Tibetans in Switzerland protest visit of Chinese premier

[Ensapa]

Again, the Tibetans do not respect the laws of the land and they have almost no regard for the laws of the land and only act out of their needs and wants. Protest more, and the Swiss government will only get more infuriated with your acts.

Tibetans in Switzerland protest visit of Chinese premier

MAY 26, 2013 BY: HAROLD MANDEL
 
During his recent visit to Switzerland Chinese Premier Li Keqiang found out the hard way that he can not seem to escape from protests by Tibetans worldwide. The Tibet Sun reported on May 25, 2013, Switzerland’s Tibetans protest amid China premier’s visit. Tibetan exiles have urged Swiss authorities to raise China's human rights record during a landmark visit by Premier Li Keqiang to discuss a trade deal.

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Hundreds of Tibetan demonstrators rallied in the Swiss capital of Berne, waving Tibetan flags and chanting slogans such as “free the prisoners”, “stop the killing” and “long live the Dalai Lama." Tibetan community leader Pasang Memmishofer said, “We’re asking the Swiss government not to forget the principles of human rights.” She also said, “Our basic message is that the condition in Tibet is disastrous. Tibetans can’t live in a dignified way. They are second-class citizens in their own home.”


Tibetans living in exile in Switzerland protest during the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Switzerland's capital Bern on 24 May 2013
Photo credit:  . Demotix/Erik Tham/Reproduced with permission from the Tibet Sun

There are about 5,000 Tibetans living in Switzerland, where their presence has grown ever since China took over Tibet in 1959. Memmishofer pointed out that despite Beijing’s claims that exiles want to split the Himalayan region from China, actually what they want is respect and autonomy. She commented, “We’re asking Premier Li to resume a dialogue with us. Only through dialogue can anything happen.”

http://www.examiner.com/article/tibetans-switzerland-protest-visit-of-chinese-premier

[kris]

@Ensapa, I don't think having a protest is a sign of no respect for the laws. In fact, it is very common for people to protest for whatever they don't like. What they are asking for is to continue the dialogue, and I don't see any problem with that (even though I don't think the China will care much about having a dialogue).

I am still making the same stand: stop dividing the people, unite everyone, then face the outside problems together.

[WisdomBeing]

The Swiss have been renowned for their wish to be neutral. This action by the Tibetans will only irk the Swiss. Ironically, when the Tibetans are calling for "Stop the Killing", they should petition the Dalai Lama the same way - ask the Dalai Lama to decree that all self-immolations be stopped. "Tibetans can’t live in a dignified way. They are second-class citizens in their own home." Please look at what is happening in your own refugee camps.

Dorje Shugden practitioners are not being allowed to live in a dignified way. How can a sector of your own people be forbidden from buying groceries, seeking medical attention or their children from attending schools? They are the ones who are second-class citizens in their own home!

“We’re asking Premier Li to resume a dialogue with us. Only through dialogue can anything happen." This is exactly what Dorje Shugden practitioners have been requesting of the Dalai Lama - to have a dialogue with him about the ban.

Perhaps all this is simply karma in motion. you get what you give.

[Big Uncle]

Well, I really like what Wisdombeing wrote. It's true, Switzerland is known to be neutral for the longest time and I think that they are not going to acquiesce to the Tibetan's request. What do the Tibetans want Switzerland to do? Sever ties and demand Tibetan independence? Do you really think Switzerland would do anything for these people? It's really sad fact but the Tibetans really have to face facts. Nobody is going to back up their plans in seeking independence because nobody wants to make enemies of China. I just think that it is just a waste of effort.

 

[Ensapa]

what i find equally hilarious is how the Tibetans keep demanding for dialogue with China, but at the same time keep cussing and degrading China at every turn they can. Oh hey, i wanna have a dialogue with you and while at that, i'm going to insult you as much as possible and show you how much I hate you. It dosent work. If they were really serious about the dialogues, they would have quieted down on these demonstrations and play nice with China. but unfortunately, most of them (probably due to the centuries of suppression by the CTA) wanted to exercise their right for free speech, but at the cost of Tibet's freedom.

[Big Uncle]

Check this out. Tibetans are protesting against a large international chain of hotels for developing plans to open a luxury hotel in Lhasa. You should read what they said was their reasons for the protest and why they shouldn't open their hotel in Lhasa. I have highlighted those in bold for easy reading.

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Tibet activists demand InterContinental ditch Lhasa luxury hotel plan
Phayul[Sunday, May 26, 2013 23:53]

Tibet activists disrupting InterContinental Hotels Group’s annual general meeting in London with a “die in” on May 24, 2013. (Photo/SFT, UK)
DHARAMSHALA, May 26: Tibet campaigners armed with placards carrying graphic images of human rights abuses in Tibet disrupted InterContinental Hotels Group’s annual general meeting in London with a “die in” Friday.

The demonstrators were demanding IGH to withdraw its plans to open a luxury hotel in Lhasa, Tibet’s ancient capital, citing the “severe human rights abuses in Tibet and intense, ongoing protests against Chinese rule.”

IHG – owner of the Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza brands – plans to open the 1,000+ room “InterContinental Resort Lhasa Paradise” in 2014 in partnership with Deng Hong of Sichuan-based Exhibition and Travel Group, a Chinese businessman with “close links” to the Chinese regime.

Campaigners from the Free Tibet group and Students for a Free Tibet, UK, asserted that the “hotel’s presence will be a PR coup for the Chinese government and will exacerbate oppression and economic marginalisation of Tibetans.”

Since 2009, as many as 117 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.

“Lhasa is not a playground or a paradise: it is the beleaguered capital of an oppressed and occupied nation,” Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, director of Free Tibet said in a statement.

“IHG’s marketing will sell the image of an ancient Tibetan culture which in reality is being systematically destroyed by China. While Lhasa’s Tibetan inhabitants fear imprisonment, torture or worse for speaking out against the regime, the hotel’s rooms and business facilities will be occupied by wealthy cronies of the Communist Party or by its highly-paid or highly-bribed officials. IHG and China will take the profit: Tibetans will wash the dishes. InterContinental Hotels are parasites in their so-called paradise.”

Organisers of the demonstration also spoke as shareholders in the AGM and challenged executives over the company’s plan.

The protests coincided with the launch of a global boycott campaign targeting IHG supported by more than 30 Tibet groups worldwide.

The campaign is being spearheaded by Free Tibet, a UK-based international campaign group that stands for the right of Tibetans to determine their own future, for an end to the Chinese occupation of Tibet and for the fundamental human rights of Tibetans to be respected.

[harrynephew]

There's nothing wrong with the protests which I see here. The only question which raises my eye brow is, how effective it is in bringing through the message which the protestors wanna transmit over? When is it ever gonna end?

To say that they will be treated as second class citizens in their own country is albeit unfair for the government, don't u think so? After decades of improving and ensuring that the lives of people in Tibet are getting better, all that the Tibetans do in return is create self immolations and other dramas which will only  obstruct the growth of Tibet itself on an international platform.

What else is there to lose in following China's policy for Tibet? If Tibetans accept China as it is and China embraces Tibet's religion over time, wouldn't it make Tibetan Buddhism something we can all enjoy freely now? Especially the Dharma of Dorje Shugden which is so needed by the people of today, what else can we ask for?

[Ensapa]

The more CTA presses down on the Dorje Shugden practitioners, the more they will see the Tibetans being oppressed back in Tibet. it's just karma returning. It's funny that the decades of misleading others, spreading malicious false information against Dorje Shugden and murdering high lamas have returned to them in the form of Tibet being exploited for commercial use and the Tibetans are being exploited to serve their oppressors. With that said, the hotel could open up more jobs for the jobless, poverty stricken Tibetans and might help them in the long run.

[WisdomBeing]

I had thought that one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that everything is impermanent. Why is Tibet holding onto an illusion of their country which has changed? Why are they fighting something which is not only inevitable, it has already happened. The reality is that Tibet is now part of China. Does any Tibetan really, really believe that Tibet will be independent again?

Actually, on the basis that everything IS impermanent, perhaps it may be, perhaps it may not, but i do think that there is no point fighting the current situation. No country's government will risk the economic well-being of their own nationals to bat for the Tibetans. What will they gain? Support from Tibetans? A group which seems to specialise in protests to disrupt their host countries?

Instead, Tibetans should perhaps be constructive and see how to better the lot of their people. Especially of course, how they can better the situation of Dorje Shugden practitioners who have been suffering for decades because of the ban. Maybe then can they create the karma to have more peace and harmony within and without.

[Ensapa]

I had thought that one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that everything is impermanent. Why is Tibet holding onto an illusion of their country which has changed? Why are they fighting something which is not only inevitable, it has already happened. The reality is that Tibet is now part of China. Does any Tibetan really, really believe that Tibet will be independent again?

Actually, on the basis that everything IS impermanent, perhaps it may be, perhaps it may not, but i do think that there is no point fighting the current situation. No country's government will risk the economic well-being of their own nationals to bat for the Tibetans. What will they gain? Support from Tibetans? A group which seems to specialise in protests to disrupt their host countries?

Instead, Tibetans should perhaps be constructive and see how to better the lot of their people. Especially of course, how they can better the situation of Dorje Shugden practitioners who have been suffering for decades because of the ban. Maybe then can they create the karma to have more peace and harmony within and without.

To me, it seems that one of the main reasons why the CTA wants Tibet back is because they think it is an easy way to get power for themselves again as they are basically powerless in Dharamsala, and they thirst and crave for the powers that they once had, and the easiest way for them to get it is by taking back Tibet as they would have to work very hard to carve their own niche in Dharamsala, and none of them, obviously is willing to do something like that. I mean, its not that hard to talk to China if you are sincere about that, but it is going to be hard if you talk negatively about China and have negative sentiments against them and then try to engage talks with them....that's a no brainer for anyone to know that it is not the right approach.

[Rinchen]

For me, I think that the CTA wants the independence of Tibet because not only do they want their power that they used to have back, but also get back the "developed" country of theirs.

Getting the fruits of others' hard labor and work.

What I do not understand is that why can't CTA see that Tibet is way better now without them taking care of her and stopping every situation for her to grow and flourish. China have been taking care of Tibet so well, if I were them, I would choose to just sneak back into Tibet and allow China to continue in the ruling of Tibet.

[Ensapa]

For me, I think that the CTA wants the independence of Tibet because not only do they want their power that they used to have back, but also get back the "developed" country of theirs.

Getting the fruits of others' hard labor and work.

What I do not understand is that why can't CTA see that Tibet is way better now without them taking care of her and stopping every situation for her to grow and flourish. China have been taking care of Tibet so well, if I were them, I would choose to just sneak back into Tibet and allow China to continue in the ruling of Tibet.

Because the people in CTA are just living a dream and a shadow of what they used to be. They are still clinging on tightly to the old ways that have proven to be ineffective for governing a country, but yet they are still doing very badly in their own terms. CTA should learn from China and work with them rather than oppose them continuously without any reason or rhyme. CTA should really change their tune and not continue with what they are doing as it does not bring benefit to them or the Tibetans in the long run

[dsiluvu]

@Ensapa, I don't think having a protest is a sign of no respect for the laws. In fact, it is very common for people to protest for whatever they don't like. What they are asking for is to continue the dialogue, and I don't see any problem with that (even though I don't think the China will care much about having a dialogue).

I am still making the same stand: stop dividing the people, unite everyone, then face the outside problems together.

You are absolutely right Kris, nothing wrong with "protest" and YES it should be about stop dividing the people to their own govt instead... YES protest to your own Govt CTA. Perhaps if you do that you will get more positive attentions and help! So far they have been doing this type of protest... was there any substantial results from it? 

[Ensapa]

@Ensapa, I don't think having a protest is a sign of no respect for the laws. In fact, it is very common for people to protest for whatever they don't like. What they are asking for is to continue the dialogue, and I don't see any problem with that (even though I don't think the China will care much about having a dialogue).

I am still making the same stand: stop dividing the people, unite everyone, then face the outside problems together.

You are absolutely right Kris, nothing wrong with "protest" and YES it should be about stop dividing the people to their own govt instead... YES protest to your own Govt CTA. Perhaps if you do that you will get more positive attentions and help! So far they have been doing this type of protest... was there any substantial results from it?

You see, the protests are all for nothing as right now, there are no Tibetan envoys talking with the Chinese on the progress of things. If there is no one discussing with China on the progress, what is there to talk about? What can be talked about? Why not instead of protesting, find more people as envoys between CTA and China? Wouldnt that be more effective and more practical? The protests are nothing more but a show to cover up their inadequacies and their inability to do what they are supposed to do, in reality.

[brian]

At least the did not self immolated themselves which is totally wasteful. Wasting the great chance of this human life rebirth. What i see of the Tibet situation now is that, it is not going anywhere. No concrete development. That is why the Tibetans were angry and maybe this is what they can only do now and not any more concrete or anything more purposeful. Many would think these protests is wasteful but from the Tibetans' point of view, this is only that much they can do now.