Interview with European Newspaper by His Holiness on Global Issues

[Galen]

http://www.thetibetpost.com/en/news/international/2679-interview-with-european-newspaper-by-his-holiness-on-global-issues

Dharamshala: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recently gave a full exclusive interview to the International Network of Street Papers (INSP)* while on his European visit. In the interview, he spoke candidly and with integrity on a range of contemporary issues that included, poverty, the global financial crisis (and its consequences), censorship in China, and the role of independent media and their extreme importance in today's society.
The interview was published worldwide on the second of July and over 12 thousand street vendors who sell the paper worldwide will directly benefit as a result of the interview. The INSP have said they are, ‘' immensely grateful to His Holiness for his support" and said, "To have an exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama is an extraordinary achievement for INSP and our street papers''.

The exiled spiritual leader praised the street paper model, a model that directly profits homeless vendors who buy magazines at half price and sell them on the streets at the cover price

In the interview which was held in a Scottish castle His Holiness expressed empathy with the homeless stating: "On some level, I am also homeless'', a reference on his exile from Tibet since 1959.

His Holiness in particular commented on the fallout from the current financial and economic crisis, he said: "The real causes of the present difficulties started with the past governments and some companies. I think, without a proper plan in place, they are simply concerned about immediate profit and are not concerned about the long-term consequences. [...] The results now are due to their own actions''.

Regarding censorship, particularly in communist China, he said that people must know the truth and that censorship is ultimately immoral. He commented further "The 1.3 billion Chinese people have every right to know the reality. And once they know the reality of their situation, they also have the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong''.

The INSP is a confederation of newspapers that was founded in 1994 on the principle of helping homeless people deal with poverty, and other associated problems such as alcoholism and drug abuse. It is now involved in over 100 street press projects in 40 countries, across all six continents, in 24 languages, with a combined readership of almost 6 million readers per edition.

_________

I have bolded the point where the Dalai Lama pointed out, China's censorship on news and the truth from its people is ultimately immoral and that the people has the right to know the reality. Also, that the people can judge what is right or wrong for themselves, i.e. freedom to decide.

My question is that whether the Dalai Lama is practicing what he preaches to his own people? The Dalai Lama is not telling the truth on why he ban the practice of Dorje Shugden. And he is not allowing his people (Tibetans) to choose what they want to practice. He has given them no choice but to abandon their Dorje Shugden practice because if they practice Dorje Shugden, they are being discriminated against in society. In fact, it is not freedom of choice.

What are your views on this?

[Ensapa]

http://www.thetibetpost.com/en/news/international/2679-interview-with-european-newspaper-by-his-holiness-on-global-issues

Dharamshala: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recently gave a full exclusive interview to the International Network of Street Papers (INSP)* while on his European visit. In the interview, he spoke candidly and with integrity on a range of contemporary issues that included, poverty, the global financial crisis (and its consequences), censorship in China, and the role of independent media and their extreme importance in today's society.
The interview was published worldwide on the second of July and over 12 thousand street vendors who sell the paper worldwide will directly benefit as a result of the interview. The INSP have said they are, ‘' immensely grateful to His Holiness for his support" and said, "To have an exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama is an extraordinary achievement for INSP and our street papers''.

The exiled spiritual leader praised the street paper model, a model that directly profits homeless vendors who buy magazines at half price and sell them on the streets at the cover price

In the interview which was held in a Scottish castle His Holiness expressed empathy with the homeless stating: "On some level, I am also homeless'', a reference on his exile from Tibet since 1959.

His Holiness in particular commented on the fallout from the current financial and economic crisis, he said: "The real causes of the present difficulties started with the past governments and some companies. I think, without a proper plan in place, they are simply concerned about immediate profit and are not concerned about the long-term consequences. [...] The results now are due to their own actions''.

Regarding censorship, particularly in communist China, he said that people must know the truth and that censorship is ultimately immoral. He commented further "The 1.3 billion Chinese people have every right to know the reality. And once they know the reality of their situation, they also have the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong''.

The INSP is a confederation of newspapers that was founded in 1994 on the principle of helping homeless people deal with poverty, and other associated problems such as alcoholism and drug abuse. It is now involved in over 100 street press projects in 40 countries, across all six continents, in 24 languages, with a combined readership of almost 6 million readers per edition.

_________

I have bolded the point where the Dalai Lama pointed out, China's censorship on news and the truth from its people is ultimately immoral and that the people has the right to know the reality. Also, that the people can judge what is right or wrong for themselves, i.e. freedom to decide.

My question is that whether the Dalai Lama is practicing what he preaches to his own people? The Dalai Lama is not telling the truth on why he ban the practice of Dorje Shugden. And he is not allowing his people (Tibetans) to choose what they want to practice. He has given them no choice but to abandon their Dorje Shugden practice because if they practice Dorje Shugden, they are being discriminated against in society. In fact, it is not freedom of choice.

What are your views on this?

First of all, the Dalai Lama is extremely kind to help such a newspaper who was made with such good intentions, that is to help homeless people survive even though it is actually a very small publication when the Dalai Lama could have gone for interviews with bigger papers. This shows that the Dalai Lama is completely without ego as you wont ever hear the pope giving an interview to such a small publication. It shows the humility and equanimity of the Dalai Lama and therefore there is no reason for us to doubt him (of course, except for the issue of the ban)

The second thing is, in this interview, HHDL did not say anything specific, but he only talked about things in general. It is more or less his standard set of statements in most interviews he goes for. It is more like the expected set of answers that people often expect from the Dalai Lama when he goes for interviews, so it is very clear that the Dalai Lama is granting an interview for them with the motivation of helping them with newspaper sales when he obviously has other things to do but he makes time just so that 12 thousand street vendors have a bit more income when people buy the publications from them out of interest of the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama commenting on China's censorship is something that he is expected to say and he is just saying it because it was expected of him to make such statements. It is just to make the Chinese government think when they get wind of such news on their policies of censorship for the sake of the nation. The root basis for China's censorship is merely due to their paranoia and fear of dissent among the chinese. If they can eliminate this fear, they would remove the censorship immediately. China, like most asian nations, believe in the theory of babysitting the citizens as opposed to allowing them to speak up.

The Dorje Shugden ban is a whole new level of censorship. Nobody is allowed to talk about Dorje Shugden or else you will be suspected of being a practitioner. In the other traditions, even mentioning the name Dorje Shugden brings bad luck so there is absolutely no way of investigating him correctly or impartially. The CTA sweeps this under the carpet and refuses to talk or discusses about it. Hmm...perhaps HHDL ought to tell the CTA to apply soe of his advice, including the one where they should not have censorship in any way and in this case, of the Dorje Shugden practice as people do deserve to know the truth about Dorje Shugden.

[Ensapa]

meanwhile, thanks to the self immolations, China is getting more repressive than ever. Why not everyone try to calm China down by not drawing attention to the Tibet issue for a while, and actually just playing along with China and calming it down instead of provoking it? That way, they will release their grip on the media and censorship. Would that not be a smarter solution?

China tightens restrictions on media and travel in Tibet: Report
Phayul[Monday, July 16, 2012 11:22]

DHARAMSHALA, July 16: A global rights group has said that restrictions on news, media, and communications in Tibet have been “stepped up” by Chinese authorities in the lead-up to the 18th Party Congress, due to take place in late 2012.

New York based Human Rights Watch in a report last week said the measures appear to be an effort to cut off Tibetans in China from news and also to prevent the views of the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama and his followers from reaching Tibetans inside China, particularly those living in rural areas.

Party Secretary Chen Quanguo of the so called Tibetan Autonomous Region has been quoted as saying in a June 27 interview that the new restrictions aim to “ensure the absolute security of Tibet’s ideological and cultural realm.”

The measures involve significantly increased controls, particularly in the TAR, on internet use, text messages, phone ownership, music publishing, and photocopying, as well as intensified government propaganda through new TV channels, village education sessions, film showings, distribution of books, and the provision of satellite television receivers with fixed reception to government channels.

“Under the guise of combating ‘separatism’ the Chinese government is blatantly violating Tibetans’ rights to the freedom of expression, religion, culture, and movement,” said Sophie Richardson, China director. “The authorities have a responsibility to uphold public order, but that cannot be used as a blanket justification for the kinds of measures to limit communications that the Chinese authorities are imposing in Tibet.”

Last month Chen urged officials in Tibet to “make sure that the Central Party’s voices and images can be heard across 120 thousand square kilometers,” and that “no voices and images of enemy forces and Dalai clique can be heard and seen.”

HRW said the scope of the new restrictions reflect a “sharp change” in official views about Tibetan unrest, which officials previously stated was caused by “a small number” or “a handful” of Tibetans, who were considered to have been influenced by the Dalai Lama or by exile groups.

“But following protests across the Tibetan plateau in 2008, leaders there have now acknowledged, at least in the domestic press, that the influence of the Dalai Lama is widespread among Tibetans, including in rural areas, where some 85% percent of Tibetans live,” the report noted.

The rights group noted that these newly announced measures are part of a Tibet-specific policy called “the Four Stabilities” that was announced by China’s leader Hu Jintao in an internal speech in early March 2012.

“They are being carried out in the name of the slogan “stability overrides all” (wending yadao yiqie) in order to “keep a tight hand on the struggle against separatism,” the report said.

The goals include achieving “the overall coverage of internet management in towns and in the rural areas” (Xizang Ribao, March 19, 2012) and “strengthening the management of new media” (Xizang Ribao, March 18, 2012). On May 30, 2012,

HRW said that controls on travel from inland provinces into the TAR have also been tightened significantly since March 2012, with new limitations on travel into the TAR. Additional restrictions on travel by foreigners to the TAR were introduced in May 2012 and again in early June.

“The Chinese government refuses to even acknowledge the serious grievances of Tibetans,” said Richardson. “Trying to seal the region off will only lead to further frustration and greater international concern.”