Whose Move Next??
Speculations continue about negotiations between Peking and Dharamsala on the future of Tibet. However, two events which occurred this month indicate that neither side has yielded any ground.
First, the Office of Tibet in New York has released a specially-prepared report on conditions in Tibet for submission to the United States House of Representatives. The document is of the kind that friends of China will at once denounce as pure Dharamsala propaganda. It lists alleged Chinese atrocities in Tibet and admits of not the slightest benefit in any field that the Tibetan people have received by being transformed into Chinese citizens. It has no faith in the recent easing of restrictions in the occupied country; it concludes that there is no change in China’s basic policy, “which denies fundamental human rights and political self-rule to Tibetans.” It is also noteworthy that the report was issued by the Office of Tibet, New York, which Dharamsala regards as even more important than some of the offices in the headquarters itself. So once can safely take this to be the official stand of the Tibetan Government in exile. Surprising—isn’t it?—considering Dharamsala’s efforts in recent time at not annoying Peking.
The other event is the screening in Delhi of a short Chinese documentary in the course of an international film festival. The film was entitled “Jubilation in Lhasa” and the direction was described to one Ying Xiaping. It turned out to be a visual report on the celebrations held in May 1981 to commemmorate the 23rd anniversary of Tibet’s becoming a Chinese autonomous region. The title of the film was certainly apt as it contained nothing but scenes of merriment; songs and dances of all kinds both by Tibetans and visiting Chinese artistes; speeches wildly applauded both by the audience and the speakers; food and drinks a-plenty; houses, people, cars, everything bright and spotlessly clean; everybody smiling throughout the film. There was not a hint of dirt, dust or insufficiency or unhappiness anywhere. Once vainly looked in the corners of the screen for artistically done natural touches ala Steven Spielberg. Everything was spick and span; every frame a classic depiction of the socialist paradise. Of course we know better, not only because of information supplied from Dharamsala but from independent sources too. The film was made in 1981—two years after the “delegation diplomacy” began and their reports publicised. But there was no mention of the cultural revolution; no admission of wrongs done at that time as the Chinese leaders were frequently doing after 1979. In short, the impression desired was exactly the same as by those materials issued by Peking before the “new policy” inaugurated by Teng Hsiaoping; that Tibet was peacefully liberated in 1951 and nothing has gone wrong since then.
Well, for my money, these two offerings from Dharamsala and Peking take things pretty much back to square one. What else can one do but wait with patience to see what the next move will be—and who will make it?
Speculations continue about negotiations between Peking and Dharamsala on the future of Tibet. However, two events which occurred this month indicate that neither side has yielded any ground.
First, the Office of Tibet in New York has released a specially-prepared report on conditions in Tibet for submission to the United States House of Representatives. The document is of the kind that friends of China will at once denounce as pure Dharamsala propaganda. It lists alleged Chinese atrocities in Tibet and admits of not the slightest benefit in any field that the Tibetan people have received by being transformed into Chinese citizens. It has no faith in the recent easing of restrictions in the occupied country; it concludes that there is no change in China’s basic policy, “which denies fundamental human rights and political self-rule to Tibetans.” It is also noteworthy that the report was issued by the Office of Tibet, New York, which Dharamsala regards as even more important than some of the offices in the headquarters itself. So once can safely take this to be the official stand of the Tibetan Government in exile. Surprising—isn’t it?—considering Dharamsala’s efforts in recent time at not annoying Peking.
The other event is the screening in Delhi of a short Chinese documentary in the course of an international film festival. The film was entitled “Jubilation in Lhasa” and the direction was described to one Ying Xiaping. It turned out to be a visual report on the celebrations held in May 1981 to commemmorate the 23rd anniversary of Tibet’s becoming a Chinese autonomous region. The title of the film was certainly apt as it contained nothing but scenes of merriment; songs and dances of all kinds both by Tibetans and visiting Chinese artistes; speeches wildly applauded both by the audience and the speakers; food and drinks a-plenty; houses, people, cars, everything bright and spotlessly clean; everybody smiling throughout the film. There was not a hint of dirt, dust or insufficiency or unhappiness anywhere. Once vainly looked in the corners of the screen for artistically done natural touches ala Steven Spielberg. Everything was spick and span; every frame a classic depiction of the socialist paradise. Of course we know better, not only because of information supplied from Dharamsala but from independent sources too. The film was made in 1981—two years after the “delegation diplomacy” began and their reports publicised. But there was no mention of the cultural revolution; no admission of wrongs done at that time as the Chinese leaders were frequently doing after 1979. In short, the impression desired was exactly the same as by those materials issued by Peking before the “new policy” inaugurated by Teng Hsiaoping; that Tibet was peacefully liberated in 1951 and nothing has gone wrong since then.
Well, for my money, these two offerings from Dharamsala and Peking take things pretty much back to square one. What else can one do but wait with patience to see what the next move will be—and who will make it?
posted by editorla at
9:05 PM
<< Home