 14th L;, loi Lama of Tibet, A com pi iation dedicated to His Holiness the I 4th Dalai Lama on t:K occasic 1 of the, 1Jth anniversary of His enthronement and 50th anniversary of His assuming political power of Tibet. Dc:cember 2000.

58

analyze the vanous organ's of CTA who are internationalizing the Tibet cause to

restore the freedom of Tib.ct.

The main responsibility to spearhead the Tibetan freedom movement lies with the apex

executive body of the CT A, the Kashag. The Kashag operation.1lizes thi~ responsibility

through the 'Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR).' This

department has three important duties that either directly or indirectly contribute to the

Tibetan nonviolent struggle. One, works towards disseminating infonnation about the

political, human rights and environmental conditions in Tibet to Tibetans and the world

community at large, and to keep the Tibetan issue alive. Two, the DIIR serves as a

protocol office of the CT A and liaises with the international media and Tibet Support

Groups throughout the world. Three, maintains CTA's foreign relations by establishing

foreign missions in the following 12 cities: Budapest, Canberra, Geneva, Kathmandu,

London, Moscow, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Pretoria, Taipei, and Tokyo~ The

purpose of this office is to create a greater awareness in the world of all aspects of

Tibetan culture, promote understanding and appreciation of an endangerf'd culture, and

to take care ofthe needs of Tibetan refugees.

Therefore, the DIIR's activities that contribute to the internationalization of the Tibet

issue can be grouped into two: one, producing and disseminating information that

explains the rationale of the Tibetan freedom movement; and, two, interacting with

media and Tibet Support Groups to create awareness of Tibet issue and coordinate the

various international support actions. These activities are carried out directly by DIIR

through its various desks: Tibet Bulletin, Environment & Development Desk, China

59

Desk, India Desk, Tibet Support Groups Desk, DIIR Publications, Audio & Visual

Section, and Tibet Museum.

1. Disseminating information 011 Tibet through Tibetan Bulletin

The Department produces and disseminates information on all aspects of Tibet through:

one, periodicals and books on Tibet in four languages: Tibetan, Hindi, Chinese and

English; two, audio and video programmes on Tibet. The periodical of the Department

is widely read around the world. The 'Tibet Bulletin', published in Chinese language,

has helped a great deal in creating awareness amongst the Chinese people about Tibet

and brought Tibetans closer towards finding a solution for the Tibetan issue, which

ultimately must be solved by the people of Tibet and China. The newsletter has

received positive feedback from many Chinese, and frequently articles from Tibet

Bulletin have been reproduced in journals published by Chinese dissidents in the west.

2. Monitoring and disseminating information on environment and development in

Tibet

This Desk monitors environmental and development conditions in Tibet today. It

conC:ucts its own research and disseminates vital information to international media and

other government and non-governmental organisations all over the world. It aims to

highlight the damage caused by deforestation and industrialization inside Tibet in order

to ensure that development organisations get an accurate picture of the situation in

Tibet. The Desk is also concerned over environmental damage caused by the escalating

transfer of Chinese to Tibet and the major military presence on the plateau. The

Environment Desk works closely with various Government and Non-Governmental

60

Organisations around the world, in order to increase global awareness of the

enviromi1ental destruction. that is taking place in Tibet. It aims to bring international

pressure on China by highlighting Beijing's colonialist policies which are destroying

the traditional economy, culture and unique ecology of Tibet It also educates the

Tibetan population in exile on caring for their new environment, and reversing the

damage on the Himalayan ecosystem by promoting reforestation and re-cycling

programmes. In aduition, it publishes many educational materials and organises various

programmes to empower the Tibetan community.

3. Creating awareness among the Chinese through the China Desk

The majority of Chinese people have no or very little awareness about the suffering of

the Tibetan people L'nder Chinese rule, According to the Dalai Lama, it is because of

the distorted propagam: 1 of the Chinese govem.'Tient that millions of Chinese in China

have different pictures about Tibet. Right from the start of their schooling, the Chinese

people have been made to believe that China has "liberated Tibetans from feudal

serfdom" and that Tibetans are "happy under Chinese rule." However, in the past few

years, many Chinese, both in China and overseas, have begun to question their

government's rule of Tibet after they became aware of the true plight of Tibet. Some of

them have written extensively to their government to change its policy in Tibet and

respond positively to the Dalai Lama's peace initiatives. Some Chinese dissidents have

also visited Dharamsala and deplored the scarcity of Chinese-language information

material on the Tibet issue from the Tibetan perspective. To bridge this gap between

the Tibetans and the Chinese people, in 1994 the Tibetan government-in-exile set up

China Desk under Department of Information & International Relations.

61

4. Promoting brotherho~;d with l11dia through the !11dia Desk

When the first exodus of Tibetans across the Himalayas started in the late 1950s and

which continues even today, India has decided to accept these displaced people who

had lost everything. Today there are over I 00, 000 Tibetan refugees rehabilitated in 35

settlements and numerous cluster communities across India. The India Desk under the

Department of Information and International Relations works to reach out to the Indian

citizens to make them more aware of the facts of the Tibetan struggle and the plight of

Tibetan people. To this end India desk comes out with periodicals and journals in Hindi

language. Primarily this section is an outreach programme to keep in close contact with

the Indians. This has been accomplished by organising seminars, Tibet awareness

programmes and working together with about 25 Tibet Support Groups based in India.

5. Co-ordinating the Tibetan movement through the Tibet Support Group Desk

There are more than 300 Tibet Support Groups throughout the world who are playing

an important role in promoting human rights and democratic freedom in Tibet,

advancing the cause of Tibetan independence, and bringing before the world the

sufferings of the oppressed people of Tibet. There are a number of cultural

organizations, Tibetan refugee aid societies, acader11ic organizations, teaching centers,

ecumenical centers, libraries , museums, publishing companies including journais (See

Table 3.2). 15

15 Coleman edited a !,Uide to Tibetan centres and resources throughout the world. for the detailed

activities of these groups see, Graham Coleman, ed., A Handbook of Tibetan Culture (?\loida: Rupa&Co, 1995).

(j2

Table 3.2 List of Tibetan Centres and Resources Throughout the World

Country Academic Cultural & Teaching Museums Publishing Librarie Monasteries Medical ln~titues ~efugee Centres Companies s & Nunneries lnst.

Aid Org. & Journals Argentina -! 3 Australia 2 !4 I I Austria I I 3 I Belgium I 5 2 Bhutan I 2 Brazil 3 Bulgaria 2 Byelorus I Canada 4 3 3 17 Chile I I China 4 I I Costarica I Czech epub 3 I 3 Denmark I 2 2 I Estonia 2 I I Finland I France 4 I 26 2 6 Gennany 5 7 14 17 3 I

Greece 2

Holland I 2 5 2 1 Horig Kong 2 4 Hungary 3 I 2 1 I 1

India 2 9 4 2 I5 131 8

Ireland I I Italy 1 13 I Japan I 2 I Kenya 1 Latvia I Lithunia I I Malaysia 10 I Mexico I 2 I I Mongolia 3 3 I I 3 I

Nepal I 5 I 3 35

New Zeland I 5 Norway I I I Peru 1 Phillipines I Poland I 2 Romania I Russia l 6 4 8 3 4 5 I Singapore 3 South Africa 5 I Spain 9 I Sweden 2 2 I Switzerland 2 6 3 Taiwan 6 Thailand 2 UK 2 8 16 12 8 3 USA 30 IS so 52 17 26 I

l

Ukraine I Venezuela 4 TOTAL 44 74 266 119 78 46 176 11

Source: A Hand Book u,(Tibetan Culture: A guide to Tibetan Centres and Resources Throughout the World (London: Random House, I 995) Compiled by Orient Foun.dati:m and Edited by Graham Coleman.

63

The DIIR organizes the Tibet Support Group Conference so as to work and coordinate

with the Tibet Support Groups from world over and strategize the future ccurse of

action for the Tibetan freedom movement. The first TSG Conference was held in

Dharamsala from 7 to 10 March 1990. The DIIR convened thi.; first enr gathering of

representatives from Tibet support groups from all over the world. Nearly 250 people

from 28 countries- including most of the Western countries and hpan, Brazil, Mexico,

Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia and

India, attended f1e con, ~renee. 16 It was decided in the conference that although the

TSGs remain totally independent of any control from Dharamsala, they would keep the

latter informed about their activities by maintaining close contacts with the DIIR a>

well us with the Tibetan government-in-exile's foreign offices. 17 The second

Conference was held in Germany in 1996 and was attended by nearly 256 Tibet

supporters from over 150 organizations. In these meetings the C'!IR helped the TSGs to

develop common strategies, various action plans and specific campaigns. Each of these

aspects is discussed ir. detail in the next section on 'Tibet Support Group Movement.'

6. The Audio & Visual Section

The Audio & Visuul Section of the Department of Infonnation & International

Relations, Central Tibetan administration, comes out with regular audio and video

cassettes on Tibet and functions in the Tibetan Community. Following are some of the

recent videos released by this Section. The video Tears of Torture (26 mins.) explains

the agony of Tibet which is not only that of all those murdered, of all the nuns and

monks tortured, of the thousands deported to Chinese re-education camps, but also that

16 "Getting the Acts Together," in Tibetan Review, val. XXI, no. 4, April 1990, p. 10.

17 'b'd 1 1 'p. 11. .

64

of a genuine religious, linguistic and cultural genocide. Chil:a's Gu/(lg in Tibet (27

mins.) is a startling documentary that traces the developments in the largest growth

industry in Tibet - prisons to house an ever increasing number of political prisoners.

The Tibetan Women's Association produced a video (45 mins.) on the stories of

Tibetan women : ,J exik - their repression and imprisonment in Tibet, their journeys of

escape, and their adjustments to life as refugees.

7. Proclaiming Tibet cause through DIIR Publications

The DIIR's publications mainly deal with Sino-Tibetan relations, status of Tibet,

Chinese human rights violations in Tibet, international support and solidarity to the

Tibetan movement, and religious teachings of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan

spiritual leaders. Given here are the brief descriptions ofsome of the recently published

books. Prof. Parmananda Sharma's Chenresi talks about the discovery and childhood of

the Dalai Lama and his relentless struggle for the freedom of Tibet. The book From the

heart of Panchen Lama talks about the Tenth Panchen Lama's speeches before his

mysterious death in 1989, which provides a unique insight into the darkest years of

China's rule over Tibet and the methods used to suppress and destroy a people and their

religion.

Tibet: Proving Truth from Facts addresses and clarifies history and the present day

colonialist situation in Chinese occupied Tibet. It is the most in-depth authoritative up

to date official document currently in print on the subject. Since the People's Republic

of China bases its contemporary claim to sovereignty over Tibet upon the relationship

between the Mongols and Tibet during the Mongol Yuan rule over China in the

65

thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the book The Mongois and Tibet: A Historical

Assesst1zent of Relations ~etween the A1ongol Empire and Tibet attempts to prove that

Tibet was never Jirectly ruled by the Mongol Empire and, therefore, China's

contemporary claim to inheriting Tibet from the Mongols is invalid both in fact and by

law.

The compilation of correspondence, initiatives and statements of official

communications and political sigr.als between Dharamsala and Beijing over a period of

twelve years has been published under the title Dharamsala ana Beijing: Initiatives and

Correspondences (1981-1993). It clarifies why negotiations on the status and future of

Tibet are currently at an impasse. The contents are illuminating material regarding the

survival of Tibet, its people and its unique, endangered culture. International

Resolution and ?.ecog,. ·rion on Tibet (1959-1997) is a compilation of the most

important resolutions on Tibet that have been passed by various international bodies

since the Dalai Lama came into exile in 1959.

C. Tibet Support Group Movement and the Internationalization of Tibet Issue

'l'ihct and the Tibet issue have accomplished unprecedented international media and

public attention starting from late 1980s. The fairness ofthe Tibetan freedom struggle,

which is based on truth, justice and non-violence, and the Tibetan people's work and

dedication, catalyzed the international community to take an active interest in Tibet. As

a result, over the past decade the Tibet support group movement or the Tibet Support

Groups (TSG) have been fonncd amongst the international community. These groups

that began with the aim of supporting the Tibetan people in fulfilling their goal of

regaining freedom and dignity, have helped in creating increased awareness about the

situation in Tibet and have generated an impressive level of world-wide support for

Tibet. In this section we will deal with the various strategies and actions of the Tibet

support group movement that aimed to promote the Tibet cause.

1. Tibet Support Group Movemellt

Even though support and sympathy for the Tibetan cause had been increasing

tremendously, it was only from I 990 after the first TSG Conference, the international

support was brought under one umbrella- the Tibet support group movement. 18 The

creation of the Tibc• support group movement and its success in publicizing Chinese

communist brutality '' · Tibet are due to the unstinted efforts of each and every

individual Tibet supporter throughout the world. Most of the TSG believe that only a

continucus dialogue between the Dalai Lama and PRC can ease the situation and bring

peace to the Tibetan people. Hence, the TSGs as a common goal persuade their own

governments and their business to use the economic and political leverage to put

pressure on China to engag~ in negotiations with the Tibetan government-in~exilc

kadership. 19

The Tibet Support Groups (TSG) in order to ensure better flow of information and to

·provide the supporters with necessary guidance, work in co-ordination with the Tibetan

18 Kalon Tashi Wangdi, "Welcome Address," in Report of Second International Co1!ference of Tibet

Support Group.\·, A Report, Gcnnany, June 1996, p. 20 i'l John Ackerly and Eva llcrzcr, "Tibet and Media," in Report of Second International Conference of 7i'het Support (iroups. A Rcp(lfl, Germany. June 1996, p. R5. . .

community m exile, Foreign offices of Tibetan government-in-exile, and other

organizations addressing tl:le Tihet issue. From time to time, they examine their short

comings and work out co-ordination programme for future campaigns and strategies

through the Tibet Support Groups Conferences.20 Apart from this, in their individual

level they involve in activities to restore basic human rights to the Tibetan people and

support legitimate political activities toward strengthening Tibet's political demand for

a free homeland.

a. Strategie.\· of Tibet Support Group Movement

Strategy is no more a dirty word in the lexicon of the Tibet Support Groups and Tibetan

government when furthering the just cause of Tibet. Particularly in the TSG

conferences which brought together the Tibetan government-in-exile, the DIIR and

Tibet Support Groups, there were open discussions on developing action oriented

strategies about the future direction of the world-wide Tibetan movement. 21 At the end

of the first Tibet Supp01i Group conference held in Dharamsala in March 1990, both

the Tibetan government-in-exile spokesman and the Tibet Supporters concluded: "the

Tibetans everywhere aspire for independence. And the purpose ~}f this conference is to

devise strategies to achieve this end as soon as possible."22 Furrher, the Dalai Lama's

attendance was a clear evidence of the great importance the Tibetan government-in-

20 The first T~G Conference was held in Dharamsala in 1999. The second one was held in Bonn, Germany fi·orn 14-17 June 1996, in c6llaboration with Fricdrich-Naumann Foundation, and attended by 256 Tibet supporters from 150 organizations and 65 countric~. 21 In his welcome speech to the delegates of Second TSG Conference, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Chainnan of Assembly of Tibetan Peoples Deputies (A TPD) said, " ... it is time we once again got together, pul our minds together, evaluated our successes and failures du:·ing the last years and evolved a clear and specific strategy f(Jr fulurc cours~ of action.·· Sec ProC Samdhong Rinpoche, "Welcome Message," in Rt'fWrt o(S!'nmd International Cm1(erence o('li"het Support Gmups, A Report, Germany, June 1996, p. 11. 1

-' "< il·lling I Ill' A cis Tov.l·llwr," in 'fi"l>t'tan Nt'l'it'll', vol. X XI, no. 4, April 1990, p. II.

exile attached to such TSG conferences aimed at devising the strategy for Tibetan

freedom movement. 23

The essence of the strategy of Tibet support group movement was to internationalize

the Tibet cause and create international pressure that would compel .China to come

down for a negotiated political settlement of the Tibet issue. The pressure on China was

generated largely by making Tibet an issue in the parliaments of international

governments and passing resolutions and bills in favour 0fTibet cause. This legislative

effort, that is, taking Tibet issue into government forums, particularly legislative

·branches and effect changes in government positions worldwide, had become the core

of the broader strategy of internationalization. 24

Such a strategy for the Tibetan freedom movement encompasses the following aspects:

developing a common goal; deciding the course of action; devising specific campaigns

and lobbying in various government forums; and, coordinaiing among the Tibet

Support Groups and with the Tibetan government-in-exile. The mechanism of

internationalizing the Tibet issue has chiefly been decided cheifly in the TSG

conferences. In the first TSG Conference in 1990, it was decided to further the Tibet

cause by focusing attention on the conditions of human rights violations and

environmental degradation in Tibet.25 In the Second TSG meeting there were

21 w d' · ang 1, n. 18, p.20 24

Dr. Michael Van Walt Van Praag, "Introduction to Group Workshops," in Report of Second International Conference of Tibet Support Groups, A Report, Germany, June 1996, p.99 25

Lodi Gyari, in Report of Second International Conference of Tibet Support Groups, A Report, Germany, June 1996, p.46

69

discussions on shifting the focus to geopolitical importance of the Tibet question and

making it a political issue.~·')

b. Achievements and activities of Tibet Support Group Movement

The Tibet support group movement has made nonviolence as their path and a

negotiated political settlement with China as their policy.27 Their consistent,

unrelenting worldwide campaignbased on these two points became a powerful vehicle

for promoting the Tibetan cause. As a result, the TSG m<,vement achieved the

following: 2X

• .he various resolution passed in the Parliaments across the world supporting the

Tibet cause;

• the release of Gariden Rinchen, a political prisoner;

• the stopping of aid to Panam project by the EU;

• the successful campaign to prevent China from hosting the year 2000 Olympic

Games;

• the huge media splash made by nine Tibetan women at the UN World Women's

Conference in Beijing;

• Tibetan flag hoisting in many European cities;

• Signature campaign for the release of Ganden Choekyi Nyima, the new Panchen

Lama;

• the ongoing Toycott campaign, the boycott of toys made in China;

26 According to Michall human rights was a useful tool but it could be dangerous if it continues to remain there. He said, "One of directions is to move away from being a solely human rights movement and to make this move111cn. o;quarely into a political issue." See, Michael , n. 24, p. I 00. 27

Tempa Tscring, "Tibet :-- ·pport Groups: Its Achievements and Expansion," in Report of Second International Conference o{Jihet Support Groups, A Report, Gennany, June 1996, p. 63. >s . . . . -· tbtd. pp. 62-63.

70

• the mushrooming of Students for Free Tibet across the campuses of America and

the· world; and, the ~ccognition by governments of the power of various Tibet

support groups as potent pressure groups.

To achieve these the TSGs followed various activities that encompass public education

at the grassroots level, media outreach, education of parliaments and governments,

parliamentary action, and action. in the United Nations.29 The foilowing are the some of

the specific activities the TSGs undertook so far,

• Disseminating il?formation: The international TSG movement posed a direct

challenge to the credibility and Chinese monopoly of news about Tibet. The world

Tibet News (WTN) has created for an efficient sharing of views and news on Tibet.

Similarly Tibet Information Network (TIN) also provides news to public, policy

makers, and media about the current situation in Tibet. Further, independent reports

and reviews by various TSGs on human rights, environment, nuclear missiles and

waste dumping in Tibet and the Chinese population transfer into Tibet has done a

great deal to erode the credibility of Chinese publicity on these issues.

• Bringi~g out newsletters: The valuable accomplishment of the Tibet freedom

· movement is the increasing number of newsletters brought out by an increasing

number of TSGs. Even though this is at a local level but go a long way in educating

the people on the Tibet issue.

• Lobbying with governments: With the untiring lobbying assistance of the TSGs,

Tibetans have also managed to make parliaments, i:1ternational fora and

organizations arour.d the world to pass at least 90 resolutions on the question of

29 Report of Second International Conference of Tibet Support Groups, A Report, Gcnnany, June 1996, p.I07.

71

Tibet. This is really a positive sign to the Tibetans suffering under the Chinese

con~munist occupation.

• Awareness building: The TSGs conceive various activities so as to bring about a

great deal of media coverage on the Tibet issue and contribute to increasing the

awareness of Tibet in the world. Some of these activities include demonstrations

and vigils, commemoration of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising, protests against

the visits of Chinese leaders, letter writing campaigns, and many more. These

activities are discussed in detail elsewhere in the thesis.

• Promotion of dialogues: The efforts of TSGs have enabled the Tibetans to hold

several productive and extremely meaningful dialogues with the pro-democracy

Chinese groups in the West. These meetings have not only contributed to further

increasi!lg the understanding on the Tibet issue by the potential leaders of a

democratic China, but have earned admiration for these brave Chinese men and

women who have a vision of China which may not be incompatible with the hopes

and aspirations of the Tibetan people.

• Recognition to Tibetans: The sincere and consistent campaigns of TSGs earned the

prestigious Reebok Human Rights Award to several Tibetan prisoners and human

rights ~ctivists. This has given hope and courage to millions of Tibetans. Several

Tibetan prisoners have also been adopted as prisoners of conscience not only by

various TSGs but also by human rights organizations.

• Docume.•Jtation o.ffacts on Tibet: Many members of the TSGs from around the

world go to Tibet, taking risk, to document human rights abuses of Tibetan people.

These documents not only contribute to increasing the outside world's

understanding of the Tibetan tragedy, but serve as a moral booster to the Tibetans in

72

I

Tibet who hope, and continue struggle, that their present tragedy will end one day

just as a bad dream. ,

2. Tibet Support Groups

Today the support for Tibet has reached a critical stage. The ever-expanding Tibet

movement has brought more countries under its influence. In the first Tibet Support

Group Conference in Dharamsala in 1990, there were delegates from 2~ countries.

There were delegates from 56 countries at the Second Tibet Support Group Conference

held in Bonn, Germany in 1996. Since then the number of Tibet supporters

internationally has increased manifold. And now there is an increasing group of young

people with the founding of the movement of Students for a Free Tibet in the United

States in 1994. This has been witnessed during the Third Tibet Support Group Meeting

in Berlin, Gennany in May 2000 with nearly 300 Tibet supporters from all the

continents participating in the conference. Apart from the common strategies and

actions discussed ii, the above section, the Tibet Support Groups at the individual level

have special responsi,·ilities towards the Tibetan movement. In order to identify their

role in mobilizing support for Tibetans, the activities of two prominent Tibet Support

Groups: one in the United States, the International Campaign for Tibet; and one in

Europe, the Free Tibetan Campaign in L6ndon, will be analyzed in the following

paragraphs.

73

a. International Campaign for Tibet

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) is a non-partisan, public interest group

dedicated to promoting human rights and democratic freedvms for the people of Tibet.

ICT was founded in 1 988 and is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization incorporated in

Washington, DC. ICT firmly believes that Tibetans are a "people" under international

· law and have the right to self-determination; Tibet is an occupied country which has a

distinct language, cult'lre and rehgion; and, a dialogue between Tibetans and Chinese is

integral towards finding a solution to the situation in Tibet. Hence ICT a.ttempts to

provide accurate infonnation on current conditions in Tibet to governments and people

around the world who are concerned about the Tibet issue.

ICT aims to mobilize and coordinate the work being done in support of Tibet by

various groups all over the world. It works closely with human rights groups, other

non-governmental organizations, international organizations and the media. The

campaign is located in Washington DC primarily to keep contact with the members of

Congress, inform them about current conditions in Tibet and working with many

Congressional Offices on a range of issues and projects, including pending

legislation. 30 ICT's important works encompas: conducting fact-finding missions to

Tibet, India and Nepal; testifying before the US Congress, the United Nations and other

international bodies; networking with exiled Chinese democracy and overseas Chinese

organizations; working with Chinese language media and conducting research on

Chinese rule. of Tibet; promoting news coverage of issues in Tibet and sending out

action alerts; publishing two newsletters, the Tibet Press Watch and Tibetan

~~~ "Internutionalizing the Tibet Issue," in Tihetan Review, vol. XXII!, no. II, November 1988, p. 4.

74

Environment & Development Ne1t~s; and speaking to academic, civic and community

groups about the Tibet issl}e.

ICT accomplishes the above mentioned works through its vanous projects. Some

important projects of ICT include:

· • Human Rights Pr(lject: Undet this project ICT monitors and investigates the human

rights conditions in Tibet and works with appropriate organizations and government

officials to publicize abuses and put pressure on the PRC government. . • Legislative Activities: ICT seeks support for Tibet in the form of letters from

members of United States Congress to the Chinese government, floor speeches,

testimony, resolutions and legislation.31 ICT also provided information and assists

the members of Congress and their staff.

• Fact-Finding Missions: ICT frequently conducts on-site fact-finding missions to

Tibet, China, India and Nepal. So far ICT has investigated and published reports on

the Chinese population transfer, prisons, education, deforestation and China's

·nuclear activities on the Tibetan plateau.

• Environment and Development Initiative: ICT monitors cultural and environmental

implications of foreign and Chinese economic development projects in Tibet and

publishes the bi-monthly Tibet Environment and Development News.

• Tibetan Refugees in Exile: ICT works to protect the right of Tibetan entering Nepal

and monitors the conditions for Tibetan refugees around the world.

31 Currently ICT is coordinating a letter writing campaign for the release of the Panchen

Lama. Any one interested in the issue can send a letter; p•)Stcard, or petition to President Bush and Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to take decisive action to ensure the immediate release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family. See, http://www.savetibet.org/actions.html

75

• The China Project: ICT networks with exiled Chinese democracy and overse2s

Chinese organizations; works with Chinese language media, edits and translates

books ;:tnd materials and conducts research on Chinese rule of Tibet. The project

also develops Chinese language material on Tibet and sends ,i,t to China.

• Education & Publications: ICT's bi-monthly Tibet Press Watch is distributed to all

prominent organizations and individuals who are engaged in work on Tibet. ICT

has published the leading report on religious persecution in Tibet, a report on

Chinese settlers and population transfer in eastern Tibet, a survey of international

development projects in Tibet, and a report on nuclear activities in Tibet. ICT staffs

regularly give lectures and provide news and background to the media.

The Achievements of ICT

ICT played an important role in passing the first ever resolution on Tibet supporting the

Dalai Lama's Five Point Peace Plan in the United States Congress in I 988. In 1989,

along with other supporters, the ICT lobbied the US Congress to establish a Tibetan

language service of Voice of America which daily broadcasts two hours of news into

Tibet. In 1990, ICT coordinated a passage of the bill providing 1,000 immigrant visas

to Tibetan refugees and a bill providing humanitarian aid to Tibetan refugees. From

the11 onwards Congress appropriates $112 million for humanitarian aid for Tibetan

refugees. ICT has been ceaselessly working to ensure Tibetans ... ~ceive this aid from the

US. The ICT coordinated the first meeting ever between the Dalai Lama and a US

President, George Bush, in 1991. Soon after the meeting, President Bush signed into

law a congressional resolution declaring Tibet an occupied country under international

law. The same year in Geneva, the ICT staff worked to help pass a resolution in the

76

United Nations Subcnmmission on Human Rights, the first resolution on Tibet in the

UN since 1965. JCT co~rdinated the first meeting between the palai Lama and

President Clinton and Vice President Gore in I 993. The ICT launched a campaign in

I 993 to add conditions to China's Most Favoured Nation trading status. As a result

Tibet was included in President Clinton's Executive Order on MFN. Another

a~complishment of ICT was the inclusion of a separate section for Tibet in the US State

Department's annual human rights country reports. And in 1997, the US Department of

State appointed its first Special Coordinator for Tib~tan Affairs.

In 1989, ICT undertook a major campaign to expose abuses and to end martial law in

Lhasa imposed by China on 5 March and lifted it nearly a year later. Some of the

successfullCT campaigns include: in 1992, an international movement was launched at

the UN Earth Summit in Brazil to protest funding of international projects which grew

wheat in Tibet for Chinese settlers; in 1993, ICT led a succe~;sful campaign against

Beijing as the host of the 2000 Olympics; in 1995, ICT helped to give voice to the

Tibetan women at the United Nations Women's Conference in Beijing; in 1998, ICT

coordinated a national publicity campaign for the movies "Kundun" and "Seven Years

in Tibet"; i,n 1999, ICT mobilized massive campaign with Tibet support groups, and

environmental groups from around the world, and suspended a World Bank project

which was supposed to move 58,000 settlers into traditional Tibetan and Mongolian

areas.

After many years of ICT's continued efforts, m 1996, Radio Free Asia began

broadcasting to Tibet, China, and elsewhere. In 1997, ICT hosted the World

77

Parliamentarian Convention on Tibet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and delegates

from 27 other counl:ries. lCT often hosts the Dalai Lama's United States visits. At the

same time co-ordinates the protests of Chinese leaders visits to United States. In 1997,

the JCT directed a series of history-making protests of Chinese President Jiang Zemin's

visit to seven US cities.

b. Free Tibet Campaign I

Free Tibet Campaign was established in London in 1988 to persuade the decision

makers to listen, understand and act for Tibet and Tibetans. FTC firmly believes that

each voice that supports Tibet counts, many voices show that the issue deserves

consideration, and thousands of voices can start to affect policy. FTC is an independent

membership organisation, run by the fund coming from members and supporters. The

current membership of Free Tibet Campaign is over 6,000. Free Tibet Campaign has

around 50 Locai Groups within UK. These Grcups vary from a single person co-

ordinating activities, to a committee of people with regular meetings. All local groups

are legally and financially autonomous. The Local groups are playing an important role

by promoting gra~s-roots support for Tibet, spreading awareness in their communities

by participating in Free Tihet Campaign's co-ordinated actions, staging talks ar.d fund

raising events, and advancing the work and membership of Free Tibet Campaign. Free

Tibet Campaign helps these groups by providing infom1ation, resources and

campaigning materials.

In the effort to end Ch · nese occupation of Tibet, the Free Tibet Campaign runs public

campaigns, co-ordinates direct actions and raises awareness ~!Jrough education and

publicity, initiating press and TV reportage and organising exhibitions, seminars and

other events. They mobilize support from iPdividual MPs and put pressure on the

Government to include discussion of Tibet during dialogue with the Chinese

authorities. They also work at the European Parliament and the United Nations level.

According to FTC the repression happening in Tibet will continue until world opinion

brings such overwhelming weight to bear that the Chinese authorities will have to

change their policy. Free Tibet Campaign believes that individuals can change public

opinion, '¥hich can in tum affect policy. It is done by influencing decision-makers,

most of whom remain ill-informed of issues or ignore them until they are forced to

listen. Hence Free Tibet Campaign motivates people to use their voice in the way that

sui,ts every body through many grassroots campaigns. Some of the recent successful

campaigns of FTC are:

• FTC placed Tibet on the media agenda by continuous protests during the state visit

of Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

• FTC launched a campaign before Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to China to

remind him to push the Chinese Government towards a commitment to begin

negotiations without preconditions with the Dalai Lama.

• The FTC activists unfurled a 'Free Tibet' banner in front of Chinese Prime Minister

Zhu Rongji and lured the media attention.32

32 Newly appointed Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji visited London in March 1998 for ASEM II - the

Asia Europe Meeting - and summits with Britain and the European Union: the most senior visit of a Chinese leader to the UK since the Tiananmen Square massacre. The China-Britain Trade Group hosted a dinner in his honour at the London Guiidhall and, posing as business people, two Free Tibet campaigners managed •o procure tickets. While demonstrators clamoured outside the Guildhall, the guests were called into oinner. As everyone took their scats, Lome and Alison made their way towards the top table, unfurling a Thetan flag. Television cameras had been ready to record Zhu Rongji's speech. Sky News hroadcast the f(H,, ··~c. the late editions ofThc Independent and The Financial Times gave it a

7<)

• FTC's international campaign put pressure on Holiday Inn to come out of Lhasa on

the grounds that the partnership supported the Chinese regime responsible for the

oppression of the Tibetan people. j 3

• Four Free Tibet Campaigners flew the Tibetan flag in Hong Kong for the last time

in I 997 before the handover to China.

• The international Campaign led by FTC and other human rights groups, was

successful in releasing the imprisoned tour guide Gendun Rinchen in 1994.

3. Individuals, intemationalizaHon and Tibet issue

In order to popularize the Tibet issue and facilitate their activities both at the local and

global levels, the TSGs establish contact with individuals who would be committed in

helping the Tibet cause. fhcsc supporters fall into two categories: one, the movie and

music industry celebrities; and two, the working parliamentarians and other leaders.

mention, and there was a large photograph in The Observer. Inlernational TV and print coverage included Au:-;tralia, India, Hong Kong, Germany and Taiwan. During ASEM 11, a coalition of campaigning organisations headed by Free Tibet Campaign organised an Alternative State Reception for the unrepresented people of Asia. The Reception, at the Royal Institution in London, was attended by over 400 celebrities, supporters, parliamentarians and journalist;, sending an overwhelming message of solidarity to activists all o•.-er Asia, and a strong call for action to both European leaders and the visiting Asian Heads of State. 33

The Holiday Inn venture brought financial benefits to the Chinese occupiers rather than local Tibetans (who are denied ownership) and provided possibly the largest source of foreign income for the Chinese

'in Tibet. The hotel was key to the policy of only allowing tour groups into Tibet; high spending visitors whose itineraries and contact with Tibetans could be strictly controlled. Free Tibet Campaign launched the boycott of Holiday Inn and their British parent company Bass pic in I 993. USA groups Milarepa Fund and Students for a Free Tibet joined the campaign in March 1997. The boycott was a major campaign focus for the Tibet Freedom concert, organised in New York by Milarepa. From October 1997 ,the hotel group Holiday Inn did not renew its partnership with the Chinese authorities to operate the only luxury hotel in Tibet. They gave no reason for their withdrawal.

80

a. Popular figures and public relation campaigns for Tibet

Popular heroes of Hollywood played an important role in increasing the popularity of

the Tibet issue by doing the public relations and the awareness campaign free

According to John Ackerly, the membership of ICT increased three times because of

the Hollywood factor. Movie star Richard Gere, is a long time critic of Chinese

presence in Tibet and the most famous disciple of the Dalai Lama. In 1993, he

interrupted the Academy Award ceremony to give a long speecl~ on the Tibetan cause.

Similarly Harrison Ford appeared before the US senate hearing to speak about the

brutal Chinese occupation of Tibet. Another popular actor Steven Seagal was recently

recognized by a Tibetan lama as a reincarnation of the 17th century High Lama

Chungdrag Dorje of Palyul Monaste1y. Musician Adarr. Yauch is a convert to

Buddhism and his successful rap music group, The Beastie Boys, has held popular

Tibetan Freedom Concerts in 1996-97. He is funding "Milarepa" an organization

dedicated to promote the Tibetan independence through music. Director Martin

Scorsese made "Knndun," a movie based on an authorized biography of the exiled

Dalai Lama was u stauncn supporter of Tibet cause. Since China didn't allow the film

to be made in Tibet, Sc01·sese shot mostly in Morocco using many Tibetan actors. Jon

A vnet, another director and a Tibetan supporter, made the film "Red Comer" in 1997,

starring Richard Gere as an American caught up in the Chinese criminal justice system.

'h. World Parliamelltarians and Parliamentmy initiatives on. Tibet

Tibetans maintain good contact with parliamentarians and other leaders from different

countries who influence their respective governments to pass resolutions infavour of

Tibet. Leaders like PetraK Kelly of Germany, Senator Jesse Helms and Lord Ennals of

XI

UK urged their respective governments to give support to Tibetan nationalists and

penalize China for its anns sales and human rights policies. Petn. K Kelly, the German

Green Party politician and one of the most ardent supporters of Tibet cause worked

tirelessly to generate international support for the cause of Tibet. She was very active in

the Gennan Parliament (Bundestag), in which she is the founder, and one of the

influential membPrs of , ',e Green Party. She played a key role in passing a resolution

condemning the Chinese human rights violations in Tibet and that was unanimously

adopted oy the Bundestag on 15 October 1987.34 Gilman is one of the strongest Tibetan ·

supporters in the US Congress and was instrumental in passing several bills supporting

Tibet including the one that declared Tibet an occupied territ'Jry. Similarly,

Congressman Frank Wolf has been involved in world human rights issues for years, in

particular, religious persecution in Tibet. In August 1997 Wolf traveled as a tourist to

Til-,et with a home video camera and an interpreter, anc he talked to many Tibetans

about the cutTent situation. His unofficial visit enraged China.

Many countries fonned their own Parliamentary Committees for Tibet. The Committee

will work for the Tibetans right to self-determination and human rights and will be

guided by the past UN resolutions on Tibet and the Dalai La111a's Five Point Peace

Plan. Each parliamentary Committee actively works with the local TSGs and

disseminates infonnation about Tibetan culture among their own people. It will also

remain in touch with Parliamentarians in other countries that also support the Tibet

cause. From time to time the World Parliamentarian Convention was organized to

devise action plan and pass resolutions to support the Tibet cause. The World

.14

Interview with PetraK. Kelly, in Tihetan Review, vol. XXIV, no. I, January 1989. p. 13.

R2

Parliamentarians together called on "governments to support by all effective means

possible the efforts of the Tibetan people and their legitimate representatives, His

Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile."35

D. Conclusion

Even though the Til-Jetan people and the Tibetan government-in-exile have been

struggling to regain control over their country for the past four decades after China's

invasion of Tibet in 1949, it received little active support and attention from the

international community. Only after 1987, did the coordinated approach of the Dalai

Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile, and the Tibet Support Groups to safeguard

Tibet's unique culture and religion, earn international accpetance, sympathy and

support to the Tibet cause. The Dalai Lama's international travels lured the attention of

ali democratic, civilized and advanced nations of the world to the grim question of

Tibet's freedom from suppression, and impelled them to come forward in support of a

deserving humane cause. The Tibetan government-in-exile's Department of

Information and International Relations and the foreign missions played an important

role in increasing the international awareness on Tibet. Above all, the Tibet Support

Group Movement's strategies and action plans were cardinal in internationalizing the

Tibet issue and pressurizing various governments to pass resolutions in favour of Tibet.

35 Tibet: Saving a People from An11ihilation, proceedings of the Second World Parliamentarians

Convention on Tibet, Vilinius, Lithuania, 26-28 May 1995 (New Delhi: All Party Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, 1997), p. I.

83

The late 1980s witnessed a new kind of motivation for the parliamentary actions on

Tibet issue. The ideologica,~ basis of parliamentary action initiated by executive anns of

government for political benefits during 1960s and I 970s was now replaced by

grJssroots level involvement in the Tibet issue. The curn.:nt pressure on parliaments to

act in favour of Tibet by various TSGs and human rights organizations reflects a wider

concern based on infonnation and sympathy. The latest technological networks like

Internet played an important role in mobilizing such support and created pressure on

the administration to suppon the Tibet cause. Such a support through grassroots

mobilization to the Tibet cause could be sustained for a long time irrespective of who is

in power and this points to the strength of the Tibetan movement in the Western

countries.

The concerted and coordinated efforts of the worldwide Tibet support group movement

made an unprecedented impact on the international community vvith regard to the Tibet

issue. 36 The Tibet Support Group movement has become so straregically effective that

no government can ignore it much longer. A measure of its effectiveness can be gauged

by the reaction of the Chinese government to every Tibet Support Group meeting.

Beijing made a concerted effort but without success to prevent the three important and

historic meetings of Tibet Support Groups since 1990. Even though the official Chinese

propaganda addresses the movement as "splittist movement" backed by "Western

imperialist forces,'' the reality is that the supporters of Tibet are far from hostile to

Beijing. The members of Tibet Support Groups belong to a wide diversity of countries,

cultural background and ideological denominations. As a matter of fact, Tibet today

J6 Wangdt, n. 18, pp. 20-21.

84

also enjoys support from a substan'tial number of Chinese who contribute meaningfuliy

in supporting the cause ofTibct.

'Now the movement is in a position to challenge the very foundations of Chinese control

over Tibet in the international areBa. Suitably, the Dalai Lama democratized the

Tibetan government-in-exile to meet the needs of the Tibetan people living everywhere

and decide the future course of the Tibetan freedom movement. A worldwide network

of actors encompassing every sector is now working together tor a free Tibet. At the

same time it is important to note that all these efforts of Tibetans and their supporters

would be fruitless without the legitimacy <!nd support provided by the on-going

, nonviolent struggle within Tibet.

X5