Moral Support
The Dalai Lama often says that your enemy is your best teacher. He might as well add that in the case of Tibet he is also your best public relations officer. Why else would the Chinese frequently go to extraordinary lengths to keep the media attention on Tibet alive?
Of course the best way of ensuring this is to open fire on unarmed demonstrators in the presence of large numbers of foreigners. But a variety of reasons make it inconvenient to engage in such exercises too often. So Peking is always on the look out for events – or even non-events – which could be skillfully manoeuvred to provide unfailing grist for journalistic mill. The Dalai Lama’s visits outside his host country is seen as something that can always be trusted to provide interesting possibilities.
Take his recent visit to Norway, for instance. Among the dignitaries who had planned to meet him were the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and the bureau chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Had these meetings taken place the local papers would probably have mentioned them in a line each. However, this would be totally unsatisfactory to Peking: nothing short of banner unsatisfactory to Peking: nothing short of banner headlines and outraged commentaries would do. And they know how to get them. Days before the Dalai Lama’s arrival, the Chinese ambassador in Oslo busied himself calling on both the Foreign Ministry and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, pressing them, successfully, to have these meetings cancelled. The result was the desired publicity bonanza which carried on well after the visitor was back in his exile home.
This was no means an isolated incident. Something similar happened when the Dalai Lama visited Britain earlier this year. That visit would most probably have received only cursory attention in the British press. Ofcourse the Chinese also knew this and, with characteristics enthusiasm, they set out to do something about it. The White hall was forced to announce that the Tibetan leader will not be allowed to make any political statements. This made even those least concerned with the fate of Tibet sit up and wonder exactly what frightful utterances was he expected to make. Even the laziest scribes scurried around in search of Tibet-experts, and unscheduled spots on television and radio were held. In the end thousands of pounds worth of print space and air time was acquired by Tibetans absolutely free of charge.
Other examples can be dredged up from the past, but I think there is no need. During the 30 years of exile not a single government has dared side with the Tibetans. Politically, they remain helpless and friendless. But what does it matter ? With the kind of enemies they’ve got, who needs a friend ?
The Dalai Lama often says that your enemy is your best teacher. He might as well add that in the case of Tibet he is also your best public relations officer. Why else would the Chinese frequently go to extraordinary lengths to keep the media attention on Tibet alive?
Of course the best way of ensuring this is to open fire on unarmed demonstrators in the presence of large numbers of foreigners. But a variety of reasons make it inconvenient to engage in such exercises too often. So Peking is always on the look out for events – or even non-events – which could be skillfully manoeuvred to provide unfailing grist for journalistic mill. The Dalai Lama’s visits outside his host country is seen as something that can always be trusted to provide interesting possibilities.
Take his recent visit to Norway, for instance. Among the dignitaries who had planned to meet him were the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and the bureau chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Had these meetings taken place the local papers would probably have mentioned them in a line each. However, this would be totally unsatisfactory to Peking: nothing short of banner unsatisfactory to Peking: nothing short of banner headlines and outraged commentaries would do. And they know how to get them. Days before the Dalai Lama’s arrival, the Chinese ambassador in Oslo busied himself calling on both the Foreign Ministry and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, pressing them, successfully, to have these meetings cancelled. The result was the desired publicity bonanza which carried on well after the visitor was back in his exile home.
This was no means an isolated incident. Something similar happened when the Dalai Lama visited Britain earlier this year. That visit would most probably have received only cursory attention in the British press. Ofcourse the Chinese also knew this and, with characteristics enthusiasm, they set out to do something about it. The White hall was forced to announce that the Tibetan leader will not be allowed to make any political statements. This made even those least concerned with the fate of Tibet sit up and wonder exactly what frightful utterances was he expected to make. Even the laziest scribes scurried around in search of Tibet-experts, and unscheduled spots on television and radio were held. In the end thousands of pounds worth of print space and air time was acquired by Tibetans absolutely free of charge.
Other examples can be dredged up from the past, but I think there is no need. During the 30 years of exile not a single government has dared side with the Tibetans. Politically, they remain helpless and friendless. But what does it matter ? With the kind of enemies they’ve got, who needs a friend ?
posted by editorla at
9:02 PM
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