Tibet campaigners urge G8 leaders to address Tibet crisis

[Ensapa]

Again, the Tibetans are appealing for handouts and others to help solve their problems. What can they offer back to the world?

Tibet campaigners urge G8 leaders to address Tibet crisis
Phayul[Monday, June 17, 2013 23:43]


Tim Loughton, British MP, Philippa Carrick, CEO of Tibet Society, and Nyima, representing Students for a Free Tibet UK delivering the new report, 'A New Global Approach: Unite for Tibet' to 10 Downing Streeton, London on June 17, 2013.

DHARAMSHALA, June 17: Tibet campaigners today called on leaders of the G8 countries to stand together in addressing the crisis in Tibet and lead the way on a new diplomatic initiative on Tibet.

Leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, USA, and UK are meeting at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland for the 39th Summit of the Group of Eight, June 17-18. The European Union is represented by Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, and Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council

Tibet activists submitted a short report, 'A New Global Approach: Unite for Tibet' to 10 Downing Street, along with a 10,000 strong petition calling on G8 leaders to lead the way on a new diplomatic initiative on Tibet.

Delivering the report, Tim Loughton, British MP and member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, said China continues to deprive Tibetans of their freedom and urged world leaders to stand up against China’s abuse.

“China must not be allowed to use her financial muscle and burgeoning economic clout internationally to intimidate peace loving countries from raising the plight of the peace loving Tibetan people,” Loughton said. “It is time to stand up against the abuse going on within China’s own borders.”

Since 2009, as many as 119 Tibetans living under China’s rule have set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. On June 11, nun Wangchen Dolma set herself on fire in Tawu region of Kham, eastern Tibet, protesting China’s occupation, becoming the latest Tibetan to self-immolate in the unprecedented wave of fiery protests.

The report prepared by International Tibet Network and its member organisations, points out the “abject failure” of the current policy to address China’s occupation of Tibet through bilateral approaches and challenges the widely held view that angering China over Tibet will lead to onerous economic and diplomatic penalties.

While the report contends that most of China’s punitive reactions are “more hot air than genuinely damaging in the long-term,” it goes on to demonstrate that Governments held for angering China over Tibet have in fact “seen their exports to China at the very least hold up if not increase in the aftermath.”

“For many years we have been urging Governments to unite for Tibet, and stand together against China’s bullying,” said Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute. “With the crackdown in Tibet intensifying still further, the Tibetan people urgently need a show of diplomatic strength from G8 in the form of a multilateral initiative that will impress upon China the legitimate international concerns about Tibet.”

While submitting the report, Philippa Carrick, CEO of Tibet Society noted that British PM David Cameron “knows more than anyone the importance of defending core values and democratic principles,” referring to his decision earlier this year not to bow down to China’s demands of an apology for meeting the Dalai Lama in 2012.

“As host of this G8 summit, we urge him (David Cameron) to stand by his Government’s averred commitment to seeking a solution for Tibet and initiate a robust response that has the potential to bring about genuine progress on the 60-year occupation of Tibet, whilst safeguarding G8 members’ diplomatic relationships with China."

The annual summit provides an opportunity for G8 leaders to have “frank and open discussions” about the important global issues.

[Ensapa]

....and predictably, they failed.

Campaigners deplore Tibet’s exclusion from G8 joint communiqué
Phayul[Tuesday, June 18, 2013 23:54]

http://phayul.com/images/thumb.aspx?src=130619033230YT.jpg
Oxfam's 'Big Head' G8 leaders are seen here in Belfast ahead of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland in order to demand the leaders tackle the severe problem of global hunger.

DHARAMSHALA, June 18: Tibet advocacy groups have expressed “deep disappointment” at the failure of G8 leaders to make any mention on the situation in Tibet in a joint communiqué at the end of their two day annual summit.

In a statement today, Tibet campaigners deplored the exclusion of any commitment by the G8 leaders on “working multilaterally to tackle China’s failed policies” in Tibet.

“Nor does it (joint communiqué) address China’s bullying of individual nations that show support for the Dalai Lama or concern about the situation in Tibet,” Tibet groups said.

Leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, USA, and UK met at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland for the 39th Summit of the Group of Eight, June 17-18. A joint statement on Syria condemning the use of chemical weapons and calling for early peace talks between President Assad and the rebels aimed at a political solution to the two-year civil war, was issued.

Tenzin Jigme of the International Tibet Network inquired when will the G8 countries commit to seeking a political solution to Tibet.

“If a conference for Syria can be "strongly" supported, surely the G8 can also give support to the Tibetan people who have suffered occupation for over 60 years, increasing economic marginalisation and brutal repression, and yet continue to steadfastly conduct a non-violent campaign for justice,” Jigme said. “What message does this convey to peoples with grievances? That you get noticed only if you embark on armed conflict?”

On Monday, Tibet activists had submitted a short report, 'A New Global Approach: Unite for Tibet' to 10 Downing Street, along with a 10,000 strong petition calling on G8 leaders to lead the way on a new diplomatic initiative on Tibet.

The report prepared by International Tibet Network and its member organisations, points out the “abject failure” of the current policy to address China’s occupation of Tibet through bilateral approaches and challenges the widely held view that angering China over Tibet will lead to onerous economic and diplomatic penalties.

While the report contends that most of China’s punitive reactions are “more hot air than genuinely damaging in the long-term,” it goes on to demonstrate that Governments held for angering China over Tibet have in fact “seen their exports to China at the very least hold up if not increase in the aftermath.”

“For many years we have been urging Governments to unite for Tibet, and stand together against China’s bullying,” said Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute. “With the crackdown in Tibet intensifying still further, the Tibetan people urgently needed a show of diplomatic strength from G8, in the form of a multilateral initiative that will impress upon China the legitimate international concerns about Tibet. But our leaders have failed Tibet once again.”

Since 2009, as many as 119 Tibetans living under China’s rule have set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

The United Nations, European Union, US, UK, and Canada have all in recent months called on China to address the grievances of the Tibetan people and allow investigative visits to the region.

[Dondrup Shugden]

It is interesting how the CTA live by double standards.  CTA has the audacity to appeal to the G8 Leaders for support against China's policies towards Tibet and yet when Pro Dorje Shugden demonstrate in peace, it is called hooliganism.

Although some of the slogans are a bit insensitive, there were not instances of hooliganism during the protests.

In the same instance, CTA complains of China's bullying tactics but never see nor notice the prejudices and discrimination towards Shugdenpas within the Tibetan community.