Bad News
Tibetan Review is primarily a ‘news’ paper—designed to inform those interested about not only what is happening in Tibet but also what the Tibetans outside Tibet and the non-Tibetans involved with them are up to. Articles and other items are there just to explain the intricacies of Tibetan history, culture and religion.
So it is more than slightly embarrassing to have to offer to the gentle readers an issue devoid of any news about what is happening the Tibetan world outside Tibet. This is the first time in our 18 long years of existence that we—and you—are thus underfed. This is of course not to imply that for the first time since coming into exile Tibetans are not doing anything this month. Undoubtedly hundreds of them are at this very moment engaged in newsworthy activities. The reason we cannot report them is that we have no paid correspondents, and will not be able to afford any in the foreseeable future because of the ‘unavoidable circumstances’ we are rightly famour for. And those who are in the bad habit of regularly sending us information ex gratis are this month occupied with something much more meritorious, i.e. descending in their tens of thousands on the usually quiet and peacful town of Bodh Gaya to receive the Kalachakra Initiation from the Dalai Lama. Dharamsala, the capital of Tibet in exile is said to resemble a ghost town, with bands of thieves already having undergone a number of gainful experiences. Does this not qualify as a news item instead of as a filler for the editorial column? The answer is, no, it does not, because there is no one to supply us with the details. Similarly, it is heard that a few days ago two bus loads of Tibetan pilgrims en route to Bodh Gaya were ambushed by decoits and robbed of a considerable amount of cash and valuables. Alas! Again, no details.
We promise that these and many other unhappy and happy tidings will be brought to you next month. So please do not cancel your subscriptions and give us just one more chance to prove ourselves fairly decent value for your money. In the meantime, the entire staff has decided to hold a solemn ceremony of our own—to curse the chap who first said that “No news is good news.”
Tibetan Review is primarily a ‘news’ paper—designed to inform those interested about not only what is happening in Tibet but also what the Tibetans outside Tibet and the non-Tibetans involved with them are up to. Articles and other items are there just to explain the intricacies of Tibetan history, culture and religion.
So it is more than slightly embarrassing to have to offer to the gentle readers an issue devoid of any news about what is happening the Tibetan world outside Tibet. This is the first time in our 18 long years of existence that we—and you—are thus underfed. This is of course not to imply that for the first time since coming into exile Tibetans are not doing anything this month. Undoubtedly hundreds of them are at this very moment engaged in newsworthy activities. The reason we cannot report them is that we have no paid correspondents, and will not be able to afford any in the foreseeable future because of the ‘unavoidable circumstances’ we are rightly famour for. And those who are in the bad habit of regularly sending us information ex gratis are this month occupied with something much more meritorious, i.e. descending in their tens of thousands on the usually quiet and peacful town of Bodh Gaya to receive the Kalachakra Initiation from the Dalai Lama. Dharamsala, the capital of Tibet in exile is said to resemble a ghost town, with bands of thieves already having undergone a number of gainful experiences. Does this not qualify as a news item instead of as a filler for the editorial column? The answer is, no, it does not, because there is no one to supply us with the details. Similarly, it is heard that a few days ago two bus loads of Tibetan pilgrims en route to Bodh Gaya were ambushed by decoits and robbed of a considerable amount of cash and valuables. Alas! Again, no details.
We promise that these and many other unhappy and happy tidings will be brought to you next month. So please do not cancel your subscriptions and give us just one more chance to prove ourselves fairly decent value for your money. In the meantime, the entire staff has decided to hold a solemn ceremony of our own—to curse the chap who first said that “No news is good news.”
posted by editorla at
9:01 PM
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